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Hidden Sugars – Sugar comes in many forms. As you might assume, when we eat sugar it raises our blood sugar, and chronically high levels of sugar in the blood lead to the creation of the sugar bonds known as AGEs. Therefore it is very important to learn to recognize that there are many forms [...]

The days of wearing nothing more than a bikini and a smear of baby oil between your skin and the sun are long past. However, the quick trip to the drugstore for a generic bottle of SPF 15 seems almost as obsolete. As a recent article in the New York Times reports, with terms like [...]

In the northeastern woods of Japan and the United States grows a ruffly-looking, exotic fungus with exciting possibilities, both culinary and nutritional. Called maitake or hen of the woods mushrooms, their woodsy aroma, meaty texture, and rich flavor have long given them special status in Japanese cuisine. Now, research is showing that maitake have potential [...]

Cures for breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers are still years away, but seemingly every day there is more exciting news about the power of prevention and early detection.  A better understanding of the root causes of these cancers along with an increased focus on healthy lifestyle practices and sophisticated screenings continues to give women power [...]

Now that the long, hot summer has drawn to a close, the toll of excess sun exposure may be appearing on your face and body.

Hyperpigmentation is one of the negative effects of chronic overexposure to sunlight, which also plays a role in skin aging and the development of skin cancer. In fact, it is UV radiation that is the main environmental factor that causes human skin aging. Fortunately, a new generation of anti-inflammatory, antioxidants can help counteract these problems.

The Sun + Hormonal Imbalances

Human skin, like other organs, undergoes chronological aging; however, unlike other organs, our skin is in direct contact with the environment. Even worse, our face and hands are the two areas that do not have protection from clothing, exacerbating the problem.However, it is not just the sun exposure at fault. Hormonal imbalances and other factors also contribute to the loss of radiance, uneven skin tone and skin discolorations; ongoing problems that worsen with each passing year.

Lightening the hyperpigmentation and skin discolorations has always been a challenge to many dermatologists, including myself. Many of the most popular substances used for this purpose are either ineffectual or potentially dangerous.

Introducing Pycnogenol^®

I was immensely pleased to learn that there was another option, a superior antioxidant known as Pycnogenol, a natural plant extract originating from the bark of the maritime pine tree, which grows exclusively along the unspoiled coast of southwestern France. Perricone readers know that antioxidant act as natural anti-inflammatories, and inflammation is a key factor in the vast majority of skin problems.

The omega 3 essential fatty acids are particularly important and the best sources are the cold water fish and fish oil capsules, with nuts and seeds as the second best source.

However, omega-3 is not the only type of essential fatty acid necessary for good health. Also important are the omega-6 and omega-9. All are needed to form and maintain the structural and functional integrity of cell membranes, provide fuel for cellular energy and create the hormone-like messenger chemicals, the prostaglandins and the eicosanoids, which regulate many key metabolic functions.

Because the body cannot make these essential fats, we must obtain them from our diets. This is a lot easier said than done. For one thing, many of us consume a low ratio of essential fatty acids compared to our intake of saturated fatty acids, such as those found in full fat dairy products and meat (we all know that saturated fats are pro-inflammatory and are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease).

Unfortunately, when most of us do consume essential fatty acids, they tend to be omega-6, which is found in grains and vegetable oils such as corn and safflower. In fact, very few of us are getting the proper ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, which may account for the growing prevalence of serious health conditions like heart attacks, cancer, asthma, lupus, schizophrenia, depression, accelerated aging, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes in our society.

This imbalance upsets the proverbial fat-metabolizing apple cart. An overabundance of omega-6 is inflammatory and interferes with the body’s ability to use omega-3s—a serious situation because of the positive effects of omega-3s we talked about earlier: They inhibit the calories we consume from being stored as body fat, while promoting the burning of body fat we already have. It is believed that humans evolved with a 1:1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6. It is now believed that the Western diet is 15:1 or significantly greater with the omega 6 intake far surpassing the omega 3 intake. To prevent disease and to look and feel your best, drastically limit intake of omega 6, eliminate all refined vegetables oils other than extra virgin olive oil and increase your intake of the omega 3’s.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss the best food choices to get your Omega 3s and Omega 6s.