1. Water

When you wake up, enjoy a tall glass of pure spring water. All of the biochemical changes in our bodies take place in the presence of water. To successfully get nutrients in and waste out, we need to be well hydrated. A dehydrated body promotes the development of aging, inflammatory compounds; resulting in puffiness, dry skin and loss of radiance.

2. Face Changing Foods

If your goal is firm, radiant, glowing skin, abundant energy, mental clarity and an overall sense of well-being, these foods are for you. Their unique combinations of healthy fats, high quality protein, probiotics and antioxidant rich carbohydrates help to fight against wrinkles, sagging and loss of tone

• Salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel and other cold water fish
• Free-range hormone and antibiotic free poultry
• Eggs from free-range chickens
• Grass-fed, pasture-raised beef or lamb, naturally low in saturated fats
• Complex carbohydrates such as leafy greens, broccoli and oatmeal
• Healthy fats such as avocadoes, olives, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds
• Fresh fruits such as berries, apples and cantaloupe

3. Scrub-Free

Cleanliness is the foundation of healthy, radiant skin, but don’t overdo it and strip skin of its natural pH balance. Choose cleaners rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C ester (VC) and Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). These powerful nutrients thoroughly cleanse the skin of impurities without the dryness, redness or irritation caused by more aggressive cleansers. Skin feels and looks clean, soft, supple and radiant.

Avoid harsh scrubs and exfoliators, which can cause inflammation of the skin.

4. Sleep

Get enough sleep – at least seven hours. Adequate sleep will restore luminosity to the skin while improving tone and texture. When we do not get enough sleep, our eyes will appear puffy, bags and dark circles will appear under the eyes, and fine lines and an unhealthy pallor will greet us in the morning. During the waking hours, stress can play havoc with our skin; it is only during the hours of sleep that we can undo these harmful effects.

It is also during the precious hours of sleep that our cells rejuvenate, repairing damage of the previous day. In fact, one of the best-kept anti-aging secrets is a good night’s sleep.

5. Go Green

Enjoy a potent anti-aging “green” cocktail of young barley grass. This pure and powerful powerhouse removes toxins and pollutants while restoring cellular function. Green foods also fight free radical activity, reduce inflammation and support healthy blood flow to all organ systems, including the skin.

Enjoy a cup of green tea after your meal. There is a compound in green tea called theanine that acts as a natural mood elevator and promote feelings of well-being. Because green tea is rich in polyphenol antioxidants, it can help fight inflammation and age-accelerating free radicals, boost the body’s natural defenses, and exert anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects.

Do you have any of your own “secrets” to share?

There is another side to the anti-aging coin, one that does not focus on positive changes in our diet and lifestyle.  Instead there is a somewhat alarming trend of both women and men, driven to start serious (and often very costly) surgical procedures at a younger and younger age. New fillers designed to plump up facial lines are being rushed to market and intensively advertised.  Moreover, the use of neurotoxins (neuro-nerve—toxin—poison) that paralyze muscles to smooth out wrinkles and expression lines, is also rampant.

When we lose muscle mass and tone, we lose the youthful contours of our face and body. We know that the ultimate weak muscle is one that is paralyzed, leading one to conclude that paralyzing the muscles in the face may not be the best strategy for achieving a youthful look during the ensuing years.  While these products offer the quick fix, what will be the long-term result? I believe that there will always be a place for a wide variety of procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, but I do not believe that the future of youthful looking skin lies in an acceleration of invasive treatments, injectible fillers, neurotoxins or radical surgery.

Regular appointments using visible non laser light in conjunction with the rejuvenation of facial muscles via the use of pulsed electric current to the face are in great demand as these procedures actually re-educate our facial muscles, while improving both the tone and texture of the skin. The process diminishes the appearance of lines and wrinkles and produces a natural lift without the use of surgery or other invasive methods.  These non-invasive procedures keep the face youthful, wrinkle and sagging free without the artificial look of surgical procedures.

The therapeutic LED light treatments in conjunction with the strengthening of muscles in the face, neck and eye area through electric current can achieve a youthfully contoured and lifted look to the face that is both natural and attractive.  I firmly believe that strengthening the muscles to produce more youthful contours as opposed to paralyzing them, is the wave of the future.

If you want to look and feel as young as you possibly can for as long as you possibly can, you need to begin with the quality of the food you eat and end with the quality of the products you put on your skin.

As a dermatologist, I have always been fascinated with topicals— especially topical treatments with anti-inflammatory properties as these have the greatest efficacy.  However it is important to remember that your diet is vitally important to the health and beauty of your skin.  Eat fish, fresh fruit and veggies, drink water and avoid sugary and starchy foods for a visible nutritional face lift.

