Healthy hair and skin start from within—it’s a saying I live by Every. Single. Day and something my dear mother drummed into me since I was a pimply-faced teenager.
I’ll admit, I’ve grown up not drinking soft drinks nor consuming red meat nor indulging in fast foods thanks to my mum, and I don’t even remember the last time it was in my kitchen. My mum knew a thing or two about health, I reckon, and it’s paid off. Back in my heydey, at 3.30pm right after school, I’d whip open the fridge door for a snack and there, stuck to the fridge staring right at me, would be a list of all the foods (well, numbers) my twin sister and I weren’t allowed to eat—621 (MSG), 330 etc. etc., the list went on and on.
“Since you follow a plant-based diet, finding protein sources with ALL the essential amino acids is particularly important. Protein powders such as WelleCo can be a valuable top-up here” says Nutritionist Emma Cronin.
For my sister and me, fresh fruit, yoghurts, brown rice, organic chicken, freshly cooked home meals, fruit roll-ups and muesli bars were considered the norm, and chocolate and organic red wine were never far from our reach (hidden up the top of the pantry behind the pasta—mum honestly thought we would never find them). Grocery shopping would take hours—my mum had to read the back of every frickin’ packet she picked up. I remember watching her perfectly-manicured pointy fingernail slide down the ingredients list, waiting for one of two reactions: her lips pursed in discontent as she put it back down—”It has too much sodium in it,” she would say—or a nod of approval followed by a toss into the trolley.
My mum taught me a thing or two about looking after my health (ok, she taught me a lot) because being aware—which is so important—has actually shaped my decisions about how I look after myself today. Thank you, mum!
So, 15 years on… (ok, maybe 20 years), I’ve noticed little changes in my hair, skin and weight. First of all, it’s not so easy to just lose weight anymore and secondly, my hair, which was thick, has started thinning and becoming weak. Since I’ve always had an amazing diet, it’s not something that I had wanted to see but hey, age catches up with us all. So what did I do? I… complained to my friends over long red wine sessions, became a grump for a few weeks, cursed my age … and then I did some research and found a solution!
So, here’s what I learnt and here’s what I consume every day. It honestly brought back my hair vitality, shine and strength, and has allowed me to be at a weight that I’m now comfortable with.
Here we go…
- I consume collagen powder every day—I add it to my morning smoothie. It tastes like nothing, yet I swear it brings back to life my hair and skin. I look like I’ve drunk six litres of water and been on a summer holiday in Greece, that’s how amazing this product is.
- I do intermittent fasting five days per week
- I drink green tea with a fresh wedge of lemon in it twice per day
- I consume Chia seeds and either chicken or tuna with a salad every day
- I consume an organic brown rice and pea protein powder in my smoothie just after my 18 hours of fasting. I’m addicted to WelleCo’s Vegan Super Elixir Nourishing Protein Powder because…
- It’s alkalising
- It contains prebiotics
- It makes me feel full for longer (bye bye, snacking)
- It’s plant-based and helps kickstart my slo-wwww metabolism
- It’s actually delicious compared to others on the market
- It’s Aussie made!
- And, because they have given me an offer share with you, FREE SHIPPING use code BIANCA*.
The verdict: An expert weighs in
You’re probably thinking, “who is she to talk about nutrition?”, which is fair. But since I had access to one, I asked her to assess my daily edible beauty ritual. Here’s what our in-house nutritionist had to say:
Collagen is a protein which is found in our skin, making it firm and supple, increasing its moisture content and slowing the formation of wrinkles. It’s also found in our hair and nails. As we age, our collagen levels decrease, which is why it’s essential that we meet our daily protein requirements not just for our general health but for the health of our skin, hair and nails.
Collagen powders contain protein which is absorbed and used by your body to produce more collagen. Whether you’re consuming a collagen powder, a protein powder or both together, it’s important to choose high-quality products to ensure an adequate rate of bioabsorption. In particular, look for protein powders that also contain vitamins as this will improve absorption and the body’s ability to produce collagen.
Since you follow a plant-based diet, finding protein sources with ALL the essential amino acids is particularly important. Protein powders can be a valuable top-up here, says Emma Cronin.
And this is what she thought of my daily diet:
- Prebiotics: Prebiotics which is one of the key ingredients in WelleCo’s Super Elixir Nourishing Protein Powder is essential to great gut health, which is often overlooked when it comes to glowing skin and good health in general.
- Brown rice: Brown rice contains selenium, which is an important antioxidant for healthy skin. It also protects other antioxidants such as Vitamin E, allowing them to do their job in producing collagen for healthy skin and hair.
- Pea protein: Pea protein contains 9 essential amino acids and is easily absorbed, making it a fantastic protein source. A quick look at the Welleco product itself and I see it contains L-Glutamine, which is good for the gut as well as a range of essential vitamins, which as I said increased bioavailability and promotes the production of collagen.
- Collagen: As we age, our skin collagen levels decrease. Collagen powders contain protein which is absorbed and used by the body to produce more collagen for healthy hair and skin.
- Chia Seeds: They contain a large amount of protein, which as I’ve mentioned is vital for collagen production for radiant skin.
- Green tea: Green tea contains great amounts of antioxidants, which are really important for healthy skin.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C, which we know is important for collagen production and healthy skin. But it’s also a great start to the day squeezed into warm water (or green tea) as it stimulates bile production, which helps in liver detoxification and digestion. Drinking it throughout the day is great as the citric acid in lemon juice also encourages the breakdown of food which improves digestion.
And, here’s my beauty-boosting protein smoothie recipe:
1 x scoop of Welleco Vanilla Pea Protein Powder. They also have chocolate but my fav is the vanilla.
1 x Tablespoon of organic peanut butter for taste
1 x teaspoon of Chia Seeds
1 x cup of almond milk
1 x half a banana
1 x scoop of collagen powder
So whilst it’s not rocket science, I believe it’s all just about being more aware of what you put in your body and what your body needs. As we grow older, we just need to replenish the areas that are lacking.
Love Bianca XX
*WelleCo BIANCA Code can only be used once per customer and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Free shipping is valid on orders over $50. Only available at www.welleco.com, www.welleco.com.au, www.welleco.co.uk
