Are you looking to regain that lost healthy glow your skin once had? Yoga may be the ideal exercise to promote glowing skin.
Yoga? Seriously? Until I began practicing Vinyasa flow yoga, I used to think of yoga as a relaxing, meditative practice. I was wrong. Yoga is so much more than sitting calmly and saying “Om.”
Vinyasa flow yoga is a fast-paced form of yoga that many believe is ideal for ridding the body of toxins.
One of the more popular yoga poses, downward dog, is believed to help with lymphatic drainage. This helps to rid our bodies of toxins. Vinyasa yoga is typically done in a heated studio of 85-90 degrees, making you sweat throughout the entire session. Sweating helps your body eliminate accumulated toxins and waste, which may improve skin health.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so it would make sense that if you have an accumulation of unhealthy toxins inside your body, it will be evident by looking at your skin. This is something we touched upon before when we talked about the effects of sugar on the skin.
Yoga gets your blood flowing.
If circulation is sluggish, your skin will be dull — even ashy. Many yoga poses help improve blood circulation. For example, the Warrior pose is ideal for regulating blood circulation. Anything that increases blood flow will help skin look radiant.
Improved digestion is another perk.
Research continues to show a link between your gut and skin health. If your digestive system is not getting rid of toxins effectively, it may show in your skin with conditions such as eczema, acne and Rosacea. The poses you use while practicing yoga help aid digestion, improving the condition of your skin.
Certain poses may make you look younger.
Have you seen oxygen facials on the menu at your favorite spa? Many aesthethicians perform oxygen facials on clients as an anti-aging skincare treatment. Asanas — yoga postures — help to increase oxygenation, so you may notice a reduction in the visible signs of aging. Not only will yoga help improve strength and flexibility, but it may make you look younger.
Are you a yoga practitioner? Aside from the health and wellness benefits, have you noticed any changes in your skin?