10 Ways To Restore Your Youthful Glow and Boost Your Beauty Game Naturally

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body making up the majority of our skin, bone, joints and connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons. Unfortunately, the two biggest collagen killers, aging and oxidative stress, are a fact of life. The good news is we can take preventive and restorative measures to counteract the signs and symptoms of aging to restore our healthy, youthful glow and supple skin naturally.

Collagen Killers

• Aging— As we age, there is a natural decline in our body’s collagen which contributes to a weakening of joints, ligaments and leads to wrinkles in our skin.

• Oxidative Stress— Environmental stressors such as air pollution, poor nutrition, excess UV exposure, and a high-stress lifestyle can make our bodies even more susceptible to aging by turning on genes which initiates the inflammatory pathway, raises cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and breaks down collagen more rapidly.

10 Things To Include In your Diet To Restore Your Skin's Youthful Glow

(Hint: Food with phytonutrients, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats)

1. Green Tea - Contains EGCG, an antioxidant superstar.

2. Blueberries - Pigments in the skin of blueberries called anthocyanidins have strong antioxidant activity which combat oxidative stress. Another antioxidant superstar.

3. Pomegranate - Contains ellagic acid and other phytonutrients that inhibit the enzyme which breaks down collagen.

4. Carotenoids - Found in carrots, yams, red peppers and dark leafy greens, carotenoids are a natural protector of UV light damage. Fat-soluble, and a pre-cursor to vitamin A (retinol), this pigment gets stored in the skin and fat tissue.

5. Cruciferous vegetables - Broccoli, kale, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower are part of the mustard family and contain a powerful compound called glucoraphanin. This family of compounds (isothiocyanates) has the ability to help our liver detoxify the body.

6. Turmeric - Contains curcuminoids, touted for a variety of benefits including decreasing inflammation, combating Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive decline. This fat-soluble compound has poor absorption in the body unless cooked in fat with black pepper. In addition, turmeric can be used as a much safer alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin. This yellow cousin to Ginger has been used for thousands of years in India.

7. Vitamin C - Plus its bioflavanoid family of plant compounds such as quercitin play an important role in the body. Vitamin C is a necessary component for collagen fibers to link together. Quercitin has the ability to decrease histamine release, part of the inflammatory response. Daily supplementation is best in a buffered form to help alkalinize the body.

8. Trace Minerals - Zinc, copper and manganese are important trace minerals in the body that function as cofactors for enzymes to function. In fact, the enzymes that helps produce and link collagen fibers together need all 3 to function properly. Trace minerals can be found in nuts, seeds and whole grains.

9. Amino Acids - Collagen is a protein so dietary intake of key amino acids is crucial to making and repairing collagen. Lysine and Proline are important amino acids that help build collagen. Lysine can be found in beans, whole grains, and meats.

10. Omega 3’s - Unsaturated Fats are essential for the body to function properly. These are converted into signaling hormones that create an anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is composed of mostly Omega-6 & 9 fats which create an inflammatory effect on the body. Consuming Omega-3 rich foods such as olive oil, nuts like almonds and walnuts, flax, hemp, pumpkin seed, cold-water fatty fish like salmon, and/or fish oils (look for a high EPA & DHA concentration in your supplement).