We hear a lot about COLLAGEN and how important it is for healthy hair and skin, but what is it, what does it really do, and where does it come from?

Collagen is a protein produced by our own cells, and provides the skin, hair, joints, bone and organs with structure and shape. It forms the matrix that holds us together (even the name comes from the Greek “Kolla”, for glue). Collagen is damaged by tobacco smoking, alcohol, high sugar consumption, stress (cortisol destroys collagen in the skin) and excessive impact exercise in the joints. For most of our lives we are able to replenish damaged collagen, but as we age our ability to build new collagen is impaired and eventually we may replace collagen at a slower rate than we damage it. This leads to a gradual decline in the amount and quality of collagen present in the body, resulting in wrinkly skin, brittle hair and nails, and arthritic joints.
A successful strategy for managing this as we age involves:
1) Reducing or limiting ongoing damage, and
2) Enhancing our body’s ability to generate new collagen

LIMITING DAMAGE: We need to reduce – or stop where possible – harmful behaviours like smoking and drinking alcohol; We need to manage our stress and get sufficient sleep; and we need to limit or avoid highimpact activities that are damaging to our joints – at least until they have recovered, and we have been able to address our biomechanics and any imbalances through remedial physical therapy.

GENERATING NEW COLLAGEN: We can enhance our body’s ability to produce collagen and reverse the damage by eating less sugar (carbohydrate) which interderes with collagen production by causing inflammation; eating the correct proteinrich foods high in the amino acids needed to produce collagen (like gelatin, bone broth, red meat, fish and chicken – or collagen supplements); supplement our diet as needed with VitaminC, Chondroitin and Glucosamine (all essential for the efficient production of collagen); and for arthritic joints, start an exercise routine that stimulates collagen production rather than damaging the tissue (cyclical, repetitive movement of the joints for 15min at a time with low load – like stationary cycling or rowing stimulates cartilage to produce collagen)

For Physical Therapy videos that provide excellent advice about appropriate exercise, I recommend “UPRIGHT HEALTH” and “EL PASO MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPY” YouTube Channels (Links below):
   • Hip Arthritis? Try These Hip Strength...  
   • Top 4 Exercises You Absolutely Should...  

To understand how the remaining cartilage cells (chondorocytes) in an arthritic joint can be stimulated to produce new ECM (Extracellular Cartilage Matrix):
   • How to strengthen your cartilage?  

To understand the power of your Stem Cells, and how they can help you grow new tissue:
   • Your own STEM CELLS can Heal You and ...  

To embrace the magic of Autophagy and turboboost your healing processes:
   • YOUR HEALING SUPERPOWER  Enable AUTO...  

ANDREW TUNSTALL is a Nutrition Coach, Elite Athlete and Science Teacher, who avoided Heart Surgery and a Hip Replacement by changing his lifestyle and nutrition before starting SHAPEFIXER to help others harness the power of knowledge to lose weight, improve health, fight disease and slow ageing.
DISCLAIMER: Andrew is not a medical doctor. All videos are for informational and motivational purposes only, and are not to be taken as personalised medical diagnoses or advice. Speak to your own, trusted medical professional about all decisions you take regarding any aspects of your health, medical conditions and ongoing medication. Andrew may at any time and at his sole discretion change or replace the information available on this channel. To the extent permitted by law, Andrew Tunstall shall not be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of any content available on this channel, regardless of the accuracy or completeness of any such content.

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