the perricone prescription.

There’s a lot to be said for eating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Disease prevention, weight loss and maintenance – but did you know it also works miracles on your skin?

This book {or audiobook in my case} from Dr. Perricone centers around how diet influences the health of your skin. It tends to focus more on anti-aging, but following the principles of the book also applies to other skin issues, like breakouts. I’m in for both.

You won’t find any secrets or gimmicky ideas here – it’s all about eating a clean diet full of lean animal proteins, antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, and plenty of healthy fats. You likely already know most of the benefits of eating a diet like this, but if you’re anything like me, you’d be surprised to know how much what you put into your mouth impacts your skin.

Sure, the real diet recommended by Dr. Perricone would be pretty intense if you followed it exactly. When he lists all of the foods you shouldn’t eat, you may want to cry. But don’t. Because in my opinion, these lists should just be used to give you an idea of what happens in your body when you eat a given food. For the most part, the “bad foods” are high on the glycemic index, which causes spikes in insulin – resulting in inflammation. And inflammation is what goes on to cause all of the dis-eases in your body, wrinkles and breakouts included.

Carrots, for example, have a higher glycemic index than cookies. Strange, but true. Does this mean you should never eat carrots? No. For one, the fiber and nutrients in a carrot make it a better choice than a cookie. But it is interesting to know that eating a carrot may cause a spike in blood sugar, and may not be the best vegetable choice depending on how your body reacts to it.

And just like the consumption of excess sugars and saturated fats may result in weight gain and/or disease, there are going to be tangible effects on your skin. Look at it this way: Your body is a temple. What you put into it is going to effect your overall health and well-being. If eating garbage has a negative impact on other parts of your body, why wouldn’t it impact your skin? It is your largest organ, after all.

Dr. Perricone recommends trying his diet plan for three days to start. He says that you will see such direct results in your skin in even that short time period, that it should encourage you to go the full 28 days. Now, as we all know, I hate the word “diet” – because it refers to something that you usually won’t be able to keep up. In this case, I think the plan would be worth following as a way to help someone explore a healthier pattern of eating.  I never followed the exact diet – for me, it makes more sense to learn about the foods and how they may help or harm you, and take that knowledge with me to follow in moderation.

Here is an example of what one day of the eating plan looks like.

Breakfast
3 egg omelet and/or 4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (not instant)
2” wedge of cantaloupe or 1/3 cup fresh berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Lunch
4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
2 cups green salad (Romaine lettuce or other dark leafy greens with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon)
1 kiwi fruit or cantaloupe and berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Snack
1 apple
2 oz sliced turkey breast or 6 oz plain yogurt
Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

Dinner
4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
2 cups green salad
1/2 cup steamed veggies (asparagus, broccoli, spinach, etc. – no root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or beets)
Cantaloupe and berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Before Bedtime Snack
1 pear or apple
2 oz sliced chicken or turkey breast or 6 oz plain yogurt
Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

I don’t think it’s too bad. I’m used to eating this way, for the most part – on the weekdays, at least. I can vouch for the fact that eating small meals like this throughout the day increases your energy levels, and definitely helps with weight management. There’s no question in my mind that if you did follow his plan for the full 28 days, you’d be losing some kind of weight. A promise of better skin and the likelihood of dropping a few pounds? It seems like a win-win to me. I can say that since I’ve read the book, I’ve started to make some different choices with the knowledge I’ve obtained, and I have seen an improvement in my skin.

There is obviously a ton of information in this book, but here are a few more of the key points that resonated with me:

• We all know I love my protein, but Dr. Perricone brings to light the importance of eating protein {especially animal protein} when it comes to defeating sagginess and wrinkles. Another point: Always eat your protein first. So, if you’re having egg whites and fruit, make sure to eat your eggs first. The reason is that taking in the protein first “blocks” the sugar in the fruit from spiking your blood sugar. This is why the French eat their salads after the main course. Smarties.

• No coffee – it causes insulin to spike and thus triggers cortisol. Wah. I love my coffee, but this week I’ve been experimenting with switching to black tea in the mornings instead. I think no matter what I’d still enjoy my coffee on the weekends, but right now I’m open to the idea of cutting back during the week. We’ll see what happens.

• Dr. Perricone recommends a lot of supplements, such as DMAE, Omega 3, Vitamin C Ester, etc. He sells them in packages but they’re pretty pricey – you can find the same substances elsewhere for cheaper. I’ve started taking a few of them, and I will likely write another post on supplements in general with the results I see.

• Hydration is so important. If you’re even slightly dehydrated, this can lower your metabolism by 3% – causing a gain of a pound every 6 months. No, thank you. This was a no-brainer for me – I already drink tons of water – but I can’t stress it enough. It’s important.

• When you are going to eat sugar, like chocolate for example {dark is best because of the antioxidants}, it’s best to balance it with a fat or protein – it will help stabilize your blood sugar. So, dark chocolate with almonds? Yes, please.

• A lot of this book centers around the importance of eating healthy fats. Your skin {and the rest of your body} needs these to stay supple and functioning. Good sources: extra-virgin olive oil and fatty fish like salmon.

• Salmon must be wild. Farm-raised salmon contains all kinds of toxins and has none of the same health benefits that wild salmon produces. Don’t be fooled by “Atlantic” salmon – this means it’s farm-raised, since salmon does not grow naturally in the Atlantic ocean. Look for Alaskan salmon – this insures it’s wild. There’s a lot more I want to say about salmon, in particular – so be on the lookout for another post on this.

Like I said, there is so much information in this book – I’m sure I’m leaving out a million things. If any of it interests you, I definitely recommend getting a copy. And if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask!