Collagen and the Importance of Retaining it

Collagen and the Importance of Retaining it

As ghee is to the tadka dal,

Honey to the lemonade,

And chocolate to the cake-

Collagen is to the skin.

You must have for sure seen collagen as a listed ingredient in almost all your skincare products. Yet, we never did bother to google it or know as to why is it that important. Even I never did so until and unless I went to my dermatologist for my daily check-up. She looked at my skin and said “Have you not been providing your skin with proper food? It looks so dull.” To which I had nothing to say but “I do take care of it yet do not see any results.” That’s when she told me that your skin is protein deficient. There is very less generation of new cells and hence the skin doesn’t look fresh. It needs collagen.

That is when the word collagen hit my head and continued to stay stuck until and unless I talked, studied, and did a little bit of research about it. And here, I would love to make it as easy for you too. Yes! Belonging to a family of proteins, collagen is responsible for maintaining the structure of tissues and tendons; it is highly responsible for how one’s skin is. It makes up the third amount of all the protein in the human body. The more collagen, the healthier your skin would look. 

Let me tell you where is it found?

It is found in the middle layer of the skin called dermis. And trust me, the skin goes for a toss if the dermis is dehydrated, overexposed to the sun, gets damaged in any other way like excessive use of hot water, rashes, etc. All of this affects the skin in a negative manner and makes it look closer to ageing, dull, and dry. Not only in the skin but it also is present in hair, bones, and muscles. It is of 28 different types and is extremely important in maintaining skin elasticity. 

How does our body/skin naturally generate collagen?

All the nutrients that our body receives from hogging on to protein-rich diet like fish, beans, chicken, eggs, dairy products combine with amino acids like whole grains, cottage cheese, black beans, soy quinoa and foods rich in Vitamin C like green and red peppers, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and food rich in copper like oysters, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate and food supplements rich in zinc like red meat, poultry, baked beans, cashews, almonds, guavas, avocados, pomegranates, and chickpeas. 

Because collagen isn’t all in all protein- it has parts of other nutrients too in it. Hence, our skin speaks a lot when it comes to what we eat. 

What does collagen do?

  • Replaces and restores dead skin cells.
  • Helps the generation of new cells.
  • Protects various delicate organs of our body.
  • Strengthens tendons and skin.
  • Maintains elasticity and doesn’t let the skin sag as well as keeps it wrinkle-free for a long time.

Does this natural process decrease?

Yes. It does. If we have a poor diet, if one smokes a lot, excess sun exposure restrains the process. Also, ageing is responsible for the decreased production of collagen in our bodies. 

Other than a healthy diet, are there other ways and means of restoring collagen?

Yes, one can restore collagen in the face and continue to keep it healthier and glowing as ever. 

Here are a few simple steps that you can continue to do with your daily routine and restore collagen-

  • Facial massage- it boosts blood circulation and gives a glowing skin. you can do it while listening to music, watching your favourite series, while reading, taking breaks while doing your office work, or even while taking a dump. It isn’t something that needs to be done at a special timing.
  • Increase consumption of Vitamin C or the application of Vitamin C creams. 
  • Stay hydrated- Workout and take a sip, take a stroll and take a sip, you started to work on something hence take a sip. Basically, just pour in some water or liquids in your system every now and then. 
  • Have a healthy diet. Make sure that you intake food that is rich in proteins, amino acids, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Copper. 
  • Let’s say no to sugar consumption. Too much sugar raises the levels of insulin which in turn causes inflammation which further leads to the breakdown of collagen. This makes our skin prone to wrinkles and fine lines. 
  • Quit smoking. This limits the blood supply to our face and causes early skin aging. 
  • Apply Collagen creams like the Night Revival Cream by Mystique Earth. They not only have the power to revive and make your dermis healthy but in a way keep the epidermis hydrated. This helps maintain the moisture and doesn’t let the skin dry.  

As quoted by Demi Moore-

“I’m a big believer in that if you focus on good skin care, you really won’t need a lot of make-up.”

This is so true. Your inner radiance is strong enough to make your skin glow and radiate. Just natural skin care routine with a healthy diet and applications is all that you need. You’re worth every bit of it. Glow and radiate. 

Have a flawless day as your flawless skin!

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