Benefits of Collagen Creams…Will It Keep You Looking Young??
“Collagen”…if you’ve heard of it before you know it has something to do with skin looking young, and it’s in most anti-aging creams…with an ad featuring a woman who has probably been PHOTOSHOPPED to high heaven. So what are the benefits of collagen? And, do anti-aging creams actually work?
So first of all, what IS collagen?
It’s a protein, and it’s what 80% of your skin is made out of! Unfortunately as we get older, the levels fall fast, causing lines and wrinkles and all that good stuff. 😉
Now don’t panic. There are ways to boost your collagen levels! It’s just not the way the mainstream media tells you. But first, a little more info on when collagen levels slow and stop…
Our body naturally produces collagen. But production starts slowing down at about age 25.
It slows down 1.5% per year, until at about age 40 we STOP making new collagen. I know that math doesn’t seem to make sense, but the effect of the slowing quickly compounds. Kinda like compound interest in your savings account, except less fun.
And you wanna know what’s even LESS fun than that? The fact that men have MORE collagen than women, because their skin is thicker. That’s why a man might look younger than a woman the same age. But of course the woman is wiser. 😉
So to look younger after 40 or especially look younger after 50, it’s VERY helpful to nourish our skin and internal organs.
How? With an OUTSIDE SOURCE of collagen.
Another reason you should be doing this…collagen is also good for your heart and prevents plaque buildup in the arteries!!
No, I’m serious! I know you probably associated collagen just with collagen creams, collagen injections…just for your skin only. But it’s actually super essential to a healthy body and healthy mind. THOSE are the true benefits of collagen.
Because remember, your skin is just the largest organ of your body. So collagen is basically an essential protein keeping that organ intact. And the skin is not the only body part made out of collagen. Collagen also forms 30% of bones 10% of your muscles!
And if all that is still not good enough for ya…😉
One of the other benefits of collagen is, it protects your brain against bad free-radical-like amino acids that cause Alzheimer’s.
And plus, in addition to getting rid of the plaque that builds up in your arteries like we mentioned earlier, collagen INTERRUPTS bad inflammation-causing signals that are sent to your cells.
But I’m still stuck on the part where it can get rid of plaque in your arteries!!
In a recent blog post I wrote that veggies, lots of fish and good-fat-nuts like walnuts, intermittent fasting, and exercise all shrink plaque, but it doesn’t disappear.
By the way, feel free to check out my Ebooks to find out more about intermittent fasting and the healthy fat-burning MADE Diet.
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“Ok, enough with the heart and brain stuff, Melissa,” you say. “That’s nice and all, but what do I DO to BOOST my collagen?”
Well I’m about to blow your mind once again:
You have to take SUPPLEMENTS! The creams don’t work, most experts agree…even ones that claim to boost collagen! Your body needs collagen in the bloodstream in order for you to get the benefits.
The problem with the creams is…your skin is, you know, a giant barrier that doesn’t like to let anything in! Even something as awesome as collagen! Of course it’s a good thing 9 times out of 10 that your skin is a barrier, but in the case of collagen the molecules are just too dang huge to pass through your skin and do any good.
So, collagen supplements.
But even then, there’s a catch!
Collagen is BROKEN DOWN in your stomach, if you just swallow the supplement pill. You’ll want to take the pill Verisol or marine collagen, because in these pills the proteins are tinier and absorb more easily.
Also, MCT oil slooooows down the digestion of collagen so your body has time to use it!
I love my Bulletproof coffee with MCT oil. Check it out here! But be warned, Bulletproof coffee does break a fast.
The benefits of collagen are pretty amazing. I mean, it’s literally one of the things “holding us together” (as well as keeping our skin healthy, smooth and elastic)!
So try taking supplements w/MCT oil too…your skin and the rest of your body will thank you!
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