It all started with achy joints. My body was in constant pain and that prompted me to research causes and remedies for joint pain. I had started taking a anti-stress multi-vitamin that emphasized vitamin A and I started feeling better. During this time I learned vitamin A helps regulate the thyroid. Then a friend left a book on my doorstep called Collagen Myths and Misconceptions. I read the book within a few days and had found a link to achy joints, body pain, thyroid issues, and a host of other ailments related to depleted collagen. The remedy was easy enough and I started taking the recommended 1000 mg vitamin C and lysine- taken internally to turn up our own collagen production. I knew that collagen keeps our skin firm and wrinkle free, strengthens bones, teeth, and hair, but I learned a myriad of other vital functions that collagen is the precursor for in our body. You see, you can't eat collagen or apply it topically to your skin. You have to manufacture it from within. Vitamin C and lysine turn on our internal collagen production. We think of our bodies as mostly water, but my new view is that this "water" flowing around our body is where the collagen is, lubricating all of our joints and carrying the signals for vital functions to our endocrine, cardiovascular, skeletal and other systems- like nothing happens without collagen. Since our collagen production decreases with age it only made sense to start pumping up the collagen.
Not wanting to swallow pills everyday, I decided to open up the capsules into a smoothie for easy consumption. Mmm, mmm, easy! I started feeling better within the first week.
Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with a tear at the apex of my patellar cartilage in my right knee. This was a wake up call that my joints and tendons were really weakening and, again, a friend to the rescue found out about
an herb called eucommia. A yang herb that has natural latex qualities that translate to the tendons, ligaments, cartilage and skeleton. Upon reading the article I was immediately interested by this excerpt alone:
Eucommia has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a treatment for different types of arthritis and bone injuries. This is in part due to its qualities as a Jing tonic, beneficial for increasing the pliability and elasticity of the joints, ligaments and muscle tissue.
I bought the herb off Amazon and my smoothie recipe evolved. 2 months later all of my joints feel better and my constant body pain has subsided (tendonitis in elbow, a swollen pinky knuckle, achy neck and shoulders, etc).
The added bonus? Smoother nails without ridges! So with nothing to loose, you might want to try stimulating your collagen production and focusing on your skeletal system to ease what's ailing, you just might be surprised at what get's better!
TART AND TANGY SMOOTHIE
Organic and made to taste. The above pic shows the brands I use for the ingredients.
In a blender:
1 banana
about 1/2 c. kefir
about 1/8 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
1 dropper ashwaghanda
1-2 grams eucommia
1000 mg vitamin c
1000 mg lysine
100 mg stabilized R-lipoic acid
1-2 tsp. maple syrup
1 TBS grated frozen lemon
2-3 ice cubes
The left over banana peel? I rub the inside all over my face for a morning banana facial before my bath. Super moisturizing to the skin:)