What improves wrinkles, bone density and more?

I know it sounds too good to be true, but many studies have been done on the health benefits of collagen. It has increased bone density (1), improved skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkling (2) and improved knee joint pain due to activity (3), among other things. It's also one of my favorite digestive support foods! Collagen is an important protein in our bodies. It’s used to make connective tissues, skin, cartilage, bone and more. Our bodies make it, which requires nutrients and digestion of those nutrients. Many people’s diets don’t provide all the nutrients they need, and their digestion is impaired, so they may not be making as much collagen as their body requires. This can result in brittle hair and nails, reduced bone density, reduced wound healing and more. One great source of collagen is bone broth. People used to use the entire animal more often and would make nourishing broth from the bones and cartilage, even feet! While bone broth is making a comeback, during the hot summer months, it can be more challenging to include hot broth in your diet. This is when I like to include collagen hydrolysate in my diet and recommend it for many of my clients too. This form is more concentrated in collagen than bone broth. Collagen hydrolysate is a tasteless or flavored powder that dissolves in water and is easily absorbed and assimilated. It can be mixed into smoothies, tea, coffee or other liquids. I like to mix mine in tea in the morning. It's even used in energy bars and baked goods for a protein boost.

I hope this post is informative and helpful. If you'd like help discovering the way of eating that is best for you, I'd love to work with you! You can schedule here.

References: König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women—A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018; 10(1):97. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/1/97/htm Kim D-U, Chung H-C, Choi J, Sakai Y, Lee B-Y. Oral Intake of Low-Molecular-Weight Collagen Peptide Improves Hydration, Elasticity, and Wrinkling in Human Skin: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018; 10(7):826. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/7/826/htm Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Gollhofer A, , König D. Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 2017, 42(6): 588-595. http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2016-0390#.W1Jeg6knb-Y