Collagen
Collagen are protein molecules. These molecules are made up of amino acids. Collagen is necessary for connective tissue to be healthy and function properly throughout the body. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body.
Our bodies use collagen to connect various tissues together. When our tissues are healthy we have vibrant skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. But it is also found in our blood, organs, and intestinal lining.
You can ONLY get collagen from animals. We are an animal and we can produce collagen. But, when you have an autoimmune disease or as we age, and definitely when we eat poorly, we need to ensure we consume collagen in our diet.
The best way to get collagen is consuming grass-fed or pasture-raised animals, and eating nose to tail. Eating animal skin, meat cooked on the bone, broth prepared from bones, or gelatin are the best source. There are many different collagen supplements on the market. I do often use these, but quality matters a great deal or you are just wasting your money.
Benefits of collagen:
Joint health
Gut health
Skin health
Heart health
Healthy bones
Healthy joints
Cognitive function
Hair health
Nail health
Muscle mass
Healthy blood
Although there are 28 different types of collagen we typically hear about Types I-IV.
Type I: 90% of our collagen, skin, bones, ligaments, and tendons
Type II: necessary for joint health, supports cartilage health
Type III: necessary for muscles, organs, and heart health
Type IV: promotes skin health
When we spend too much time inside under UV lights, we consume processed foods, too much sugar, or we smoke our collagen levels drops and we will start to have: dry skin, joint pain, tummy issues, circulation issues, and we won’t look fresh and healthy.
There are numerous autoimmune diseases that can be improved by consuming collagen. Make it a point to consume collagen several days (to every day) and see if you don’t notice a difference.
