Cortisol vs. collagen: defeating the stress hormone for clear skin

I got in touch with Shawn M. Talbott, PhD, a nutritional biochemist and author of Cortisol Control and the Beauty Connection to get tips for pain prevention and found that putting a stop to pain is also strongly connected to promoting beauty. Why? Cortisol is a primary stress hormone and what Talbott calls "the enemy of collagen." Collagen is a protein in the connective tissue of our skin and tendons. When the two face off, the result can be anything from joint pain to skin problems like acne. Here are Talbott's easy, convenient lifestyle tweaks to defeat this body and beauty villain so you can feel and look your best.

1. Do regular "rhythmic" exercises such as yoga (learn how to start a home-yoga practice) to improve blood flow and reduce stress. All it takes is 10 minutes!

2. Increase dietary consumption of antioxidants and essential fatty acids by eating deeply-colored fruits and vegetables and fatty fish like salmon.

3. Reduce dietary intake of inflammatory fats like trans fats in many animal products and fried foods and refined carbohydrates from products made with white flour (both of which increase inflammation and glycation and cause damage to cell membranes).

Easy, right? Victory is ours!