Review: The Perricone Diet
The Perricone Diet is based upon the concept that what you eat can have a direct impact on how you look. Nicholas Perricone, author of the book, The Wrinkle Cure, maintains that while sunlight does cause skin damage, sugar is to blame for at least half of all skin aging. Perricone states that sugar leads to inflammation, which hurts the skin cells and causes the skin to sag.
The Perricone Diet, which is billed as a way to strip years from your face, is high in protein. Favorite foods on the diet include cold-water fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, which are known for their anti-inflammatory agents.
The diet encourages consumption of carbs in the form of broccoli, blueberries, kiwi, peaches, greens, and spinach. Such foods are low on the glycemic index, meaning that they deliver sugar to the body more slowly since they are fiber-rich. However, dieters are warned to steer clear of fruits and vegetables which are high on the glycemic index, such as bananas, corn, peas, and potatoes.
While some other dermatologists are leery of Perricone’s claims, others see him as a trailblazer. They note that cellular inflammation appears to be the culprit in diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s, so it is reasonable to think that inflammation also causes aging to the skin.
The Perricone Diet is based upon a 28-day program. And while fighting the effects of aging is the diet’s main goal, it can also be helpful in the fight against obesity. The diet consciously reduces consumption of saturated fats, offering protein as an alternative. Perricone, in fact, has determined that the majority of women do not eat enough protein, especially women who pursue low-calorie diets.
Generally speaking, people who have tried the Perricone Diet report encouraging results. Weight loss does not seem to be a problem, despite the fact that the plan is not primarily designed for that. Critics of the diet note, however, that eating wild salmon can become costly. (The diet recommends wild salmon rather than farmed salmon because of the antibiotics and other chemicals found in the farm-raised variety.)
Medical experts say that the Perricone prescription can have a positive impact, not only on your skin, but also on your general health. In addition to recommending specific food, Perricone suggests topical treatments for enhancing skin tone. These treatments tend to be expensive, although they can be purchased from discount providers.
If you’re following the Perricone Diet, the typical breakfast would include three egg whites and one whole egg, a half cup of oatmeal, and a serving of cantaloupe.
Lunch would consist of up to six ounces of grilled salmon or tuna, two cups of romaine lettuce, and more cantaloupe. You could indulge in a snack of two ounces of chicken breast and a green apple, while dinner would consist of more salmon, romaine lettuce, cantaloupe, and a cup of broccoli.
The menu can seem repetitive and unvaried at times; however, if you have a great deal of discipline and you’re looking for a positive improvement in your skin, the Perricone Diet may be appropriate for you.
Keep in mind however, that real evidence backing Perricone’s claims are in short supply, and there are cheaper ways to improve skin tone — drinking plenty of water is a good start. Supplementing with a molecularly-distilled cold water fresh fish oil is another (click here for a review of fish oil!)