Have you ever considered an invasive cosmetic procedure? Tell me your story.

Red wine contains a powerful heart-healthy, anti-cancer, anti-aging antioxidant called resveratrol. It also appears that resveratrol helps protect the skin against the sun’s UV radiation. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have the highest concentration of antioxidants. Just be sure to keep it to one glass, and have your wine with a meal to mitigate the inflammatory effects of alcohol.

As an active researcher, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Stress is a proven precipitator of acne. Yes, men also suffer from stress, but because of their hormonal differences, adult women are much more adversely affected. Recent statistics from the American Dermatology Association report that the median age for patients suffering from acne has been gradually increasing. Earlier it used to be 20.5 years, whereas now it is approximately 26.5 years or age. More than 17 million adults are diagnosed with acne in the US, of which 50 % are adult women and 25% are adult men.

It is a sad but true fact that acne often rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times possible. Acne has an uncanny knack for flaring up just in time for that big date, job interview, wedding day or other special event in our lives. This happens with alarming frequency – far too often in fact to chalk it up to “bad luck” or coincidence. There is a physiological reason for these untimely flare-ups and its name is stress.

Of all of the physical conditions we experience, stress is the most deadly. Many circumstances create stress in our daily lives. Arguing with family, friends or colleagues, not getting enough sleep, worrying, working too hard or even playing too hard can all create stress. Weekend warriors, who try to make up for a week of inactivity by spending hours engaged in strenuous physical sports, raise their stress levels to an unhealthy degree. Any activity that is practiced without moderation can lead to a stress response. This is extremely important to remember if you hope to gain control of your acne flare-ups.

For those of you familiar with my work in the anti-aging field, you know that elevated levels of the hormone, cortisol (also referred to as the ‘death’ hormone) are very destructive to the body. Elevated cortisol levels cause an increase in blood sugar. This in turn causes an instant response from our cells as they enter an extreme pro-inflammatory mode. Because acne is a systemic, inflammatory disease, any increase in inflammation will result in an increase in the length and severity of the outbreak.

Mars vs. Venus, Androgens and Acne
When our blood sugar and insulin levels rise, whether from a poor diet or from stress, we experience a serious increase in inflammatory chemicals at a cellular level. This causes inflammatory diseases such as acne to worsen dramatically. Cortisol and other adrenal steroids can act as androgens and stimulate the sebaceous (oil) glands resulting in a flare-up of acne. Although men are affected by stress and pro-inflammatory cortisol response, women suffer from both the pro-inflammatory cortisol-sugar-insulin connection, as well as the effect of the male-type hormones. Men are not affected from high levels of androgens in the same way that women are. Women are most susceptible to adrenal hormone stimulation because most of the women’s androgens are synthesized in the adrenal glands. The stimulation of the oil glands results in changes such as the clogging of the pores and increased secretion of pro-inflammatory fatty acids. These pro-inflammatory fatty acids release the chemical messengers known as cytokines, and so the inflammatory fire is fed. Men with high levels of androgen circulating do not suffer from the androgen affect like women.

The Top Ten

But the news is not all bad. We can learn how to lower cortisol levels and stop acne before it starts. Follow these simple rules and you will enjoy lowered stress levels, increased energy, elevated moods and sense of well-being and clear, radiant skin.

1. Follow the anti-inflammatory diet,
2. Make sure that you get enough sleep
3. Try to minimize stress in your life
4. Don’t drink coffee. Coffee contains many organic acids which affect our blood sugar and cortisol levels. It is not specifically because of the caffeine because you can drink a cup of decaffeinated coffee at 8 AM and your cortisol levels will still be measurable at 10 PM –the same effects as a cup of regular coffee.
5. Set aside time for meditation, prayer or a walk in Nature. It is a well- established fact that people who do this have significantly lower cortisol levels. Long term benefits include keeping our skin clear, maintaining a healthy immune system and preventing age-related diseases, such as diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease
6. Consider learning some simple Yoga exercises. Substitute green tea for coffee.
7. Make sure that there are plenty of essential fatty acids in your diet because essential fatty acids can decrease cortisol levels.
8. Take nutritional supplements including alpha lipoic acid, zinc, DMAE, pantothenic acid.
9. Add essential fatty acids such as borage and evening primrose oil which are rich in linoleic acid. Acne sufferers have a low concentration of linoleic acid in their sebum and the levels decrease as the acne increases.
10. Adopt a loving, non-judgmental pet

I have often wondered how so many of Hollywood’s most stunning faces manage to have such clear complexions, given the high level of stress in the entertainment industry. The answer may be that a great many of them are huge pet lovers. Think Oprah, Jessica Alba, Heidi Klum, Rachael Ray, Paula Abdul, Jessica Biel, Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, Elizabeth Taylor, just to name a few. Perhaps this is the ideal ‘prescription,’ for beautiful, luminous, acne-free skin.

