The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
November Issue 109
by Kathryn Hartwell for The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
I am the proverbial believer that anything that is wrong
physically can be helped (not necessarily cured) through healthy lifestyle and
proper nutrition. For instance, I have had Angioedema pretty much all my life
and there is no cure. There are medications I can take to help when I have an
anaphylactic outbreak where my throat, tongue, roof of my mouth, lips, eyes and
sometimes my entire face will swell, but there is no drug that will stop it
from happening to me. But we are talking about a physical disease. When I refer
to the belief that other physical conditions (not chronic) can improve with
proper diet and exercise, I absolutely believe that is true.
Let me explain my belief. Just recently my hips started to
bother me and I thought, well, this is all part of growing older. I went to my
doctor to be assured it was not arthritis or some other condition. She sent me
for an x-ray but nothing was found. She said maybe I was just overdoing it and
to take something for the pain if it gets worse.
Well, there was no way I was going to take this laying down
so I started my investigation of alternative measures I could be looking at. Of
course, I found the answer—I knew I would—the answer turned out to be “collagen”.
Fantastic and Fabulous “collagen” is the most abundant protein in the human body and is the substance that holds
the whole body together. It is found in the bones, muscles, skin and tendons,
where it forms a scaffold to provide strength and structure.
Endogenously produced collagen (i.e. collagen synthesized
by the body) plays numerous important roles in health, with the breakdown and
depletion of the body's natural collagen associated with a number of health
problems, exogenous (supplemental) collagen is increasingly being used for
medical and cosmetic purposes, including to help with healing and repair of the
body's tissues.
Aha!! My light bulb moment. Now, as we all know, as
soon as you start doing research on the internet, all of a sudden all these
mystery advertisements start showing up on Facebook and other related sites
about the product you have been researching—how do they know? Anyway, I spent
an entire afternoon visiting all the sites that claimed to have the “Best”
collagen coming from happy, healthy grass fed cows who happily roamed the field
without any pressure or stress in their wonderful lives (am I sounding a little
cynical here)? I wanted the powder, not the pill, which according to the
experts is better, so I went ahead and ordered “Vital Proteins Grass Fed
Pasture Raised Collagen Peptides” a 100% Natural Anti-Aging Dietary Supplement
(unflavoured). I added the powder to my morning tea and you’re not going to
believe it but after only 4 days, my hips felt better and after a week stopped
hurting all together. I take it every day now and I can truthfully say I feel
better!!
Now you know what they say--different things work
for different people and some things work for some people and not for others. Collagen works for me. It is a
proven fact that collagen production naturally declines with age, reducing the
structural integrity of the skin and leading to sagging skin, the formation of
lines and wrinkles and the weakening of cartilage in joints. Collagen is
secreted by a variety of different cells, but primarily by connective tissue
cells. While young, the body consistently produces collagen, but collagen
synthesis begins to decline around the age of 40, with a dramatic reduction in
synthesis in women after menopause. By the age of 60 there is typically a
considerable decline in collagen production.
However, be aware of invalid claims when it comes to
products containing collagen, including creams and powders that claim to
revitalize the skin. Despite the marketing of these products as ways to
increase the levels of collagen within the body, collagen molecules themselves
are too big to be absorbed through the skin. The benefits of these products,
where they exist, are most likely attributable to their moisturizing effects,
but they do not strengthen the skin or directly increase collagen concentration
in the skin. Such over-the-counter treatments are also not classified as drugs,
meaning that there is no requirement for scientific validation of the claims
made regarding their efficacy.
The most exciting news I found while doing my research is that
some autoimmune disorders (which I have) cause
antibodies to target collagen. Mutations to the genes responsible for the
coding of collagen alpha-chains can affect the extracellular matrix, leading to
a decrease in the amount of collagen secreted, or to the secretion of
dysfunctional mutant collagen. No accidents in the universe!
You do not have to run out and purchase collagen. There
are natural ways you can incorporate it into your everyday diet. Just get back
to the basics. You can make
your own bone broth, such as a beef or chicken bone broth. It’s a healthy,
delicious and cost-effective way to use parts of an animal that can’t be eaten
directly. It’s also insanely good for you. As these inedible animal parts
simmer for hours, they release collagen in an easy-to-absorb broth.
It is
important to note that there are many factors that support the formation and
use of collagen in the body, such as vitamin C, manganese, copper, proline and
foods high in anthocyanins (such as blueberries, cherries and blackberries). In
order for collagen to be activated in the body, you always want to take your
supplements with a source of amino acids and vitamin C, or make sure that your
supplement includes these activating nutrients to ensure absorption and
usefulness to your body. Since taking my collagen, not only have my hips
stopped hurting, but I have found my hair, skin and nails have become
healthier.
Improve
your body from the inside out!!
Be
healthy, my friends.
Kathryn
Hartwell
References: medicalnewstoday.com and draxe.com
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