Nutritional Nuggets
Expert Christina Towle answers your questions!
Question: I recently read about collagenbased supplements and powders to combat
aging and capture youthful looking skin. Is
there truth behind this trend?
The quest for the fountain of youth...and
collagen! It is true that as we age, collagen
production slows, resulting in the thinning/
sagging of the skin. The good news is we
can certainly make efforts to keep our collagen engine functioning optimally through
our food choices.
Adding collagen-boosting supplements and
powders will likely not have a negative affect
on your body, but I would save my money
and eat real foods that include the full nutritional package of collagen, plus a variety of
nutrients and anti-inflammatory benefits.
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Tomatoes and beets with Lycopene help
increase collagen production; Omega-3 fatty
acid fish like salmon & tuna are good, Vitamin C rich greens like kale & spinach and
fruit like mangos help boost production too.
White tea is believed to prevent enzyme activity that breaks down collagen, along with
high quality protein like eggs and grass-fed
beef. If it’s difficult to include these foods in
your diet, than you can seek out grass-fed
animal protein-based shakes as your source.
Also, complement your diet by monitoring
sun exposure, getting lots of fresh-oxygen
daily through deep breathing, exercise, and
outdoor play to naturally maintain youthful
skin and radiance.
Question: I’m bored!! I feel like I buy,
serve, and eat the same foods day-in, dayout. What do you suggest I do to liven up
my meals and get me excited about food
again?
I hope I can inspire! Especially since dietary
boredom often leads to mindless overeating,
less variety of nutrients, and less satisfaction.
A few tips:
1. Ensure that your kitchen is an inspiring
environment. Perhaps pick up a few
books on Feng Shui to guide you on
creating kitchen calm. Clean your space
before each meal. This will help work up
an appetite, slowly starting the engine of
digestion instead of shocking the body,
which causes poor digestion. Put on
music, light a candle, relax - the Sistine
Chapel was not painted in a day, likewise,
your body is worthy of time.