Although I wanted to write, I didn’t know where to begin because I hadn’t chosen a topic. That’s when I saw David, a thoughtful young man I regard as a friend. “Please suggest a topic for me to write about,” I requested. Minutes later, he shared an idea that fascinated me. That’s why I wrote the piece that follows.
Because I’d told David he could pick any topic for me to write about, I expected him to mention something unusual. Despite that, I was surprised by his suggestion.
“Why don’t you write about illnesses that people have that can’t be seen. You know, if you look at them, they don’t appear to be ill.”
“Interesting idea, David. How’d you happen to think of that?”
With a smile, he instructed me to take a close look at him. That wasn’t difficult. He was standing behind the narrow counter I was in front of. “I’m one of those people.”
Although I believed him, I also knew that I couldn’t detect an obvious illness. David was fit and had always seemed happy.
“Years ago, I was diagnosed with a collagen deficiency that tightened the ligaments in my neck. It was hard to raise my head,” he added, as he pointed to the side of his neck that had caused him trouble with holding his head high and straight.
From the little I’d known about his collagen issue; I was surprised that it hadn’t been dealt with nutritionally. When I mentioned that to David, he shrugged then commented that he’d wondered about that too.
Since he was at work, I offered to research his problem. He seemed pleased that I wanted to.
My research didn’t take long. Relying on trustworthy articles, I found information I was eager to share. In an article by the Cleveland Clinic titled:
Why Your Collagen Depletes With Age
Tips on How to Rebuild Your Levels
I not only read about the various dietary choices that would eliminate a collagen deficiency, but also read that there was an easy and simple cure mentioned by Dr. Bradley, the Medical Director of the Center for Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. It follows:
The surest way to help your body produce collagen is by feeding it enough protein and other nutrients. It can be as easy as drinking one cup a day of bone broth or another beverage mixed with hydrolyzed collagen powder.
As good as that news would be, I wanted to be certain that the one-a-day therapy could be verified. Again, I searched, then found this on Healthline:
13 Foods That Help Your Body Produce Collagen
A moment later, I scrolled to the list of foods and was pleased to find that the first item was bone broth. Since I wanted to provide David with other items to add to his menu, I made this list of the dozen other collagen building foods:
Chicken, fish, egg whites, citrus fruits, berries, tropical fruits, garlic, leafy greens, beans, cashews, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Along with the list came a warning that sugar and refined carbs “can damage collagen”.
As a final tip that a busy guy like David might need to know, the writer, a nutritionist, Sarah Garone, NDTR, offered this as an alternative:
That said, collagen isn’t only for smooth, elastic skin. Collagen may also help with joint pain, muscles, or digestion. So, if collagen supplements sound more accessible to your routine and wallet, we say it’s worth a try.
When I see David tomorrow, I’ll ask him to let me know whether he thinks this information will be useful. If so, I may write about the good changes that come.
