Should You Try the Natural Face-lift?
With more than 60 different muscles, the face works hard to produce expressions countless times throughout the day. It’s no wonder that frown lines, crow’s feet, and laugh lines begin to emerge over time: after years, the same expressions we make over and over again eventually leave their telltale signs behind.
While many individuals turn to modern cosmetic procedures to address fine lines and wrinkles, others prefer to first explore natural or minimally invasive solutions to rejuvenate the skin. One method that has emerged recently is facial yoga. It may sound like a hoax, but hear us out. This simple, all-natural technique is backed by scientific research.
What is Facial Yoga?
Facial yoga is the practice of performing facial exercises to achieve a more youthful appearance. Movements for lifting the cheeks and eyebrows, sculpting the jawline and neck, and firming up the eyelid area and temples can be implemented to minimize the appearance of wrinkles in these trouble zones. And, when practiced for 30 minutes a day, the exercises unveiled noticeable improvements in participants involved in a Northwestern Medicine study. In fact, they are considered to be a powerful non-drug alternative to Botox for addressing saggy skin.
How Does It Work?
The signs of aging are caused by several factors. As mentioned above, lines can become etched into the skin after years of frowns, smiles, and laughter. Yet, there’s another agent that exacerbates aging which can’t fight: gravity. As the face ages, the skin loses its elasticity, and fat pads between the muscle and skin wear out. As a result, the face may take on a drawn-out appearance.
To combat the issue, dermatologists are recommending performing targeted facial exercises, which strengthen the facial muscles. In building up these key areas, the face actually becomes firmer and more toned, much like that of a younger individual.
What Kind of Results Can I Expect?
The Northwestern study included women 40 to 65 years old who continued the exercises over the course of 20 weeks. In total, 32 exercises were performed for roughly a minute each. The exercises were developed by Gary Sikorski, the force behind the Happy Face Yoga program, and the study’s co-author. Pictures were taken at specific intervals during the study, and participants were asked to describe their satisfaction with the results.
According to Northwestern, participants reported being “highly satisfied” and specifically cited improvements in the upper cheek region. Estimated ages were decreased over the course of the study as well, and as an average, participants saw a nearly three-year decrease in age appearance.
While results may vary from one person to the next, it certainly couldn’t hurt to give facial yoga a try. If you’re interested in testing out some of the moves yourself, you can find links to guides for six of the exercises used in the study at the bottom of the Northwestern article here.
About Us
Who is Stemedix ? Stemedix, Inc. was founded on January 23, 2013. Our St. Petersburg headquarters is located in the Bayfront Health Medical Building which is within the Bayfront Health and John Hopkins Children’s Hospital District. With a long-standing footprint in...
Should You Be Taking C60 Supplements?
In a world where prescription drug use and invasive treatments have become the norm, many individuals are looking towards supplements as a means of improving health and minimizing their risk for serious diseases. Patients are becoming their own advocates and empowering themselves by researching available options that have helped others achieve a better quality of life. One supplement which has gained the recent attention of patients and medical experts alike is C60. While you should always consult a physician before beginning any supplement regimen, explore how C60 could benefit you with the helpful guide below.
What is C60?
C60, or Carbon60, was discovered by a team of scientists in the 1980s. It is comprised of isolated atom clusters which, over the years, have shown to hold immense benefits – including the potential to extend organisms’ life spans. The discovery of this powerful cluster won the scientists the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999. Now, C60 is available in supplement form and is used to defeat toxic byproducts which contribute to tissue injuries in many diseases.
What Are the Benefits of C60?
The benefits of C60 are far-reaching, and due to the fact that its advantages are still being studied, it’s likely that this list is by no means exhaustive. With that said, we do know that the supplement is a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and aids in resistance to chemical toxicity. It also has an extremely high concentration of vitamin C.
Here are just a few of the ways in which C60 supplements can benefit individuals:
1 Extends Lifespan
In one animal study, results showed that the supplement extended the lifespan of mice by up to 14% – even when it was administered at the midpoint of their average lifespan. This could be a result of the supplement’s ability to prevent nerve cells from dying off, either from dehydration or amyloid-beta, the culprit behind Alzheimer’s.
2 Protects Against UV Damage
C60 has been shown to be effective in combatting UVA-induced skin damage, making it the perfect supplement to a daily sunblock regimen.
3 Fights Free Radicals
The supplement is an antioxidant, meaning that it attacks free radicals before they have the ability to cause damage throughout the body. We’re constantly exposed to free radicals in our environments, and these harmful agents are linked to everything from premature aging to serious diseases.
