One thing was clear after attending fashion designer Norma Kamali's symposium on wellness, refined sugar is the enemy.

Kamali put together a panel of well-known luminaries in the fields of health, fitness, beauty and wellness for "Conversations With Norma Kamali, A Dialogue on Wellness Solutions," at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to discuss the inside/outside aspect of beauty.

"This is a time when our planet is making extra demands on its inhabitants," explained Kamali. "It is not only the air, water and sun that are threatening us, but also the toxins we have added to our products that are challenging our well-being. The group i have gathered all have solutions that I am pleased to pass on to all of you if you are ready for a reboot to be your genetic best."

The panel of nine included choreographer Twyla Tharp, Aveda founder Horst M. Rechelbacher and celebrity dermatologist Dr. David Colbert, who likened the health benefits of refined sugar to the "white powder found on glass tables at Studio 54." He want on to say that the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" still holds a lot of truth. "The shocker is that what makes you look good is fresh food," he said. "Botox is great, but if you eat really well, you'll look really good."

Here, more of our favorite inside/outside beauty tips from some of the panelists:

Horst M. Rechelbacher: "I really believe the best skincare is just to be happy. Endorphins are very powerful chemicals!"

Twyla Tharp: "Lift the bar as high as possible because everyone wants to be challenged, and when people are challenged to work, they do better than when they are not."

Joe Cross, founder of Reboot Media and director of the film Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead: "When you are prepared to step up and take personal responsibility for your own actions and where you are, that's a big turning point in your life."

Abdi Assadi, author, acupuncturist and spiritual counselor: "The guru thing doesn't work anymore. Everyone has a piece of the puzzle. We have to figure out what our piece is and then share that with everyone."

Magen Banwart, founder of MB Fitness Mind Body Connection Solutions for Optimal Well Being:"The easiest thing to do is just walk. Walk as long as you can, as far as you can. If you're strong enough to run, then walk-jog."

Nancy Shaw, co-founder InTouch Body Work: "Massage is an important part of the detoxification process. Working with the body lessens the cortisol that builds up in your body from stress. From a detoxing point of view, massage gets out the lactic acid that has built up in the muscles and just the act of touching the skin...10-15% of waste is eliminated from the body through the skin."

Visit Kamali's website to see full-length one-on-one interviews with all of her panelists. Check out the calendar for more events on wellness taking place at Kamali's Wellness Cafe.

And click here for 6 ways to drink to your health.