The latest craze seems to be collagen. As we age, our ability to produce collagen diminishes.  The beauty industry has hyped up collagen so much that I really think they want us to believe that is is the next best thing to the fountain of youth. You’ve probably  heard about how collagen keeps our skin elastic and plump looking. Collagen is one of the primary structural elements of skin, so when our bodies ability to produce collagen diminishes over age its only ideal to help it when it cant create enough on its own.

I find collagen pretty gross. Most collagen supplements are produced from the bones, skin, and connective tissue of animals, including cattle, fish, horses, pigs, or rabbits. The idea of drinking  bones+ connective tissue  from dead animals doesn’t appeal to me at all.  Even if they say its from “grass-fed animals”. YUCK! I do a ton of research about products like vitamins and nutritional supplements trying to be a wise health consumer. I find it very shocking that many  supplements contain several types of fillers + ‘chemically’ or GM derived ingredients and some have been  known to be actually dangerously ‘unhealthy’ for long term consumption.

Although collagen supplements or treatments may increase your bodies collagen production and may keep your skin looking fresh and youthful. There’s one little problem: indigestible collagen is being touted as a miracle cure for skin and signs of aging, without much evidence to back up these claims. Therefore , consuming the dried up bones from dead animals doesn’t necessarily mean collagen will increase in your skin.

There are other ways, that you can boost your collagen production – and they don’t involve boiled animal parts.

I prefer to get COLLAGEN made from fish the brand I use is a Marine based Collagen and it is sourced from the scales of wild-caught, non-GMO Red Snapper , wild-caught in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii using sustainable harvesting instead of being sourced from the hides of pasture-raised, grass-fed bovine.

Vital Proteins Marine Collagen, Wild-Caught, Non-GMO Project Verified, 10.16 Ounces

Click here to order

Other nutrients that support collagen formation include:

• + Vitamin C: found in oranges, strawberries, peppers, and broccoli
• + Copper: mostly found in nuts
• + Vitamin A: found in plant foods as beta-carotene
• + Proline: found in egg whites, cheese, soy, and cabbage
• + Anthocyanidins: found in blackberries, blueberries, cherries and raspberries

Another  smart way to support collagen production is to eat fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C. It’s vital in the collagen production process.

• Citrus fruits: lemons and oranges both contain about 53 mg per 100 grams
• Broccoli: 89.2 mg per 100 grams( limit your broccoli with hypothyroidism. cooker 2x servings per week)
• Papaya: 60.9 mg per 100 grams
• Kiwi fruit: 92.7 mg per 100 grams
• Kale: 80 mg per cup ( limit your kale with hypothyroidism. cooker 2x servings per week)
• Red peppers: 95 mg per half cup

The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women, so eating any of the above foods will set you on the right track.

You can also start taking  Garden of Life my kind Organic Plant Calcium – Vegan Whole Food Supplement with D3 and K2, Gluten Free.

• CALCIUM MAGNESIUM: The mykind calcium magnesium formula includes Vegan D3 from lichen and Vitamin K2 MK7 for bone health and reduced osteoporosis risk
• PLANT-BASED: 800mg of Plant-Sourced Calcium from Organic Algae
• EASILY TO DIGEST: Our small easy to swallow tablets of plant sourced calcium magnesium are easy to digest
• REAL FOOD VITAMIN: Our organic calcium vitamin is made from real food – over 20 fruits and vegetables
• ORGANIC VITAMIN: Finally, a plant calcium that is certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Verified, Gluten Free with No Synthetic Binders or Fillers

Click here to order

Please check out my other books online @ Amazon, Barnes n Noble or Books a Million.    

Holiday Hypothyroidism

Finally a Holiday cookbook that will have you sincerely appreciating all the hard work that I put into creating it. This cookbook not only has recipes that caters to your hypothyroidism but the recipes are extremely easy to prepare while still being delicious as they promote your health, help you begin to heal, and you’re eating cleaner on top of it all. These recipes can be used year-round not only around the holidays and will be a great addition to your library. I hope you find this Holiday book a godsend to the particularly crazy holiday season. This book includes a good variety of recipes that I know you will find to be delicious, full of flavor, healthy and just perfect for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner table. From appetizers to main meals, side dishes and desserts these recipes are just wonderfully delicious. I am not kidding when I tell you that the recipe options in this book are endless and you won’t be disappointed! You will be able to find that perfect recipe in this book that makes your taste buds soar, fits your dietary needs and has your family bragging on your cooking skills. They may even think you secretly took lessons from Gordon Ramsay or Julia Childs

Hashimoto’s crock-pot recipes: Added Bonus: How I put my Hashimoto’s into remission

There’s nothing like the aroma of a home-cooked dinner welcoming you at the door. No time to be in the kitchen? The wonderful thing about a crock pot is you have little prep time. You won’t have to stand over a hot stove cooking your food and it’s perfect for those hectic days. We all want that convenience! Do you need foods that promote thyroid health? You can start today healing your body from the inside out. Over 101 wholesome and nourishing Hashimoto’s fighting recipes that will cater to your mind, body and soul. This helpful book will start to guide you in the right direction along with a step by step plan that is clear and doable.
It’s not about being skinny, it’s about energy, vitality & feeling good when you look in the mirror.

Kicking Hypothyroidism’s booty, The Slow Cooker way: 101 Slow Cooker recipes!

