This is the second in a two-part piece looking at regimens of super supplementation, as researched by Dr Chris Davis, that can enhance chiropractice care and overall wellness.

COLLAGEN HYDROLYSATE

Muscle meats and eggs are high in methionine, an amino acid that raises homocysteine levels in the blood and increases our need for homocysteine-neutralising nutrients like vitamins B6, B12, folate, and choline. Homocysteine is a significant risk factor for serious diseases, like heart disease, stroke, mental illness, and fractures.

Those eating lots of animal protein need adequate glycine to balance out the methionine from meat, and you’ll get that from collagen. Collagen can also improve gut integrity and digestive strength by enhancing gastric acid secretion and restoring a healthy mucosal lining in the stomach. Collagen also absorbs water and helps keep fluid in the digestive tract, promoting good intestinal transit and healthy bowel movements. Collagen-rich soups and broths are also one of the key components of the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet, which has been designed to heal the gut and promote healthy digestion. And healthy intestinal cells prevent leaky gut, which is often at the root of many food intolerances, allergies, inflammatory conditions, and autoimmune diseases.

Collagen makes your skin healthy and beautiful because it is a known promoter of skin health and provides glycine and proline, two amino acids that are used in the production of collagen. Collagen is one of the primary structural elements of skin, so providing the building blocks for this important protein can ensure that your body is able to create enough of it.

A diet rich in collagen may also protect against the ageing effects of sunlight, preventing wrinkles in the future. So you’ll feel less guilty about getting regular, unprotected sun exposure to boost your vitamin D, because your skin will be more resilient to damage.

Collagen also protects your joints. Bodybuilders have been using collagen for decades to help improve joint health and reduce inflammation. Research shows that athletes who took a hydrolysed collagen supplement experienced less pain in their joints, which could help improve performance for athletes and competitive fitness buffs. If you exercise a lot, taking collagen can help keep your joints healthy and pain-free. Also, if you have inflammatory joint or bone diseases like arthritis or osteoporosis, getting adequate collagen can potentially help you manage inflammation and pain in your joints, and build stronger bones. We have noticed time and again, first-hand, the improvements in not only vertebral discs – but also major weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and the pelvis/hips – where the cartilage has been improved and even replaced with regular collagen consumption; thus alleviating pain and improving range of motion and function for all ages.

Basically, you may consider collagen as the “building blocks” of all the tissues of the human body. Collagen also helps you sleep because it contains ample amounts of glycine, which has been found to help with sleep. One study found that three grams of glycine, given to subjects before bedtime, produced measurable improvements in sleep quality. Glycine is also an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which can decrease anxiety and promote mental calmness. This is because glycine antagonises norepinephrine, a stress hormone which causes feelings of anxiety and panic.

Those who eat a Paleo or ancestral diet can easily include these foods, but vegetarians will find it difficult to get collagen from a largely plant-based diet, as it is only found in animal foods that come from the body of the animal itself.

For vegetarians (and even omnivores), in addition to our 100 per cent plant- and sea-based supplements (three of the four mentioned in series), we also recommend getting a high-quality collagen powder. It is more environmentally friendly than lean meat because it uses parts of the animal that might not be used otherwise. And it’s much easier to digest than normal muscle meat, making it a good gateway food for vegetarians branching out into a more ancestral diet. And, in case you think vegetarians aren’t ever using any parts of the animal, think again.

So contact us today to begin your new diet/lifestyle change with regular chiropractic care and super supplementation. It is really more of a trade-off with benefits than a “cost”, as this super supplementation can basically replace your breakfast and averages less than $400 per day to maintain. And, of course, we still continue to offer our generously discounted chiropractic treatment packages to complement your new diet and lifestyle changes. A prepaid 10-session package gets you 40 per cent off our regularly low- visit fees, and many more packages with even more savings are readily available for the entire family to share. This goes for everyone with a brain and a spinal cord and matters not whether you are vegetarian or not. Remember, wellness is an investment for the present as well as the future. The days of sickness cost are slowly becoming a thing of the past with those who wisely choose to make the kind of changes that I am recommending. Make natural chiropractic care a staple in your lifestyle choice and join our family today. We vow to take optimal care of you and yours.

Don’t forget to “Ask Your Chiropractor” every week where your questions may be published and answered in subsequent articles. Address questions to: Dr Chris Davis, the Spinal Mechanic at movethebone@gmail.com; or, Dr Michael Harvey, director, at dr.michael_harvey@yahoo.com or visit www.drharveychiropractic.com