Apart from the natural process of aging, you can lose collagen in various ways: unhealthy diet, tobacco smoking, and excess UV light exposure. These elements infuse your body with chemicals that make the skin lose elasticity hence causing wrinkles. You should preserve collagen production by all means. Here are habits to avoid if you value naturally healthy and glowing skin.
Glycation-Triggering Diets
High sugar consumption rates elevate the glycation process. Even though glycation is a natural mechanism, too much sugar triggers advanced glycation end products that embed on collagen, making it brittle and dry. The skin boasts three kinds of collagen but type II is the most beneficial to the skin. Excess sugar intake reverses type II collagen to type I, a weaker form of collagen that is prone to breakage. This is what brings about premature aging. Instead of sugars takes lots of vegetables, fruits, mineral-rich whole foods, and water to protect collagen. Look for meals with omega-3 fatty acids like fish, flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts, and animal liver.
Not Controlling Stress Levels
Stress has a way of sparking inflammation, reducing the body’s innate ability to produce collagen. Anxiety raises the cortisol hormone which harms collagen production. Moreover, consistent frowning and squinting when frustrated cause creases on your face, which could turn into permanent wrinkles. Avoid stress by making the necessary life changes. Cut out your everyday coffee and reduce alcohol intake because these drinks are not real stress relievers. They do more harm than good.
Smoking Tobacco
Smoking tobacco triggers premature aging by affecting collagen production directly. When you smoke, the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues is greatly reduced. It becomes harder for cells to regenerate under low oxygen levels hence they die and your skin starts to sag. Many studies have shown that cigarette smokers have more wrinkles than non-smokers. The chemicals released when tobacco burns have irreparable consequences on the lips as well as internal organs. That’s why you see most smokers with darker lips because nicotine deprives the soft tissues of crucial nutrients. The smoke may also constrict blood vessels hence reducing blood flow. When protein is lost due to lack of sufficient nutrients, dryness and uneven pigmentation of the skin occur.
Repetitive Sunbathing
UV damage has been linked to collagen loss. Harsh UV rays can damage the DNA, paving way for free radicals that damage collagen directly. Even though natural sunlight is good for the skin, spending too much time in a tanning bed exposes you to free radicals that attack your cells. Protect your skin with sunscreen of at least 30SPF when going outside.
Over time, collagen production in the body diminishes. This is the protein responsible for the elasticity and strength of the skin. Once it degrades, you’ll start noticing symptoms related to aging regardless of your age. Press pause on collagen loss by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
