MOTIVSPRINT
Posts
Collagen-Rich Foods: Eat Your Way to Healthy Skin & Joints

Collagen-Rich Foods: Eat Your Way to Healthy Skin & Joints

Lyle Agagon
July 03, 2025

Today's sponsor

NUTRITION 🥑

You’ve probably heard about collagen. It’s the protein that keeps your skin smooth, your hair strong, and your joints flexible. But did you know you can boost your collagen levels just by eating the right foods? Let’s look at the best collagen-rich foods and how they help your body stay healthy.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is like the glue that holds your body together. Found in your skin, bones, muscles, and tendons, it’s the most abundant protein in your body. As we age, our body makes less collagen, which can lead to wrinkles, joint pain, and weaker hair and nails. But here’s the good news. You can help your body produce more collagen by eating certain foods.

Top Collagen-Boosting Foods

1. Bone Broth

Bone broth is one of the best sources of collagen. It’s made by simmering animal bones like chicken, beef, or fish for hours, which releases collagen into the broth. Drinking bone broth regularly can help improve skin elasticity and joint health.

2. Chicken

Chicken (especially the skin and connective tissues) is high in collagen. Eating chicken or using it to make broth gives your body the building blocks it needs to produce more collagen.

3. Fish & Shellfish

Fish like salmon and tuna contain collagen in their skin and bones. Shellfish, such as shrimp and oysters, are also great because they provide zinc, a mineral that helps your body make collagen.

4. Eggs

Eggs don’t contain collagen directly, but they’re packed with proline, an amino acid that helps produce collagen. The egg whites, in particular, are great for skin health.

5. Citrus Fruits (Vitamin C Foods)

Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen. Oranges, lemons, strawberries, and bell peppers are all rich in vitamin C. Without enough vitamin C, your body can’t use collagen properly. So load up on fruits and veggies.

6. Leafy Greens

Spinach, kale, and other dark greens are full of antioxidants that protect your skin from damage. They also contain vitamin C, which, as I mentioned, helps with collagen production.

7. Berries

Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are loaded with antioxidants that fight aging and help your body maintain healthy collagen levels.

8. Nuts & Seeds

Almonds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds contain healthy fats and amino acids that support collagen production. They also have copper, another nutrient that helps keep your skin firm.

What About Collagen Supplements?

If you don’t eat meat or want an extra boost, collagen supplements, like powders or pills, can help. These are usually made from animal sources and can be added to smoothies or coffee. However, eating whole foods is always the best way to get nutrients naturally.

Final Tips for Boosting Collagen

Eat protein-rich foods (meat, fish, eggs, beans).
Load up on vitamin C (citrus fruits, berries, peppers).
Stay hydrated—water helps keep your skin plump.
Limit sugar—too much sugar can break down collagen.

By adding these collagen-friendly foods to your diet, you can help your skin stay youthful, your joints stay strong, and your hair and nails grow healthier. So, next time you eat, think about how your food is helping your body.

Tendon Strength Drills: Simple Ways to Build Stronger Tendons

EXERCISE 🏋️‍♂️

When people talk about getting stronger, they usually focus on muscles. But the tough, rope-like tissues that connect muscles to bones, called tendons, are just as important. Strong tendons help prevent injuries, improve performance, and keep your joints stable. And you can train them just like muscles!

Why Tendon Strength Matters

Tendons don’t grow as fast as muscles, but they handle a lot of force. Weak tendons can lead to injuries like tendonitis, which is a painful inflammation, or even tears. On the other hand, strong tendons allow you to lift heavier weights safely, move faster, and jump higher. Plus, they help you avoid joint pain, keeping you active and injury-free.

Since tendons take longer to strengthen than muscles, it’s important to train them properly. By including tendon-strengthening exercises in your routine, you’ll build durability and improve your overall performance. Whether you’re an athlete or just staying active, strong tendons mean better movement and fewer injuries in the long run.

Simple Tendon Strength Drills You Can Add to Your Routine

1. Slow Eccentric (Negative) Movements

Eccentric training means focusing on the lowering part of an exercise. This puts extra tension on tendons, making them stronger over time.

