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Preserving Lean Muscle Mass

Dr. Perricone — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:38:06 +0000

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.

A Longer, Healthier Life, as easy as NBC

Dr. Perricone — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:50:20 +0000

For many years, researchers in the field of aging believed that the only way you could increase lifespan was by caloric restriction (CR). This is because low caloric intake will improve blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity, thereby helping to prevent one of the most dangers pitfalls of aging, obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recommend calorie deficits are approximately 250 – 500 calories, about 30% less food than we would normally eat. While this is an effective strategy, you won’t be incorrect when I state that is not overwhelmingly popular.

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.

As always I welcome your comments and suggestions,

Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, CNS

In Full Swing—Secrets to a Longer, Healthier Life

Dr. Perricone — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:55:14 +0000

Scientists long ago established that exercise greatly reduces both the incidence and severity of age-related degenerative diseases. But we don’t just want to live longer; we want to extend the number of our healthy years. We want to stay fit and active with the capacity to enjoy life to its fullest. Gerontologists refer to this as our ‘health span’ – as opposed to our simple “life span” – and universally agree that exercise is a crucial component to extend and improve them both. The right exercise will strengthen our bones and muscles, improve and restore physical and emotional balance, relieve stress and improve physical, mental and emotional health.

Exercise will also significantly decrease the effects of what is known as “secondary aging”- the occurrence and severity of diseases associated with aging. In fact, it is these degenerative diseases from arthritis to Alzheimer’s that are often responsible for reducing both the life and the health span. Exercise is a key element in helping us to prevent disease and prolong our good health into our seventh, eighth, ninth decade and beyond. In recognition of this, I would like to tell you about a wonderful story headlined “102 Year-Old Golfer Scores Hole in One.” Elsie McLean, a golfer since the 1920’s set a new world record for the oldest woman, or man to hit a hole in one. “Well everybody wants a hole-in-one, and I said, ‘Why can’t I have a hole-in-one?’ I came within inches once,” Elsie told television station KNVN. She broke the age record of 101 set by Harold Stilson in 2001 at Deerfield Country Club in Florida. “For an old lady,” she said, “I still hit the ball pretty good.” She added.

Elsie not only enjoys a physically active lifestyle and fresh air through her love of golf, she also has friends to enjoy the game with—thereby avoiding two of the sorrows of advanced age, loneliness and isolation.

As always I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, CNS

The 10 Sins of Skin Aging

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:42:34 +0000

Pro-Inflammatory foods (sugar and starches)
Foods can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Avoid pro-inflammatory foods—these will promote wrinkles, a host of diseases, accelerate aging and cause the storage of body fat. Eating pro-inflammatory foods such as sugary and starchy foods shows up on the skin as a loss of radiance, dark circles under the eyes, the loss of tone, puffiness, an increase in fine lines and wrinkles, the loss of facial contours and increased pore size. These foods can also exacerbate acne, which is a systemic, inflammatory disease. I am not exaggerating when I say that sugar can rob you of your youth, health, and beauty.

Excessive exposure to the sun.
Although we have all heard it a million times, excessive sun exposure will accelerate skin aging and cause skin cancer. We need to get some sun in order to absorb Vitamin D and keep our bones strong and healthy. However, baking out in the hot sun at the beach or by the pool is very destructive to your skin, as well as to your immune system. Excess sun exposure will cause photoaging, resulting in the following:

Loss of skin elasticity
Thinner, more translucent-looking skin
Wrinkles
Dry, rough, leathery skin
Broken capillaries on the face
Freckles,
Liver spots on the face, back of hands, arms, chest and upper back
Spots or blemishes on the lower legs and arms
Skin Cancer

Stress
Of all the destructive, pro-inflammatory and pro-aging forces I have observed as a physician, nothing compares with the negative effects of stress. Stress causes certain hormonal changes in your body, which rapidly alters the function of the cells in your vital organs. Not surprisingly, these effects are reflected in the appearance of your skin.

Stress causes the release of the hormone cortisol. When we have large amounts of cortisol circulating in our blood streams for extended periods of time, it is extremely toxic. Our brain cells, or neurons, are extremely sensitive to the effects of cortisol. When it is circulating at a high level, cortisol causes brain cells to die. Excess cortisol can destroy your immune system, shrink other vital organs, decrease your muscle mass, and cause thinning of the skin, accelerating skin aging and wrinkling and making blood vessels under skin more prominent.

Smoking Cigarettes and/or exposure to second hand smoke
Cigarette smoke is highly damaging and aging to skin. When we inhale just one puff of a cigarette, over a trillion free radicals are produced in our lungs, which then trigger an inflammatory response that circulates throughout our body. When we inhale tobacco smoke, the result is activation of white blood cells which line our arteries, causing an inflammatory response, predisposing us to heart disease.

In addition, there is a tremendous inflammatory response in all organs of the body —including the skin. Cigarette smoking depletes the skin of oxygen and vital nutrients including Vitamin C, critical in keeping skin youthful, moist and plumped up. Tobacco also acts as a vasoconstrictor, which means that it causes constriction of blood vessels. This reduces local blood flow to an area, and temporarily raises blood pressure. When the blood flow is reduced to the skin it results in a gray, pallid, lifeless and unhealthy looking complexion. Smoking also causes dry, leathery looking skin, premature deep lines, wrinkles and loss of radiance.

Excess Alcohol
People generally think that alcohol is bad for the skin just because it dehydrates the body. They incorrectly assume that increasing our water intake will counteract the problem. Unfortunately, alcohol creates inflammation throughout the body including the skin, resulting in effects that far outlast dehydration. The metabolites of alcohol are molecules known as aldehydes. Aldehydes are destructive in that they cause damage to the cell plasma membrane, as well as other parts of the interior of the cell.

