Collagen


Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here

Collagen-we are hearing about it a lot and it seems to be popping up in a lot of products, with marketers telling us how much we need it. So, what is it, how does our body make it, and do we need to supplement? Can we get heathier skin, nails and more by consuming collagen peptides?  Let's take a look at what the research and the science say.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is a group of “hard, insoluble, fibrous” proteins that give structure to connective tissue and constitute about one-third of your body’s protein. Over two dozen types of collagen have been identified; these are the three most prominent types:
  • Type I, found in the skin, tendons, teeth, internal organs, and bones
  • Type II, found in the eyes and cartilage
  • Type III, found in the skin, muscles, bone marrow, lymphoid tissue, and blood vessels
Ligaments, hair, and protective membranes around organs also contain collagen.
The body forms collagen from amino acids, mainly proline, glycine, lysine, and hydroxyproline, and other nutrients, including vitamin C, zinc, copper, and manganese.

Are There Scientifically Proven Benefits to Consuming Collagen?

Some research suggests that collagen supplements confer benefits:
  • improved skin health and appearance, including better elasticity, increased hydration, and fewer wrinkles[1][2]
  • less joint pain and stiffness for osteoarthritis patients[3]
  • faster wound healing[4]
  • increased muscle mass when paired with resistance training[5]
  • increased bone mineral density[6]
However, not all studies have found similar benefits, and many (if not most) of the studies that report benefits are funded by companies selling collagen supplements. It’s also not uncommon for studies like these to include additional supplements that muddle the results. For example, in one of the studies on skin referenced above, the treatment group received a blend of collagen peptides, acerola fruit extract, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E, and biotin.[1] The placebo, however, contained no nutrients. How are we supposed to know the extent to which the collagen supported the observed outcomes, if it did at all?
As reported in a 2022 systematic review, several studies have also reported adverse effects and low efficacy compared to routine treatments.[7] They conclude, “risk of bias assessment showed that most of the studies had poor quality. Further studies are needed to reach a final decision.”
Because the body breaks collagen down into its constituents, including amino acids, it’s also unclear whether the apparent benefits of collagen supplements come from the collagen as a whole or merely from its amino acid components, which can be obtained more effectively from whole foods.

Another thing you may have seen is collagen boosters, which are supplements containing the building blocks your body uses to produce collagen. Putting aside the obvious fact that you can get all the necessary building blocks from whole foods, these collagen boosters are not without their risks. Like all supplements in the US, they are barely regulated by the FDA. They may not contain the amounts and types of nutrients listed on their labels; they may be contaminated with heavy metals and other environmental toxins; and because toxins accumulate higher up the food chain, animal-derived collagen peptides may have even more toxins than the average supplement.

How Can I Increase Collagen Production Naturally?

Eating foods containing the amino acids and nutrients from which collagen is formed provides your body with the raw materials for making more collagen without supplements. You can find these raw materials in whole plant foods: legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Most likely, you do not need to concern yourself about collagen production if you take the following steps:
  • Consume enough protein for your activity level (this will not be a challenge if you get enough calories).
  • Eat leafy greens and other colorful fruits and vegetables for plenty of vitamins and minerals.
  • Add hemp and pumpkin seeds, cashews, and other high-zinc nuts and seeds to your meals.
  • Enjoy plenty of beans, root vegetables, and whole soy products in your diet to increase your intake of hyaluronic acid, a component of the collagen in the skin.
Additionally, you can preserve the collagen you already have by avoiding unhealthy lifestyle choices and non-whole plant-based foods, including oils, that increase free radical production or inflammation. Avoid excessive UV exposure and don’t smoke.
If you follow these recommendations and eat a wide variety of whole plant foods, your body should produce all the collagen it needs without any of the risks associated with collagen supplements. If you have an underlying condition affecting your collagen production, speak to a qualified physician to address the root cause.

