Are you aware that the bulk of your connective tissue, as well as an enormous amount of your whole-body protein content, is made of collagen?
The word “collagen” actually comes from a Greek word, “kolla,” which means glue, and the suffix of collagen, “-gen” denotes producing. This means that the word “collagen” actually means, “glue producing.”
It’s important to Understand the Makeup of your Skin. The Skin is Made up of Three Layers:
- Epidermis: This is the outer covering of skin and it happens to be the part that we see on the outside of the body.
- Collagen: Collagen is a fibrous protein that stabilizes and glues the epidermis and the dermis together..
- Dermis: This is where the sweat glands, nerve endings, and blood vessels are found.
The presence of collagen is what makes your skin so silky, supple, and firm when you are born. Unfortunately, collagen production comes to a peak when you are about 35, which is when actual aging usually begins. Damage or reduction of collagen can result in wrinkles and premature sagging, resulting in skin that looks much older than it should.
Prime Causes of Collagen Damage have been Attributed to:
- Emotional Stress.
- Exposure to chemicals like Chlorine and other Herbicides.
- Over-exposure to sun and UV rays.
- Inhaling Polluted air, Smoking.
- Consumption of refined carbohydrates and other sugary foods.
How to Strengthen Your Collagen
Now that you are aware of how important collagen is to your skin, you may be wondering how you can nourish and strengthen your collagen. Here are a few great tips you can use:
You can read my post here for foods that give you gorgeous, radiant skin.
- Use products with hyaluronic acids, which improve skin’s elasticity and moisture retention.
- Eat a healthy diet, even when you are young.
- Make sure that you get plenty of important minerals such as silica, selenium, and zinc.
- Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and vitamin D are all essential to collagen health.
- Eat a diet that is rich in antioxidants. Choose foods with lycopene, an antioxidant in red veggies and fruits. Eat green leafy veggies, which offer the antioxidant lutein. You’ll also want to eat cold water fish, since they provide you with omega-3 fatty acids.
- Add broccoli, strawberries, and citrus to your diet, since they include vitamin E, which reduces UV damage and accelerates collagen formation.
How I Added Collagen to my Diet
This is my favorite drink every morning. I normally drink warm lemon water after waking up in the morning, but I added this unflavored Beef Gelatin powder to my warm lemon water.
I could swear the amazing results on my skin so far and can’t live without drinking it every morning (after waking up) and before bedtime.
I bought this powder from Amazon after reading the benefits of taking collagen. Taking gelatin internally provides the body the building blocks to build great skin, hair, and nails from the inside out and helps reduce wrinkles and stretch marks.
The Result: Younger, Looking Skin
Skip the products that claim to strengthen or boost collagen levels magically. Most products do not have any medical proof to show that they provide results.
Instead of turning to products, stick to a holistic, healthy lifestyle, and this will help you ensure that you have beautiful, youthful looking skin.
I am a total vegetarian.Can u suggest any veg.gelatin please.Also the quantity to use.
I’m an African a Nigerian to be exact what you are suggesting, would it work for us who are dark skin colored
hi mam I m pure vegetarian I dont eat non veg even eggs plz suggest some substitute to boost collagen
Mam u r so pretty
Hi calleigh,
Ur remedies r wonderful, plz let me know if v can use our normal unflavoured gelatin which v use to set our desserts, if yes den how do I consume it or use it on my face? My problem is wrinkles n enlarged open pores. Thx.
Hi calleigh,
Can v use normal unflavored gelatin n if yes how do v have it… Thx in advance.
Suggest some vegetarian solution..
Is there any vegetarian gelatin and could u please suggest.
@Mini,
Try drinking chicken broth, drink a mug each day for better result.
You are so beautiful ma’am.
@Sujata,
Thank you for the compliments. Appreciate your visit.
Hi, is the any substitute for beef gelatine?
@Rajes Annand,
Try drinking bone broth soup, this is one of my favorite source of collagen as well. When you cook down bones, it breaks down the collagen so it becomes more easily digestible. This form of cooked collagen is better known to us as gelatin.
I cant find gelatin in our place… is agar the same with gelatin? can i used agar instead?
@Connie,
Agar-Agar is a vegetarian gelatin substitute, a thickener for soups, in fruits preserves, ice cream and others desserts. It is a gelling agent coming from a South East Asian seaweed.
Try drinking bone broth soup (or chicken broth), this is one of my favorite source of collagen as well. When you cook down bones, it breaks down the collagen so it becomes more easily digestible. This form of cooked collagen is better known to us as gelatin.