Why Use Collagen Powder?

When you walk down the skin care section of the supermarket, drugstore or any beauty shop, you may have noticed that there seems to be a great variety of products that claim to contain collagen. Why is collagen important and how can it help you stay beautiful.

Collagen is type of protein that our body naturally produces. It is all over your body, mostly in the organs and tissues. In addition, of course, since the skin is the largest organ, a great amount of collagen is located there under the top layers of the skin, which are the dermis and the epidermis.

Collagen is a structural protein because it does exactly that, it creates structure for our body parts to form or take hold on. For example in our skin, the collagen actually gives the shape to our skin. It is the reason why our skin is soft, supply, smooth and free from any visible lines or wrinkles.

However, as time goes by, your body collagen production in your body diminishes, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles. This is a natural effect of aging although most people certainly do not want to have such skin conditions. For this, they need more collagen to help maintain the youthful look of their skin.

Moreover, since the collagen molecules are very thick to penetrate the skin, it is almost useless to put collagen into lotions or creams and apply them through topical use. The best way to increase collagen already present in the body is for the production of more collagen and that is where collagen supplements, as a collagen powder, comes into good use.

Does collagen powder really help build collagen?

When taken properly, this powder will assist in the production of more collagen and thus making the skin softer and more youthful. Other effects would be stronger skin and tissues; improved blood circulation; clearing your complexion; improving the strength of the hair and thus prevent further hair loss; improving skin elasticity; helping to build lean muscles; and also contributing to faster wound healing.

One active ingredient of most of these powders is Vitamin C. This vitamin has contributed to a healthier looking skin, because its properties help boost the immune system. It also helps in stimulating increased collagen production. It is another good reason why using collagen powder is a good thing. However, one active ingredient alone is not the answer to all your skin care problems. You need several key components in the product of your choice, to achieve satisfactory results.

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5 Overnight Beauty Tips

Seven Anti-Aging Foods That Make You Look Younger Than Your Real Physical Age

Is it only genes that make some people look younger than their real physical age? Studies have shown that the world's longest-living communities are remarkably similar in two aspects: they eat mostly plant-based foods and they look younger than their real physical age.

If this is true, it makes sense to include these plant-based, anti-aging foods in our diet to make us look younger; delay the effects of aging; improve our skin elasticity; and stave off wrinkles.

What are these anti-aging foods? These are natural foods rich in selenium and powerful antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E.

Here is a list of seven anti-aging foods to help you look younger than your real physical age:

1) Avocados

Avocados are nature's best moisturizers.

Avocados are loaded with anti-aging nutrients such as Vitamin C and E, and Omega 3 fatty acids. Though a medium-size avocado has 30 grams of fat, all of it is healthy monosaturated fats that lower cholesterol and protect the heart.

Want to look younger? Eat an avocado a day to stave off wrinkles and keep your skin looking soft and supple.

2) Cucumber

Whether you eat it as a cucumber salad or make it into a cucumber cleanser, cucumbers are an excellent anti-aging food for improving tired, dehydrated skin. This reason is cucumbers are high in water content and contains high amounts of silica, a necessary mineral for smooth and glowing skin.

3) Lemons

Lemons are a Vitamin C powerhouse, an antioxidant vital for healthy skin and gums. One medium size lemon contains more than 45% of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin C. Lemons are the body's natural internal cleanser which aids digestion and clears toxins; leaving our skin clear and radiant.

Wake up in the morning to a glass of lemon juice or lemon water will help cleanse your skin and make you look younger.

4) Almonds

Almonds are an anti-aging food that is excellent for healthy skin, hair and nails because of their high content of Vitamin E.

The body needs Vitamin E to protect the cells from the onslaught of free radicals generated by air pollution, peroxides and ultra violet rays.

Eat ten to a dozen almonds a day. A quarter cup of almonds a day provides about 45% of the daily-recommended intake of Vitamin E.

5) Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a remarkable anti-aging food and a Vitamin E and selenium powerhouse with very effective youth-enhancing qualities.

Eat a handful of sunflower seeds a day will help you look younger, stave off wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. In fact, a quarter cup of sunflower seeds will provide nearly 91% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin E!

6) Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are a very rich source of selenium, a mineral that works very well with Vitamin E to stop oxidative stress and cell damage caused by free radicals; thus, slowing down the aging process.

Eat Brazil nuts are a powerful anti-aging food which must be eaten in moderation because of its high fat content. Eating just two Brazil nuts a day will provide you with enough selenium for younger skin and a younger you.

7) Blueberries

Look younger by eating one to two cups of blueberries a day for your daily 'dose' of anthocyanin, an anti-aging antioxidant that increases the potency of Vitamin C, one of nature's best moisturizers and a collagen-stimulating nutrient for the skin.