4 Kills Bacteria & Viruses
Group A Streptococcus – the bacteria behind infections like strep throat and certain skin conditions – has responded well to C60 in studies. The supplement aids in the production of white blood cells to fight off infection. Likewise, it has also been shown to attack certain viruses, such as mosquito iridescent virus.
5 Impedes Fat Cell Growth
The C60 found in squalene (shark oil) can control fat cell growth, and it also prevents insulin resistance in cells, a factor in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
6 Prevents Inflammation
One of the most powerful properties of C60 is its ability to fight inflammation. Studies specifically showcase its ability to treat inflammation in the lower back associated with disc degeneration, but it’s likely that its anti-inflammatory properties can benefit a large population of other patients as well.
7 Protects Nerves & Bones
C60 prevents nerve death resulting from overwork, which suggests that it could be a useful agent in promoting brain health. It also has the ability to prevent osteoarthritis by combatting stress-induced damage and breakdown of bones.
Are There Any Risks?
While rumors have circulated about C60 being linked to DNA damage, studies have not been able to confirm this, and instead suggest the corn oil present in some solutions is actually more dangerous than the C60 itself. Moreover, animal studies, rodents were administered doses of C60 far exceeding the amounts any physician would ever recommend for their patients, and certainly far greater than average daily doses of the supplement. Remarkably, however, there were no observable changes in body fat, protein, or many other molecules.
Based on the research indicated above, it’s clear that C60 can be used to support a broad range of wellness outcomes. For any patient seeking ways to control symptoms of chronic ailments or to simply promote longevity, the supplement could hold great promise. Keep in mind that, as with any supplement, C60 should be taken only as directed by your physician.
Hyperbaric Oxygen for Parkinson’s Disease with Severe Depression and Anxiety
Parkinson’s disease is widely known as a neurological condition that causes motor symptoms. Typically, patients with Parkinson’s disease have pill-rolling tremor, cogwheel rigidity, and a shuffling gait. However, about half of all patients with Parkinson’s disease also have psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression. It can be challenging for patients and caregivers to deal with Parkinson’s disease, but if anxiety and depression are also present, it can make matters worse. When psychiatric symptoms occur, they can make Parkinson’s disease more difficult to treat, increase the burden on caregivers, and greatly reduce quality-of-life for patients.
One of the things that make psychiatric symptoms so difficult to treat in patients with Parkinson’s disease is that doctors have limited treatment options. The antidepressants that they would normally use to treat depression and anxiety can make motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease worse. People with Parkinson’s disease often struggle with sleep disturbances, and typical antidepressants can make sleep problems worse, too. Not surprisingly, many patients with Parkinson’s disease suffer from depression and anxiety and never find adequate treatment.
Physicians recently reported their experience with a patient with Parkinson’s disease who they treated with hyperbaric oxygen. The man had struggled with Parkinson’s disease for 1.5 years and had slipped into a severe depression. He had lost interest in pleasurable activities, was only sleeping about 2 to 3 hours each night, unintentionally lost over 40 pounds, and was having thoughts of suicide. He also had significant anxiety issues that made his life very difficult. Regular drug and psychotherapy treatments for anxiety and depression did not work for this man, so physicians were left with few options.
The man with Parkinson’s disease, severe depression, and anxiety underwent 30 days of hyperbaric oxygen treatments. He inhaled pure oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber for 40 minutes per session at 2 atm of pressure. In as little as four days of hyperbaric oxygen treatment, the man was sleeping better and longer than he did before treatment. His mood has also improved.
After 30 days of hyperbaric oxygen treatments, the man was able to sleep for 8 to 10 hours a night. Not only did his psychiatric symptoms improve, but his Parkinson’s disease symptoms also improved. While he still had Parkinson’s disease symptoms after hyperbaric oxygen treatment, the symptoms had improved substantially.
When physicians followed up one month after treatment had ended, the patient was still sleeping through the night, his mood was good, and he did not need assistance with his activities of daily living.
It is important to remember that this is a case study, the results of a single patient. Nevertheless, the improvements in both Parkinson’s disease and severe symptoms of anxiety and depression are incredibly impressive. For this man, at least, hyperbaric oxygen therapy had a substantial positive effect in his life where other treatments had failed.
Patients can also combine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy with Regenerative Medicine. Regenerative Medicine is an alternative option to help manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. The stem cells have the potential to replicate and repair numerous cells of the body, including those damaged by Parkinson’s. These advancements in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease work to fully regenerate missing or damaged tissue that the body would not ordinarily regrow.
Call your dedicated Care Coordinator at 800-531-0831 for more information.
Reference: Xu, Jin-Jin et al. (2018). Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for Parkinson’s disease with severe depression and anxiety. Medicine. 2018 Mar; 97(9): e0029.
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