When inflammation isn’t managed and becomes chronic, it wreaks havoc on the body, both inside and out, often making you feel and look tired and “washed out". When trying to calm inflammation, it’s vital that you give your body the absolute best tools to work with: Eat plenty of organic vegetables, quality proteins, healthy fats, and supplementing with a daily dose of collagen.* Poor gut health, on the other hand, leads to stomach lining permeability where particles can leak into the rest of the body, which then triggers inflammation in the body. Collagen has been shown to support the gut’s lining1, as well as contain key amino acids for gut health.* It contains glycine, an amino acid with proven anti-inflammatory and immune system-supporting effects2. Additionally, glutamine3, one of collagen’s other amino acids, is key for managing inflammation and inhibiting oxidative stress of the intestines. The supplement’s ability to help promote balance in our digestive tract makes it vital to manage inflammation.* Collagen doesn’t just help inflammation, of course. It’s one of the most abundant proteins in the body, and plays an essential role in supporting your overall health. For example, It helps maintains skin elasticity4, connective tissue flexibility, and even bone strength5.* For example, many powdered collagen options are flavorless, so you can mix it into your food and beverages. It blends seamlessly into smoothies, coffees, and plenty of other meals or snacks (see seven recipes that include collagen powder, here). With a high-quality supplement, the taste and textural difference is not noticeable, and the benefits are out of this world.* Supplements make it easy to support skin and joints while managing inflammation at the same time.* Bone broth is like soup stock, only it’s cooked for a much longer time. This helps to pull the nutrients and collagen from the bones, cartilage, and joints. You can make your own bone broth, or you can buy it premade. If you opt for the premade variety, make sure to buy only organic, grass-fed products. Avoid preservatives, yeast extracts, and any other additives. You’ll also need to watch out for added sugar, as it’s often hidden in premade bone broth products. You can use them as a pizza topping, chop them up finely and put them in salads or on toast, or, simply eat them as an on-the-go snack. For an even better flavor, you can try mixing them with a little avocado mayo or mustard. If that is not an option, you can promote your body’s natural production of collagen by modifying your diet to include the foods here: If you’re just starting to supplement with collagen, make sure to allow enough time for its effects to show up.* It may take up to eight weeks before you notice it’s effects on inflammation, visible changes in skin texture, and support in joint health.* By simply adding a daily dose of collagen to your diet, you’ll enjoy the gut-healing properties that will manage inflammation, both inside and out!* A weight-loss and natural anti-aging expert, Petrucci is a concierge doctor for celebrities in New York City and Los Angeles. She is a board-certified naturopathic physician and a certified nutrition consultant. Dr. Petrucci attended Temple University and St. Joseph’s University before doing postgraduate work in Europe, studying naturopathic medicine in England and Switzerland. She is one of the few practitioners in the United States certified in biological medicine by the esteemed Dr. Thomas Rau of the Paracelsus Klinik Lustmuhle in Switzerland. Petrucci is a weekly contributor on Dr. Oz and appears regularly on Good Morning America and other national news programs. As the driving force behind the popular website drkellyann.com. Currently, Petrucci is focusing much of her attention on developing innovative beauty- and food-based products.
