Spring Time

Happy Spring everyone! I’m getting so excited for some warmer weather, it inspires me to get out and hike, run, play on the beach with my boys and just soak up all of that precious vitamin D. As many of us already know Vitamin D or the “sunshine vitamin” plays a big part in our tooth and bone health by helping our bodies absorb calcium and phosphorus. It can also reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections, fight inflammation and so much more. Vitamin D also contributes to skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism. It enhances our skin’s immune system helping to destroy those nasty little buggers – free radicals, that can cause premature aging. One of the biggest contributors to premature aging outside of damaging free radicals is the dreaded COLLAGEN LOSS. As we get older our body slows its natural production of collagen. Early on our body naturally balances itself between collagen production and degradation by producing more collagen than we break down. That balance tips the other way as we age since tissue regeneration decreases. This shift begins to happen as early as our late teens to early 20s 😳. But don’t panic!

Now that I’ve brought us into the subject of collagen loss and premature aging (super fun right?? 😂) I want to share some information about something that I have come to highly covet in the last couple of months. If you have read any of my previous blogs you know 2 things about me-

1 – I am an absolute information junkie and

2 – I LOVE ADAPTOGENS!

I want to introduce to you what is known as “The King of Herbs” – ASTRAGALUS

Astragalus or “Huang Qi” is a fundamental adaptogenic herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has been used for centuries. I recently learned how it can help with that thing that keeps me staring in the mirror wondering what semi-truck just drove across my face – PREMATURE AGING 👎🏻

I’m going to tie all of this together with the cliff notes version because it can all get very scientific and chemical so here it is:

*Our body produces an enzyme called MMP-1 

*MMP-1 disintegrates collagen

*ASTRAGALUS ELIMINATES MMP-1

So, if you’re looking to enhance the collagen regimen you already have in place OR you just aren’t seeing the results you are looking for from your collagen supplement, you may have increased production of MMP going on and can combat that by simply incorporating this adaptogenic beauty into your daily routine. Astragalus root can be taken as a capsule, liquid extract, tincture, tea, or powder. I have a superfood powder that I love called Chai Bliss which has Astragalus in it and I just started making sure I get 2-3 doses of it every day by adding it to my coffee and smoothies. You can add a cherry on top of this anti-aging sundae by increasing your intake of Anthocyanins which are found in your red, blue, and purple fruits and veggies (beets, blueberries, blackberries, purple sweet potatoes, purple cauliflower, red and purple grapes, plums, etc., etc. Anthocyanins reduce MMP production and protect against UV skin damage.

Ok, let’s wrap this up – Take your Astragalus and increase your intake of Anthocyanins to help fight that collagen destroying enzyme MMP and protect your skin from the damaging UV rays you get while soaking in all of that “sunshine vitamin”.

Happy Spring and skin love everyone!

Namaste,

Amber