A simple solution to a common problem
Our skin can tell us if we need more sleep (hello, bags under our eyes), it can tell us if we need to eat better, drink more or get a little more sun. Essentially, our skin is a great indicator of your overall health. What is your skin telling you?
Listening to your skin
Is it dull? Are there pimples? Are there any rough patches? Our skin is literally a window into the state of our body, and so it’s important to pay attention to what it’s telling us. But where do you start and is there a secret to having bouncy, glowing skin? Well, the answers to those questions are ‘right now’ and ‘Yes! It’s called collagen!’
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body and it’s found in our skin, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is the substance that is responsible for keeping our connective tissue (which connects nearly everything in our body) soft and pliable, like a wet sponge. When we don’t have enough collagen in our body, our connective tissue becomes dry and ‘crunchy’ like a sponge left out on the windowsill. And this dry sponge can have a profound effect on our nails, hair and… you guessed it… our skin elasticity.
So how do we ‘top-up’ our collagen levels?
While our body does produce its own collagen, once we hit our mid-twenties that amount reduces quite quickly. This is one of the reasons that children have such smooth, plump faces and their grandparents have wrinkles and loose skin. But the good news is that you can top up your collagen levels, no matter what age you are by consuming collagen for skin health. Studies show that consuming collagen (as opposed to using expensive ‘collagen-based’ creams and lotions) is the most effective way of increasing the level of collagen in our body and improving skin elasticity. The easiest and most efficient method to get collagen back into your skin is to consume healthy collagen cookies and supplements once a day. Make sure you choose a product with low sugar, natural ingredients and a tasty flavour.
