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Sep. 9, 2003

Look Younger: 5 Super Simple Secrets!
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by Dr. Nicholas Perricone
Special To eDiets

Searching for a fountain of youth? Well, look no further.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone is the master of turning back time when it
comes to your skin. By following the advice of the board certified
clinical and research dermatologist, you'll look years younger. The
renowned skin scientist holds dozens of U.S. and international
patents for the treatment of skin and systemic disease, and for the
use of topical anti-inflammatories for reversing and preventing
damage to skin.

Dr. Perricone shares his anti-aging beauty secrets in his bestselling
book The Perricone Prescription, A Physician's 28-Day Program for
Total Body and Face Rejuvenation (HarperCollins).

In his debut column, Dr. Perricone shares discoveries in anti-aging
skin care, science-based strategies to enhance your appearance and
tips on eating for smooth, vibrant skin and a healthier body.

Get ready to enhance your beauty, health and well being at the hand
of America's favorite dermatologist.

1. Give Up Coffee

The simple fact is that coffee raises levels of one of the stress
hormones known as cortisol. Cortisol is essential for maintaining
homeostasis during acute forms of stress, like fear, physical trauma
and extreme physical exertion. But a problem arises when cortisol is
present for long periods of time and in excess quantities.

High levels of cortisol:

Increase body fat

Thin the skin

Cause depression of the immune system

Elevate blood sugar

Cause bone loss

Are toxic to brain cells

Cortisol raises blood sugar, which in turn raises insulin --
resulting in the storage of fat in the abdominal region. In short,
when we raise our cortisol levels, we run the risk of becoming fat,
wrinkled and depressed.

2. Drink Tea -- Especially Green Tea

Green tea contains one of nature's strongest natural antioxidants
called polyphenols. To quickly recap, an antioxidant is a substance,
which fights disease by decreasing inflammation on a cellular level
that is initiated by free radicals. Inflammation can cause cancer,
heart disease and many other life-threatening ailments. Perhaps worst
of all from a dermatological standpoint, inflammation also causes
wrinkled, sagging skin.

Green tea contains high levels of polyphenols, an antioxidant with
powerful anti-inflammatory activity. Green tea has also been reported
to boost the immune system, and countries that consume large amounts
of green tea (four + cups a day) have reported much lower incidence
of cancer and heart disease.

Studies have shown that green tea can also boost weight loss by two
separate mechanisms:

1. It decreases the absorption of fats.

2. It increases our calorie burning mechanism. Theonine in tea blocks
the negative effects of caffeine while acting as a natural mood
elevator. In addition, theonine is protective to brain cells in that
it prevents a negative reaction called cytotoxicity, which can lead
to the death of brain cells. Theonine also helps block the effects of
caffeine and increase feelings of well-being.

3. Drink 8 10 Glasses Of Water Per Day

If I could teach my patients and students three things that would
keep them forever young, they would be to drink water, to drink water
and then to drink more water. If you do not drink water, your organs
and cells cannot function.

Water will decrease inflammation in the body. Remember this important
fact -- even a partially dehydrated person will gain one pound of
weight every six months. A special note to both women and men -- you
will not become bloated if you drink water. In fact, 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. And remember, the difference between a grape
and a raisin is -- you guessed it -- water.

4. Eat Adequate, High Quality Protein

In my efforts to find answers to why we age, I reasoned that if aging
and sagging skin are characterized by the breakdown of our cells, the
antidote to aging might be cellular repair. Protein is essential to
cellular repair. The building blocks of our cells are composed of
amino acids. As protein is digested, it breaks down to amino acids,
which are then utilized by the cells to repair themselves. Without
adequate protein, our bodies enter into an accelerated aging mode.

This simple fact of life can change the way you look -- beginning
during your next meal. If your cells do not have complete
availability of all the essential amino acids, cellular repair will
not only be incomplete, but it will be much slower than it should be.

5. Avoid Fat Free or Low Fat Diets

This is not a blanket endorsement to run out to the nearest quarter-
pounder with cheese. I am recommending essential fatty acids, such as
those found in wild Alaskan salmon, nuts and seeds. Make sure you
include the essential fats at every meal. Why? Because of the
following:

It takes the right fats to burn fats in our body

Essential fatty acids keep our skin soft, supple and radiant

EFA's enhance moisture retention from within

EFA's assist in the repair of the natural moisture barrier of the
skin

In addition, EFA's provide great protection to the body's major organ
systems and the immune system.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Until next time,
Nicholas Perricone, MD

To get your copy of The Perricone Prescription, click here.

Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, is a board certified clinical and
research dermatologist. Dr. Perricone holds dozens of U.S. and
international patents for the treatment of skin and systemic disease,
and for the use of topical anti-inflammatories for reversing and
preventing damage to the skin caused by factors such as age, the sun,
the environment and hormonal changes. He is the author of two # 1 New
York Times best sellers, The Perricone Prescription and The Wrinkle
Cure. His most recent book is The Acne Prescription (HarperCollins).