Many of you are familiar with my passions – optimizing health, clean living, and anti-aging! One of my daily rituals for skin and joint longevity is taking COLLAGEN. Collagen is quite the buzzword, but it goes beyond “good to have.”
Everyone can benefit from taking Collagen. Diet, age, stress, our digestive system, and physical activity all affect our ability to provide the body with the nutritional raw materials required to support joint and connective tissue health properly. Collagen should be an essential dietary component for those wanting to remain healthy and active throughout life. Click the link to read a short article from the Mayo Clinic on skincare – 5 tips for healthy skin
The word “collagen” derives from the Greek word “kolla,” meaning glue. Collagen is the glue that holds the body together! It is the most abundant protein found throughout your body in organs, muscles, skin, hair, blood vessels, tendons, and joints. The list goes on, and it is vital to replenish your body with Collagen because your body produces less of it as you age. We start losing Collagen at age 25 and lose about 50% of our natural collagen stores by age 60!
Collagen is the most abundant protein in joint cartilage and the skin’s dermis. It provides the structural framework of your connective tissues to keep your skin firm and resilient and your joints mobile and fluid. Collagen comprises >60% Hydrolyzed Collagen Type II, >20% Chondroitin Sulfate, and >10% Hyaluronic Acid. Chondroitin Sulfate is a naturally occurring element of joint cartilage that gives cartilage its excellent shock-absorbing properties. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a molecule that helps provide hydration for your skin and lubrication for your joints and is the gel-like substance that holds our cells together.
Behaviors that promote damage and loss
- Unmanageable stress
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Sugar consumption
- Excessive sun exposure
- Poor sleep quality
- Processed vegetable oils
- Dietary deficiencies
Types of Collagen that benefit you
Type I: This type accounts for 90% of your body’s Collagen, which is the most popular and is made of densely packed fibers. It provides structure to skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissue, and teeth.
Type II: Made of more loosely packed fibers and is found in elastic cartilage, which cushions joints and supports digestive health.
Type III: Supports the structure of muscles, organs, and arteries.
Type IV: Helps with filtration and is found in layers of your skin.
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Foods that boost Collagen
- Aids in joint and cartilage health
- Helps repair leaky gut
- Improves skin flexibility and. elasticity
- Supports weight management
- Promotes heart health
- Supports bone formation, growth, and repair
- Enhances liver function and detox pathways
- Improves sleep quality
I am frequently asked, “What can I do to boost my collagen?” I recommend the 13 foods to boost Collagen. You can print the chart as a reminder to eat the foods listed to help with collagen revival. Making bone broth out of a chicken carcass and chicken feet (if you can stomach it) is my favorite way to get Collagen!
Here is an interesting article: The Best Way You can get more Collagen (Meet the protein behind healthy skin and joints by Elizabeth Bradley, MD, Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine.
Not all Collagen is the same
Did you know…collagen powders are only 13-20% absorbed? You may have heard my rants about my frustration with Collagen. First off, I’m not particularly eager to waste money. And second, I want the highest quality ingredients that are properly sourced and BIOAVAILABLE for myself and my patients.
Bioavailability means that nutrient absorption works with the biology of our system, where the body utilizes what we give it. Bioavailability is based on the molecular size of the collagen molecule when it enters our bodies. The problem with collagen powder is that when it enters the body, the actual size of the molecule is too big. So, on average, you receive about 5-10% of the benefits.
Modere Liquid BioCell
#1 clinically proven liquid collagen in the world
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95%+ Bioavailability – This formulation is the only clinically proven Collagen on the market, with research studies supporting clinical results. It has seven patents around molecular weight, so when it enters the body, it is rapidly absorbed and utilized!
Cost = Results – Collagen powders are far more expensive because you need 20x the amount to receive the same benefits, along with additional nutrients to help the absorption (Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin C)
Ingredients – Hydrolyzed collagen type II peptides, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid from 100% pure hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage. This unique matrix is not a blend of individual ingredients. The synergy of biomolecules in the matrix plays a significant role in its efficacy.
Properly sourced, – non-GMO, and free of gluten, soy, shellfish, fish, egg, milk, peanuts, and sugar.
If you want to learn more about switching to Liquid BioCell, contact our office to find which formulas would be best for YOU.
