Is your skin aging before your eyes? 3 ingredients necessary for firmer skin.

Now that I am in the last year of my 50's I have seen major changes to my skin and my friend's who are around the same age. As we get older, everything starts to dry up, sag or look dull and wrinkled. One of the most popular was to stop premature aging and eliminate the appearance of lines and wrinkles is to boost collagen. Collagen is an incredible essential protein to the appearance and vitality of your skin because it improves skin firmness and elasticity. Without it, your skin would lack luster, and start to sag.  
In order to age well, it's important to build up the collagen in your skin so that lines and wrinkles appear less prominent. Here are 3 top collagen booting natural ingredients that are perfect for your anti-aging needs. 
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1. Protein
Even if your skin is not showing signs of aging, you should still care about collagen because it is one of the most important proteins in your body. It's a structural protein that is a building block for not just your skin but also your hair, bones, teeth and muscles. Collagen keeps your skin supple, your bones strong, and your muscles working in proper condition. So when your collagen start to diminish, you will most likely see a change in both your physical appearance and health; with less collagen, you have to me more careful with your body to prevent injury. 
Since collagen is a protein, adding more protein to your diet can replenish your collagen levels and help your body produce more collagen. Drinking bone broth, or collagen powders is a great way to boost your collagen. I love Arbonne's Skin Elixir . It's vegan, so even if you are a vegan or vegetarian, you can drink it or add lentils and chickpeas in your diet as a great source of plant based protein.

2. Vitamin C
Protein isn't the only ingredient to add to your diet; you should also consume more Vitamin C. We all know it's great for your immune system, but is is also used to build up more collagen in your skin.  Vitamin C has been studied to improve collagen production because it promotes the enzyme activity within this process; so more C may lead to younger looking skin. Plus it's an antioxidant, which can eliminate free radical damage that could be reducing your collagen and imparting your collagen production. 
The simplest solution is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Plus Vitamin C can be a healthy addition to your daily and weekly skincare routing, by using Vitamin C skincare (make sure the Vitamin C is stable) Here's my skincare regimen AGEWELL or I can recommend other products speficially for your skin.

​3. Zinc & Copper 
Most people wouldn't even think about minerals for their skin, but these 2 are very important to help achieve youthful skin. Similar to Vitamin C, zinc and copper help support the enzymes involved in collagen production. Even without the benefits of collagen, zinc and copper are still beneficial to the heath of your skin. Zinc can curb inflammation and acne, while copper has been renowned in the Ayurveda for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. 
Since zinc and Cooper are trace elements, you don't need to actively search for supplements that contain both of them. Instead you will likely be able to find these nutrients in a well balance diet. For example, many legumes such as lentils and black beans are a good source of both zinc and copper. It is also recommended in Ayurveda to drink water out of a copper vessel to absorb trace amounts of this daily nutrient. Though you won't be able to see the impact of zinc and copper on your skin as much as protein and Vitamin C, it is still very important to get enough of these two nutrients daily to keep your skin healthy, glowing and youthful.
If you need more help in a good skincare regimen to help firm your skin and give you a beautiful glow, please reach out, I'd love to help! 
Best of health, 
Donna
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