What is collagen?

In the human body around 25 percent to 35 percent of protein in your body is collagen. It is the most common protein in other mammals, too. Collagen forms connective tissue. It is found primarily in fibrous tissue, such as tendons, ligaments, and skin. It helps the pieces of our bodies to fit together, and is crucial to the strength of our bone structure. When collagen levels are healthy, cells that contain collagen take on a strong and youthful appearance.

Elastin is another kind of protein in the body. Elastin is found in places in the body that contract, such as arteries and lungs. This is because of elastin's outstanding characteristic: the ability to snap back into place and maintain its original shape. Elastin and collagen are both proteins found in skin they work together to give our skin its texture and shape. Skin with healthy levels of collagen and elastin is not only more youthful but also stronger.

The interesting thing about collagen is that stimulating its growth causes a domino effect. The more collagen you have, the more your body is able to produce and maintain.

In this blog post we explore 5 natural ways to increase to collagen in our bodies.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera gel has long been used for healing and soothing wounds. The reason it effective to treat cuts and burns is because the aloe vera plant increase collagen production when applied onto the skin or even taken orally. This cell-growth stimulating property helps boost collagen production in your skin.

Foods rich in vitamin C

Vitamin C is critical for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has been prompted for its ability to speed up the recovery time and relieve painful joints. Without adequate levels of vitamin C, your body will not gain the full benefit of foods containing hyaluronic acid. One clinical study suggests that hyaluronic acid can help boost collagen production in the human body. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body, but it decreases as we age. Eating foods rich in vitamin C and amino acids can increase the levels of hyaluronic acid and collagen in the body as both are important for skin.

Foods such as oranges, red capsicum, kale, berries, broccoli, tomatoes,and strawberries are all rich in vitamin C.

Ginseng

The anti-aging effects of the Asian Ginsengplant are well-documented. Ginseng is absorbed into the skin without causing the adverse reactions that many chemical pharmaceuticals cause, and helps skin keep its original shape. It has also been found to promote the growth of collagen. Studies have shown ginseng's ability to preserve skin againstharmful UVB rays.

The antioxidants that are released into your bloodstream when you take a ginseng supplement or drink tea that contains ginseng can protect healthy cells and contribute to glowing skin.

Coriander

Coriander, also known as cilantro, is an herb commonly called for in recipes. It contains vitamin C, which has been linked to boosts in collagen production. Coriandercontains linolenic acid, which has been studied as a powerful anti-aging factor for our skin.

Linolenic acid contains antioxidants that fight the free radicals in your bloodstream, which break down healthy skin cells.

Grape Seed

Grape seeds are rich in antioxidants, including phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs).This is because most skin damage is caused by “oxidation” — the exposure of your skin to elements like pollution, which can damage cell growth.

Due to its high antioxidant content, GSE can help protect against oxidation, tissue damage and inflammation and prevent disease.

What not to do

If you're trying to help your skin look younger and healthier, make sure you're not burning your skin in the sun or in a tanning bed. Smoking can also age your skin prematurely. Getting time outside with the protection of sunscreen is one way to maintain a healthy glow.

Conclusion

Although a youthful appearance is highly valued, beauty isn't just skin deep. Healthy skin is a good indicator of how the rest of your body is feeling. There's no way to completely reverse the signs of aging.

Hence it is much easier to protect your skin while it's healthy than to attempt to repair it later in life. Boosting collagen naturally improves not only our skin, but the rest of our bodies.