Alcohol causes small blood vessels in the skin to widen, allowing more blood to flow close to the skin’s surface. This produces a flushed skin color and a feeling of warmth which can lead to broken capillaries on the face. The alcohol-induced dehydration also makes the skin more prone to fine lines and wrinkles.

Dullness, enlarged pores, discoloration, sagging and lack of resilience are some of the short and longer term effects. Because alcohol alters blood flow to the skin, it will give you an unhealthy appearance that can last for days. An occasional glass of red wine can confer some health benefits for a number of reasons. But as with everything from eating to exercise, moderation is the key. Too much alcohol is highly destructive.
Lack of sleep
A good night’s sleep will ensure that you awake refreshed, looking radiant and youthful. Adequate sleep is vital to avoid eye area puffiness and maintain vibrant skin. When we look at the hormone parameters during sleep, we find that sleep turns down the negative effects of cortisol and the “bad” neurotransmitters, like epinephrine and norepinephrine that can be elevated during stress. Growth hormone is released during sleep—and growth hormone is the youth hormone. The hormone melatonin is also released, which has a positive effect on the immune system and the skin. It is during sleep that we rebuild energy reserves and regenerate the body as our cells undergo a process of repair. Studies also show that inadequate sleep leads to unwanted weight gain and a craving for fat laden and carbohydrate-heavy foods.

People who exercise regularly enjoy improved sleep quality. They fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply, awaken less often, and sleep longer.
Lack of Exercise
There are mountains of studies proving that exercise can take off pounds, reduce incidence of heart disease, lower blood pressure, improve mood, solve sleep problems, and even cut risks of certain cancers. Exercise will also ensure that you have beautiful skin. Studies have indicated that exercise benefits the skin in much the same way it improves bone and muscle quality. Without regular activity, bones become fragile and muscles atrophy. When the skin of those who exercise regularly is examined under a microscope, the impact of their high fitness levels is clearly apparent. The clear skin is thicker and has more and healthier collagen, the fibers that give the skin its strength and flexibility. Exercise increases circulation and gives the skin a healthy and radiant glow. As long as we use moderation and don’t overdo it, exercise of almost any kind has a powerful, positive, and anti-inflammatory effect on all our cells.

Not eating enough protein
This ongoing lack of protein is first notable in the face, as the features become soft looking. The sharp definition, contoured cheekbones and that great jaw line all becomes blurred. When the supply of protein is depleted, the body is then forced to feed upon itself. This causes both tissue and muscle to breakdown. Protein cannot be stored in the body. Because it is essential for cellular repair, the days that we don’t eat enough protein are the days that we are accelerating aging.

Going fat free
Healthy fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat, have powerful anti-inflammatory effects improving skin’s moistness, texture, suppleness and smoothness. We need good fats, such as those found in salmon, sardines and other cold water fish, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and açai (a Brazilian berry whose fatty acid ratio resembles that of olive oil). These “good” fats will help us absorb nutrients from our vegetables and fruits, keep our cells supple, our skin glowing and wrinkle-free, our brains sharp and our mood upbeat. We also need dietary fat to burn fat.

Not drinking enough water
Remember these key facts: Water is important—If you do not drink water, your organs and cells cannot function. You don’t have to overdo it—but if you don’t drink water, you cannot metabolize fat, nor can you flush wastes out of the cells.

A dehydrated body provokes the development of aging, inflammatory compounds. Water has great anti-inflammatory properties and will help you skin to be radiant, soft and supple—the key difference between a grape and raisin is water.

Try Perricone Cold Plasma to reduce the 10 signs of aging.

Top 10 Food Additives to Avoid

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:01:43 +0000

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 of sugar; in fact, the word “sugar” may or may not appear on the label at all. Look for: white sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, invert sugar, raw sugar, beet sugar, turbinado sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrin, honey, maple, evaporated cane juice, malt, molasses, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, maltose.

Artificial coloring – synthetic food dyes are unnecessary and are either toxic or are possible carcinogens, which means that they may promote cancer.

Aspartame and all artificial sweeteners, including saccharin – these are dangerous excitotoxins with many negative effects.

BHT and BHA – used to preserve fats and oils. Studies indicate that they may be carcinogenic.

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) – used in citrus flavored sodas and banned in more than 100 countries. It has been linked to damage in the major organ systems. Apparently the FDA does not require that it be listed on labels—so avoid any citrus flavored sodas(such as lemon or lime )as it is a good bet that BVO is included.

Carrageenan – stabilizer and thickening agent; found in everything from ice cream to yogurt. May be a carcinogen and is linked to toxic hazards, including ulcers and cancer; In addition to suppressing immune function, carrageenan causes intestinal ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease in animals and some research indicates that carrageenan is associated with causing cancer in humans.

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils – these are the infamous trans fats directly linked to heart disease. The FDA published a paper stating that if people in the US stopped eating trans fat there would be 30,000 to 100,000 less deaths per year from CHD. Trans fats are also linked to breast and colon cancer, atherosclerosis, elevated cholesterol, depressed immune system, and allergies.

Nitrates – form powerful cancer-causing agents in stomach; are found in smoked foods such as deli foods, cured meats, bacon, hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage, etc.

MSG – A dangerous excitotoxin that may cause headaches, itching, nausea, nervous system and reproductive disorders, high blood pressure; pregnant, lactating mothers, infants, small children should avoid MSG; allergic reactions common; may be hidden in infant formula, low fat milk, candy, chewing gum, drinks, over-the-counter medications. Look for the following ingredients that contain MSG:


Monosodium Glutamate	Calcium Caseinate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein	Sodium Caseinate
Hydrolyzed Protein	Yeast Extract
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein	Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Plant Protein Extract	Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour	Corn Oil

Sulfites – can cause dangerous allergic reactions