Appointment with Dr. Barbara Sturm

It's not just about topical cream application; there's a holistic approach to reducing inflammation and achieving wellness. My basic advice never changes - healthy skin is glowing, beautiful skin. Protect and strengthen your skin's barrier function, provide essential nutrition, infuse it with moisture and fight inflammation with ingredient science. Avoid make-up wherever possible, skin-aggressive products and harsh treatments, and adopt a simple lifestyle. 

For me, this means: making sure I get enough sleep, exercising every day, avoiding stress, protecting myself from urban and digital pollution, and avoiding excess alcohol, sugar, fried and processed foods. Anti-inflammatory foods such as avocados, salmon, olive oil, tomatoes, nuts, dark berries and green tea are my daily self-care constants, sport (I like to move every day), and meditation, yoga and breathing exercises are also essential. I try to have a Buddhist outlook on life; I like to keep a cheerful spirit and try not to worry about the past or the future - it's important for me to live in the present.

I love starting my day with Bircher Muesli. It's easy to prepare and oatmeal is rich in several nutrients, including fiber, carbohydrates, plant-based protein and B vitamins, which together can aid digestion, reduce oxidative stress in the digestive tract, lower cholesterol levels and boost brain function. I have my own perfected recipe which you can find here.

For lunch, I usually prepare an anti-inflammatory salad with greens, pomegranates, vegetables and sometimes feta cheese, all accompanied by my homemade vinaigrette. For dinner, we vary, but I love to cook a Thai vegetable curry or teriyaki salmon with roasted vegetables. My daughter Pepper loves pasta, so I often cook pasta with a fresh tomato sauce, or the other day I made one with arugula salad, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. We're trying to stay healthy while enjoying ourselves.