Collagen - The Do-All Protein: Decrease Joint Pain, Firm Skin & Heal the Gut

If you suffer from digestive concerns, joint pain, or aging skin (let’s face it, most people do) listen up. Collagen may be for you! 

Collagen powder really is the do-all protein and I want to explain why. Collagen is the main structural protein in our body, especially in our connective tissue found in the gut, skin, joints, bone, ligaments…well pretty much over our entire body. It is a building block of our bodies comprised of amino acids that make up 25-35% of whole body protein content. Unfortunately, natural collagen production peaks in our early 20s and slowly declines with age. It declines about 1.5% per year and approximately that by age 40 it has decreased by 25%, by age 60 decreased by over 60%! 

We can get collagen from our diets, which is how our ancestors acquired it for the most part, however it is found in animal parts not normally consumed today. These are gelatinous meats, the cartilage on bones, such as chicken drumstick cartilage, and fish and poultry skin. Bone broth is another form in the form on gelatin, when the bones are boiled for over 5 hours, but even this is not as bioavailable as collagen powder. 

How often are you eating these animals parts in a week?? 

What to look for:

As it can be found in various animals parts, collagen powder can be sourced specific for the type of collagen wanted. Type I and III collagen makes up 90% of what is found in our bodies.

• Marine collagen peptides - from wild fish scales and skin, is type I collagen. It has been shown to have the highest bioavailability and most effective for skin health. This also makes it dissolve very easily in anything. You can even find marine collagen sourced from North Atlantic fish! 
• Beef collagen peptides - from bone and hides of cattle, is mostly type III collagen. It is not quite a bioavailable as marine collagen but still very effective. 

How it can benefit you:

• Skin - Collagen is what gives your skin the elasticity and improves hydration and firmness. If you are worried about aging skin, fine lines and wrinkles, as well as thinning skin from chronic eczema or age collagen is for you. It helps your skin “bounce back!”
• Joints - Collagen is what maintains joint flexibility and strength. It also helps regenerate cartilage in joints. Because of this it decreases pain due to degeneration. Decreasing inflammation with an anti-inflammatory diet, turmeric and omega 3s would still be advised for a holistic approach to joint pain. 
• Gut - Suffer from IBS or irritable bowel disease? Collagen peptides maintain the integrity and function if the intestines. It therefore repairs “leaky gut.” I am still waiting on a study linking collagen to decreased zonulin production, a protein released from intestinal cells in severe leaky gut, but I’m sure that will come soon! There is however research showing decreased serum concentrations of collagen in those with IBD, aka Crohns and Colitis. 
• Mood - Glycine, one key amino acid in collagen, is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, therefore decreases feelings of anxiety and helps you sleep. The more you sleep, the more calm our body feels and the less inflammation we have. 

Therefore, considering how much gut health issues, mood issues and joint pain I see in my practice this is a biggy supplement! 

Extra tidbits:

• Research shows a therapeutic dose of collagen, aka when we start seeing positive benefits, is at a dose of 5-12mg per serving. 
• Due to the source of collagen the powder is definitely not vegan, for those out there on a vegan diet. 

If you suffer from any of the issue above or are curious if collagen is right for you don’t hesitate to check with your Naturopathic Doctor, or come in to see me at the clinic.

Questions? Let me know in the comment below 😃

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

(Photo credit: www.sproos.com, www.renewalliance.com)

Food Friday: Falafel Buddha Bowl

Yum...buddha bowls! There is something about the name buddha bowl that just oozes warmth and joy for me. That is what this meal feels like, especially during a busy week when a little prep goes a long way. On cold winter days the last thing I want is a cold smoothie or raw veggies in a salad, so adding some roasted veggies with a delicious dressing is just right. 