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Discover How You Can Stop Skin Wrinkles Naturally

Everyone wants to know how to reach the fountain of youth and stop skin wrinkles from forming all over their face and body. A lot of people will do almost anything and believe almost anything when it comes to applying skin care products on their face that are full of chemicals.
Some of these chemicals have been even proven to cause cancer and the manufacturers are still putting them in their skin care products. As long as they put a warning on the label, they are covered. The worst part is these products do not stop skin wrinkles.

One skin care ingredient you need to know more about is called Phytessence Wakame. This ingredient could easily be called the fountain of youth because it contains a multitude of nutrients and super protection for your skin. This natural ingredient will stop skin wrinkles right in their tracks.
Phytessence Wakame has been used by the Japanese people for years and years for their skin and it certainly shows in their people. It is an extraction from Japanese sea kelp and the Japanese not only use it to stop skin wrinkles but they also include it in their diet.
The best way to stop skin wrinkles is to help your skin to do what it is supposed to so in supplying enough collagen and elastin to keep your skin soft and firm.
When you don't use natural ingredients you are starving your skin and some products actually smother it by clogging the pores. You will be much better off in the long run using only the products with natural ingredients instead of man made mixtures that will eventually ruin your skin.

Your skin is what everyone sees first when you meet them. You want to look younger and healthy, but your skin is lacking by your use of chemically enhanced products.
If you were to feed your skin and take care of it with natural products and ingredients, you would make a much better impression on people with your skin always aglow and healthy looking. You will have people actually wondering how old you really are.
 

                     

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Antioxidant Vitamins - Foods That Fight Wrinkles?

A simple diet adjustment of whole foods that are rich in antioxidant vitamins can make an enormous difference in the skin's outward reflection. Realizing which stressor(s) are negatively impacting your skin and taking action against them will help you defy the odds of premature aging of the skin and wrinkles. Several factors play a role in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles:
Sun damaged skin

Free Radicals
Genetics
Hormones
Dehydration
Cigarette smoke
Chemical exposure
Environmental toxins
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant known to support collagen production. Sun exposure dehydrates, dries your skin causing free radicals, and depletes collagen; leaving it loose, weak and wrinkled. Collagen is a protein, which provides the primary part of the infrastructure and makes up approximately 75% of the skin. Healthy levels of collagen give the appearance of a smooth, plump appearance. Ultraviolet radiation, or excessive sun exposure is the primary cause of skin damage and can lead to skin cancer.

Wrinkles result from free radical damage and antioxidant vitamins neutralize free radicals. A free radical is an unstable oxygen molecule that is missing an electron. It scavenges and robs from others in an effort to become stable. In turn, after successfully "robbing", the free radicals cause other molecules to become unstable and the new free radicals begin the search for electrons and stability. This vicious cycle can alter genetic material and damage cell function. A free radicals worst enemy is an antioxidant.
Based on my research on the topic of genetics and foods rich in antioxidant vitamins, the following is what I have learned. Research proves that some individuals lack DNA repair enzymes that are responsible for protecting the skin from free radicals (such as those produced by overexposure to the sun). People who lack the genes for these repair enzymes run a higher risk of developing skin cancer. You cannot change your DNA, but you protect your entire body and can stop additional free radical damage by consuming antioxidant and vitamin rich foods. Provide your skin with the best self-defense it needs to fight aging, wrinkles, and potentially skin cancer.
Other aging culprits at work on our skin in need of antioxidant protection include those from toxic sources. Cigarette smoke and exposure to chemicals either indoors or environmentally are among the highest on the list. Toxic chemicals can damage skin cells reducing their ability to function properly. The result of poorly functioning skin cells is increased inflammation, infection, and a loss in structure. Visually, your face will look puffy or display increased blemishes and/or wrinkles.
As we age, the need for powerful antioxidants and vitamins increases due to fluctuations in hormone levels, which can alter skin metabolism of collagen and elastin. Elastin is what gives your skin its ability to stretch and then return to its natural state. Changes in collagen and elastin formation leads to fine lines and wrinkles. Menopause is of particular concern due to the hormone changes in estrogen production.

Foods that are vitamin-rich with a high antioxidant value are extremely beneficial and can come from a variety of different sources. To name a few, the following are among the top antioxidant wrinkle fighting fruits: acai, acerola, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, wolfberries (goji berries), kiwi, and tomatoes.
The best vegetables with vitamins and antioxidants for you skin are: bell peppers, brussels sprouts, carrots, garlic, kale, onions, and spinach.
Lastly, the top antioxidants to prevent aging and wrinkles in terms of nuts, seeds, and beverages are: almonds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, chocolate (dark) green tea, oats, and tuna.

If you cannot or do not wish to alter your diet, but want to supercharge your immune system, prevent premature aging of the skin, and/or free radical damage; choose antioxidant vitamins or supplements that are whole food based packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables for maximum protection.

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by Holly Kostoss