Social media can often present an unrealistic idea of physical perfection. Good lighting, post-production techniques, meticulously planned diets, and intensive training protocols can create the illusion that physical beauty is solely based on genetics. While genetics play a significant role in our facial structure, there are ways to optimize our genetic potential.
Numerous o promise quick results, but many lack a scientific basis and only address the issue on a surface level.
We have prepared a comprehensive article to gr and more understandable perspective. Our goal is to offer you the latest information and study results from leading experts, helping you create a protocol to optimize your inherent genetic potential.
You can also explore the sources we used by clicking on the hyperlinks in the text.
Warning: Some information in this article may be controversial and may not be recognized by the broad scientific community. The information published on our blog and this article is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. The content of this information does not represent and should not be considered professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Let’s discover how to maximize your genetic potential together!
BF% Reduction: Facial Features Reveal
Just like getting a 6-pack, revealing the shape of your face and jaw is e for keeping your body fat percentage low.
If you have excess fat, it can hide features that would be visible if you were at a healthy weight. To uncover your hidden facial and jaw features, we suggest aiming for a body fat percentage of less than 12%.
Image 1: The study analyzed the impact of body fat percentage (top) and facial muscles (bottom) on attractiveness.
According to a study conducted in 2010, having an ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) can make one’s face appear more attractive. 1
A more recent study conducted in 2019 discovered that facial muscles play a m role in determining attractiveness, while body fat percentage has less of an impact. 2
Proper Posture: Impact on Appearance
Our body posture impacts our spinal health, height, and blood flow to the brain, affecting our ability to concentrate and think. Maintaining proper body posture ensures that our jaw and neck are correctly aligned, which also plays a significant role in our appearance. 3
Image 2: From the book "Jaws" - The Impact of Posture on the Face and Jaw.
Achieving proper body posture requires effort, but consistent regular exercise and conscious awareness of your posture throughout the day will produce the desired results.
Mewing: Applying Constant Pressure on the Roof of the Mouth
Image 3: Alternative "mewing" technique
Did you know that there’s a method called Mewing? It was created by a British orthodontist named Dr. John Mew, and it’s an alternative way to improve the shape of your face. This technique requires you to apply pressure with your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Mewing is said to promote the widening of the upper jaw, expand airways and enhance facial features. 5,6,7
Image 4: The principle of mewing involves pressing the tongue against the palate to support the dental arch in a “U” shape. This helps prevent the jaw and airways from narrowing. However, it’s important to avoid pressing the tongue against the front teeth.
However, mewing is a marathon, not a sprint. According to mewing practitioners, visible results won’t appear until several years later. Therefore, the effectiveness of this method is hard to measure.
Although mewing looks promising, safe, and cost-effective, there's insufficient scientific evidence to assess its efficacy. Most observations of changes come from individuals, making it hard to verify their authenticity. 8,9
Nose Breathing: A Small Change with a Huge Impact on Health and Appearance
Breathing? Yes, exactly, breathing! Something so automatic that we don't even realize the significant impact it can have on our health and appearance.
Image 5: Mouthbreather - An individual chronically breathes through the mouth and insufficiently stimulates their jaw muscles.
Chronic mouth breathing ("mouthbreather") can lead to many health issues, including digestive problems, reduced concentration, sexual dysfunction, and even facial deformities.
Worse still, breathing through the mouth can switch our brain into "fight or flight" mode, which increases the stress hormone cortisol production and can contribute to developing anxiety states. 10,11,12
On the other hand, breathing through the nose has a surprisingly positive impact on our health and appearance. But why is that? Nose breathing not only filters the air but also allows the tongue to maintain its correct position. 13
Proper breathing also stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO), which promotes blood circulation, and vascular health and reduces cortisol levels. 14
Some argue that to get enough air during exercise. One needs to breathe through the mouth. However, research suggests otherwise. The added resistance from nose breathing results in up to 20% better oxygenation! 15,16
Nose breathing is 22% more effective. This means it's much easier, and respiratory muscles don't tire as quickly. 17
Image 6: An example of chronic "mouth" breathing can also be found in the animal kingdom - the image shows the deformation of the breathing pathways of the bulldog breed between the years 1956-2011. The first died at age 8, and the last at age 1 (right). This image can serve as a demonstration of the direction humanity is heading.
Breathing correctly is an often overlooked but highly beneficial habit.
Our suggestion is to make a conscious effort to breathe solely through your nose whenever possible. It might not be easy at first, but your airways will quickly adapt and expand.
Image 7: John Mew: Treatment results (Mewing, Proper posture, and breathing, Dietary changes - Jaw training)
So, nose breathing allows us to breathe more efficiently, absorb more oxygen, expand the airways, and even acquire more pronounced facial features! 18,19,20
The Importance of Jaw Muscle Training: Why Cavemen Didn’t Need No Braces?
Why are dental and facial issues so widespread among children, with almost no escaping the need for orthodontic treatment? Are these problems equally prevalent in other regions of the world? Can environment or diet be a contributing factor? Moreover, why do wisdom teeth cause complications, and why do only humans experience such deformities?
Over a century ago, Canadian dentist Weston A. Price was troubled by various questions regarding dental health. He embarked on a journey around the world to investigate the root causes of this issue, which resulted in one of the most intriguing, influential, and controversial studies of all time. 21,22
Picture 8: Weston A. Price
Price traveled to 11 remote countries during his journey and encountered diverse cultures.
He met with mountain residents in Switzerland and the Massai tribe in the African savannah. 23
Picture 9: The Maasai tribe of Africa is well-known for their impressive endurance, ability to run long distances at fast speeds, and traditional high jump called “Adamu.
Price thoroughly studied these cultures’ dental health and facial appearance.
