Dr. Morrison in Harper's Bazaar

by Robin Foroutan and Stephanie Mandel

May 04, 2018

While we love a good facial or splurging on the latest youth-enhancing serum, we know that life-long beauty comes from the inside out. The way we treat our bodies throughout our lives is written all over our faces.

This Harper’s Bazaar article features Dr. Morrison’s diet and lifestyle advice about how to keep inflammation low, energy high, and skin dewy and fresh at every age.

As you may have guessed, eating right is crucial for healthy skin as we age. According to Dr. Morrison, “sugar and dairy and are two of the worst culprits for causing inflammation in the skin and body.” When it comes to carbs, Dr. Morrison believes that “they are generally fine in moderation, but in excess, or if from overly processed sources like bread, muffins, and packaged foods, they can produce high amounts of insulin, which can eventually cause the growth of skin tags and skin discoloration, as well as lessen collagen production.”

In terms of sun protection, the earlier you start, the better! According to Dr. Morrison, “ultraviolet light and, of course, each actual sunburn you get, is causing real damage to your skin's connective tissue, which can initiate wrinkling, sagging, and spots on the skin now." Be sure to protect your skin with non-toxic sunscreen — the Environmental Working Group has a great website to help you find a good product.

Getting quality sleep is another top priority, not just for beautiful skin but for overall health as we age. Dr. Morrison explains that, while asleep, “the body is able to fully recharge and balance some of the stress hormones, like cortisol, and regenerative hormones, like growth hormone.”

We all know exercise is important; Dr. Morrison recommends a combining a 40-minute exercise session at least 4 times weekly with sitting in an infrared sauna for 10 minutes several times weekly. He explains that “with the combination of exercise and sauna, there is more sweating, which is like a skin detox of impurities and subcutaneous fat from years of not-so-healthy choices. Plus, there is more circulation to the skin, which brings many healing factors to help the skin repair itself—this is truly the best way to bring moisture to the skin from the inside-out.”

In your 50’s, “some of the new anti-aging treatments really excel and may help to improve healing of connective tissue and skin,” says Dr. Morrison. A recent discovery, cryotherapy, has been shown to “trick the body into a healing response and stimulate a massive increase in circulation to the skin.” Another option is Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that has a thorough effect on enhancing energy levels and is an important nutrient for collagen synthesis.

According to Dr. Morrison, “inflammation is one of the most significant causes of unhealthy skin appearance. By reducing inflammation within the body, your skin will benefit, too.” Eating an anti-inflammatory diet, getting restful and adequate sleep, exercising and sweating regularly are all part of an anti-aging lifestyle anyone can build into life-long habits. In addition to a healthy lifestyle, our favorite anti-inflammatory supplements include:

1. Omega Benefit — Anti-inflammatory Fish Oil is very similar to Omax3 Fish Oil (which is only available to our patients). It has the highest level of purity, potency, and stability. This form of fish oil supports mood, cardiovascular health, as well as healthy glucose and insulin balance. This supplement helps to reduce inflammation and supply your cells in the right kinds of fatty acids. We recommend taking one softgel daily or as directed as your healthcare practitioner.\
2. Curaphen features a powerful blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients like curcumin and Boswellia to support healthy joints, muscles, and tissues throughout the body, as well as the brain. This supplement is a safe and effective formula for reducing inflammation, including pain associated with exercise or overuse. We recommend taking one capsule three times daily or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
3. Hair & Nail Benefit is your best weapon against thinning hair, brittle nails and signs of aging skin. With high-quality, concentrated doses of choline, silicon, and biotin, it helps to naturally nourish your body’s beauty proteins by supporting collagen production.

Taking care of yourself is important at every age and establishing healthy habits is critical to keeping your skin glowing, your physique in shape and your energy levels high. After all, age is nothing but a number!

We hope you find these products and tips helpful. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

- Dr. Morrison & The Morrison Center