Product Review: Collagen, by Mishabae Mahoney, Nutritional Therapist

November 03, 2016

As a Nutritional Therapist, I don’t usually say that there's any one supplement that's good for everyone, but Collagen comes pretty darn close. Most of you have heard of collagen, which is commonly used in lotions for the skin, and supplements for joint health, but may not realize the powerful and broad support collagen can provide. It’s found in our muscles, bones, skin and tendons. It’s the “glue” that helps hold the body together. It gives our skin strength and elasticity, and helps rejuvenate and repair our skin from the inside out. Our body’s collagen production naturally begins to slow down as we age. When you begin to notice wrinkles, sagging skin and painful joints diminished collagen is partially to blame. Other factors, like diets high in sugar, smoking and sun exposure, also contribute to depleting collagen levels and accelerated ageing. Lucky for us, we can easily make Collagen a part of our daily diet and a powerful part of our health and beauty regime. So, what are the benefits?

1. A Super Beauty Tonic

While glowing healthy skin is one of the common reasons people choose to use collagen, it may also promote healthy teeth, strong fingernails, and lustrous hair.

2. Leaky Gut

The amino acids found in collagen have the power to soothe and heal an irritated, compromised, leaky gut lining. When the small intestines are healed may other seemingly unrelated problems like food allergies and skin rashes may begin to disappear.

3. Detoxification support

Collagen is extremely rich in the amino acid glycine. This amino acid is a key ingredient to the healthy function of phase 2 detoxification within the liver. Including collagen in your diet is your “ace in the hole” to support your liver in its quest to detoxify compounds you’re coming across on a daily basis.

4. Hormone Health

Collagen protein helps to support the production of our Master Antioxidant Glutathione. Another important aspect of glutathione is that it supports the healthy metabolism of estrogen in the human body. That means less hot flashes during menopause!

5. Skeletal Muscle Support

It is common practice for athletes to ingest amino acids with the goal of recovering faster and ultimately improving performance. The rich supply of amino acids found in collagen, or bone broth, can provide similar benefit in the maintenance of muscle tissue throughout the body. This is great for athletes of all ages, teens and up!

6. Blood Sugar Balance

Insulin Resistance and diabetes 2 are becoming epidemic in our modern culture. Some of the most plentiful amino acids found in collagen or gelatin have been found to maintain healthy insulin sensitivity. The right diet with collagen as an addition make great partners in reversing Insulin Resistance and recovering from Diabetes 2.

7. Bone Support

Say goodbye to fragile bones! Beyond the maintenance of healthy joints, collagen actually makes up 90% of bone mass. It provides easy to assimilate calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and trace minerals which are all essential to healthy bones.

8. Recovery from illness, surgery, chemo

The healing, detoxifying and restorative properties of collagen have been described above. This nutritious substance can be a great addition to a comprehensive recovery plan for someone trying to regain overall heath and strength. If you didn’t previously know about the vast benefits of collagen, I hope this article inspires you to give it a try. It's really easy to use and can easily be added to your current health routine. Collagen powders have zero taste. It dissolves in cold as well as hot beverages. You could add a scoop to your favorite cup of tea (hot or iced) and not even know it’s there. My favorite way to take collagen is to simply add it to my morning smoothie. Or try this to turn your morning coffee into a powerhouse of nutritional value. It will make a smooth delicious frothy cappuccino like drink! This is especially lovely on these dark wet mornings.

• 8 oz of brewed coffee (or try Green Tea, Chai Tea, Decaf or a coffee substitute)
• 1 scoop of collagen- the scoop comes with the product.
• 2 tsp Ghee or Butter
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• Add a pinch of Cinnamon, Cocoa, or a drop of vanilla (or all 3 )

Whiz in a blender or Nutra Bullet; pour into your cup and enjoy! Willowtree Market carries a number of great Collagen products for you to try. Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate- The green canister. Vital Proteins- has a variety of collagen products to choose from. It all comes down to a matter of preference. These are all high quality products. The friendly knowledgeable people at the Willow Tree can tell you more about some of the subtle differences. Bonafide Bone Broth- in the freezer section. Delicious and nutritious, Bone Broth is another way to enjoy the benefits of collagen and gelatin. Drink it as is or use it as a base for your homemade soups and winter stews. *NOTE: Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid act as co factors to your body’s ability to absorb collagen. Adding these will maximize your benefits. Willow Tree carries exactly what you need and has placed these items next to their collagen products. To your great health! Mishabae Mahoney is a Nutritional Therapist and Instructor for the Nutritional Therapy association. For appointments, mishabaem@gmail.com
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