We have a special guest post today. Carrie over at Blue Sage Wellness is here to share her knowledge about collagen producing foods. As most of my regular readers know, I have mostly posted about essential oils, however I am all for other natural good ways to improve your health! Empower yourselves! Plus it will be a nice change to learn about something different, don’t ya think?
Eating For Beauty: Collagen-Producing Foods
Who doesn’t want to have young, plump skin for as long as possible? The “young” look
so many women are trying to return to through facelifts, botox and lip fillers are all attempts to
imitate nature’s (more effective) doppelganger: collagen.
What is it? – Collagen comes from the Greek word “kolla” meaning glue. You got it, collagen is the glue holding your face together. When your face starts falling apart (wrinkles, sagging, thin lips, drooping brows, turkey neck) it is due to collagen decline. Collagen is a naturally occurring protein and an essential structural component of connective tissues. It is found in skin, bone, tendons, muscles, cartilage and blood vessels. More than 80% of our skin is made of collagen.
How do I protect my collagen reserves….and produce more?
The good news is there are plenty of ways to swing the beauty odds in your favor.
- Moisturize your face with coconut oil to keep collagen present intact.
- Load up on Vitamin C, a building block of collagen. Five foods with highest Vitamin C content? No, not oranges. Hot chili peppers, guava, sweet peppers (yellow, green, orange), lychees, black currants (raw).
- Sunflower seeds prevent collagen breakdown and boost skin’s lipid barrier.
- Now you have two reasons to eat oysters! Oysters are high in zinc which aids in collagen formation.
- Eat cold water fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, cod and mackerel). Omega-3′s keep skin soft and supple
- Use raw garlic as much as possible. It contains sulfur which helps produce collagen.
- Cooked tomatoes (marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce). The lycopene in tomatoes inhibits an enzyme which destroys collagen.
- H2O – enough said
What does not work to boost collagen?
Smoking and tanning beds. You already knew that, you say? Okay, then forget the topical beauty creams with collagen in them. Save your money. They don’t work because the molecules are too large to permeate your skin and do their job of rebuilding.Your best bet is to build collagen from the inside out.
Carrie Rinderknecht is a holistic health counselor and owner of Blue Sage Wellness. She offers programs that help women detox nutritionally, lose weight and break free of addictions. Email Carrie at: carrie@bluesagewellness.com | Follow her on Twitter @BlueSageCarrie
Thanks, Carrie! Be sure and check her out over at Blue Sage Wellness!