This recipe is adapted from www.pinchofyum.com but the great thing about buddha bowls is that they can be changed around to your liking. I recommend sticking to this dressing from Oh She Glows though if you are adding the falafels as the flavours match so well. I love falafels as well since they have so much flavour and so easy to make. The other benefit of this meal is that each step could be made on a different day depending on your schedule. For example, I made the falafels ahead one evening, then roasted the veggies and made the dressing on the weeknight I had planned the meal for. Finally, this meal is gluten free and grain free depending on what flour you use for the falafels :) So enjoy and let me know if you come up with other delicious adaptations. 

Ingredients:

Servings - 3-4 bowls 

For the Falafels:

• 2 cups cooked lentils - barely cooked for better falafel texture (or chickpeas for alternative)
• 1 huge handful (a cup or so) fresh cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 huge handful (a cup or so) fresh parsley leaves and stems
• half a jalapeño 
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-4 tbsp gluten free flour - eg. Bob's 1:1 flour (or almond flour)

For the Roasted Veggies:

No room for brussels sprouts on this pan. 

• 3 carrots. peeled and cut into strips 
• 1 head cauliflower, cup into bit size pieces 
• large handful brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved  
• 1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

For the Dressing: (makes 1 cup)

• 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2.5-3 lemons)
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

For the Buddha Bowls:

• 1/4-1/2 head red cabbage, sliced/chopped
• arugula or spinach 
• roasted nuts and seeds - I did cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• sprouts - optional 

Directions:

Then the dressing...the missing piece!

1. For the falafels - Preheat the oven to 350F. Pulse all ingredients except flour in a food processor until combined. The mixture should form semi-dry crumbles that stick together when you press them. Stir in the flour – just one tablespoon at a time, until it’s just dry enough to handle. Form into 7-9 patties and bake for 18 minutes, flipped half way. Remove from oven. Refrigerate for a few days or freeze.
2. For the dressing - In a mini/small food processor, process all ingredients until smooth. Taste seasoning and adjust nutritional yeast, olive oil and salt and pepper if needed. The dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to a week but will thicken in the fridge. 
3. For the roast veggies - Preheat the oven to 400F. Place all the veggies on a roasting pan prepped with parchment paper. Drizzle all veggies except brussels sprouts with oil and sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss around on the pan to combine. Bake for 30 minutes – stir occasionally, but not too often otherwise you’ll disrupt the browning process. To get more browning, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. When the veggies are done, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
4. To assemble buddha bowl - Add arugula/spinach, cabbage to a bowl then top with roast veggies, nuts/seeds, falafel and drizzle with dressing. Take a bite! Or...Add all to a container for lunches and keep dressing separate until lunch time. I like to warm up the roasted veggies and falafels at work if I can and then mix all together, or even toast the falafel in a toaster oven if possible. 

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen 

Food Friday: Gingerbread Spelt Muffins

I was in the mood for something a little more festive this past weekend and decided to make these easy gingerbread muffins. It was either these or buying a whole gingerbread house, decorating it, then throwing it out in the end once it got stale ;) Indulging in a little treat here and there over the festive month is perfectly fine as long as you don't go overboard. These muffins are just the thing to give you a bit of a treat but keeping within a balanced diet. Bonus - these are wheat free (not gluten free), vegan and super easy to make. This recipe is adapted from OhSheGlows. They would be extra delicious as a dessert with a cream cheese frosting, a little butter or coconut whip cream (ok now I am drooling.)

Gingerbread Spelt Muffins

Wet ingredients:

• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds/ground flax seed
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée
• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil or canola oil (coconut oil is great as well just make sure it is melted and everything else is room temperature)
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses - great blood builder :)

Dry ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups spelt flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• Heaping 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.. Line a muffin pan with large paper liners. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia/ground flax seeds and water. Set aside for a few minutes to thicken.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (spelt flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
4. In the same bowl as the flax mixture, whisk together the wet ingredients (flax mixture, pumpkin purée, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and molasses) until smooth.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. No patches of flour should remain. Be sure not to overmix the batter as spelt is a delicate flour. The batter will be quite thick.
6. If using, stir in the chopped walnuts. You can also reserve some for garnish on top.
7. Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin liners. They should be about 3/4 full. Add any reserved walnuts on top and gently push down (optional).
8. Bake the muffins for 20 to 24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, and then transfer each muffin onto a cooling rack until completely cool. Serve with butter, coconut oil, or cream frosting!