References:
Theresa Houghton, Center for Nutrition Studies
  1. Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/nu11102494
  2. de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol. 2021;60(12):1449-1461. doi:10.1111/ijd.15518
  3. Lugo JP, Saiyed ZM, Lane NE. Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement in modulating knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutr J. 2016;15:14. Published 2016 Jan 29. doi:10.1186/s12937-016-0130-8
  4. Bagheri Miyab K, Alipoor E, Vaghardoost R, et al. The effect of a hydrolyzed collagen-based supplement on wound healing in patients with burn: A randomized double-blind pilot clinical trial. Burns. 2020;46(1):156-163. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.02.015
  5. Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Baumstark MW, Gollhofer A, König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1237-1245. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002810
  6. König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018;10(1):97. Published 2018 Jan 16. doi:10.3390/nu10010097
  7. Jabbari M, Barati M, Khodaei M, et al. Is collagen supplementation friend or foe in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis? A comprehensive systematic review. Int J Rheum Dis. 2022;25(9):973-981. doi:10.1111/1756-185X.14382
  8. Reisdorf A. Here’s what you need to know about vegan collagen. Healthline. Updated March 8, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/vegan-collagen






What the Healthcare?

By now you have all heard of the murder of the CEO of United Health Group. The rumors speculated that the shooter's mother was turned down for certain medical needs. Neither the shooter nor his mother had coverage with this company. The truth is that the shooter targeted UHG because they are the largest "healthcare" insurance company in the U.S. The shooter alleges in his "manifesto" that they represent corporate greed, and the CEO was targeted as a symbolic takedown. 

I use the term "healthcare" for insurance companies loosely. I call it sick care. Granted, who loves medical insurance companies? Look what a behemoth they have become and who can afford them? How did it get this way? How did insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies take over "healthcare". Fixing this will take a lot of time but we cannot put our hopes on anyone to fix it with a magic wand. We need to be proactive regarding our health. 

 Today’s healthcare system is not about health. It’s about selling a never-ending series of tests, drugs, and procedures to people. “Alternative health” is about selling different tests, supplements, and procedures to people. In order to maximize sales, tests and treatments need to be marketed to the general population, with no consideration about whether or not most people are actually candidates for or can benefit from the services promoted.

Advertising helps to promote all of these ideas. Insurance companies send reminders about “regular checkups.” Billboards in airports promote the idea that testing for a growing list of cancers saves lives. Television ads tell consumers that every negative emotion people experience, however normal or fleeting, is a diagnosable condition and drugs are available to treat it. Symptoms like frequent urination, pain, constipation – these are all things that require intervention by highly skilled physicians who can treat them with drugs.

Being sucked into the medical mill is how the medical establishment generates business, and most important, repeat business. Once taught that every symptom requires intervention, every abnormal biomarker is a sign of disease, and anything even a little unusual means a specialist should get involved, the now "well-trained" consumer comes back again and again. This consumer is hyper-focused on every small sign or symptom, convinced that it is an indication that treatment is needed. Also, the consumer is taught to be grateful that various “conditions” have been successfully diagnosed and treated (NSAIDS or COX-II inhibitors have stopped the pain, SSRI’s have relieved the negative emotions, hormone therapy has stopped the hot flashes, PSA testing or mammography has diagnosed “cancer” early, etc.). Of course, this leads to even more tests and treatments. The main reason that cancer screening remains a booming business is not because it “saves lives,” but rather due to economics. It is estimated that the screening business generates $80 billion dollars in sales annually in the U.S, and screening is the best way to recruit patients for the cancer treatment industry which generates hundreds of billions of dollars for medical centers annually.

The insanity is that while this goes on, the patient usually experiences visible declining health. Over 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. Most are sedentary. Most eat a terrible diet. They don’t look good and they certainly do not feel good overall. And during the never-ending interactions with doctors, there is almost no discussion about these issues, or their cause. Americans are seeing more doctors for more tests and treatments than ever before, while they get sicker. Both doctors and patients seem to be oblivious to the irony of the situation.

