Collagen seems to be the new buzz word for a miracle skin improvement. Now, its an add-in option at coffee shops, juice bars, and even smoothie shops. But what is collagen? And when did it get so popular?

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein that is incredibly abundant in the body. It makes up about 30% of the protein in our bodies, and about 70% of the protein in our skin. So why are people taking supplements of it if we already have so much? A main reason is that collagen production largely decreases with age, turning smooth skin into wrinkles.

Some things that collagen does are:

• Support healthy aging
• Support healthy looking skin
• Promote skin elasticity
• Support a healthy bone matrix
• Promote healthy looking hair and nails
• Support nail bed structure

When did collagen get popularized?

Collagen was popularized in diets recently, but had its share of fame during “discovery” in the 1930s. However, it has been used for centuries in the diets of Chinese women in favor of baby-smooth skin.

Now, brands are finding more appetizing ways to promote collagen consumption through gummies or other food-based approaches.

How do you get more collagen?

For starters, taking a collagen supplement is a beneficial and healthy way to consume lost collagen. If you would prefer to eat it through food stuffs, there are plenty of options. Some of these foods you can try to eat are:

• Pork skin
• Bone broth
• Fish
• Eggs

No matter how you choose to consume it, collagen is a great way to improve your skin through natural means.

In the health and wellness world, it seems that there is always something new and important to ensure is a part of our diet. While antioxidants are by no means “new”, they are incredibly important to keeping a healthy lifestyle.

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from free radicals. Vitamins C and E are wonderful antioxidants that can be found in many plant sources that are typically high in fiber and low in saturated fat.

What do they do?

Antioxidants fight against free radicals, which are known to cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, in turn, can cause many serious issues including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and strokes.

Antioxidants are known as “radical scavengers” as they find the free radical electrons and stop the oxidation process that is so harmful to our bodies.

How do I incorporate them into my diet?

If you are consuming a relatively balanced diet with fruits, whole grains, and vegetables, you likely already have a decent amount of antioxidants in your diet.

However, if you are looking for natural food sources that contain antioxidants, this list may surprise you at how many of your favorite foods are good for you.

1. Dark Chocolate
2. Pecans
3. Blueberries
4. Strawberries
5. Artichokes
6. Goji Berries
7. Raspberries
8. Kale
9. Red Cabbage
10. Beans
11. Beets
12. Spinach

I don’t know about you, but that list could make some great salads, entrees, and even desserts that are all high in antioxidants. While your body does naturally make antioxidants, these food sources and many others can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases due to free radical damage.

Digestion is something that impacts us and our bodies daily. So why wouldn’t we try our hardest to help our body perform such a demanding task? Digestive enzymes are taken before a meal, and mimic our natural enzymes to help our body break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

There are three main types of digestive enzymes:

1. Amylase
2. Protease
3. Lipase

And each of these three enzymes performs a different task. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates, lipase breaks down fat, and protease breaks down proteins. The Garden of Life brand carries many different digestive enzymes, as well as other kinds of natural supplements, that can each be used individually or together to build a healthier lifestyle.

However, if you are wanting one enzyme to take that will supplement all of your digestive needs, try Garden of Life’s Omega-Zyme Ultra Digestive Enzyme Blend. This blend has it all, including:

• Digestive Support with 21 Different Enzymes
• Wide Range of pH Activity
• Wide range of digestion support
• Gas and bloating relief
• Promotes regular bowel movements
• Contains minerals and co-factors to support enzyme activity and function
• Includes lactace and specific protease to support digestion of dairy
• Vegetarians
• Dairy and Gluten free

Garden of Life provides a wide range of products that can help the transition into a better feeling you, and the Omege-Zyme is a wonderful place to start helping your digestive track feel stronger and healthier. Adding in a digestive enzyme is a great starting point!

When thinking of protein, our minds typically jump to meat as the obvious choice. However, there are many benefits of receiving at least some of our protein intake from plant sources.

One reason you should look to plant protein is that it is much more easily absorbed into the body. Due to this, plant protein is extremely beneficial for individuals who might have food intolerances or digestion problems. Since plant protein is absorbed and digested much easier, you gain the results of it much faster than you would with a typical protein source. When paired with other beneficial sources in a smoothie or shake form, you can gain complete protein as well as energy through entirely plant based sources. Premier Research Labs provides options for this with some of their protein powders, such as this whey protein.

Pea protein is also a great source of iron. This Premier Research Labs complete plant protein contains pea protein as well as seeds and grains for a well rounded protein powder.
This powder checks all of the boxes.

• 18 grams of plant protein
• Organic ingredients
• Pure vegan and Non-GMO
• 60+ trace minerals
• Pesticide screened
• Dairy-free, Gluten-free
• No artificial flavors
• No synthetic ingredients

Premier Research Labs ability to offer such a broad spectrum of plant proteins and other plant alternatives makes it a great starting point to look if you are interested in switching into a more healthy lifestyle.

Switching to a plant protein is a wonderful way to begin moving towards a healthier or more plant based lifestyle, one step at a time.

If you did not already know, dining hall food often lacks flavor and/or health benefits. Many times, I would waste a meal swipe on a dinner that was predominantly fried food. So, here are a few of my mini fridge, dorm room friendly snacks and meals that won’t break your budget!

PRO TIP: A lot of times you can save money on fruit and protein by taking it to go from your dining hall!

Smoothie Bowls

Smoothie bowls make the best filling snack or breakfast!I love blending up a frozen banana, a frozen avocado (so it’s super creamy) some peanut butter, greens, honey + almond milk as my base.Then top with whatever you are craving! I usually do some Made Good granola bites + Dang Foods coconut chips, with a sprinkle of hemp seeds for omega 3!

One-Bite Charcuterie

Goat cheese is the best easy and fancy splurge. It stores well and makes everything more rich. Top some butter crackers with goat cheese, then add a slice of cured meat or fruit, and drizzle some honey + fresh cracked black pepper. I also love doing this with Kitehill dairy free cream cheese or ricotta.

Leftovers Salad

At the end of my week, I make a huge salad with everything left in my fridge. I love the “super foods” salad mix with Swiss chard, baby spinach, and arugula! (It blends really nicely into smoothies too). This salad is topped with crumbled goat cheese, avocado, cucumber, cured meat + coconut chips with a drizzle of a lemon basil dressing.

One-Pot Pasta

This pasta is a game-changer + so easy. All you do is cook some bow tie pasta (you can do it in the microwave with chicken broth instead of water) then fold in cream cheese + any creamy cheese. Then I add some roasted chicken cut up into pieces, some spinach, and squeeze in some lemon.

Do you struggle with sleeping? If so, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that 164 million Americans have trouble falling or staying asleep at least one night a week.

In today’s time of advanced medicine, it seems that there’s a quick fix pill for every issue we may have. In fact, it is projected that Americans will spend up to $54 billion dollars on sleep medication by the end of 2020.

Why would we not try a natural alternative to sleep medication?

There are many natural alternatives to sleep medication that have been proven to provide similar relief. Thorne Research is a natural supplement brand focused on finding healthier options to typical over-the-counter medication. Their sleep bundle combines Melaton-3, PharmaGABA-250, and Magnesium Bisglycinate to aid in sleep consistency, relief, and balancing circadian rhythms.

WHat do each of these do?

• Melaton-3
  • helps maintain the normal sleep-wake cycle – the circadian rhythm
  • contains 3 mg of melatonin
  • can aid with jet lag and other changes in sleep schedules
• PharmaGABA-250
  • calms the brain
  • reduces the stress-related beta waves
  • increases the production of alpha waves, helping with focus and relaxation
• Magnesium Bisglycinate
  • relaxes muscles
  • improves blood flow support

Source naturals is another brand that offers natural supplements for sleep aid. Their NutraSleep tablets combine GABA with various vitamins, minerals, and herbs to provide relaxation to help one sleep.

What is in nutrasleep?

• Niacinamide
• Vitamin B6
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Taurine
• Inositol
• GABA
• Skullcap Aerial Parts
• Passionflower Aerial Parts Extract
• Valerian Root
• Chamomile Flower Extract

The combination of these herbs, vitamins, minerals, and GABA have a relaxing effect on the body, creating the perfect environment for sleeping.

If you are one of the 164 million Americans that struggles with consistent and restful sleep, trying a supplement for sleep support may be beneficial and healthier for your body in the longrun!

When you think of a source of vitamin D, what do you think of? For many people, it is sunlight. While exposure to direct sunlight does give your body vitamin D, it is very often not enough to sustain the recommended daily amount.

Vitamin D in Daily Life:

The recommended daily amount of vitamin D for people ages 1 to 70 is 600 IU. To put this in an easier to understand way of thinking about it, a glass of milk or a plant based alternative that is fortified with vitamin D will typically only supply around 100 IU per 8 ounces. Many health professionals recommend combining a vitamin D supplement with foods that are high in vitamin D such as halibut, salmon, mushrooms, and eggs.

Progressive Labs has natural vitamin D supplements that can work well with a healthy, vitamin D enforced diet to help reach the recommended daily amount (600 IU).

What Does Vitamin D do?

