If you’re caught in the beauty industry’s wheel of cosmetics, you’ll want to hear this.
They’ll tear you down just so they can sell you more of their products.
Bamboo plants contain a mineral called silica that boosts collagen production in your skin.
But the truth is timeless beauty isn’t about what you put on your body.
It’s about what you put in it.
Just like you feed your body to keep it strong and healthy, you can feed your face for beautiful, vibrant skin.
And when it comes to ageless skin, one of the best things you can do is follow an ancient secret that Chinese women have used for more than 2,000 years to enhance and protect their skin, hair and nails.
I’m talking about the bamboo plant…
In China, bamboo is a symbol for longevity. It regenerates itself faster than any other plant in the world. Some species of the grass grow up to four feet every day.
I have bamboo plants growing in my own yard. And if I’m not careful, they could take over the entire yard in no time!
The plants have the ability to renew themselves quickly because they contain a compound called silica.
Silica is virtually unknown in the beauty world. I find that amazing, considering that it’s a combination of two of the most abundant elements on the planet, silicon and oxygen.
And silica is absolutely vital for a flawless face. Because it’s one of the most critical components of your skin’s connective tissue — collagen.
Collagen is essential to firm healthy skin because it forms the supporting scaffold beneath your skin. It keeps your skin tight and wrinkle-free.
In a study of 69 women ages 35 to 55, those who supplemented with collagen had improved skin elasticity after just eight weeks. They also had better skin moisture and less roughness. And they had fewer signs of accelerated aging.1
A second study found that women who took a collagen supplement for 12 weeks had:2
- 76% less dryness
- 12% fewer visible wrinkles
- Better blood flow to the skin
- And an overall higher collagen content
When you were young, your body made all the silica you needed. That’s why children always seem to have soft silky hair, glowing skin and healthy nails.
But as we age, we become more and more deficient. In fact, we can lose up to 40 mg of silica every day.
Signs that you don’t get enough of this trace mineral include thin, dry skin, brittle nails and hair breakage. A severe deficiency can eventually lead to arthritis and joint pain, hardening of the arteries and osteoporosis.
You can get some silica from your food. Young bamboo shoots are an excellent source. Seafood, leafy greens, root vegetables, almonds, seeds, whole grains and even beer are good sources of silica.
But modern chemical farming practices have depleted the soil of trace minerals and other nutrients. Many of our foods can’t deliver enough silica.
That’s why I often recommend a supplement of bamboo extract to my patients at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine. It’s the richest source of this mineral.
Rebuild Your Skin’s Support Structure to Reduce Wrinkles
Silica isn’t the only way to save your skin. Here are two more all-natural ways you can increase collagen production:
- Tone your skin with this heart nutrient. Most people think of CoQ10 as a supplement you take orally. But you can also use it topically. You see, CoQ10 is a small molecule that easily penetrates the skin’s surface. It gets down to the living layers of the epidermis. It absorbs quickly into your skin cells.A Japanese study found that applying CoQ10 to skin cells boosts production of a special type of collagen that connects your skin’s outermost epidermis layer to its deeper dermis. It anchors your skin so it doesn’t sag and wiggle around. It visibly reduces crow’s feet and wrinkles.3
- Perk up your skin with Coffea arabica seed oil. In Uganda, Coffea arabica (C. arabica L.) plants cling to the mountains. The oil from the coffee beans helps reverse the breakdown of collagen.When Brazilian scientists tested the oil on human skin samples, they found it almost doubled collagen production.4 The oil helps form new connective tissue to smooth wrinkles. It restores the young firmness and flexibility of your skin.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References
1. Proksch E, et al. “Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55.
2. Schwartz SR and Park J. “Ingestion of BioCell Collagen(®), a novel hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract; enhanced blood microcirculation and reduced facial aging signs.” Clin Interv Aging. 2012;7:267-273.
3. Muta-Takada K, et al. “CoQ10 protects against oxidative stress-induced cell death and enhances the synthesis of basement membrane components in dermal and epidermal cells.” Biofactors. 2009;35(5):435-441.
4. Velazquez Pereda Mdel C, et al. “Effect of green Coffea arabica L. seed oil on extracellular matrix components and water-channel expression in in vitro and ex vivo human skin models.” J Cosmet Dermatol. 2009;8(1):56-62.