Latest Collagen Blogs
Drinking water won't cure wrinkles, but loving care might
Busted: Unfortunately, the cure for wrinkles is not right in your kitchen, flowing freely from the sink or chilling in the fridge.
"Drinking tons of water to make wrinkles disappear is a myth, it's that simple." says Benjamin Raab, a Dermatologist at the Dermatology and Cosmetic Skin Surgery Center in Illinois. "All that the excess water will do is make you urinate more frequently. There is no real fountain of youth, but there are preventative steps you can take to avoid extrinsic aging that causes wrinkles."
Raab says protecting the collagen in our skin is key. As we age, there is naturally less collagen in the skin - the substance that makes up about 70 percent of our connective tissue. Collagen gives skin the elasticity that's lost over time, and this loss of elasticity is the primary cause of wrinkled skin.
Raab suggests some simple steps that will protect your skin as you age and help you win the wrinkle battle.
Don't smoke
Smoking inhibits collagen production and causes premature wrinkles to form. Cigarettes inhibit the amount of collagen that your body makes to heal wounds and repair damaged skin, which can lead to deeper wrinkles. Cigarettes also inhibit the body's circulation, which means blood won't reach the tiny blood vessels in the skin on your face, which leads to more wrinkles.
Avoid the sun
The sun destroys the skin's collagen and elasticity. Exposure to ultraviolet light - UVA or UVB - from sunlight accounts for 90 percent of the symptoms of premature skin aging and wrinkling.
Moisturize
Don't overlook the power of a simple moisturizer. Skin that is moist simply looks better, so lines and creases are far less noticeable.
What is Collagen and Which Foods Contain the Most Collagen?
Collagen is a type of protein. Fibrous in nature, it connects and supports other bodily tissues, such as skin, bone, tendons, muscles, and cartilage. It also supports the internal organs and is even present in teeth. There are more than 25 types of collagen that naturally occur in the body.
Collagen is one of the most plentiful proteins present in the bodies of mammals, including humans. In fact, it makes up about 25 percent of the total amount of proteins in the body. Some people refer to collagen as the glue that holds the body together. Without it, the body would, quite literally, fall apart.
Possessing great tensile strength, collagen functions in a manner that is very different from many other types of proteins. For example, it can be found both inside and outside of cells. Collagen fibers are important in contributing to the external structure of cells. However, they are present on the inside of some cells as well.
Collagen works hand-in-hand with elastin in supporting the body's tissues. Basically, it gives body tissues form and provides firmness and strength; elastin gives the same body tissues much need flexibility. This combination of collagen and elastin is very important in many parts of the body, including, but not limited to, the lungs, bones, and tendons. Even the blood vessels rely on both collagen and elastin.
Often, collagen is discussed in relation to the skin. It works with keratin to provide the skin with strength, flexibility, and resilience. As people age, however, collagen degradation occurs, leading to wrinkles. As such, it is an important substance for those looking for ways to fight the visible effects of aging on the skin. Some skincare professionals actually advise people on ways to stimulate the production of collagen in skins cells.
In addition to being so important in the body, collagen also has many medical uses. It is used in some cosmetic surgery procedures and is sold as a supplement created for joint mobility. It is even used in treating and managing serious burns. For this purpose, it is used in creating man-made skin substitutes.
Since collagens are so important within the body, it stands to reason that collagen deficiencies can be problematic. In fact, there are some genetic diseases that are associated with collagen deficiencies. For example, osteogenesis imperfecta, commonly referred to as brittle bone disease, results from a significantly decreased level of collagen. It can also result from the presence of collagen that is of lower quality than normal.
Which Foods Contain the Most Collagen?
Deriving its name from the Greek word kolla, collagen is indeed a vital element that helps to keep the body functioning. Fortunately, there are a number of foods that help to support the creation of collagen within our bodies. Here are a few examples of the many different foods that provide the building blocks for the collagen production.
Soy products such as soymilk and cheese contain an element known as genistein. The presence of genistein gives soy products their collagen production qualities, as swell as helping to block enzymes that tend to break down and age the skin. Just about any soy product contains enough genistein to be helpful, including soy products that have been developed as substitutes for meat products.
Dark green vegetables are also excellent examples of foods containing collagen producing agents. Rich in Vitamin C, regular consumption of kale, spinach, collards, and asparagus helps to strengthen the body's ability to manufacture collagen and to utilize the protein effectively.
