Collagen: Surprising Benefits Without Injections

Even if you did live under a rock, you'd still know that collagen is the high demand, go-to beauty treatment for anti-aging.

Especially if you're a woman over 40. Getting collagen injections to reverse the signs of aging are the norm today.

Highly effective with long lasting results, women love the instant results they get with these treatments.

And while these anti-aging treatments make men and women look younger, there are deeper health benefits to collagen that you rarely hear discussed--and that can literally change a person's life.

Collagen As A Health Healer

Protein is vital for a strong, healthy body. In the natural health world, we talk a lot about the different forms of protein and where you can get it.

Such as:

Meat
Fish
Beans
Whey
Eggs
Nuts & Seeds

But did you know that collagen is the most abundant form of protein in your body? It's the key component in all of the body's connective tissue.

Why is that important? Collagen provides the infrastructure for your musculoskeletal system. It gives you mobility.

Eating enough collagen ensures that your body has enough elasticity, and cohesion.

It's also responsible for the regeneration of hair, skin, tendons, bones and joints, and cartilage.

"Wait a minute! Did you say that I could EAT collagen?"

That's right.

Collagen is found in bone broth, wild salmon, chlorella, leafy greens, citrus, eggs, berries, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, avocados, garlic, and chia seeds, to name a few.

What Makes Collagen More Beneficial

Than Other Protein Sources

Since there are many ways to get protein in your diet, the big question here is, "What makes collagen so special?"

Unlike other protein sources, collagen is unique because of its high hydroxyproline content, and it consists of 18 other amino acids.

Hydroxyproline, an amino acid that's made in the liver, is absolutely vital for creating collagen. Threonine, another essential amino acid, also helps to maintain proper protein levels.

Just like hydroxyproline, threonine assists with maintaining proper protein balances. It also helps to build strong bones, keep connective tissues elastic and helps to keep muscles strong within the body,

Without enough of threonine, fats can build up in the liver, which can cause liver failure.

If your body lacks any of the amino acids that form collagen, cells cannot produce enough of this essential protein.

Common Symptoms of A Collagen Deficiency

This might surprise you!

Besides the aesthetic world's much touted collagen injections to treat age-related skin wrinkling and sagging, there are other symptoms of collagen loss.

Here's a partial list:

Muscle pain and soreness
Joint pain and stiffness
Easy bruising
Loss of skin elasticity
Dry eyes
Headaches
Skin rashes
Breathing difficulties
Loose teeth, toothaches, and early loss of teeth
Poor digestion
Poor sleep

The Inside/Out Benefits of Collagen

Collagen is so vital because it's a complex combination of protein and amino acids that your body needs to run smoothly.

From bone and joint health, hair, skin, and nails to healthy gut function, collagen doesn't just mask symptoms, it can prevent and heal many types of digestive disorders.

What's more, if you suffer from an auto immune disease such as allergies or have gut issues, collagen peptides are considered essential for recovery.

So How Do I Eat Collagen?

Most importantly, find a company that sources collagen only from sustainably raised animals and fish. When you're eating an animal product for it's health benefits, the quality of that animal's life and health matter.

Beef should be grassfed
Pork should be antibiotic-free and allowed to forage
Chickens should be free-range
Fish should be wild-caught and non-GMO

After a lot of research, we settled on Vital Proteins as one of the best sources of high-quality edible collagen. Plus they have an awesome variety of products.

Collagen Peptides' Benefits

There are two ways to consume collagen, as peptides or gelatin. So what's the difference?

Collagen peptides are short chain peptides, sourced from gelatin, that are easier to digest than plain gelatin. And they seem to cause fewer digestive upsets initially.

Plus, their health benefits are big in the digestive department. But they also have considerable clout with other areas of your health.

For example, weight management. Because collagen is a protein, it fills you up so you're not hungry as often. That's a very cool perk!

It also helps to increase athletic performance, and promote healthy skin, nails, and hair.

Collagen Beauty Water

What if your collagen also contained hyaulronic acid for additional skin moisture and probiotics for immune support and gut health?

We love Vital Proteins' basic Collagen Peptide powder, but there are even more specific benefits provided by their beauty waters. Collagen Beauty Water is a non-GMO Project Verified marine collagen that improves skin elasticity and moisture, as well as promotes good gut health. It also strengthens your hair and nails.

What's marine collagen? It's collagen sourced from the scales of red snapper fish. It provides a different amino acid profile than the basic Collagen Peptides (which is sourced from grassfed beef hides).

Are you noticing the trend? Collagen sourced from the scales and hides of healthy, sustainably raised animals ends up nourishing the health of your skin, nails and hair!

Another difference between Collagen Beauty Water and Collagen Peptides is the addition of natural hyaluronic acid and probiotics.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the human body. But as we age, we produce less of it.

On average, we humans have about 15g of hyaluronic acid in our bodies at any one time.

But, throughout the day, about one-third of it is lost and replaced.

Hyaluronic acid is also necessary to maintain the suppleness of healthy skin by adding needed hydration. It also helps to improve joint health.

What If You Can't Eat Enough Collagen To Make A Significant Difference In Your Health?

If you have health issues, your main concern is to see improvement! And sometimes, even with the best diet and exercise your body needs an extra boost.

With the choice of Collagen Peptides and Collagen Beauty Water, you can add a significant amount of protein and amino acids to your diet. It's as simple as stirring the powder into your favorite smoothie or beverage.

And, if you're wondering which one is right for you, there really is no "right" answer. You simply choose the one that best fits your health goals!

To learn more, call us today! 540-471-3025.