Collagen
What is it? What does it do? How can you add it to your daily regimen?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in our body. It is found in bones, muscles, skin, joints, hair, nails, the gut lining, digestive system, blood vessels and tendons. The protein in collagen is what gives our skin its elasticity, strength and turnover of dead cells.
As we age our collagen declines, hence, sagging skin, wrinkles, joint pain, thinning hair and nails. It takes seven years to replenish your collagen.
Collagen can reduce cellulite and stretch marks by strengthening the skins elasticity. When you lose collagen, your skin becomes thin and that is why cellulite is more evident. There isn’t that protective coating under the surface of the skin.
I wrote how my legs were always stiff and when I would bend down, I would have to pull myself up. Since taking collagen, no more stiffness and getting up from a bent down position is so easy with no help needed. This happens because our ligaments and tendons are losing collagen. Collagen covers and holds our bones together which allow us to glide and move without pain. Its like greasing a creaky door hinge. Collagen has been proven for treating osteoarthritis and other joint pain disorders.
If you suffer from leaky gut syndrome, which is a condition where bad toxins are able to pass through your digestive tract into your body. This can wreak havoc all over your body, including anxiety, depression, brain fog, inflammation, IBS, acid reflux, disease etc. Collagen helps heal the damaged cell walls of your gut by forming a protective lining.
Collagen also helps with the absorption of water within the intestines which keeps things moving freely out of your body.
Another benefit of collagen is that it may increase your metabolism by adding lean muscle mass to your frame. This is important as it helps support your posture, bone health, and burn calories.
Eating bone broth, eggshells and animal joints is the best source of collagen, but I don’t think we want to eat those. I take about 20 gm of collagen per day. The sources that I trust and love are;
Ancient Nutrition – Multi Collagen and/or Bone Broth Collagen (these come in some amazing flavors). I will usually add to my smoothie
Bulletproof – Collagen Protein and also the specialized Collagens. There is one for gut health, joint health and skin. These ones have additional supplements added to them to target those issues.
