Hi – Olga here 🙂.
Have you had a good week?
Last week I had lunch with one of my best friends.
It was about celebrating our recent birthdays (born on the same month and in the same year!) and catching up on life really.
As we were reflecting on us getting a year older, my friend mentioned her new wrinkles 🙂, and her recent trip to a skin specialist for advice.
And if you are guessing the advice was to get collagen supplements…laser therapy… microneedling… or botox…
The answer is NO.
The specialist advice was…
DIET and LIFESTYLE come first! 😀👍
I was pleasantly surprised about!
In fact, only very recently I was asked about collagen supplements, and after some research I found that
-Topical collagen products: although sound intuitive to work, the collagen molecule is too big to penetrate your skin effectively and deep enough to give you benefit.
-Oral collagen supplements: while there is some evidence suggesting that they may have positive effects on the skin, the research is not entirely conclusive. Then the quality and source of the collagen supplement (bovine, marine or plant-based) can influence its effectiveness.
So, where does it leave us? 🤔
Here is the skin specialist’s advice…
💧Stay Hydrated:
- Water helps maintain skin moisture, flush out toxins, and promote a healthy complexion.
- Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day.
🥦 Eat a Nutrient-Rich Diet:
- Fruits, vegetables (various colours, especially the green ones), whole grains (fibre), and nuts and seeds (omega-3).
- Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits 🍋 and berries 🫐, promotes collagen production.
- Beta-carotene, found in carrots🥕 and sweet potatoes 🍠, converts to vitamin A, supporting skin health.
- Omega-3 in nuts 🥜 and seeds help skin elasticity.
- (remember to go easy on refined sugars, sweets and pastries)
😴 Prioritise Your Sleep:
- During sleep your skin cells work to repair the damage caused by environmental factors such as UV rays and pollution.
- Collagen production is also best during sleep – it provides structure and elasticity to the skin.
- Stress levels improve, which will also improve your wrinkles.
💪 Exercise:
- Better blood circulation brings more nutrients and oxygen to your skin.
- Sweating during exercise is a natural detox and helps the body eliminate toxins.
- Exercise will also stimulate collagen production.
So, whether you choose to have any specialist skin treatment or not (my friend is still not sure 😉)….
these are the steps you can take now (and they are almost free)!