Combination? Sensitive? This SPF is Made for You.

May 10, 2013 by ascott • Comment

For sensitive types, SPF can be the trickiest part of their skincare regimen. Many SPF’s are formulated with chemical sunscreens, which can often provoke sensitivity in a range of skin types. Photo Plasma is physical sunscreen made of micro-pulverized minerals to provide non-chemical broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Tip: If the sunscreen contains only Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, it is physical SPF.

People with enlarged pores or combination skin tend to be unhappy with “weighty” SPF’s go on thick and tend to sit on the skin, rather than absorb. Photo Plasma is an oil-free formulation, but you’d never know by touching it. It has an incredible lightweight texture and feels like cool air on your skin.

Photo Plasma’s hydrating ingredients keep skin look velvety, dewy and fresh while defending against environmental aggressors such as sun exposure, dehydration, pollution, harsh wind, excessive heat, extreme cold, heavy metals, smoke, stress and chemical irritants.

What are your questions about Photo Plasma?

Pink Power: Astaxanthin

May 8, 2013 by ascott • Comment

One of the key anti aging ingredients in Photo Plasma is the antioxidant Astaxanthin, a naturally occurring sun protector that can mitigate some of the damage caused by the sun’s ultra violet rays. Did you know:

Astaxanthin has been protecting plants for thousands of years. It’s part of the carotenoid family, a group of plant chemicals (antioxidants) that are used by certain species of flora to help defend against damage from the sun’s rays.
Astaxanthin’s pink presence is visible in some of the animals that consume a plant-based diet rich in algae (think seafood such as salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster).
Unfortunately, humans cannot simply rely on consuming foods rich in astaxanthin to prevent sunburn. Taking a dietary supplement made with astaxanthin may be beneficial, but needs time to accumulate in the system over a matter of weeks.

What are your questions about the new Photo Plasma?

Grilled Garlic and Herb Artichokes

May 7, 2013 by ascott • 5 Comments

Artichokes are one of nature’s most detoxifying foods. Packed with insoluble fiber, this spring super food is a great addition to your anti inflammatory dishes. We are especially fond of this dish adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 large artichokes
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup olive oil
Crushed red Chili Flake to taste
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge into the water.
Trim the tops from the artichokes, then cut in half lengthwise and place halves into the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning.
Add artichokes to boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes. Drain.
Squeeze the remaining lemon wedges into a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil, garlic, chili flake and rosemary and season with salt and pepper according to taste.
Brush the artichokes with a coating of the garlic dip and place them on a preheated grill. Grill (or broil) the artichokes for 5- 10 minutes, basting with the dip, turning frequently, until the tips are a little charred. Serve immediately.

6 Tips for Making Guacamole Healthier

May 3, 2013 by ascott • 3 Comments

Dr. Perricone is a big fan of avocados as a form of healthy fat on the anti inflammatory diet to keep the skin and hair supple and shiny. In light of Cinco de Mayo, we thought we’d share some tips to make your home made guac the healthiest and tastiest yet.

1. Avocados can be one of the trickier foods to determine ripeness. Avoid both the rock hard and mushy. Ripe avocados should have the slightest bit of give when squeezed.

2. Acidity is crucial for providing depth of flavor and keeping the guacamole green rather than brown. Classic guacamole calls for lime, but feel free to experiment and include other citrus fruits, such as lemon.

3. Make it hot for some metabolism boosting benefits. Try minced jalapeno, Serrano, Habanero peppers depending on your preferred level of spiciness.

4. Add garlic. Crush cloves first with the back of a butter knife to help release the active compounds.

5. Make it original. You can add diced grilled onions, pineapple, mango, shredded cheese etc.

6. Add extra Cilantro for a detox boost. Cilantro is thought to help support the body’s natural cleansing processes.

7. Substitute sliced bell peppers and radishes for chips.

What are your healthy Cinco de Mayo cooking tips?

Enjoy it Raw: Arugula

April 30, 2013 by ascott • 1 Comment

What’s the single nutritional maxim everyone can agree upon?

Eat your greens. And, as it turns out in the case of Arugula, serving it raw is especially key. Going raw is one of the best ways to preserve this leafy green’s delicate nutrients, enzymes and amino acids. Intact chlorophyll (raw) helps prevent DNA and liver damage from aflatoxins, which sometimes appear in corn-based products, peanut-based products and some tree nuts. And unlike many of members of the Brassicacae family, it also tastes delicious raw

Arugula’s dark color signifies its high levels of chlorophyll, which are molecularly similar to red blood cells (interestingly, the major difference is that red blood cells have iron atoms in their centers, while plant chlorophyll centers contain magnesium atoms). Dr. Perricone has written extensively on the health benefits of magnesium and its contribution to over 300 metabolic functions in the human body.

Arugula is also rich in the vitamin K family, a group of particular note for those with anti aging concerns such as bone density health, cardiovascular health and Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin K2 is important for bone absorption of calcium vital for bone health, but not so understood is vitamin K’s contribution to cardiovascular health. Vitamin K is also thought to minimize brain matter calcifications that often result in Alzheimer’s disease.

