Collagen played an important role in helping Marisa, a food blogger and aspiring holistic health coach, recover from major surgery. Over the course of the past six months, as she learned to walk again and regain her strength, Marisa has discovered many collagen health benefits including better digestion, stronger hair and nails as well as a fast recovery, all from supplementing with collagen! Read Marisa’s collagen supplement review on the benefits of collagen powder, how collagen has helped her feel and look better, and how she incorporates it into her daily diet.
Collagen Review: What Role Did It Play in My Recovery?
Earlier this year I had ear surgery, and I was out of commission for months. During that time, I discovered Further Food Collagen Peptides. Not only did supplementing with collagen help my recovery, but my hair, skin, nails and digestion will never be the same (in a good way!).
Prior to my surgery, I was into heavy weight lifting and was even planning to compete in a fitness competition. But my surgery was a huge setback to my physical health and strength. My vestibular system was skewed and I had to undergo physical therapy to relearn eye tracking and walking. It was a very challenging time in my life!
After my surgery, I lost a large amount of weight quickly (partly from muscle loss and partly from lack of appetite). A dear friend who visited me regularly during that time brought me a box of various pick-me-ups, including Further Food Collagen Peptides. I’d never heard of collagen peptides before, and to be honest, I didn’t even try it for a few weeks. I was so over the nasty, icky “what’s-really-in-this?” protein powders that I had grown accustomed to, and I didn’t think collagen would be any different. Little did I know how much collagen would end up contributing to my recovery and improved health.
Finally, one day, I started using collagen and learning about the collagen health benefits, which includes both bovine and marine collagen peptides. Within a few weeks, I noticed an incredible difference in my hair, skin, nails and digestion. And best of all, collagen helped my body recover and get stronger from surgery.
1. Collagen helped my hair and nails get stronger
My hair has been through a lot over the past few years (two surgeries, antibiotics, stress, etc.). I even had to have part of my head shaved for my surgeries. Using collagen for hair growth absolutely helped my hair grow back quickly and healthy! Now I have the thick, full and shiny hair I had before all the craziness. My gratitude goes out to collagen for hair growth!
And my nails have never looked better in my life! I get compliments on my nails at least once a week. They are so strong, and I actually look forward to painting them now!
2. Another collagen health benefit: collagen improved my digestion!
After my surgery, I was on so many medications and antibiotics, which really messed with my stomach. Daily doses of collagen for gut health helped keep my gut bacteria as healthy as it could be during that time. Seriously, collagen was a life saver! Using collagen for gut health may be the way to go!
3. Collagen helped my body get stronger
I was out of the gym for more than three months while I recovered, but a significant collagen health benefit is that collagen made me feel healthy and gave my body the quality protein it needed not only to heal, but to get stronger. And collagen was essential when I started working out again! There are many benefits of collagen powder, and collagen protein powder is particularly ideal for post-workout nutrition because of its high amino acid content. It has 18 amino acids and 8 of the 9 essential amino acids that can only be found through dietary proteins. Collagen also contains 20 percent glycine and 8 percent arginine, two key amino acids for muscular contraction.
The Importance of Collagen Supplements for Your Health
I spent a lot of time reflecting on my diet and lifestyle during my recovery. I realized I had been prioritizing getting large muscles over being healthy. I’ve always been a “clean eater,” but I used to go to the gym just to lift weights (not to destress), and I ate to grow my muscles (not for enjoyment). My diet consisted of complex carbs and tons of (read: too much) protein, including less-than-healthy protein powders and bars. I lost perspective on the quality of my food, and instead had been eating processed, junk-filled foods just for the purpose of getting protein and getting “stronger,” instead of making sure that everything I put into my body was real, unprocessed, whole food.
Now I understand the importance of grass-fed meats and organic produce, and the idea that the quality of what we put into our bodies matters. I appreciate that Further Food Collagen is made from grass fed bovine collagen peptides, and that it’s sugar free and not filled with additives or other junk. In fact, I’ve tossed all my protein powders in the garbage and I rely solely on my collagen peptides as a clean source of post-workout protein. Like the rest of our diets, quality matters and that’s why I trust Further Food. I know that I am getting the best. And I am truly impressed with all the collagen health benefits!
How to Take Collagen Daily
I treat collagen like a multivitamin, and I never go a day without at least a scoop. Every day, and sometimes twice a day, for the past year, I’ve made sure to add a scoop of Further Food Collagen Peptides into my diet. While I used the Further Food bovine collagen, Further Food also has a Marine Collagen that offers the same benefits.
I mix collagen in my bulletproof coffee, matcha lattes; add it to my chia puddings; add it to my smoothie bowls; religiously put it in my chocolate bliss cups (my favorite homemade treat!); mix it into energy bites/bars; and have even added it to pizza and spaghetti sauce. Seriously, the options for collagen are endless and I love exploring with it. I am absolutely addicted to all benefits of collagen including the collagen benefits for hair. My husband loves it too, as do many of my sisters and girlfriends. We all love the collagen health benefits that we get from Further Food Collagen.
Follow Marisa on her food blog bringoutyourbliss.com and on Instagram @Bring_Out_Your_Bliss.
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