Enjoy!

Dr. Karen 

How To Holiday Right - Tips to Enjoy the Holidays Without the Side Effects

As the Holidays approach it is usually hard to avoid overindulging, over drinking, under sleeping and over stressing! Routines may go out the window to make way for holiday parties, last minute shopping or hosting family. On average people gain 1-2 pounds during the holidays and while this doesn’t sound like much, if we are not careful these 1-2 pounds can start to accumulate. Our liver and gut also tend to take a beating this month which ultimately suppresses our immune system and ability to detox. I want to share some simple tips and reminders to keep you on track with your health. 

1. Remember it is a Holi-DAY not Holi-MONTH!

Even though your holiday parties may have already started or coworkers are bringing holiday baking to the office, be careful not to overindulge throughout the whole month and reserve that to the actual holiday you are celebrating. Cave into small cravings but keep a mental record of how many sweets or drinks you’ve had that day or week. Writing it down could be helpful. Festive alternative could be pomegranates or clementines and don't forget that there are actually health benefits to eating a few pieces of dark chocolate! 

2. Find Balance!

Holding out for the party food this evening and avoiding calories during the day? That is setting you up for disaster as you will be starving when you actually get there and end up eating much more than your body needs. I suggest sticking with balanced meals throughout the day and even eating something small before a party to avoid the ravenous hunger hands. For example, an omelet with veggies in the morning, a protein shake or bar late morning, a healthy salad or soup with hummus and crackers for a late lunch, then a handful of almonds before the party. Sound delicious?! 

3. Don’t stray from your Routine.

I say it time and time again, our body LOVES routine and when we stray from that for late nights out, or missed exercise for family or shopping our body suffers. I see this leading to fatigue, depression, weight gain etc. Commit to a brisk walk, a 20 minute HIIT workout or yoga in the morning to start your day off on the right foot. Exercising on an empty stomach can help boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. Try to head to bed at a decent time as well even though I know another Christmas movie is tempting. You may want to try magnesium bis-glycinate, melatonin or cortisol reducer to help you sleep, which I carry at the clinic.

4. Save your Gut.

For those bigger holiday meals we don't want to avoid try boosting enzymes and stomach acid to aid in digestion and prevent bloating. Some things that could help are a basic digestive enzymes, bitters in liquid tincture form, or simply sipping on apple cider vinegar before your meal. These things will help with detoxification as well! If you have strict food sensitivities, stick with them as best you can to ensure you feel well for the rest of your holidays. 

5. Day after support.

I am not immune to a few too many drinks over the holidays but I make sure to support my body before and after. If you are heading out to a holiday party, think about drinking more clear liquids instead of heavy booze and sugary drinks. The less sugar the better. Enjoy cocktails? Have 1 then switch to something lighter. During that night be sure to drink plenty of water. For food, instead of reaching for greasy food the next day, make yourself a big salad filled with healthy greens, cruciferous veggies and fat, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, or avocado. Some supplements I suggest the day before and after are B vitamins, liver support and antioxidants! 

6. Pamper yourself!

There are 2 reasons I suggest this. One is to ensure stress levels do not rise too high, which suppresses our immune system. The other is to aid in detoxification after our Christmas cocktails. Find a hot sauna (infrared is best), a hot yoga class, take a hot bath with epsom salts, or invest in a dry skin brush to create a mini spa experience before jumping in the shower. These ideas increase circulation, sweating and ultimately detoxification - they are relaxing as well!

There you have it, my top solutions to survive the holidays and support your body! Any questions, let me know! 

Happy Holidays! 
Dr. Karen