What’s your favorite spring superfood?

Mother’s Day Picks

April 29, 2013 by ascott • 1 Comment

The best gift is one that you’ll use every day- which make anti-aging treatments a practical, but difficult gift to pick. To help out, we’ve created a collection of “Gifts for Mom” with our favorite travel sets, super-sized favorites and even supplements.

Which gift would you pick for yourself or your Mom? Share a link to this post on Facebook with your pick for the product you’d love to have and why for a chance to win it. We’ll be selecting 10 random winners, announced on May 2nd, 2013.

Did we leave anything off the list? What Perricone MD treatments would you like to receive this Mother’s Day?

Wasabi Salmon Burger

April 24, 2013 by ascott • 2 Comments

One of the most affordable ways to indulge in heart-healthy wild salmon is to go ‘canned’. It may be surprising, considering the cost of fresh wild salmon, but many of the canned varieties are in fact wild-sourced. Another perk of going for canned salmon? It transforms quickly into salmon burgers which are the perfect anti-inflammatory take- to-work meal (as well as mid-day Omega-3 boost). Our top pick for canned salmon is Vital Choice. Their Wild Red Alaskan Sockeye Salmon is delicious and under $6 for just over 6 oz.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 1/2 teaspoons Wasabi powder
1/2 teaspoon honey or raw agave syrup
12 oz Wild Canned Salmon
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions
1. Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

2. Open and drain salmon. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; mix well to combine.

3. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.

3. Coat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm, about 3 minutes.

4. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more.

Bon appétit!

New Beauty’s Best Lightweight Concealer

April 23, 2013 by ascott • 1 Comment

Some may be skeptical of a concealer that comes in just one shade, trust us. No Concealer Concealer SPF 35 does an incredibly natural and flattering job concealing dark circles, redness and even breakouts. The remarkable thing about this product is that it actually contains treatment properties to help correct what’s being concealed. It’s also super crease-resistant and stays put for hours on end, even through an intense work outs or pouring over a hot stove.

So its no wonder that NewBeauty awarded No Concealer Concealer SPF 35 with the coveted Beauty Choice Award for “The Best Lightweight Concealer”.

In their words:

“No Concealer Concealer is a universal concealer, brightener and illuminator with treatment and hydrating benefits. A multitasking treatment and concealer, this product is specifically formulated for the eye area to create a naturally more rested, awakened and illuminated eye. Also features non-chemical SPF 35 UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection.

Benefits:

Vitamin C Ester for brightening and collagen boosting.
Hyaluronic Acid to lock in moisture and minimize wrinkles over time
Phospholipids deliver essential moisture while creating a barrier to further protect the skin from environmental stressors.
Protects against UVA and UVB damage with a nonchemical, mineral based SPF 35.
Three different Neuropeptides to address fine lines, firmness and smoothness.
Microcirculatory agents that help treat dark circles so they are less visible over time.

What do you love about No Concealer Concealer?

Different Types of Omega-3s

April 22, 2013 by ascott • Comment

It’s no secret that regularly taking a high quality Omega-3 supplement is one of the best things you can do to positively impact your health. Studies suggest regular consumption of Omega-3s may help lower the risk of heart disease, protect against depression, dementia, cancer, and arthritis—not to mention leave you with glowing skin and hair.

But did you know that there are multiple types of Omega-3’s? It’s true, and different sources confer different benefits:

DHA and EPA, which are found in fish, have been the focus of most studies and seem to confer the greatest health benefits.
Another form, known as ALA, is found in vegetable sources such as flaxseed, vegetable oils, walnuts and dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard etc).
Fish -derived Omega-3’s (EPA & DHA) are thought by some to be more efficiently absorbed because there is no conversion necessary, whereas ALA is converted into EPA and DHA.

What are your questions about Omega-3 supplements or foods?

Spring Super Foods: Scallions

April 18, 2013 by ascott • Comment

Scallions are part of the allium family of root vegetables such as onion, shallots and garlic. Scallions, technically speaking, are the green tops of the onion bulbs. Dr. Perricone considers the allium family a super food and recommends enjoying them frequently on the anti inflammatory diet.

Scallions are low in calories; 100 g of fresh leaves provide just 31 calories. Despite their low calorie count, they contain many noteworthy flavonoid antioxidants, plant fiber, minerals, and vitamins that have proven health benefits.

Members of the allium family contain quercitin, an antioxidant that acts like an antihistamine, which is extremely beneficial for allergy sufferers. Quercetin also lowers blood pressure and is thought to prevent heart disease.

Spring onions contain healthy composition of vitamin-A (997 IU or 33% of RDA per 100 g) and other flavonoid phenolic antioxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein. Together, they help the body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Tips:

Add scallions to soups, salads, and omelets.
Scallions make an elegant and savory garnish.
Ensure that you wash scallions thoroughly as dirt can be easily trapped in the thin tubes.
Opt for organic scallions as pesticides can cling to the thin leaves.

How do you like to enjoy scallions?