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Aging is a part of life. But it doesn’t mean we have to feel it on the inside or show it on the outside. Here are some of our favorite and most potent anti-aging extracts, herbs, and antioxidants to keep your skin looking young and your body feeling healthy no matter what your age. Please, consult your doctor before taking any new supplement to make sure it won’t interact with your current conditions, medications or supplements.
Get Youthful, Radiant Skin With Hyaluronic Acid & Collagen
As we age, skin moisture can drop significantly, which makes the skin lose elasticity and expose the signs of aging on the skin. Hyaluronic acid is a key component that keeps skin youthful looking.
Just like collagen levels decline as we age so do levels of hyaluronic acid by as much as 50 percent. And things like genetics, smoking, and magnesium and zinc deficiencies can speed up this loss. The result? Aching joints and sagging, dull skin. That’s why supplementing with hyaluronic acid can help promote healthy joints and keep your skin looking youthful.
Hyaluronic acid is a clear, gel-like sugar naturally produced by the body and present in all connective tissues found in our joints, connective tissue, and eyes where its primary job is to retain water keeping tissues well lubricated and moist. In fact, Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water and can provide some serious skin benefits like hydrating and plumping dry skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and speeding up the rate of wound healing and protecting the skin from the sun.
Recommended Products: California Gold Nutrition Hyaluronic Acid
Collagen has recently been a must-have item on every health and beauty hotlist. Not only does it promote the growth and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails but collagen has also been credited with reducing joint pain, boosting metabolism and reducing the appearance of cellulite. And just like hyaluronic acid, collagen prevents and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while smoothing skin.
Collagen is critical to the look of your skin because it supports skin structure and maximizing collagen levels in the body will keep skin supple, smooth and firm.
Hyaluronic acid keeps collagen synthesis up while retaining skin’s moisture, keeping it looking young and healthy. Both should be a must in your beauty regimen.
Just note that collagen molecules are too large to pass through the skin and are not helpful when included in topical beauty creams and serums. To see any real benefit, collagen must be taken internally. Hyaluronic acid is effective if applied topically or taken internally.
Recommended Products: California Gold Nutrition Collagen UP 5000
Get Your Biotin For Healthy Hair, Skin And Nails
If you want gorgeous healthy hair, beautiful skin and strong nails biotin may be just the thing you need. Not only does biotin help to convert the food we eat into energy to support healthy metabolism, but it also stimulates new cell growth. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 is a water-soluble vitamin that our body cannot synthesize and must obtain through either healthy diet, the good bacteria in your gut or by supplementation. Biotin is a key element the body needs to metabolize keratin, a protein, and fatty acids, which are both important parts of hair and nail growth.
While it’s rare to be deficient in biotin your levels might be less than optimal if you experience symptoms like thinning, splitting and brittle hair, and dry, irritated skin. This can be especially true if you suffer from digestive issues, are pregnant, smoke, take certain medications or have a less than ideal amount of beneficial gut bacteria due to antibiotic use.
While biotin can be found in many topical beauty products taking biotin orally is going to be your best bet if you want your skin to glow, strong hair and nails to grow.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition Biotin
Take An Anti-Aging & Antioxidant Superstar
Trans-Resveratrol
You’ve probably already heard of resveratrol, a super health boosting anti-oxidant and an anti-aging compound found in the skins of grapes and associated with drinking red wine which is a rich source. But have you heard of trans-resveratrol?
Trans-resveratrol is the active ingredient and health-promoting form of resveratrol. It is also the form that is best absorbed and utilized by the body. Major dietary sources include red wine, dark chocolate or cocoa, grapes, and peanuts. Once you consume a food containing resveratrol the body then converts it to trans-resveratrol and puts it to work.
But what does it do?
Trans-resveratrol acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body combating and scavenging free radicals, unstable molecules which can damage cells, which can eventually cause illness, cancers and premature aging. And the older we get the more protection we need. Other reported benefits of trans-resveratrol include protection of the cardiovascular system, supporting brain health and helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, supporting a healthy digestive system, improved energy, and endurance.
A study published by the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Seville in Spain found that “One of the most striking biological activities of resveratrol soundly investigated during the late years has been its cancer-chemopreventive potential. In fact, recently it has been demonstrated that it blocks the multistep process of carcinogenesis at various stages: tumor initiation, promotion, and progression.”
It also can work wonders for your skin. Research is even beginning to show that when applied topically resveratrol can reverse the effects of aging skin like wrinkles and dark spots. Applied topically, trans-resveratrol is effective at repairing UV ray skin damage caused by the sun.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition Trans-Resveratrol
French Grape Seed Extract
If you thought you couldn’t love red wine anymore here’s one more part of the wine grape to love: the seeds. Grape seeds (Vitis vinifera seed) and their extract contain potent polyphenols or plant-based antioxidants that are believed to be 20 times greater than vitamin E and 50 times greater than vitamin C. They’re known for their free radical scavenging abilities that can help to prevent premature aging, cellular damage and help to protect cardiovascular function. The extract from grape seeds can even help to support healthy skin production, improving skin texture, reducing pigmentation and help to repair damage from the sun.
