Collagen is the main player when it comes to the skin's elasticity and resilience. Collagen also has the important function of binding fluid in the skin. Unfortunately, collagen production decreases with age, making the skin less flexible and drier and causing wrinkles to form. This process is even accelerated during the menopause. In the first four years of the menopause, 30% of collagen is lost. This raises the question: can anything be done about it?

Yes, you can. There are two ways to boost the skin's collagen production: firstly, you can scraping and cupping. These massages have been proven to increase collagen production. And secondly, you can Drink collagenwhich is a controversial topic. So I decided to do some research here and actually found products that have been proven to improve the skin's collagen content. Great news, right?

Cupping & scraping

At a time when there was no market for quick fixes, women who wanted to maintain their youthfulness had to come up with something. The massage techniques of cupping and scraping have been used successfully for thousands of years. As they were so helpful against ailments, the women in ancient China thought they would try them on their faces too. And lo and behold - it worked!

Cupping with a cupping glass and scraping with a flat object or special scraper make the skin lastingly younger. This means that the effect not only lasts as long as the skin is well supplied with blood from the massage, but you also notice how the wrinkles slowly disappear. It was not until many centuries later that it was possible to investigate why - and discovered that these massages improve the skin's collagen and elastin production.

These massages helped me personally to get rid of my frown lines almost 10 years ago. In my Book "Chi instead of Botox" I describe exactly how every woman can integrate them into her skincare routine. In my Online course you can learn them face to face with me. I never travel without my scrapers! This happened to me for the first time this year and then I just scraped with the lid of the pickle jar, as you can see in this Insta video (@chi.instead.botox). Don't forget to oil your skin:

If you would like to learn these massages properly, I can wholeheartedly recommend my Online course recommend. You will also learn about facial yoga and reflex points on the face and can support your skin in a natural way! I am now 50 years old and these methods have been part of my everyday life for 15 years. I wouldn't give them up for the world! But back to collagen.

Collagen in food

There are foods that help your body to produce collagen on its own. One of these is Nutsin particular Cashew nuts. They contain zinc and copper, which are necessary for collagen formation.

Chicken and Fish contain a lot of collagen. However, we often don't eat the parts that contain collagen because we find them unappetising. Fish skin, the head of the fish and the eyes as well as the connective tissue of the chicken's wings contain the most collagen. So let's keep looking.

Image source: pixabay.com/RitaE

Eggs Although they do not contain collagen, they do contain an amino acid that is important for its production.

The precursor of collagen is Vitamin C. Berries not only contain vitamin C, but also other antioxidants. These protect the skin from damage. Recommended are dark berriesfor example Blackberries and Blueberries.

Also tropical fruits help the production of collagen. Mango, Kiwi but especially Guava. Guava also contains zinc, which provides additional support.

Green vegetables like Salad or Spinach contain chlorophyll. This significantly increases the precursor of collagen and is an antioxidant. This means that it minimises damage to the skin.

Beans are rich in copper, which increases the production of collagen. They also contain amino acids that are helpful for collagen synthesis.

Algaein particular Seaweedare also highly recommended as they contain a lot of hyaluronic acid. This also helps collagen production and is an important nutrient for the body. However, it is also found in Mango, in the Sweet potato, in Soya-products and Pulses.

Image source: pixabay.com/Invitation_to_dinner

In general, it can be said that foods that are Vitamin C, copper and zinc are very helpful for the production of collagen.

However, it must be clearly stated that plants do not have collagen. Products that are called „plant collagen“ are therefore these cofactors of collagen synthesis, not collagen itself. This is why vegans and vegetarians in particular tend to get very little collagen from their diet. A good solution is to take glycine instead of collagen. Take a look in our shop - glycine is the most important amino acid in collagen and a good vegan alternative to collagen products.

Collagen to drink

This topic is often discussed rather superficially and cheap products with sugar and other unhealthy additives are often used in tests. It was therefore necessary to delve a little deeper into the subject and I am delighted to have found a product whose quality and results can be trusted!