As an active researcher, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

View PerriconeMD acne products here

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However, there is good news on the horizon. The nutritional supplement, niacin bound chromium (NBC) appears to produce similar effects when compared to caloric restriction.

Niacin Bound Chromium (NBC) for Life Extension
My colleague at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Harry Preuss, recently alerted me to very new and exciting findings. Animal studies found that chromium polynicotinate, also known as niacin-bound chromium (NBC) increased the average lifespan by twenty percent compared to animals taking a placebo. The NBC helps to lower the levels of circulating glucose (sugar) in the body. One of the reasons I advocate eliminating (as much as possible) sugar and simple starches from your diet is because high levels of circulating glucose in the body increase the presence of free radicals, which are the primary cause of metabolic disorders which can lead to diabetes. Scientists have repeatedly demonstrated that diabetes represents a premature form of aging, because of the damage caused by the excessively perturbed glucose-insulin system. This is really exciting news and one of the first strategies (other than caloric deprivation) shown to positively impact life-span

Chromium is a very important trace mineral that promotes normal insulin function and is essential for proper protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. As any anti-aging scientist well knows, elevated levels of insulin and blood sugar significantly accelerate cellular aging. Research now shows that the type of chromium known as NBC has a superior anti-aging and safety profile.

Extensive clinical and basic research utilizing a unique form of oxygen-coordinated niacin-bound chromium—generally known as chromium nicotinate or polynicotinate (trade name ChromeMate®) has shown that the niacin-bound form of chromium is the superior form (some forms have a worrisome profile, therefore I recommend utilizing the ChromeMate® brand for both safety and efficacy).

This form of NBC provides significant health benefits to those with diabetes and with metabolic syndrome and is, indeed, the most optimal form of chromium available as a dietary supplement.
The main benefits of NBC include:
• Promotion of proper insulin function and normal blood sugar levels
• Promotion of healthy blood cholesterol levels, normal blood pressure, and cardiovascular health
• Promotion of healthy body weight and lean body mass

Preserving Lean Muscle Mass
As we age we gain body fat and lose muscle mass. Fortunately there are several key nutrients that help us preserve lean muscle mass, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and chromium.

Experts in the field of nutrition report that the general population of the United States is deficient in chromium–and it should come as no surprise that low levels of chromium are associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease—both of which are endemic in developed countries.

In a placebo-controlled, cross-over study, Dr. Preuss and a team of researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center showed that overweight African-American women consuming 600 mcg of chromium as niacin-bound chromium trade name ChromeMate® for 8 weeks had a significant loss of body fat and sparing of muscle (lean body mass) compared with a prior placebo period of the same duration. Increased fat loss was also observed among women who were randomized to consume chromium first, followed by placebo, suggesting a carry-over effect of the supplementation on fat loss. No adverse effects were observed.

Studies have also been published noting that increased consumption of sugar (and related sweeteners) depletes our body stores of chromium, placing us at further risk for hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia (too much blood sugar, too much insulin).

In a perfect world, we would avoid refined sweeteners. Realistically we know that we all succumb to sugar’s siren song on occasion, therefore remember to make sure that you take a chromium supplement to prevent depleting your body’s stores of this important nutrient.

As always I welcome your comments and suggestions,

Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, CNS

We invite you to listen as Dr. Perricone explains this innovative philosophy and offers solutions to that will change how you look and feel.

Wild Salmon contains essential fatty acids and powerful antioxidants such as the carotenoid, astaxanthin, that have important anti-inflammatory properties. My decades of research show that chronic, sub-clinical inflammation is the single greatest precipitator of aging and age-related diseases. These include heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, certain forms of cancer, and wrinkled skin.

Salmon is also probably the world’s most heart healthy source of protein. It is rich in long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acids—the most beneficial kind—which protect heart health, inhibit inflammation, act as natural anti-depressants, increases feelings of well-being, and help keep skin young, supple and radiant.

With the average age of menopause at 51 here in the US, at the age of 50, Madonna, a fan of the anti-inflammatory diet, needs to be sure that her food choices are especially cardio-protective. This is because after menopause, the risk of heart disease in women becomes comparable to the incidence in men. As a physician, I was quite astonished to learn that heart disease kills 10 times as many women as breast cancer.

So eat salmon, be healthy, look great.

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