Most skincare routines start at the mirror—with creams, serums, and treatments designed to fix what we see on the surface. But what if the real aging process isn’t happening on your skin at all?

In this episode of vpod.ai, Mike and Susan unpack research from Dr. Gita Paliwal, a leading cosmetologist and plastic surgeon, that reframes skincare as a biological, inside-out process. This conversation goes beyond glow and beauty trends to explain how food directly affects the cellular structure of your skin—determining how fast it ages, sags, wrinkles, and repairs itself.

Using clear, memorable analogies, the episode breaks down how oxidation, inflammation, sugar, and nutrient deficiencies quietly change the architecture of your face over time.

Inside the episode:

• Why topical skincare alone can’t stop structural skin aging
• How oxidative stress “rusts” skin cells from the inside
• What free radicals actually do to collagen, DNA, and elasticity
• How antioxidants neutralize cellular damage before wrinkles form
• The most powerful antioxidant foods for skin protection
• Why vitamin C is essential for both brightness and collagen production
• How collagen really works—and why supplements aren’t a magic fix
• The protein, minerals, and vitamins your body needs to build collagen
• Why vitamin C is required to turn collagen production on at all
• How healthy fats strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier
• Why omega-3s calm inflammation, redness, and irritation
• The difference between drinking water and “eating” hydration
• How dehydration instantly makes fine lines more visible
• The chemical process that makes sugar age your skin permanently
• What glycation is and how sugar stiffens collagen fibers
• Why sugary drinks and refined carbs accelerate wrinkles and sagging
• Key micronutrients for cell turnover, dark circles, and UV defense
• The role of exercise in delivering nutrients to skin cells
• Why sleep is when collagen repair actually happens
• How smoking and alcohol actively sabotage skin health
• Where professional treatments fit—and why diet still matters most

Rather than promising miracles, this episode offers something more powerful: agency. It shows how daily food choices quietly vote for stronger collagen, better hydration, calmer skin, and slower visible aging.

If you’ve ever felt that aging was just genetics or bad luck, this conversation reframes it as a long-term biological process you influence every single day—starting with what’s on your plate.

Subscribe to vpod.ai for research-driven conversations that connect everyday habits to long-term health and longevity. If this episode changed how you think about skincare, share it with someone who’s still chasing solutions in a bottle instead of the grocery aisle.