There was a time when the words “anti ageing” were embarrassing to verbalise, but now it’s all the rage. Women and men over 40 have never been so open about their age and so proud to highlight how they maintain their youthful looks. Believe it or not, it’s not just about anti ageing creams and serums. Wellness and diet are becoming a priority, moving to the top of our daily maintenance and lifestyle list.
Dr Nigma Talib is passionate about adopting a lifestyle that reverses the signs of ageing through good diet, exercise and a good skincare regime. Her personal celebrity clients include Charlotte Tilbury and Sienna Miller, and I was so pleased when she gave me a little of her time.
Does your birth place or origin determine how healthy you skin is or can be?
Not necessarily . Genes and environment certainly influence your skin but it is what you eat that actually determines what your skin looks and feels like. Think about it this way. The human genome has been mapped and we now know what you eat, how you think and what you drink can affect the ways your genes express themselves. You are in control of how your genes express themselves so if you eat the wrong things you will be expressing inflammatory markers in your body and it will show up on your face.
Is living in a country where the natural vitamin D is in much larger supply than others, good for your skin?
Again, just because it’s available it doesn’t mean that people take advantage of it. In places like Dubai and the Middle East most people area shuttled in air conditioned cars with massive sun protections and covered clothing and no one really is spending 20 minutes of full body sun exposure which is the minimum required for vitamin d absorption.
Is sunscreen a necessity for everyone? Yes!! Even in the shade and on cloudy days. I don’t leave home and walk outside without it.
Diet has become a major factor of skincare, so with the increase of chemicals and genetically modified foods, have you seen a change over the years in facial in skin?
Yes I am seeing more and more acne, rosacea, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis
Alcohol definitely de-hydrates the skin, but what is a safe amount of alcohol to drink – if any?
It depends on the poison. Too much wine is full of fermented sugar which upsets the gut, impacts the liver and kidneys and also dehydrates the skin. Other pure forms like vodka without gluten have less sugar in it and you can mix it with soda or water. In this case people generally drink less cocktails than wine, as wine can end up being a never ending refillable situation when you are out for dinner. I recommend drinking if you do drink one glass per hour at most while sipping, not gulping, followed by a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage consumed.
How does too much dairy affect the skin?
In my clinical experience it really wreaks havoc on hormones. As a result my patients notice breakouts more often and in Chinese medicine they tend to build up what we call too much “phlegm”
You opened your clinic in Canada 15 years ago, you’ve worked in London and are now working in New York, so you’ve treated a lot of different people, what is the difference in New York skin, London skin and Canadian skin? And is there a difference in learning behaviour and/or receptiveness amongst women depending on geographics?
Yes that is correct. In New York women are very keen to take care of their skin and not just use any products and will not use soap and water to clean their skin on their face for example . They are also more aware that what they eat will show up on their face and take less convincing to change their diet than in the UK and Europe alike. However saying this, things are changing and my patients here in the UK are coming on board very quickly because they are noticing the change with what they eat and their skin condition and are spreading the word and it’s catching on faster than I ever expected. It’s very gratifying to watch someone lose years off their skin. I’m so excited I have finally been able to write the book “Reverse the Signs of Ageing ” so that everyone now can take on the 28 day program and see for themselves changes that can happen instead of having to come and see me at my office.
Dietary change is the first step to skincare, but what other measures can be taken if you can’t meet the financial cost of a consultation?
Read the book!!! It’s very detailed and gives you a step by step program of inside and out healthy skin support
What is your own skincare regime?
I use a alpha hydroxy Cleanser, Vitamin c and plant stem cells serums and snail mucous moisturiser and spf 50.
What skincare plans are you working on at the moment?
So glad you asked! I’m working on a plan stem cell serum that is even stronger than vitamin C. It is amazing and our team at Healthydoc in Notting Hill has started using it in treatments using our hyperbaric oxygen treatments
What’s next in terms of books/seminars?
I will be travelling to Canada and the United States to give various seminars and will appear on various television and radio interviews to discuss what I love most, “reversing the signs of ageing ”
You can find Reverse the Signs of Ageing by Dr Nigma Talib from Penguin Random House on Amazon.
Instead of waiting for January when all the health books hit the stores (and you purchase with a little guilt because of over indulging at Christmas), I’d like to bring Nigma Talib’s book to your attention now. And I’ve also got 2 copies to give away so you can start reading before Christmas. Enjoy your food whilst making a few little adjustments.
Enter HERE to win a free copy of Dr. Talib’s amazing book!