Try This:

Eccentric Push-Ups – Lower yourself down as slowly as possible (3-5 seconds), then push up normally.
Eccentric Squats – Sit back into a squat slowly, then stand up at a normal pace.

Do 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps, 2-3 times a week.

2. Isometric Holds

Isometric exercises involve holding a position without moving. This builds tendon strength by keeping tension for a long time.

Try This:

Wall Sit – Hold a squat position against a wall for 20-30 seconds.
Plank Hold – Stay in a push-up position on your elbows for as long as possible.

Do 3-4 holds per exercise, 2 times a week.

3. Jump Rope (Light & Controlled)

Jumping rope strengthens tendons in your ankles, knees, and hips. The key is to stay light on your feet and avoid hard landings.

Try This:

Jump rope for 30-60 seconds, rest, and repeat 3-5 times.
Focus on soft landings (quiet feet).

Do 2-3 times a week.

4. Farmer’s Walks

This simple drill strengthens tendons in your hands, wrists, and shoulders while improving grip strength.

Try This:

Hold a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand.
Walk slowly for 20-30 seconds. Keep your shoulders back.

Do 2-3 sets, 1-2 times a week.

5. Resistance Band Exercises

Bands add constant tension, which is great for tendons.

Try This:

Band Pull-Aparts – Hold a band in front of you and pull it apart, squeezing your shoulder blades.
Band Ankle Dorsiflexion – Loop a band around your foot and pull your toes up toward your shin.

Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps, 2 times a week.

Patience is Key

Unlike muscles, tendons take longer to adapt and get stronger. You probably won't notice changes immediately, but if you stay consistent, you'll start seeing benefits after several weeks or months. Over time, you'll experience less joint pain, see improvements in your sports performance, and have a lower risk of injuries.

To get started, pick just 1-2 tendon-strengthening drills and slowly add more as your body adjusts. Most importantly, listen to your body. There's a difference between normal workout discomfort and actual pain. If an exercise causes sharp or lasting pain, stop and modify the movement. Building tendon strength is a gradual process, so patience and smart training will give you the best results.

To Wrap Up

Strong tendons = a stronger, healthier you. Mix these drills into your workouts, stay consistent, and you’ll build resilience from the inside out.

BPC-157 Peptides: A Tiny Protein with Big Benefits

BIOHACKING⚡

Have you ever heard of BPC-157 (short for Body Protecting Compound-157)? It’s a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide that could help your body heal faster. Researchers first discovered its healing powers while studying how the stomach repairs itself. But they soon found that BPC-157 doesn’t just help the stomach, it may also speed up healing in muscles, tendons, and even joints.

How Does BPC-157 Work?

When you get injured, whether it's a sprained ankle, torn muscle, or damage to your stomach lining, your body naturally starts repairing itself. BPC-157 seems to enhance this healing process by helping cells regenerate faster and more effectively.

Scientists have found that BPC-157 may help in several key ways:

Muscle & Tendon Repair – Athletes and bodybuilders love BPC-157 because it may speed up recovery from injuries like torn ligaments or muscle strains.
Gut Health – If you struggle with stomach pain, ulcers, or leaky gut, BPC-157 might help heal and strengthen your intestinal lining.
Joint Pain – Some people use it to ease arthritis or joint damage, possibly reducing stiffness and improving mobility.
Nerve Healing – Early research suggests it could even help repair damaged nerves, though more studies are needed.

Is BPC-157 Safe?

So far, studies, mostly in animals, show that BPC-157 has very few side effects. But since human research is still limited, we don’t know everything yet. Some people who’ve tried it report mild dizziness or nausea, but serious problems are rare.

It’s important to note that BPC-157 isn’t officially approved by the FDA for human use yet. That means you can’t get it prescribed like regular medicine. Most people using it are either in clinical trials or getting it from specialized peptide suppliers.

The Bottom Line

BPC-157 is a promising peptide that could help heal injuries, reduce inflammation, and even fix gut problems. But since more human studies are needed, it’s important to be cautious.

Please note that this article is for informational use only and not medical advice. So if you’re thinking about trying it, talk to a doctor who knows about peptides first.

CHALLENGE💪

Have a great 4th of July! Celebrate big and be safe. But remember, work out so you can pig out… just on America’s birthday. Cheers!

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Join for free today!