“I’m talking square biz to you, baby. Square, square biz!”
Nope. This post isn’t about Tina Marie. I’m sorry, I just wasn’t a fan. Sorry Rick. Sorry Tina.
Okay. Funny story. Well, is is to me. I’m going to lose a few of you on this, but where are my 70’s Jackson 5 fans? Michael Jackson used to sing this song that I think was called “Corner of the Sky.” Ah. The childhood memories of going to the “Spectrum” in Philly to see the Jackson 5! Georgie Woods hosting. I hadn’t heard it in years until my husband decided it should be the soundtrack for the ass that how somehow managed to square off and grow corners! What can I say? One day there was this square-ish ass. (I think I rounded it off since then with targeted exercises.) Not to worry. Anyway, his giving my ass its own soundtrack was pretty funny. We made fun of each other like that all the time. We had this mutually sick sense of humor. We would literally make cartoon sketches illustrating each other issues. But back to the story. That was then, and that was a butt. Not so funny, when the square is your face! Can’t really hide that. (Well, during Covid I can.) Square! Complete with corners! I swear, if it were possible to bump into my face, you would end up with bruises from hitting the corners! I’m not alone. It happens to many women. (Maybe most, eventually to some degree, all women!) Post Covid, (whenever that is!) I’m going to miss my mask!
So, here’s the bad news! As we age, our facial bones change. And you thought you were done growing! Nope. Your eye sockets may enlarge. Your nose might grow. (Great. I spent my life self-conscious about my nose and it’s going to get bigger?) Ever take a look at an old man’s ears? Men get off easy as far as I’m concerned. This post is mostly for the ladies, but fellas I won’t leave you out completely. Keep reading. Of all of these changes my personal fav for us women is how our jaw bones change. Facial fat or pads diminish and fall, and as a result, produce lines, bags, wrinkles, and little pouches. (Kinda looks like we’re storing nuts in there for the winter!) And if that isn’t enough, our actual skull changes. Our craniofacial skeleton changes, transforming our face shape from oval or rounded to square! See. It’s not just me!
It’s like someone came in and renovated your face without a permit, or your permission! Well, someone didn’t! Age did.
Oh, I wish I were done. Collagen production (Which is the structural protein in our skin.) drops. Elastin which keeps our skin tight, also thins, resulting in wrinkles. There is a loss of muscle tone and bone mass in the jaw. As we age, those cute plump faces lose volume. The fat that is there heads south. And if that is not bad enough, we gain fat in our faces around the chin and jaws, creating what is commonly referred to as jowls!
But wait! There’s more. Foreheads enlarge at the same time as hairlines recede. I mean, genetics play a role. But gravity is a bitch! The age-related changes in our grill are unfortunately, mostly unavoidable. Of course, there is always the facelift if you have the desire and the pockets.
Now, I know I’m supposed to accept and embrace my aging face, but it is not easy! We must learn to accept the things that are beyond our control. But can I delay it a wee bit longer? Perhaps. The two significant factors that speed facial aging are actually, to some degree, within our control. And once again, it comes down to the same two things regarding aging. You guessed it, I’m sure. It’s lifestyle and the environment. So let’s deal with lifestyle.
What can we do? Well regarding the aging skin you can try creams, lotions, potions, and other over the counter and prescription concoctions. But those for the most part only temporarily improve the appearance of aging skin. (Not what lies beneath! I know. Sounds like a horror flick! It could be. It’s for damn sure scary!)
With regard to “square biz,” not a whole helluvalot can be done other than facial reconstruction surgery. Yikes! Your face just changes as you age. One benefit to African American faces is that they change a little slower than everyone else’s. (Once again, black takes longer to crack!)
What appears externally is a result of what is happening internally. (Along with gravity!) You can add things to your diet to help to increase collagen production, but bones change, and fat relocates! Men and women lose collagen, but once again, we get the short end of the stick because men have more to start with. We lose approximately 30% of our skin collagen in the first five post-menopausal years! The truth of the matter is menopause accelerates biological aging. But it gets worse! Post-menopausal women lose collagen in both our skin and our bones
Apparently, your chin leaves with your periods! And WTH did my tiny little lips go? Oh yeah, they apparently can thin out too!