There are studies that prove that collagen supplements make the skin look younger. They also stimulate our body's collagen production. This means that the body produces more collagen, even if you don't take the supplement for a while.

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In one of these studies, 114 women were administered either a bioactive collagen peptide (Verisol) or placebo. All were healthy and between 45 and 65 years old. They had to take 2.5g of one of the two as a powder in a liquid every day. The study lasted 8 weeks. The wrinkles of all women were measured before treatment, after 4 weeks and at the end. The candidates also returned 4 weeks after the end of the study to have their wrinkles checked.

The results were astonishing. The women who received Verisol had 20% fewer wrinkles than before. In addition, they had 65% more collagen and 28% more elastin in their bodies. The placebo group did not score any improvements, and in some cases there was even a deterioration. Even after the women stopped taking the Verisol, they still had fewer wrinkles after 4 weeks than before the treatment. This means that collagen production was boosted to such an extent that the body was able to produce the same amount of collagen for at least another month. It should not be forgotten that it produces much more of it than before the treatment. And all within such a short time!

These were the same collagen peptides type I & III, i.e. exactly the form of collagen that you can find in our shop.

Bone broth as a source of collagen

Although it may sound a little unusual to some, bone broth is a valuable source of collagen. More and more people today are turning to this nourishing soup for the whole body, but it is not a fad. In the past, it was customary to use the whole animal when it was slaughtered. Today, things are different. Bones are very healthy, as they contain many nutrients that we would otherwise find difficult or impossible to obtain. The intestines and many other organs would be helped if we ate bone broth more often.

Bone broth can be made from any bones or animals, but beef bones are most commonly used. You should make sure that the bones are of organic quality. They then contain fewer toxins and the effect is better. There are countless recipes and you can vary the broth in different ways, but the most important ingredients are Bones, water and apple cider vinegar. That doesn't sound too tasty yet, but that can easily be changed.

Image source: pixabay.com/RitaE

First roast the bones a little without fat to extract the full flavour from them. Then place them in cold water with a little apple cider vinegar. It is best to leave the stock to simmer for 2 to 18 hours, depending on how much time you have and what effect you are hoping to achieve. It should only simmer, not boil, always slightly below boiling point. The quality of the soup naturally increases with the number of hours. If you don't have that much time, you can eat it after just 90 minutes of simmering. It should be 90 minutes because only then has enough collagen been released from the bones. To give the broth a flavour, you can add vegetables (type and quantity according to taste) in the last 1 to 2 hours. At the end, remove anything that is solid and only then should you flavour the soup. It can be kept in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It will only go bad in the freezer after 3 months and, if you have preserved it properly, it will still be edible even after 2 years.

Image source: pixabay.com/LisaRedfern

Some people even drink bone broth as a coffee substitute because it energises them. The apple cider vinegar also ensures that a little calcium is released from the bones. In addition to collagen, which helps combat ageing, bone broth also contains omega 3 fatty acids and glucosaminoglycans. Glucosaminoglycans are basically three substances: Hyaluronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine and chondritin sulphate. Do these substances look familiar to you? We know them from anti-wrinkle creams. They help the skin to retain more moisture, give it a beautiful glow and make it look younger.

They also play an important role in the gut. These substances form the mucus layer that protects against bacteria and keeps it healthy. All of this also helps against joint problems and helps the cartilage tissue. More nutrients can be supplied and help the tissue to regenerate. Bone broth is also highly recommended for the immune system.

Collagen is not only needed for the skin

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Collagen is a very important substance for our body. We need it for our bones, joints, hair, nails, connective tissue, intestines and, of course, our skin. So here too - just as I like it - health and beauty go hand in hand. By drinking collagen, you are not only doing something good for your skin, but for your whole body. As the collagen is so neutral in flavour, it can also be stirred into food. Our product dissolves perfectly, so I sometimes add it to my porridge, otherwise I like to drink it with my tea.

Look good, feel good!

 

Click here for my Online coursein which you scraping, cupping, facial yoga and reflex massage of the face can learn:

https://chi-statt-botox.com/online-kurs/

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