I Love My Neck

Last week I wrote about the fear of sagging chins, so I thought this week I would move down the body and write about the neck.  Nora Ephron in her book, I Feel Bad About My Neck, writes about the process of getting older and how we all fear those band lines and deep wrinkles that appear on the neck.  These neck lines are the tell tale signs of aging. 
I still love my neck.  I’m fortunate to have a long thin neck; however I do see that it is beginning to age.  I wonder if there will come a day when I will wear only turtlenecks?  I live in Los Angeles, so I wonder about high neck shirts in the  constant warm weather of LA?
In my Anti-Aging Workout class we do an exercise called bear grip which strengthen the neck and upper shoulders.  It helps to keep the neck muscles strong.  Strong neck muscles keep the neck looking elongated and help to improve posture. Keeping your head up and erect gives height and stature to your being.
Start by sitting upright on the floor or in a chair.  Sit up tall, keeping the back straight and lifting the head and neck.  Take your left hand and bend it outward at your neck level with the hand facing away from you and then cup the fingers.  Bring the right hand around with the hand and fingers facing towards you and then bring the fingers together and form a firm grip.  Pull hard to insure the fingers are locked together and the arms are pulled tight.  Now inhale and move your head to the left as you pull your arms to the right and then exhale and move your head to the right and pull your arms to the left.  Do this at least ten times and then bring your arms back to the center.  Take in a deep breath and then release your arms.  The bear grip strengthens your neck, shoulders and arms.
We spend so much time working on our abdominal muscles, our buttocks, and our hips and often neglect those other sagging areas such as our chins and necks.  It’s not that we should obsess on our chins and necks but if we can keep them a little tighter and looking a little younger, wouldn’t that be nice?
Doctor Lynn
www.doctorlynn.com