Hand Health – Healthy Hands Work Better and Look Younger

August 10, 2020

Hand Health and the importance of collagen

As we roll into our 50s, our bodies start to go through a lot of changes; some gradual and some alarmingly fast.  Our hands are on the front line of these changes.

Where our hands are concerned, we don’t even notice them when they work well, it’s only when things stop working perfectly and looking good that we start to appreciate how important they are.  Interestingly, the function and appearance of our hands can be some of the first places where our bodies begin to show signs of age.

In fact, research suggests that most people begin experiencing signs of aging hands in their early 40s.  Many people notice joint pain or stiffness after playing sports, a loss of hand strength not to mention thinning skin and protruding veins.  Let’s think about what’s behind these changes.

1. Stiff Hands - Painful Joints

If your hands are becoming painful and stiff you might be seeing the first signs of arthritis.  Arthritis causes joint inflammation which reduces the range of mobility in your fingers and makes basic daily activities like typing, cooking, carpentry, and sports very challenging.

There are short term pain relievers like ibuprophen (Advil, Motrin, Midol), which is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, that will temporarily reduce pain and inflammation.  More fundamental and long-term relief can be achieved by taking high quality marine collagen supplements, which work with your body’s autoimmune system, to reduce the inflammation in jointsand help to rejuvenate the joint tissues that allow for smooth joint function. 

When choosing a marine collagen peptide, look for brands that use wild-caught fish (avoiding the hormones and antibiotics used in fish farming) and make sure that you know where the collagen is producedas many come from developing countries where manufacturing safety standards are low.

2. The Skin on Your Hands

Many people notice age spots and a thinning of the skin which causes veins to be much more prominent and visible.  We can also suffer from dry skin which can cause painful cracking and itching.   These things lead to discomfort and hands that really show visual signs of age.

Be sure that when you put on sunscreen that you don’t forget the backs of your hands.  This not only protects them from the damaging UVA and UVB rays, but also reduces wrinkles and skin discoloration that comes with sun exposure.

Also remember that repeated contact with water and soap will strip the lipids from the skin on your hands and this compromises the skin’s normal function and can causes flare-ups in inflammatory skin conditions.  Since our skin is the critical barrier between our body and the elements, we need to limit the loss of our skins natural oils.  Removal of natural lipids allows for transdermal water loss and creates skin dryness and generates localized inflammation - cracking, and a feeling of uncomfortable dryness.

With Covid 19 as a constant part of our lives now, and hand washing one of the most effective preventative measures, we need to ensure that we don’t use harsh soaps that alter the skin’s natural pH balance.  Stay clear of soaps with chemical cleansers and consider unscented lotions as many are chemical-based scents that can irritate skin.

Watch for brands that indicate dermatologist involvement in the testing of the product.  You’ll see “dermatologist tested” printed on the packaging.  Once you begin to look for those words you will also see other stuff like “dermatologist recommended”.  There’s a lot of debate about these two phrases (watch for this on face creams too) as dermatologists are sometimes paid to recommend products.  Both terms are open to interpretation, but generally better brands consult dermatologists on their products and they will mention this on the packaging.

After choosing a natural soap, make sure that you replenish the lost moisture on our hands by using lotions and creams with shea butter, olive oil, and vitamin E.   Make sure that you apply lotions right after hand washing and again before going to bed at night to all for cell rejuvenation overnight.

3. Boosting Your body’s Collagen Helps Your Hands

As we age, our body’s natural collagen production declines, which, in terms of your hands, can result in an onset of arthritis, loss of elasticity in skin, wrinkles, and brittle, flaky fingernails.

DeepMarine collagen peptides are a 100% pure and natural oral supplement that reduces inflammation, improves the mobility in stiff hands, enhances skin hydration and makes fingernails much stronger and healthier.

Marine collagen is type 1&3 collagen which are the most prevalent collagen types in our body.  It comes in a powder format that can easily be mixed with any beverage (hot or cold) or blended in smoothies and yoghurt.  Enhancing collagen levels is one of the most effective treatmentsyou can do to improve both hand function, and skin health and appearance.

Remember that it’s never too late to build a healthy routine for your hands that keep them feeling and looking as young as possible.

 



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