People that want to maintain the youthful appearance of their face and to make their skin look healthy, are most likely familiar with the word ‘collagen’.
Collagen is an important protein in our body, necessary to make our skin look youthful and healthy. The level of collagen in our body changes over time, as we age. So when we have high levels of collagen, our skin looks young, supple, firm and smooth. But as we age, our body’s production of collagen decreases and our skin start to look saggy and wrinkly.
Injecting your face with collagen is one way to replenish the lack of collagen. But, there are many natural ways that don’t require cosmetic procedures.
These collagen-restoring techniques can be done by anyone, regardless of age, and you can choose whether you want to do it through food, creams, serums or supplements.
Collagen restoration through foods and nutrients
Our body is pretty amazing when it comes to absorbing nutrients from food. And we all know that good old saying “You are what you eat!’. Well, with that in mind, here are some foods you should start adding your diet in order to increase your collagen level
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Many of you heard that eating fish has many health benefits. And that’s true. Eating salmon or tuna and other stuff that contain Omega-3 fatty acids is not only good for your heart but it can also boost the production of your collagen.
This is because Omega-3 fatty acids are rich in Vitamin A and other anti-inflammatory properties which can slow down the degradation of collagen in your body. And if you’re not a big fan of salmon, tuna or fish in general, then you should try other types proteins that are rich in amino acids like meat, beans, gelatin and dairy products.
Vitamin C
Another well-known vitamin which is not only good for your overall health (boosting your immune system) but also keeping your skin youthful, is Vitamin C. Unfortunately, our body doesn’t have the ability to produce Vitamin C (like we produce Vitamin D) so we need to consume it through our food (or supplements). You can get plenty of your daily Vitamin C intake from various green vegetables, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli and papaya. So take your pick and enjoy.
Hyaluronic Acid
You must have heard those skincare commercials saying that the cream is ‘rich in hyaluronic acid’. Well, that’s because hyaluronic acid plays a huge part in collagen production. In order to get a good dose of hyaluronic acid, eat food that is rich with amino acids, such as beans, soy and root vegetables.
Antioxidants
We’ve all heard that antioxidants are also good for your general health. But they are also good for collagen production. Antioxidants are a great tool for fighting free radicals, which are a major cause for aging. However, not all food that has antioxidants is beneficial for collage production, but they will at least strengthen the collage which is already in your body. If you’re thinking about increasing the amount of antioxidants you consume, try doing it through one of these:
- Blueberries
- Basil
- Oregano
- Green tea
- Thyme
- Pomegranate extract and many more
Boost collagen levels with supplements or creams
Now that we have covered the natural ways to increase the level of collagen in your body, lets focus a bit on synthetic or artificial methods.
The beauty market is flooded with various creams and supplement that restore youthful skin. One of the most important ingredient in those products is aloe vera.
Even though aloe vera is mostly used to treat sunburns and rashes, the extract of this plant has incredible boosting properties when it comes to collagen production. Because of this incredible property, many are putting their faith in various creams, gels and supplements containing aloe vera.
As you age, collagen production gradually decreases. However, with the right diet, which includes both vitamins, supplements and proteins, you can slow down the aging process and remain youthful for a longer period of time.
