X-Treme X-Training: Beauty and the Beat: Collagen and Omega 3's

NeoCell Collagen supplements and Karlene's Sea-Licious EPA + DHA Omega 3.

In addition to editing XTreme XTraining, I also blog for Best Picks Magazine and am a Lucky Contributor. This means as a fashion and beauty editor, I sometimes come across products which are designed for one purpose but are helpful in others. I've always taken a liquid collagen supplement at night but have to admit I had not noticed any definable results from it. Then it was no longer available, (I wonder why!) so I began researching for a replacement collagen product.

NeoCell Collagen Supplements
I came across NeoCell and was impressed in the variety of collagen based products they had to offer. The first product I tried was their Collagen + C Pomegranate Liquid which replaced the liquid collagen I had been taking. Just like the previous product, I took 1 tbsp at night before bed. I had always taken my liquid collagen with 500 mgs of vitamin C but since it is already included in this NeoCell supplement, I skip that step. Within about a week, I noticed my fingernails growing faster and stronger. As I mentioned before, I hadn't seen any real change with the previous collagen product I had been taking for over 4 months.

Beauty Bursts
Needless to say I was pretty stoked about that but what I didn't expect was a lessening in lower back pain I had learned to live with. Weight lifting and cycling are part of my daily activities and each day I have noticed a lessening of back discomfort. In addition to the NeoCell liquid collagen, I began taking their Beauty Bursts. They contain collagen 1 & 3 plus Hyaluronic Acid and are really delicious. Kind of like a high-powered Star-Burst!

Both supplements are easy to incorporate into your daily lifestyle as they are delicious and completely portable. They also make a Keratin Hair Volumizer and Collagen Beauty Builder in tablet form. The jury is still out on those but the liquid and chewable collagen supplements are making a difference. Yes, my skin looks great but the added bonus of more flexibility in my back and joints was an unexpected plus. That's because both collagen and hyaluronic acid diminish as time goes on. It's kind of like the mortar between the bricks in a building. Without it, you lose the necessary cushioning between the joints, bones and ligaments. I've been taking these supplements for a little over a month and can see as well as feel the difference.

Sea-licious EPA + DHA and Omega 3
While I prefer to get my Omega 3's from good old food like salmon, walnuts, mackerel, etc. sometimes it's just not practical. If you are traveling or on vacation, your meals may be as well planned as you would like so taking an Omega 3 supplement would be the wise choice. I've tried a few Omega 3's in tablet form but really prefer the liquids as I know they are going to be immediately broken down and absorbed. I have tried a few liquid super omega supplements, (one was even chocolate flavored!) but they tended to be somewhat fishy and heavy tasting. Karlene's Sea-licious also comes in yummy flavors, (check out the Raspberry-Lemonade) but is much lighter and easier to swallow.

Sea-licious in Raspberry Lemonade

Sea Me!
This is another supplement that does double duty, giving your skin a luminous glow while doing your joints and ligaments a lot of good. That's because Omega 3's are equally known for their anti-inflammatory effect. This is a concentrated product so only 1 TEASPOON a day contains 1,325 mgs. of Omega 3's, 700-790 mgs of Eicosapentaenoic acid and 440-525 mgs of Docosahexaenoic acid. I still prefer eating my salmon but that is a whopping amount of nutrition in one teaspoon. It contains natural flavors, sunflower lecithin, rosemary extract and Monk Fruit. The fish oil is derived from anchovy, mackerel and sardines. This makes the taste and texture very light and easy to digest without the fishy burping associated with cod liver oil (remember that stuff?)

I did the Rapha Women's 100 this year on July 7th and posted a personal best for my longest road bicycle ride ever. My back did not hurt during or after the ride and my recovery was instant. So if your knees, back and ankles are taking a beating during your workout, try adding these collagen and Omega 3 supplements to your diet. They are a beauty treatment for both the inside and outside.