fish

What if I don’t eat fish?

“What if I don’t eat fish?”

This is one of the most common questions we get about the Perricone diet. And while there are nutritional benefits unique to fish (particularly cold water varieties), you can still follow the principles of the anti inflammatory diet and supplement where it makes sense.

  • Start with a high quality Omega 3 supplement. The benefits of consistent Omega 3 consumption are well documented across many studies. The beauty benefits alone make this a no brainer (to name a few: skin becomes more supple, hair and nail quality is visibly improved, energy levels increase…). When purchasing your Omega 3′s, look for a brand that has been cleansed for heavy and toxic metals.
  • Consider a comprehensive supplement regimen that includes astaxanthin (the carotenoid that gives salmon it’s vivid color) and DMAE (the brain and muscle enhancer found in the flesh of cold water fish). These beneficial compounds are found abundantly in salmon.
  • Substitute a healthy protein such as organic free-range chicken, turkey, grass-fed beef, ostrich, bison and tofu or tempeh where salmon is listed.

What are your favorite fish substitutions?

 

 

Omegas

Dry Skin- Is it Serious?

As we age, our skin tends to dry out. But could dry skin be the sign of something serious? It could if you aren’t getting enough of the right fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are the two types of fatty acids not made in the body and therefore need to be obtained through dietary sources. They are abundant in fish and fish oils, vegetable oils and nuts and seeds. Deficiencies in one or both of these EFA’s can lead to a host of physical and mental complications.
The first and most telling sites on the body indicating an EFA deficiency are perhaps the skin, nails and hair. This is because of the role that EFA’s play in maintaining healthy skin and cell membranes. As in the case study of Dr. Perricone’s patient in The Perricone Prescription, skin may become excessively dry and scaly in combination with an itchy rash. In addition, buildup of dead skin around the hair follicles can create small bumps. Also, fingernails grow slowly, appear dull and become soft and brittle, cracking and breaking easily. Hair also loses its luster, becoming brittle, dry and growing slowly.

If you notice any of these signs, consider incorporating an Omega 3 fish oil supplement daily. Numerous studies have demonstrated that adding a high quality Omega 3 supplement will support healthy nails, skin, hair, heart as well as energy and mood.

What are your sources of Omega-3’s & 6’s?

spring ready skin

The Fat-Free Rash?

In the Perricone Prescription, Dr. Perricone discusses a case study in which a patient suffered from a chronic rash. He had this rash for several years, only to see it steadily getting worse despite treating it with over the counter moisturizers. During the consultation, the patient shared that at the age of 14, he had drastically changed his diet, cutting out all fats. After years of this extreme high-protein, low carbohydrate diet, his skin was worsening. He had redness and scaling on many parts of his body, resulting in a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, also referred to as eczema. This is a fairly common condition based on a dysfunction in the immune system in which a deficiency in the body’s ability to convert essential fatty acids into their active form is seen. Extreme fat- free diets can inhibit the body’s ability to use these healthy fats, resulting in a host of symptoms known as essential fatty acid deficiency.

For more on the signs of essential fatty acid deficiency, tune in tomorrow.

Coconut

The Essential Fats

What makes essential fatty acids (EFAs) essential? They’re referred to as essential, because the body cannot produce these types of fat on its own, so obtaining them from dietary sources is key. EFA’s play many crucial roles in the body, exerting influence over mood, energy, belly  fat, brain function and memory. Thus, EFA rich foods are part of the cornerstone of Dr. Perricone’s anti inflammatory diets.

Some of the most essential fatty acid rich foods are:

  • Avocados
  • Cold water fish
  • Olive oil
  • Coconut
  • Raw nuts

What are your favorite omega-3 rich foods?

Earth Day Cleansers

Clean Product; Clean Earth

At Perricone MD we look to adopt as many environmentally friendly practices as possible. We’ve sought to minimize our carbon footprint and produce products with clean ingredient decks.

Did you know?

  • To minimize our product’s carbon foot print, we’ve produced cartons for all Perricone MD products that are fully recyclable.
  • Our packaging is manufactured using wind power.
  • Our packaging is printed in a carbon neutral facility.
  • Our products are formulated without parabens.

