We are so much more educated as a society now than what we were 10 years ago.

Gone are the days where we would load our skin up with harsh chemicals at the first sign of a pimple. We now know beauty starts from within and gut health is essential to good skin and general wellbeing.

There is a huge influx of products in the marketplace from superfoods, superfood blends, teas, herbal mixes, charcoal powders and marine collagen.

We decided to incorporate charcoal into our activated charcoal and murray river salt flake crackers which are specially designed to assist with those tummy upsets such as sluggish digestion and constipation which rear their heads in pregnancy and beyond.

Maybe you escaped adolescence pimple free only to be hit by adult acne later in life or maybe all those “fun” times you had in your 20’s have made you look like you are in your 40’s – a decade too early!

But, in all honesty, if you are new to all this, where do you start?

Well the key is not to wake up one morning and decide to do it all at once. I know once you’ve decided you’re going to do it, you want to go all in but seriously, when it comes to gut health supplements, less is more.

Recently we were lucky enough to have Vida Glow as a supporter of our Breastfeeding Awareness Week event and we got an in depth tour of all the benefits of marine collagen.

Collagen is the MOST abundant protein in the human body, and the second largest substance in the body behind water. What this means is that it’s naturally occurring, our bodies actually produce it for our benefit. Well… that is up until about 25. Then it begins to decline, in the process known as ageing. Eeeek!

Supplementation with natural collagen can help us turn back the clock and give us a boost in the essential amino acids necessary for optimum wellness.

Beautiful skin on the outside needs a healthy foundation on the inside. Collagen peptides, such as Vida Glow marine collagen, can significantly improve skin. Vida Glow marine collagen is highly bioavailable and effective in delivering specific benefits to skin tissue.

SKIN

Collagen is the main structural element of the skin, it’s responsible for its characteristic properties, such as firmness and tonicity. Collagen’s role is to maintain the structure and resistance of the skin, creating a network which anchors the layers of the skin and forms a support base for components such as elastin, to maintain skin elasticity and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Collagen fibres, constructed within skin cells (fibroblasts), are responsible for the maintenance and resistance of the skin. The presence of collagen peptides regulates the activity of fibroblasts in the skin and stimulates production of both collagen and hyaluronic acid, which is important for skin hydration.

ANTI-AGEING

From the age of 30, fibroblasts activity starts to slow down, leading to a loss of collagen density and the beginning of the visible signs of ageing such as wrinkles, dehydration and loss of firmness.

As we age, the production of new collagen fibres declines as the collagen synthesis by fibroblasts decreases. Collagen is also hindered by its own ageing process. With age, collagen becomes more cross-linked and fragmented. This makes the skin tougher and limits the protein’s ability to bind large quantities of water, making the skin appear dry.

Marine collagen supplementation can counteract the affects of ageing and promote a more youthful appearance by supplying a boost and a restructuring effect on the skins collagen network from within.  Smooth, firm and younger – looking skin requires optimum levels of well-organised collagen fibres to ensure it retains elasticity, firmness plus its moisture – binding capacity.

HAIR

As collagen levels naturally decrease in our bodies, the quality of our hair begins to be affected, mix that in with poor diets, toxins, straightening, blow-drying, curling wands, colouring and stress and our hair really takes a blow.

A daily collagen supplement such as Vida Glow has been shown to support the body’s hair building proteins, leading to longer and thicker hair. Collagen is very effective in treating dry brittle hair by repairing and sometimes even reversing spilt ends by providing healthy moisture levels within the hair fibres.

Collagen can also assist in hair growth, because as an antioxidant it fights off free radicals that can affect your hair's texture, growth and thickness. Restoring collagen in the hair shaft can not only improve hair growth, but also strengthen hair and increase the diameter of individual hairs, giving your hair an overall fuller appearance.

NAILS

Struggling with weak and brittle nails? Do your nails just not grow? Have you put your nails under added pressure of acrylics and shellac?

If you’ve answered yes to any or all of these, then collagen is the answer.  The good news is that Vida Glow customers usually report their nails strengthening as one of the first visible results they see. Restoring collagen levels in the body will encourage healthier, stronger and fast growing nails, repairing weak nails. 

So, if you have been thinking of trying something to assist with your skin, hair or nails and want to avoid botox then this could be the answer for you!