Grape seed extract does something else that’s pretty amazing. It has the ability to strengthen collagen in the body by increasing the elasticity of connective tissues, improving the condition and elasticity of your skin, joints, and arteries.
Grape Seed Extract can also protect from UV damage and improve the moisture barrier of the skin reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The result is younger, smoother and more radiant looking skin. Applying grape seed extract topically to wounds can even help them heal faster and reduce the appearance of scars.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition French Grape Seed Extract
French Maritime Pine Bark Extract
French maritime pine bark is an extract derived from supplement derived from the French maritime pine tree (Pinus maritima) found on the southwest coast of France. It has been used for centuries as an herbal supplement that contains potent antioxidants called proanthocyanidins that work to support the cardiovascular system encouraging healthy blood flow while promoting healthy skin and joints and guarding against things like arthritis, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants like the ones found in French maritime pine bark extract are known for their free radical scavenging functions that can help to prevent premature aging and cellular damage.
French maritime bark also protects the collagen and elastin, the elastic protein in connective tissue that helps them retain their shape after stretching or contracting. It also increases the production of new collagen and hyaluronic acid. We now know that means healthy joints and younger-looking skin.
In one study French maritime bark extract greatly enhanced skin elasticity and hydration in menopausal women. This was especially true in women who had dry skin. Another study showed a significant improvement of menopause symptoms in women including a 41 percent decrease in hot flashes, a 33 percent reduction of night sweat and a 67 percent improvement in the normalization of irregular periods.
Give California Gold Nutrition’s French Maritime Pine Bark Extract a try. It features Oligopin®, a patented extract of Pine Bark exclusively sourced from Les Landes Forest in France. Due to the high concentration of low mass molecular procyanidins, it is one of the most purified pine bark extracts on the market.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition, French Maritime Pine Bark Extract
Meet Your Nutritional Needs with A Multi-Vitamin
Let’s face it; most of us don’t eat quite as many fruits, vegetables, and healthy foods as we should. Even if we do, sometimes we can fall short of what our body really needs. This can be especially true during times of stress or illness when our body needs even more nutrients to heal and stay balanced. Even prescription drugs can deplete the body of important vitamins and minerals. That’s why it’s important to incorporate a multi-vitamin designed just for women and the health concerns women have into your routine.
And why not have a little berry and fruit-flavored gummy fun while you’re at it! California Gold Nutrition® Women’s Multi-Vitamin Gummies are USDA organic include folic acid for red blood cell formation, calcium and vitamin D to support bone health, zinc for immune support, pantothenic acid to support fat and carbohydrate metabolism and iodine for thyroid support. They’re 100% free of preservatives, artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, GMOs and Soy. And they’re vegetarian-friendly!
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition, Women’s Multi-Vitamin Gummies
Passion Flower: Anxiety Relief And Better Sleep
With the constant stresses of everyday life, it’s no wonder many of us suffer from poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depression. But there’s good news. Passion flower (P. incarnata) also known as purple passion flower or maypop is a really effective and all natural therapeutic herb that can help. It not only supports relaxation and can relieve anxiety, but can also help to put you into a deeper more restful sleep. And the better quality rest you get, the healthier you’ll be.
The genus Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus comprises approximately 520 species belonging to the Passifloraceae family. The majority of these species are vines found in Central or South America The genus Passiflora incarnata has long been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety in Europe, and it has even been used as a sedative tea in North America.
Passion flower may also be helpful in reducing anxiety. Certain compounds found in passion flower may interact with receptors in the brain to promote relaxation. Studies suggest that passionflower extracts may even have mild anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure benefits.
One study in the Journal of Anesthesia and Analgesia found that passion flower given to patients about to undergo surgery experienced less anxiety than those who were given the placebo. Research has also suggested that passion flower can even help those with insomnia. It works by giving your brain a boost of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a neurotransmitter and amino acid in the that promotes relaxation and calm in the body.
And if you’re currently headed towards menopause or are in the thick of it, some studies have shown that passion flower can even be effective in treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, depression and mood swings.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition EuroHerbs Passion Flower
Balance Your Hormones & Relieve PMS & Menopause Symptoms With Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh is an American wildflower and member of the buttercup family from North America. Native Americans first introduced Black Cohosh to the European settlers as a remedy for painful menstrual periods and cure for women’s issues. The most important health benefits of black cohosh include its ability to reduce inflammation, ease menstrual and menopausal symptoms, eliminate spasms and tension and regulate menstrual periods. Black cohosh also contains salicylic acid, the same chemical makeup of aspirin that has an anti-inflammatory, pain relieving and a sedative effect which can promote restful sleep.
In one Black Cohosh clinical study, 49% of the women who took the herbal extract experienced complete relief of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, sweating, headaches, and heart palpitations. Another 37.8% reported significant improvement even if all symptoms hadn’t subsided. In another study, 76 to 93% had an overall improvement in hot flashes, headache, irritability, heart palpitation, and sleep disturbances.
Taking Black Cohosh can be a safe and effective alternative to estrogen and hormone replacement drugs during menopause which can have unwanted side effects and put women at risk for certain cancers.
Women who are pregnant or nursing should not take Black Cohosh.
Recommended Product: California Gold Nutrition Black Cohosh Extract
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