The medical establishment knows that humans do not like to experience discomfort, which is why their marketing campaigns work. They promote the idea that people can avoid the hard work of taking care of themselves by signing up for tests and treatments instead. Medical care essentially makes consumers passive participants in their own lives. While it’s a bad idea, it’s an enticing idea, and one that can be difficult to resist. Hence, many people become “addicted” to medical care and can have difficulty “withdrawing” from the hyper-focused, quick-fix mentality. 

I’m not suggesting that people avoid all interactions with doctors or healthcare. If I had a pain in my side that did not resolve in the next few days, I’d have it checked out. This is common sense. But aside from the obvious need for care from time to time, gain some confidence in your body’s ability to achieve health. And gain some resilience for dealing with discomfort. It’s part of life. And it’s certainly part of healing.

What else can we do? What commitments can you make to yourself in 2025 besides the obligatory resolutions like "losing weight" or "getting healthy"? Neither of those have a specific plan of action to accomplish the resolution.

For starters, become an Informed Consumer. Learn how to filter information regarding your health. Learn what the risks and benefits are of any medical intervention suggested by your doctor. 

Stating that you are going to lose weight and get healthy without a strategy leads to failure. Our objective is to help you learn how to remain or to become a healthy person. Optimal health is achieved and maintained when people practice proactive and intentional health care.

We remain committed in 2025 to helping you learn the tools to achieve optimal health and to stay out of the medical mill.



Liz Fattore
Licensed Food Over Medicine Instructor
Wellness Forum Health 



Resources: Wellness Forum Health



Thoughts on Chef AJ's Cancer Diagnosis

I recently listened to Chef AJ's heartbreaking announcement of her lung cancer diagnosis. If you are not familiar with her, she is a renowned plant-based chef and author and created the Ultimate Weight Loss Program. (Learn more at www.chefaj.com) What was even more heartbreaking was that since the original diagnosis in 2022, she delayed sharing the news for fear of backlash from her followers and others in the health and plant-based fields. She is a public figure in the field of health and wellness and the stress of having that hanging over her head while coming forward must have been daunting. 

Her lung cancer was detected during a scan for another health issue. It's what we call an "incidentaloma", something that is found while looking for something else. She was misdiagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, a chronic disease affecting the urinary bladder.  She was being treated for 100 days when finally, a test revealed that she had a raging UTI. Six months later, a chest scan revealed the tumor on her lung. You can listen to the whole story here (https://www.youtube.com/live/36XThEsfLCg?si=rtDGBNrcYQnhYNIW).

Her fear of revealing her diagnosis and being judged has caused her much anxiety. She also was brave enough to share that anxiety and stress has been a major issue for years. It sounds like she is doing all the right things, surrounding herself with support from friends, especially for her mental health. She is equipped with the resources to get her through the treatments. I was glad to hear that she went to True North Health for a water fast. Water fasting should always be supervised and the recommended 4-5 days fast will put your body in ketosis and put the cancer cells in apoptosis (death).  This process facilitates the job of chemotherapy. 

Her friend Dr. Matt Lederman, who was her guest on the above video, stated that we are all walking around with cancer cells. Our bodies are bombarded daily with toxins from unhealthy food, the air we breathe, the environment we live in, etc. I have talked about this fact when teaching on the immune system. Our cells, when in contact with these toxins, start to mutate and form tumors. This can take years and years. There are an enormous number of mutations that occur. Our cells, however, have numerous mechanisms to repair these mutations. There are over 100 known DNA repair genes.  

Should we all be walking around in fear? Of course not! Knowing the risk factors will help you make decisions about your health. Look at your diet, weight, alcohol consumption, prescription drugs, chemicals/pollution, diabetes, smoking, stress/psychological state, and social isolation. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. don't just grow overnight. They are a result of your diet and lifestyle and the listed risk factors. Diet and lifestyle are the most important thing to do to give yourself the best chance at keeping disease at bay and also to help you get through a diagnosis. If you eat healthy long enough, that becomes your preferred way of eating. It doesn't need to be perfect; it just needs to be consistent. It's the totality, the breadth, of your eating pattern that makes the difference. 

