Issue #18: how to be a radical retiree

Hey Radical Health Seekers 👋 

This week in your Radical Health Newsletter:

• Why collagen is like Jell-o (and WD40)…
• 4 practical steps to get more of this super nutrient in your diet…
• And the most important thing about growing old…

But first…

Radical thought of the week:

Is your glass half-full, or half-empty?

Or maybe if you’re wondering whether the glass is half empty or half full, you might be missing the point?

Because the glass is refillable… 😊

Why collagen is the anti-aging master

When it comes to looking and feeling young, collagen is a BIG deal.

Because the quantity and quality of your collagen can determine:

Whether your skin stays smooth and plump as you get old, or sags faster than melting ice cream at a 6-year-old’s birthday party…

And whether your joints last a lifetime, or wear out faster than your favorite t-shirt.

Collagens are the most abundant protein in your body.

They are mostly concentrated in your joints and connective tissues (pay attention athletes)…

But also make up 70-80% of the dry weight of your skin, providing strength, elasticity, and bounce…

Like it does for this bowl of Jell-o 😀

Now as we age, our ability to replenish our collagen decreases by between 1% to 3% each year…

And this is accelerated by inflammatory foods like seed oils and processed foods.

(but you’re not eating those anyway, right? 😲)

The multi-billion dollar skin-care industry will gladly sell you expensive collagen-boosting creams, potions and lotions…

But the best way to get your collagen is to eat it!

Our ancestors certainly ate lots more collagen than we do today… 

Because they ate the entire animal nose-to-tail, including its skin, tendons, cheeks, and other collagenous bits.

But in the modern world, we rarely eat these parts of the animal…

This means we’re getting a lot less of this super anti-aging nutrient than our ancestors did.

And most people also have sky-high levels of inflammation (from the seed oils and processed foods)

Resulting in a perfect storm of accelerated aging 😬

The good news is that science (🤓) says consuming collagen:

– Increases serum collagen and reduces skin cracking;

– Reduces wrinkling;

– Improves skin elasticity;

– Reduces joint pain and osteoarthritis;

Collagen-rich foods contain the very building blocks we need to replenish the collagen in our skin and joints, keeping us looking and feeling young. 

Building blocks like glycosaminoglycans, which are your body’s version of WD40…

Glycosaminoglycans attract up to 1000x their weight in water, and coat your tissues in a layer of lubrication…

Keeping your skin hydrated and youthful…

And your joints lubed up!

Look, hands up if you actually want prematurely aging skin, or sore and stiff joints?

*crickets*

Exactly!

We all want to look and feel our best as long as possible…

We want to be that radical retiree who is dancing at bingo, with beautiful skin to boot:

In which case you will want to be eating lots of collagen…

Here’s how 👇

4 steps to eating your collagen

#1 Find a good butcher or rancher

An essential first step because the collagen-rich parts of the animal are rarely found in a typical grocery store…

We are looking for a high-quality source of grass-fed & finished beef, and we want the chewy bits!

#2 Buy the whole cow (if you can)

If you can order a half or whole cow, fantastic! 

But failing that, look for collagen-rich cuts like: 

• Cheek
• Shank
• Brisket
• Chuck
• Ribs
• Marrow bones
• Ox-tail

An added benefit is these cuts are also delicious and affordable (doesn’t animal-based eating rock? 😎)

#3 Cook em’ up

Now that you’ve procured your collagen-rich cuts like a good hunter-gatherer, it’s time to eat em’ all up.

Cooking these delicious parts of the animal takes a little time, but the end result is guaranteed to be nutritious and delicious.

Roasting, braising, stewing, boiling, smoking, barbecuing… the options are endless…

And don’t forget to make some bone broth for the ultimate collagen drink!

#4 Supplement

For the ultimate collagen experience, you will not want to miss out on our Skin, Hair & Nails supplement…

Compared with the methods above, this is a quicker, cleaner and more consistent way to get your collagen.

Skin, Hair & Nails is made with grass-fed & finished cartilage, liver, and bone marrow…

And it’s got the highest quality full-spectrum collagen ((Type I-V & XI)), plus synergistic nutrients like Fat-Soluble Vitamins A & E and Biotin for maximum benefit.

Closing thoughts

This week’s topic is one example of many, where a common modern-day problem (aging skin and stiff joints) can be resolved by looking to our evolutionary past and eating like our ancestors.

And whether it’s for beautiful skin, or a strong and healthy body, we hope you now realize how incredible collagen is.

However, the most important thing as we grow old might just be…

❤️
The Heart & Soil Crew