F&F

Friends & Family

As a thank you for being a valued customer, Perricone MD is offering a 25% off Friends and Family discount. Pass it on to your friends and family!

 Which products are on your list? For a personalized consultation, please call our Customer Care Team at 888.823.7837.

anti aging rhubarb

Uncommon Spring Delights: Rhubarb

Typically found in pies, crumbles and other high glycemic dishes, Rhubarb is an overlooked spring delight. First cultivated in China and Tibet dating back to the Liang Dynasty, Rhubarb was highly valued for its medicinal benefits, as the root was a popular remedy for a wide range of illnesses.

Rhubarb is actually a relative of buckwheat (which Dr. Perricone recommends as part of the anti aging kitchen) and has an earthy, sour flavor. Botanically speaking, rhubarb is considered a vegetable, but it’s widely regarded as a fruit. Some of Rhubarb’s health benefits might surprise you:

  • Rich in Vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and supports bone health.
  • Vitamin C & Vitamin A both excellent for immunity, vision function and overall health
  • It’s a non-dairy source of bone-building calcium
  • Excellent source of potatssium, magnesium, iron, manganese, selenium, copper and phosphorus which support bone health, red blood cell function and nervous system health
  • Rhubarb contains the antioxidant lycopene, which is released after cooking.
  • Rich in phytonutrients such as ellagic acid, quercetin and hesperidin which may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. In addition, they play a role in heart health by improving your blood cholesterol levels and contributing to healthy blood pressure
  • Lycopene and quercetin are antioxidants that fight free radicals that can cause disease and accelerate the effects of aging

Have you ever prepared or cooked with Rhubarb?

sun's dangerous UVA/UVB rays

To Absorb or Deflect?

How exactly do sunscreens function?

Chemical sunscreens, found in most makeup, work by being absorbed into the skin’s top layer and either deflect UV rays, or absorb them and convert the rays into something harmless. Chemical sunscreens often protect against one type of UV light and thus need to be combined; otherwise skin is partially protected and still susceptible to sun damage.

Dr. Perricone formulated his No Makeup products with non-chemical sunscreens, also known as “physical” blockers, to protect skin against irritation and offer complete sun protection. These non-chemical sunscreens work by sitting on top of skin and providing a physical barrier against UV rays, essentially deflecting them like a shield and thus preventing sun damage. Because they act as a physical barrier, they provide complete broad spectrum protection from the sun’s aging and burning rays (UVA and UVB).

Sign up here for our newsletter and get the first look at Dr. Perricone’s new No Makeup product, No Concealer Concealer SPF 35

 

Melanin

The Importance of Melanin

Examining skin’s coloration indicates how much or little melanin is present. Most of the differences that exist in various shades of skin is linked to melanin content. Not only does melanin determine the color of skin, but it controls the person’s ability to resist sun damage and recover from inflammatory responses, like visible irritation.
Melanin acts like an umbrella that absorbs ultraviolet rays. After as little as 5 minutes in direct sunlight, free radicals release arachidonic acid, leading to the destructive cascade of inflammation.
As Dr. Perricone explains in his Theory of Inflammation (The Wrinkle Cure): cellular inflammation = visible signs of aging and systemic diseases.
Dermatologists rank skin’s photo sensitivity on a color scale from 1-6. The fairest complexions which never tan, and only burn, are ranked as a 1, whereas people with dark brown skin that can resist sun damage longer than these types are ranked a 6.

How does your skin behave in the sun?  

spring ready skin

What’s Your Type?

Is dry, normal or oily really enough information to go on when considering a skin care routine? Dr. Perricone doesn’t think so. Instead, he evaluates his patients in terms of their coloration- the hue of your hair and complexion matters greatly when considering your potential for irritation, inflammation and, ultimately, aging. Skin tone also reveals much  about your skin’s ability to fight free radical damage and melanin activity.

Wonder which products are right for you? Take the Perricone Skin Quiz here.

Do you factor in your coloration when deciding on skin care?