 Chef AJ has a very healthy eating pattern. Her diet is the foundation which will help her get through her treatments. Her self-confessed anxiety could have played a role in her diagnosis, but I am not here to guess what is going on in her life. She is very stressed about her husband being her caregiver. As she said, "anxiety is driving the bus", which is why she is getting counsel for her emotional and spiritual health. 

Our emotional and spiritual health have a profound effect on healing our bodies.  This is a concept that has its roots in early Jewish culture. When the greeting "Shalom" was extended, it was wishing the person total health in body, mind and spirit. They recognized the connection in all three areas. 

I highly recommend Kelly Turner's book "Radical Remission" to anyone with a cancer diagnosis. She outlines the factors that are important in surviving a cancer diagnosis. Not only radically changing your diet, but other factors such as releasing suppressed emotions, increasing positive emotions, deepening your spiritual connection, and having strong reasons for living are discussed. Turner states in her book that the mind leads the body. When you have a strong thought or emotion, powerful hormones are released instantly into your bloodstream; they either have a beneficial or detrimental effect on your immune system, depending on the nature of that thought or emotion.

Stress is a particular emotion that has a negative effect on the body. While stress is a normal bodily function and an inevitable part of daily life, chronic stress and its effects can be destructive. Stress weakens the immune system and can negatively affect every cell in your body. Chronic stress can aggravate inflammation in the body. The body and the mind are not separate!

Speaking of stress and transparency, I have shared with some of you my husband's diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. It has been over 2 years of doctor's appointments and a life altering experience. He has had other health issues that are Agent Orange (the "gift" that keeps on giving) related. Most have been reversed (cancer) and manageable. But not this. Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure and is "managed" with dopamine agonists, a drug with many side effects. I am not the one with the disease, I am the caregiver, which comes with its own set of stressors. I can understand AJ's concern for her husband's role as caregiver. however, she has the capacity to advocate for herself with her doctors. My husband is in a continuous cognitive decline, which leaves me to manage his healthcare, as well as everything that entails. It leaves me to manage the house and finances. It leaves me to make all decisions for both of us. It is overwhelming and exhausting. I grieve many losses every day. This definitely was not what we had in mind for our "golden" years.  My friends ask me how I am doing all of this. I am not. I can't do it but for the grace of God who gives me strength. It is exactly like AJ said. It is not one day at a time. It is one moment at a time.

I am grateful that I have the tools in my "toolbox" to use to get through the moments. I know that I need to maintain the optimal way of eating for the both of us to keep my immune system strong. I am learning to ask for help. I have caregivers so that I can go to church and to the gym to manage the stress and to give myself some much need respite. I have a wonderful therapist. I have good friends who check up on me. Hearing their voice or reading their text messages lift my spirits. They get me through the moments. The most difficult part lately is getting quality sleep as this is almost a 24/7 job. When I feel the stress, I escape for some deep breathing, for prayer, for scripture reading, and a good cry, 

It is important to stay focused on the connection of body, mind and spirit. Respect your body, walk away from anything or anyone who is toxic in your life (cortisol creators). Become aware of what you are putting in your body and your mind. Look for the incentives to change any bad habits. As Thomas Fuller states "health is not valued until sickness comes".

Liz Fattore
Nurture Your Health
Licensed Food Over Medicine Professional
www.lizfattore.com