I wanted to create a user-friendly handbook to help anyone affected by this disorder. I’ve seen many doctors over the years and none offered me ideas on diet change. I’ve included recipes, ideas on solutions for a healthier home, what you should be eating and shouldn’t, how to shed those extra pounds, regain your self-confidence and vitality back into your life. I want you to feel strong, sexy, and beautiful. This is my heartfelt guide to you. Together, once again, you can start to gain that wonderful life that you deserve. I am a student in this thing called life. I want to be remembered as a pioneer who thought, imagined, and inspired. What we feel at times is the impossible or unthinkable. Life is a wonderful journey.

 A Survivors Cookbook Guide to Kicking Hypothyroidism’s booty.

Do you need foods that promote your thyroid health? Let’s heal your body from the inside out. We’ve all heard that our gut is called the “second-brain”. Given how closely the two interact with each other one thing you may not realize is your emotions and weight gain can start in the gut. Your gut and digestion can also cause you to hold onto that excess weight and just feel lousy. I’ve included 101 hypothyroidism fighting recipes that cook themselves. Our main concern is kicking hypothyroidism’s booty. I hope this book inspires you to use your slow cooker more often and create your own new recipes. Let’s together shed those extra pounds, regain your self-confidence and vitality back into your life.

Reset Your Thyroid, 21 day Meal plan Thyroid reboot

This is a 21-day Meal plan to reset your thyroid and jump start your weight loss journey. It is filled with 21 breakfast recipes, 21 lunch recipes and 21 dinner recipes. They are packed full of nutrients, healthy fats and proteins. All are easy to make and I’ve done all the thinking for you! All you have to do is prepare the foods and eat. It takes 21 days to form a new habit, it will most likely take that long for your mind and body to stop opposing your new lifestyle change. Three weeks really isn’t a very long time. If you find yourself in a rut and coming up with excuses. You can regain control by reminding yourself that you only have to do it for 21 days. Motivate yourself to exercise. Choose something you honestly like to do and won’t loathe at least 3 times a week. Create an exercise plan that seems easy to accomplish. (And, stick to it!) Give yourself a chance and commit to yourself to stay with the program for 21 days.

Hypothyroidism Clarity

Hypothyroidism clarity is designed to help give you FREEDOM and EMPOWERMENT. I’m sharing the EXACT STEPS I’ve used to overcome my eating issues WITHOUT dieting. All the recipes are specially crafted to be easy, super delicious and they have been kid tested-mother approved. A family-friendly way to eat that your entire family will enjoy. This book contains wonderfully crafted hypothyroidism recipes for your home and body that will help transform you and your family’s life.

Hypothyroidism: The beginners Guide

This book thanks everyone suffering from hypothyroidism and looking for answers. Hypothyroidism is the kind of disease that carries a bit of mystery with it. This book is not for readers looking for quick answers. There is not one size fits all. You have to be in charge of your health. I didn’t write this book to sell you any “snake oil” in a bottle. I’ve written this book to be an eye opener for you and to share with you what I have learned on my journey. The solutions in this book has helped so many people. There are many incredible holistic practitioners, authors and researchers with experience and expertise in this area. I’ve done my best to pull from all their expertise, as well as my own knowledge and clinical experience. I want to make it easy for you to find the answers quickly, all in the one place, because I’m all too familiar with that awful side effects of hypothyroidism. I certainly don’t want you to have to spend years finding solutions, like I did. I also what you to understand that there isn’t an easy “one pill” solution, but the “one pill” approach that our current medical system is using is NOT WORKING because the underlying cause for hypothyroidism is not being addressed. Get ready to go on a journey of discovery where you are going to learn how everything ties into one. A lack of knowledge is a lack of power.

Secrets to my Hypothyroidism Success: A personal guide to Hypothyroidism freedom

I wish somebody had given me a step-by-step road-map back when I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The solutions in this book has helped so many people. I’ve done my best to pull from all their expertise, as well as my own knowledge and clinical experience. I want to make it easy for you to find the answers quickly, all in the one place, because I’m all too familiar with that awful side effects of hypothyroidism. I certainly don’t want you to have to spend years finding solutions, like I did. I also want you to understand that there isn’t an easy “one pill” solution, but the “one pill” approach that our current medical system is using is NOT WORKING because the underlying cause for hypothyroidism is not being addressed. Knowledge is power, educate yourself and find the answer to your health care needs. Wisdom is a wonderful thing to seek. I hope this book will teach and encourage you to take leaps in your life to educate yourself for a happier & healthier life. You have to take ownership of your health

The Best Little Hypothyroidism Autumn Cookbook

I wanted to create a fall cookbook for those of us suffering from hypothyroidism that makes you feel as if you’re inviting an old friend in for coffee. If you’ve been considering switching to a hypothyroidism diet, you may be wondering if you have to give up your favorite foods along with flavor. This is far from the truth. Switching to a hypothyroidism diet means that you are catering to heal your thyroid. You can still enjoy your favorite fall recipes following a hypothyroidism diet- you’ll just need to learn what substitutions you will need to make to create wonderful fall hypothyroidism recipes. This is where this book that I’ve written for you comes into play. In this book, you will find a collection of many fall favorite recipes that you and your family are sure to love. If you’ve ever considered a hypothyroidism diet, this recipe book is a great starting resource.

Audrey Childers is a published author, blogger, freelance journalist and an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in research and editorial writing. She is also the creator and founder of the website the hypothyroidismchick.com. Where you can find great tips on everyday living with hypothyroidism. She enjoys raising her children and being a voice for optimal human health and wellness.