Vitamin D can help in many ways, including

• promoting healthy bones and teeth
• supporting immune, brain, and nervous system health
• regulating insulin levels
• supporting lung function
• supporting cardiovascular health

Vitamin D’s role in the body’s production of calcium makes it a key player in strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D is such a diverse vitamin, making it impactful across the board as to what needs it can fill in our bodies. It is also thought to be helpful in fighting flu like illnesses, due to its ability to strengthen the immune system.

Vitamin D is a great supplement to add to an existing routine, or to use as a basis for an introduction to supplement usage.

Since all of us have an abundance of time on our hands, there’s never been a better time to try adding some healthy tricks into our diets. 

Quarantine has me on a snacking frenzy. While I love the idea of sitting and going through a bag of chips per day and downing pizza after pizza dunked in garlic butter, my body does NOT. So, let’s talk about cauliflower thins. They are a great keto/gluten-free/veggie loaded/low calorie alternative to get your carby fix. Anything you could want on a bread or cracker, try on a cauliflower thin to get the fix in a healthier way. 

Like I said, I love carbs. A lot. As someone who struggles with digestion, it’s also really important that I try to double my starch intake with veggies. My new favorite hack is adding in about two zucchinis worth of zoodles (zucchini noodles) into pasta to make sure I have a serving of veggies before my pasta is even topped. This hack works in everything, but I love it in a pasta primavera loaded with summer veggies. 

I am a firm believer that we should take care of our guts. An easy way to do that is how we eat, and using fermented foods is a great place to start. Fermented foods help to produce good probiotics, while killing bad food bacteria. While something that sounds as complicated as fermentation might scare you, I can promise it is way easier than it sounds. You can top your avocado toast or fish tacos with some pickled onions, here is my favorite recipe for those! Or you can try something a little different and make a fermented salsa to top bruschetta with or eat with chips.

When a person feels an ache, they immediately reach for an ibuprofen. 

When we feel like our allergies are acting up, we grab an antihistamine pill. 

It is so ingrained into our daily lives to take over the counter pills to handle minor inconveniences, even though they only provide temporary relief with chemicals our body likely does not need. Taking professional supplements in the place of its over-the-counter replacement can help not only ease your current pain, but help better prepare your body for the future. 

Using professional supplements should be a first response. Our bodies carry us through life, and they deserve the best care that we can give them.  Most Americans’ leading cause of disease and chronic pain is due to putting unfulfilling things into their bodies. By thinking of food and supplements as medicine instead of simply what we eat in a day, it can lead to a healthier lifestyle overall. When using professional supplements, such as the ones from Douglas Labs, we can help connect the links of a lacking diet. 

In developed countries like America, a poor diet typically stems from either lack of vitamin intake, or the over eating of processed foods which leads to chronic inflammation and/or disease. 

Of course, one should always consult a healthcare profession before making any major diet or medication changes. It is just as important, however, to consider taking a natural and professional supplement route before trying the over-the-counter drug. Brands such as Pure Encapsulations are able to provide similar relief to over the counter brands, in a natural way. By considering what foods and supplements make our bodies feel ‘good’, we can become more attune to what our bodies truly need. 

Do you like seafood? 

Personally, it is one of my favorite sources of protein. Aside from being delicious, fish has many dietary benefits. Some of these benefits are reduced inflammation, lower blood pressure, and reduced anxiety or depression. Even if fish is not your favorite source of protein, you can still get all of the benefits of seafood through cod liver oil. 

What is cod liver oil?

Cod liver oil is typically made from the livers of Atlantic Cod, because they contain the most nutrients. Since it is derived from the livers of the cod, it contains vitamin A, an essential nutrient that human bodies do not produce. It can help most people, since many individuals are omega-3 deficient. If you are deficient in omega-3s, you can suffer from weakened immune system, lower brian function, and eye health. 

Who is at risk for omega-3s deficiency?

Anyone who does not regularly consume fish in at least 8 ounces a week, vegans, and vegetarians are all at risk for not getting enough omega-3s.

Why cod liver oil?

Cod liver oil is one of the most pure ways to get an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, which is known to be heart healthy. It also has a high amount of vitamins A and D, which regular fish oils do not always contain. 

The active vitamins A and D in cod liver oil protect eyes and skin from UV damage, control blood sugar, and reduce the risk of heart disease just to name a few of their benefits. 

Another dietary benefit of cod liver oil is the ability to help heal your body. Along with promoting good bone health, cod liver oil also contains anti-inflammatory agents that can help heal ulcers. 

How do you add it into your diet? 

Easily! You can take a few teaspoons to a tablespoon daily in liquid form, or if you are more inclined to take supplements, it comes in capsule form as well. 

In a time like this, having a weak immune system is less than ideal. Taking cod liver oil daily can help boost that as well as aid in other dietary needs.