His research revealed that these societies experienced very few health issues. He believed this was due to their traditional eating habits, which consisted of unprocessed, nutrient-dense, tough-to-chew food.
Picture 10: Over century-old photographs of two Scottish brothers (Isle of Harris) from Price's research. The younger sibling on the left consumed "modern" processed food. Notice his narrow face and decayed teeth. His older brother (on the right) ate traditional food and had teeth in good condition.
Price also pinpointed the high intake of soft, processed foods and sugars in modern diets as a potential primary cause of dental problems.
Picture 11: Photographs from Price's study - the jaws of indigenous people (on the left) contrasted with individuals living in industrialized society (on the right).
Modern diets, primarily composed of soft and processed foods, inadequately stimulate our chewing muscles.
However, stimulating jaw muscles is essential for the proper development of facial and jaw structures. 24
Recent studies emphasize the potential benefits of jaw muscle training. For example, a study led by M. Makaremi at the University of Bordeaux shows that chewing "hard" - mastic gum can promote the growth and maintenance of the width of the upper jaw and improve tooth alignment. 25,26
Picture 12: Upper jaw. Notice the vertical seam (resembling a "crack") across the upper jaw. This connection between parts of bone allows a certain flexibility in growth. We have similar seams on our skulls, allowing their growth during adolescence.
A significant contribution also came from twin studies presented in the book "Jaws" by researchers from Stanford University.
These studies detailed the environmental and dietary impacts on their facial and jaw development.
Picture 13: The influence of environment on facial and jaw development - Price's twin studies revisited in the book Jaws.
One child grew up in modern society (right), ate processed soft food, drank sweetened beverages, and mouth-breathed.
The other child was raised in the jungle (left), consuming solid foods, chewing on bones, etc. The study revealed pronounced facial structure differences between the twins. 27
Picture 14: The book "Jaws" also showcases views on generational differences in facial structure, influenced by soft diets and industrialization.
The book further revealed that issues with crooked teeth weren't as prevalent in the past as they are today. Evidence of this claim includes millions of ancient skeletons in the Paris catacombs, hundreds of skulls from the pre-industrial era in the Morton Collection, and skeletons buried by the volcanic eruption in Pompeii. 28,29
Picture 15: From the book Jaws - Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, Daniel Lieberman, holds a 1000-year-old skull of a 35-year-old Philistine woman (territory of modern-day Israel).
Picture 16: The skull of a man fleeing the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii, Italy, approximately 2000 years ago.
Picture 17: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: Male skull of a pre-industrial human from the 14th century (Oslo, Norway). People before the onset of the industrial revolution didn't have issues with unerupted wisdom teeth. Notice the lack of tooth crowding and malocclusion.
All the discovered skulls shared three things: robust airways, strong jaws, and straight teeth.
People born over 300 years ago had these features in common because they chewed unprocessed food for up to 4 hours a day. 30,31
Summary: Genetics vs. Proper Habits and Exercise
We have reached the conclusion of our fascinating journey, the aim of which was to optimize our genetic potential.
The crucial points are:
- Maintaining optimal BF% (body fat percentage)
- Proper posture
- The potential use of the "mewing" technique
- The importance of breathing through the nose
- The essentiality of jaw muscle training
Throughout our research, we have delved into studies and expert insights that indicate our appearance is not solely a matter of genetics.
Even a man with good genetics will not have an attractive face if he does not care for his body. If his face is covered in fat, he has poor posture, breathes through his mouth, and does not adequately exercise his jaw muscles.
On the other hand, a man with less favorable genetics can significantly improve his appearance through proper habits and exercises.
The truth is, changing facial structure is not a quick and straightforward process. It requires willpower, determination, perseverance, and quality information. And we have strived to provide that information in this article.
Are you ready to step onto the path of optimizing your genetic potential?
WARNING: The information published on our blog and this article is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. The content of this information does not constitute and should not be considered professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any health problems or questions, always consult your doctor or another qualified health professional. Ignoring professional medical advice due to information read on our blog is strongly discouraged. While we strive to provide accurate information, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is complete, current, and error-free. We do not take responsibility for errors or omissions in this information. Thank you for your understanding.
Resources used
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6308207/
2 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02658/full
3 https://admin.shopify.com/store/brikkkk/articles/606007296327
4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxSgdX7lX6E&t=1s
5 https://johnmeworthotropics.co.uk
6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mew
7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmf-pR7EryY
8 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mewing#summary
9 https://www.healthline.com/health/mewing#summary
10 https://www.healthline.com/health/mouth-breathing
11 https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/mouth-breathing
12 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9498581/
13 https://www.healthline.com/health/nose-breathing#differences
14 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8971255/
15 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4757-9383-3_3
16 https://oxygenadvantage.com/science/nose-breathing-vs-mouth-breathing/
18 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7185155/
19 https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-021-01458-7
20 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e009027
21 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston_A._Price
22 https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/nutrition-greats/weston-a-price-dds/#gsc.tab=0
23 https://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/why-cavemen-needed-no-braces.html
24 https://www.jdao-journal.org/articles/odfen/pdf/2017/04/odfen180080.pdf
26 https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=29626
27 https://www.penn.museum/sites/morton/
29 https://www.instagram.com/p/B_S2Q-og3JM/
30 https://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/why-cavemen-needed-no-braces.html
Interesting articles and sources:
Book Jaws: https://www.amazon.com/Jaws-Hidden-Epidemic-Sandra-Kahn/dp/1503604136
Why didn't the caveman need braces? - an article from Stanford scientists: https://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/why-cavemen-needed-no-braces.html
Andrew Huberman - Stanford neurobiology professor's view on evolutionary facial deformation and jaw training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv07LRtbwnc&t=4580s