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Does collagen live up to the hype?

Youtheory collagen pills - liveloveblu

I have a confession. Growing up, I always thought grown-ups were faking it when it came to ailments. A hurt knee, a bad back, or the desire to not play any activity with me that involved running.

The only time I ever saw my mother run was New Year’s Eve. She would buy a firework pack, and my grandfather and I would stand in the shadow of the night nervously watching my mother light the wick and linger around a little too long to make sure the firework wouldn’t go out. After the first spark of two, my mother would do a gliding sort of run towards us in her flimsy slippers, barely lifting her feet and scraping the paving underneath her.

On the other side of thirty, I’ve learned that those ailments are real. Things don’t work like they used to. Each time I say that, I feel like I add three years to my life. My childhood gymnastic flexibility is a thing of the past, my possible torn meniscus won’t let me sit all the way back on my heels without some tension, and as of a year ago, I learned that I’m not producing as much collagen as I used to.

I never used to care about skin care because acne and hyperpigmentation were never a concern for me. Aging was a thing that just happened! But now that I’m taking steps to look after my skin like I talked about here, I’m open to learning more about my body. So, of course, when collagen became the new buzz word on social media, I decided to see if collagen is a fad or worth the hype!

What is it?

Collagen is a protein! It’s the most abundant protein in your body. You can find it in your skin, muscles, tendons, bones, blood vessels, and digestive system. So, I think you’d agree with me when I say it’s pretty important!

The tea!

When you start hitting your 20s, collagen starts pulling a Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes act on ya! Your body legit says, “I’m good,” and next thing you know, you’re on a steady decline, reminiscing how you used to run track back in the day and now need special inner soles for your shoes. *deep sigh*

As we get older, it would be a good idea to consider taking collagen as a supplement. I want to share four reasons why I decided to incorporate collagen into my regiment.

4 Reasons Why I Take a Collagen Supplement

Youtheory collagen pills - liveloveblu

  1. Skin – I noticed I have a laugh line crease on the left-hand side of my face! OMG! And I’m certain it’s other wrinkly cousins are not too far away. Collagen helps iron out wrinkles. It plumps up your skin and improves elasticity so you’ll look youthful! A good skin care regiment coupled with collagen will help your skin look and feel it’s best!
  2. Joints – With the help of vitamin C, collagen helps to lubricate and rebuild tissue around your joints, resulting in less joint pain and stiffness! It also helps with arthritis. So, you might want to direct your parents to my blog. It’s also a great preventative measure for folks who love to lift weights.
  3. Bedtime – Collagen has glycine, an amino acid that relaxes you so that you don’t feel as stressed. This makes falling asleep easier, and the quality of sleep better. I can attest to this! I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, and coincidently, I haven’t been taking my supplements consistently. The night I started taking collagen again, I slept so well.
  4. Nails and hair – When I took my braids out, I noticed my hair was longer. My hair doesn’t grow very fast, so I definitely notice when there’s some extra length! My nails are also growing faster, and they’re not brittle! My thumb once got caught in my ex’s car door! Ouch! Since then, my thumbnail isn’t as strong as the others and always chips! Taking collagen strengthens it, and it doesn’t chip anymore!

Types

To answer my original question, I’m going to have to say collagen is worth the hype! There are different types, but the ones I focus on are type I, II, and III. Types I and III are usually sold together, and they help with skin, bones, muscles, hair, and nails. Type II helps with cartilage and joints, so when picking a collagen, I like to go for one that has all three types.

In conclusion

Be forewarned! Make sure to read your labels. Collagen, for the most part, is derived from animal products.

Mom, I just want to apologize for thinking you didn’t want to run around with an energetic only child. I totally get it, and I actually feel your pain!

Do you take supplements? What types do you like? You can find the collagen I use, here!

Photos by Essence Renata

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There may not be a fountain of youth but if you're part of the 25 and up crew, a collagen supplement might be your next favorite thing! It's good for your skin, joints, nails etc www.liveloveblu.com #collagen #skin #hairandnails

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