Okay, so now I’m just annoyed. According to my research, female faces between the age of 50-60 can age 2-3 times as fast as a man’s grill! So, let’s see. We get the periods, the stretch marks, the hot flashes, the dry vagina while men get??? I know guys. It’s not your fault.
So, have I depressed you? Sorry. I wanted to gain a better understanding of WTF was happening to my face and just thought I would share. It seems as if you trade your tampons for a new face. Well, not new, but you know what I mean.
Here’s the deal, as with pretty much everything else, hormones play a HUGE role, so trying to keep them in balance is one way to slow down square biz. Estrogen plays a role in bone loss including the jawbone, as well as changes in our skin. Hormones, as we know, tremendously affect our overall health.
The good news is that there are ways to balance hormones and if you are like me, you prefer a natural approach. And this is just as important for men going through andropause. Both menopause and andropause are triggered by age-related hormone decline. For men, growth hormones decline steadily to the point that at 40, you have only half of what you had at 20. Contributing factors to the decline can also include dietary and lifestyle choices, such as being sedentary, but stress and genetics can also play a role.
The good news is that both men and women can balance hormones naturally following some of the same suggestions below!
For men specifically, lose fat, and build muscle! Lean muscle mass promotes testosterone production. Too much fat can mean too much estrogen. Not what you’re going for!
For both men and women, research has shown that gut health can play a role in hormonal balance. Being stressed, sedentary, or overweight can also affect hormones. Lack of sleep is another one. Stress is a big one. Why? Because of Cortisol. Adrenal dysfunction has the biggest effect on the sex hormones. Check out my post on stress for more info linked below.
Diet. Diet. Diet. Nutrition is a HUGE factor in balancing hormones.
Consume healthy fats (Getting those Omega 3’s) from sources such as olive oil, flax oil and seeds, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, avocados, nuts, WILD salmon and other fatty fish. Your body needs fats to create hormones. They are essential in hormone production and help reduce inflammation which can also screw up hormones.
Limit sugar and avoid processed carbs!
Vitamin D. And the best way is sun along with supplementation! Most of my people are D Deficient due to our brown skin. It’s like a natural sunscreen.
Probiotics & Prebiotics
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware of the importance of gut health. Probiotics can help to repair the lining of the gut and as a result, help to balance hormones. My go to is apple cider vinegar, but fermented foods and supplements can work as well.
Adaptogens
I take a shot of ginseng, but I also love this Super Adapt Tea called Hormone Harmony, which contains maca and ginseng. The Republic of Tea is the brand. Adaptogen herbs promote hormone balance and are great for us stressed individuals. Ashwagandha, Rhodiola and Holy Basil a/k/a Tulsi, are a few others. These herbs can help to reduce anxiety, improve thyroid function, and help with adrenal fatigue. Ashwagandha is great for hormonal balancing.
Sleep!!!!
I use lavender oil at night in a diffuser. I also apply it to my earlobes, wrists, and neck to promote relaxation and help me to sleep. You can also add a few drops to a hot bath. I personally do not take hot baths at night. (If I do, it’s hours before bedtime!) I find that it wakes and warms me up. I actually shower as soon as I’m done work before I prepare dinner.) I sleep better and I believe most people do when they are on the cooler side. But make sure you get enough good quality, deep sleep! Lack of sleep can be detrimental to hormone balance. Sleep helps to balance stress hormones.
The bottom line is balancing your hormones will not only significantly improve your health; it can also delay square biz, if not forever, for a while longer. At some point, I will have to accept my aging face, but it won’t be any time soon!
https://www.livescience.com/35332-face-bones-aging-110104.html
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajpa.23878#ajpa23878-bib-0069
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajpa.23878#ajpa23878-bib-0007
Damn, just think you ladies could bankrupt the beauty care industry with their “creams, lotions, potions, and other over the counter prescription concoctions.” They’ve built a multi-billion-dollar industry exploiting a natural phenomenon that could be better treated through nutrition and sleep! Recently the beauty care industry has targeted men. Next, it’ll be pets. Hah hah hah!
Yes, they make a fortune making us feel bad! They have entire women’s magazines dedicated to plastic surgery. Not too much different from the doctors pushing pills rather than telling you to eat better and move your ass! There’s no prevention, just a pill! Unlike illness, however, our faces falling a wee bit is inevitable.