Sweet Potato & Carrot Casserole

sweet potato & carrot casserole

Ingredients
  • 6 Large Sweet Potatoes (about 5 lbs.)
  •  1 ½ lbs. Carrots, sliced
  •  ½ cup or 1 cup plant-based milk (depending on the consistency you prefer)
  • 2 Tbsp. Date Paste 
  • Recipe for Date Paste: 1 lb. dates, pitted, soaked overnight 1 cup liquid (water, unsweetened non-dairy milk, or juice) 
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest(optional)
  •  1 tsp. nutmeg
  •  1 tsp. cinnamon
  •  A dash of freshly ground pepper
  • Ingredients for the topping: 4 Tbsps. Maple Syrup, 4 Tbsps. Almond Butter, 4 Tbsps. White or whole wheat flour, 1 Cup Oats or Wellness Forum Health Multi-Grain Cereal, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour or until tender.   
Step 2: Meanwhile, steam carrots until tender. 
Step 3: Process Carrots in food processor and put in a large bowl. 
Step 4: Peel and cube sweet potatoes.  Process in batches in the food processor until smooth.  Add sweet potatoes to the carrot mixture.  Stir in plant-based milk and next 5 ingredients, stirring until blended.   Spoon mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  
Step 5: For the topping, in a medium bowl whisk together maple syrup and almond butter until smooth.  Add oats and flour.  Toss to combine.  Spoon topping over the sweet potato & carrots.  Lightly press down. 
Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (covered). 





The Influence of Paternal Preconception Health on Children

Almost everyone acknowledges the importance of a woman’s health status and diet both before and during pregnancy. But not enough attention is paid to paternal health. Diet and the health status of fathers are important as well.

For example, one study showed that if a father experienced food scarcity during the years preceding puberty, his children had a 58% lower risk of dying of heart disease as adults. On the other hand, a study showed that the opposite was true – too much food and overeating resulted in a four-fold increased risk of mortality due to diabetes in grandchildren. The effect is multigenerational.[1]

The impact is not just based on how much future dads eat, but also which foods are consumed. A study of father rats showed that after 12 weeks of eating a high-fat diet, newborn daughter rats had a 30% reduction in pancreatic beta cell mass. Beta cells produce insulin. When those daughter rats became adults, they had a higher risk of glucose intolerance and lower plasma insulin levels.[2] Birthweight is lower for babies if the father has diabetes and/or eats fast food frequently.[3]

Additionally, data from over 3000 families showed that the father’s weight at conception had a significant influence on the weight of his children after factoring in the weight of the mother. Paternal obesity can also negatively impact neurological development. Researchers looked at data for 3759 single-birth children and 1062 twins and their parents. The risk of impaired social functioning, which includes issues like avoidance of interpersonal relationships and social isolation, increased if fathers were obese; and having two obese parents increased the likelihood of failing for several domains, including fine motor, personal-social, and problem solving.[4]

The mechanisms of action are known. Small RNA molecules in sperm, referred to as mitochondrial tRNA fragments, influence the inheritance of health traits through gene regulation.[5]

The bottom line: A father’s health pre-conception matters and has a profound influence on the health and life of his child. Today, most Americans are overweight and unhealthy, and getting fatter and sicker throughout their lifetimes. This is resulting in generations of increasingly unhealthy people who not only create a financial burden for all of us due to their increased healthcare needs, but also diminished quality of life and reduced lifespan for them.

[1] Kaati G, Bygren LO, Edvinsson S. "Cardiovascular and diabetes mortality determined by nutrition during parents and grandparents’ slow growth period." Eur J Hum Genet 2022 Oct;10:682-688
[2] De Castro Barbasa T, Ingerslev LR, Alm PS et al. "High-fat diet reprograms the epigenome of rat spermatozoa and transgenerationally affects metabolism of the offspring." Molec Metab 2016 mar;5(3):184-197
[3] Moss J, Harris K. "Impact of maternal and paternal preconception health on birth outcomes using prospective couples' data in Add Health."
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2015 Feb;291(2):287-98.
[4] McPherson N, Fullston T, Aitken R, Lane M. "Paternal obesity, interventions, and mechanistic pathways to impaired health in offspring." Ann Nutr Metab. 2014;64(3–4):231–238
[5] Tomar A, Gomez-Velazquez M, Gerlini R et al. "Epigenetic inheritance of diet-induced and sperm-borne mitochondrial RNAs." Nature 2024 Jun;630:720-727
Wellness Forum Health, Pam Popper




 
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