On a recent trip to Los Angeles I ran into Ariel, a former neighbor of mine who had relocated to California.
"Dr. Perricone this is perfect timing! I am seriously considering a few major surgical procedures and would welcome your guidance," Ariel confided. Although only in her early 40's, Ariel showed many signs of aging on her face and neck. "I want to start with a laser resurfacing to see if I can even out my skin tone and erase some of these fine lines in my eye area," she continued. "After that I want to try Botox for the forehead frown lines."
Ariel has the "peaches and cream" type of complexion prevalent in many blondes and red heads. However, whatever her beauty routine was - or wasn't - her complexion was red and irritated. Her skin appeared dry and lacked radiance. I suspected that Ariel was on a very low-fat, low-protein diet. She was not only extremely thin; her face had lost the youthful contours that only a healthy layer of subcutaneous fat can provide. In addition, the skin on her chin and around her mouth was taking on a wrinkled appearance that made her look older than her years.
I explained to Ariel that I had helped many of my patients diminish fine lines, uneven skin tone and many other problems usually associated with aging - but it was not through chemical or invasive procedures. I suggested that before she tries these more drastic measures, she give my three-tiered approach a try for three days. If she was happy with the results, I would encourage her to start the 28 Day Program.
I often ask my patients concerned with aging, health and beauty the following question:
Q: What does a child, someone on the 3 day nutritional face lift, and someone in love all have in common?
A. They all have that special glow that comes from the regulation of neuropeptides.
Certain neuropeptides control blood flow, giving us that rosy glow that children and people in love manifest so beautifully. When we are sick, poorly nourished, dehydrated or depressed, our complexions become sallow, dull and gray.
While I can't promise that the Perricone Program will help you to fall in love, I can promise that you will recreate that special glow - a glow that everyone will notice.
I explained to Ariel that radiant beauty has to come from the inside - starting with diet. The right foods can help us regulate neuropeptide production and reduce inflammation. This is important because as we age the production of important neuropeptides, as well as hormones, neurotransmitters, and cell turnover diminishes while inflammatory chemicals increase.
By following the Rainbow Foods principle and the 28-Day Program, Ariel would be eating wild Alaskan salmon - a brain food whose nutrients have great activity in the skin, increasing radiance and tone. She would also be eating liberal amounts of deeply colored fruits and vegetables, including cantaloupe and blueberries. She would be drinking plenty of water and having two salads a day dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. She would also enjoy snacking on raw, unsalted nuts, such as walnuts and almonds. And she would kick her coffee habit.
I could see Ariel cringe at the idea of eating nuts (aren't they high in fat?) And olive oil (what about my "diet" dressing?).
The right fats plump up the skin - without them we will age prematurely and the first place this aging will be visible will be in the face. I explained to Ariel that a bagel, low-fat muffin, or the ubiquitous rice cake would not only accelerate aging, they would actually block the body from burning fat. I also pointed out the area around her mouth and chin that had developed a "crepey" appearance.
"Ariel, with the right foods, nutritional supplements, and a couple of targeted topical formulations I think we can firm this skin up. Are you willing to give my plan a try?"
I gave Ariel a box of supplements that contained all the necessary nutrients divided into individual packets for ease of use. I also started her on my recently formulated peptide supplement, as well as the PEP functional food with instructions to take one heaping teaspoon mixed with warm water upon arising. Both the peptide supplement and the peptide food have been developed to work synergistically with the most exciting new topical treatments I have come across in more than two decades of research - Topical Neuropeptide Therapy.
Because we had some serious rejuvenation to accomplish for Ariel I gave her three products. After cleansing with an anti-inflammatory cleanser, Ariel was to apply to face and throat a peptide serum prep, a clear liquid that would thoroughly saturate the skin with a mixture of peptides and DMAE (another anti-inflammatory). Step two was the application of a special peptide facial conformer. The third and final step was the application of a peptide contour cream. This last step was crucial for Ariel as we needed to add the appearance of lift and firm the throat area and tone and tighten the appearance of the skin in the area around the mouth and chin.
Ariel was a prime candidate for the incomparable power of the topical neuropeptide formulation.
Ariel embraced the Perricone program wholeheartedly. She admitted to me later that she felt that she was at a crossroad. If she didn't do something now to try to regain a more youthful and healthy appearance, it would be all downhill from here.
"Dr. Perricone, let me tell you, I ate lots of salmon and really enjoyed it!" Ariel reported five weeks later. "I drank the water, gave up coffee and diet soda and drank green tea instead, and made sure to include plenty of salad with fresh herbs, olive oil, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Not only did I not gain weight, I had all this energy and actually started going to the gym again. And I took the supplements, morning and evening."
Ariel's skin literally glowed. The anti-inflammatory foods, supplements, and rejuvenating powers of the polysaccharide peptide food helped to repair and restore her complexion from the inside out. She had also lost the gaunt and haggard look that she was beginning to develop. Much to my delight, the skin around her mouth and chin now had a smoother, more toned and firmer appearance.
"I could hardly believe it, but I saw immediate results in the appearance of my skin from the first application of the topical peptides," Ariel continued. "That's what motivated me to follow the entire program - in fact, I thought I was going to have an accident on the LA Freeway because I could not stop admiring my new face in the rearview mirror!"
Reprinted from the Perricone Promise