Red fruits and vegetables also are excellent sources to up the collagen content of foods in the diet.
The presence of lycopenes in these types of foods helps to act as antioxidants, which in turn increases collagen production. Try adding rep peppers, beets, and fresh or stewed tomatoes to the diet. In like manner, darker berries, such as blueberries and blackberries also help to boost the antioxidant level in the body and stimulate the production of collagen.
The presence of omega acids also helps to create an ideal environment for collagen production. Fish such as salmon and tuna are excellent sources of omega fatty acids. Nuts such as cashews, pecans, almonds and Brazil nuts contain healthy amounts as well. For a snack that promotes healthy production of collagen, try making an avocado dip. Avocados contain the same omega fatty acids as fish, and digest just as easily.
Foods that are rich in sulfur content are also important to collagen production. Among these are green and black olives, fresh cucumbers, and fresh stalks of celery. Working in conjunction with the sulfur, vegetables that are rich in Vitamin A also aid in keeping collagen levels high. Try adding raw carrots, fresh cantaloupe and baked sweet potatoes to the diet for an extra boost.
One of the key points to keep in mind is that it is possible to provide everything your body needs to produce collagen by eating a balanced diet. By including some of the foods mentioned here, you will soon begin to see a difference in the quality of your skin tone, as well as have an improved sense of overall health. (any source)
from:ina-one-team.blogspot.com
The good-skin fix
Turns out that focusing on better skin nutrition can help meet at least three 2009 resolutions: 1) to spend less; 2) to lose weight; and 3) to get on a less stressful, healthy-living track.
"The skin is a good indicator of what’s going on inside," says Dr. Joey Shulman, D.C., registered nutritionist and author of The Natural Makeover Diet: 4 Steps to Inner Health and Outer Beauty. "For example, if you eat too many pro-inflammatory foods, such as sugar, refined flour, fried food, alcohol and saturated fats, you’ll wake up looking puffy and red."
Rather than pricey "miracle" products or procedures, the good-skin fix can be as simple and budget friendly as a diet change, which, in addition to improving skin (in as little as a week), could improve the numbers on your bathroom scale. "Replace the bad stuff with dark leafy greens, broccoli, spinach, winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes — vitamin A-rich foods," says Shulman.
Naturopath Dr. Alan Logan, author of The Clear Skin Diet and research-and-development co-ordinator for Genuine Health, agrees. "In North America, 50 per cent of consumed vegetables is potato (mostly frozen), onion, iceberg lettuce and processed tomato. We need more colourful fruit and veg, such as blueberries, fresh tomatoes and cale. The deeper the colour of the produce, the more dense it is in polyphenols, naturally-occuring antioxidants."
Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods also rank high in the good-skin eating plan because, say Shulman and Logan, they boost skin’s natural moisture levels. Shulman recommends cold-water fish, nuts, and seeds, as well as omega-3 fortified eggs and milk. Another hydrating must is water, which gets overlooked in the winter. Shulman suggests green or white tea as alternatives. "They’re anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants, plus white tea can help deal with sugar cravings because it’s on the sweet side."
According to Logan, green tea and fish oil both help reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone the body releases under stress. "Cortisol attacks collagen, the scaffolding of the skin," he says. "Fish is skin's best friend. Orally consumed fish collagen also provides the body with raw materials to manufacture the collagen skin needs," he adds.
Dr. Michael Davies, a dermatologist at SpaMedica in Toronto, says "a well-balanced diet is best, but supplements can help when we can’t get what we need." He recommends, and himself takes, daily doses of 1000mg of vitamin D (available at drugstores). "The fact is that a whole day in the sun without protection won’t produce enough natural vitamin D," he says. "Wear sunscreen; take the supplement."
Study tests skin supplements
Other supplements that can act as a diet safety net, especially in times of stress, are Genuine Health greens+ Healthy Skin, Perfect Skin and O3mega+glow. A University of Toronto clinical study released last month suggests greens+supplements, by lowering acidity in the body, may help decrease cortisol. Imedeen is another skin supplement brand with clinical trials behind its ingredients. As well as collagen-boosters, a key component is lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in fresh tomatoes.
from:Janine Falcon, metronews.ca
