As far as Proteins in the Body go, Collagen is the king of the hill. Occupying the lion-share of all vital proteins and being the building block of ALL connective tissue in the body, you can kind of say it is pretty damn important. As we age, the lack of production and resiliency of our Collagen leads to increased inflammation and loss of elasticity. Bridging the gap with proper nutrition is key to keeping your stores high.
You may be familiar with Collagen because of the skin care creams and commercials that you see everywhere. But the depth of the Collagen in your body is way more than skin deep. From your muscles to your ear lobes collagen supports and heals our body in a variety of different ways. After your middle 30's, Collagen begins to weaken in the joints, fade in the skin, an loose its elasticity in all areas from the GI tract to the tendons in your legs.
Nutrition is vital for maintaining Collagen stores. There is also a amino acid profile in things like Bone Broth that have far reaching benefits besides what you get from replacing Collagen. First you can make sure you are getting Vitamin C (not in sugary juice though) in whole fruits and vegetables. Next you can monitor your overall sun exposure as you age. Even though the synthesis of Vitamin D is important for bone health and heart health, it can reek havoc on your skin and the Collagen inside the tissue. Use sunscreen.
Above all else you can eat or drink Collagen rich meat and Bone Broth. As you can infer from my description of where Collagen lies within us, it also is stored in the bones and connective tissue of animals. If you like going to town on a chicken thigh or wing, if you like to tear into a grass fed cow bone... chances are you are getting ample Collagen into your diet. But the real powerhouse is in the Bone Broth. Like I said before it not only has tons of Collagen stores but it also benefits other areas of the body as well.
Bone Broth is made from the process of boiling down bones which releases collagen into Gelatin. This Gelatin and liquid is then consumed and the carnival of benefits begin! In the GI tract it is easily absorbed in the Gut wall and can be used as treatment for inflammation, autoimmune diseases, joint health and quickly reloads the connective tissue. That is pretty damn cool. Sorry Vegans, can't get that from boiling Carrots.
Osteoarthritis occurs when Collagen breaks down through the process of aging. Improper Nutrition, Smoking, and lack of use also can contribute to a decline. If you want to stay young, be fit, and enjoy an independent lifestyle, you should pay attention to your joints. With Fall upon us, it is time to get focused on rebuilding our bodies for the strength that is coming this winter. Get your Bone Broth on and let's bang some weights!
Baseline:
3 Rounds for Quality
:30 L Sit
12 banded Pass Throughs
:20 Bottom of Ring Dip Dip Hold (support)
10 Bridge Ups
Strength:
Weighted Pull Up
5-5-5-5
Weighted Dips
5-5-5-5
* Build to Heavy set of 5, Then do 3 more sets.
WOD:
For Total Reps
3 Minutes of Double Unders
2 minutes of SIt Ups
1 Minute Max Push Ups
*It pays to be winner. Losers have to Hold PLank Position for 2:00, if anyone falls during that time, the whole group runs 400m after.
