Diet for wrinkles

What to choose – a thin waist or a fresh face? Alas, sometimes it’s impossible to combine this: many “load” diets bring wrinkles to the desired harmony. Someone begins to hastily eliminate the consequences with the help of creams and cosmetic procedures. Someone sighs: “There’s nothing to be done, after a certain age – either a face or a figure.” And someone – including Julia Roberts, Kim Cattrall, Uma Thurman and other recognized beauties – are sure that you can lose weight while maintaining a beautiful complexion. The main thing is to choose the right diet.

Down with free radicals

Nicolas Perricone’s first book on skin health came out 15 years ago and was called The Cure for Wrinkles. According to Dr. Perricone, the main sources of aging are free radicals, active, unstable molecules that easily combine with other substances. The more free radicals are formed, the more active oxidative processes are in the body. Cells are damaged by oxidation. This leads to a whole bunch of diseases, and at the same time, under the influence of oxidative stress (this is what the process of cell damage as a result of oxidation is called), the body begins to age rapidly.

Sweetness is not fun

According to Dr. Perricone, free radicals literally “wound” the skin with wrinkles. Where do they come from? Literally from the air – from excessive solar radiation, smoking, exhaust gases. And also – from food, mostly fatty and sweet. Cakes, sweets and sausage prevent the skin from being young and beautiful. And what’s the point of using creams and making an appointment with a beautician? Maybe fix your diet first? According to Nicholas Perricone, the “three pillars” on which nutrition should be built are:

1. Omega-3 fatty acids

2. Proteins

3. Antioxidants, that is, substances that neutralize the “sabotage” work of free radicals.

The Anti-Wrinkle Diet helps to slow down oxidative processes, and thus not only prevents aging, but also protects us from many diseases, relieves us of a few extra pounds. Initially, a highly specialized nutrition system was subsequently finalized by the author, and now it is a comprehensive program of youth, harmony and health.

Which products to choose

Shopping in the supermarket Perricone advises to start with foods that are rich in antioxidants, which means they contribute to the fight against wrinkles.

• Salmon. Preferably – wild, for example, from Alaska. Nicholas Perricone recommends eating this fish at least 5 times a week, as it contains valuable fatty acids. In addition to salmon, Perricone recommends tuna, cod, flounder, trout and halibut.
• Greens and green leafy vegetables. This is asparagus, and spinach, and broccoli, and watercress. All of them are just a storehouse of antioxidants. Asparagus, for example, contains the bioflavonoid rutin, which strengthens the walls of thin skin capillaries, as well as glutathione, whose main task is to suppress the action of free radicals.
• Olive oil. The unsaturated fatty acids it contains nourish the skin and prevent the aging process.
• Red wine. According to Perricone, it is precisely those acids that are present in red wine that best balance the fat content of salmon. In addition, red wine is a good remedy for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
• Green tea, jasmine is best. Fans of this tea may not worry about the dangers of caffeine: its negative effect is completely suppressed by theonine.
• Nuts. Walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts prevent the formation of plaque on the walls of arteries that provoke strokes and heart attacks.
• Apples and pears. One apple covers our daily fiber requirement by 15-25%. And one pear is about 10% of the daily dose of copper and vitamin C.
• Oatmeal. But not instant cereal, but good old porridge made from whole oat grains. It contains enough fiber, which is necessary for weight loss, as well as for regulating blood sugar levels.
• Cinnamon and turmeric. Cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar levels, while turmeric evens out skin tone and protects cells from oxidative stress, one of the causes of aging.
• Village eggs. It is believed that the eggs of hens eating natural food contain 20 times more omega-3 fatty acids.
• Lemons. They contain unique phytonutrients that support collagen and elastin levels in the skin.
• Berries. They contain a huge amount of anthocyanins, carotenoids and other useful substances with a variety of properties. For example, blueberries improve memory and vision, while raspberries stimulate collagen production.
• Natural yoghurt. An excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, zinc, potassium and proteins. In addition, yogurt improves immunity.
• Chickpea. Reduces cholesterol levels and prevents sudden spikes in blood sugar. Contains a large amount of healthy fiber and protein.

Things to Avoid

In addition to baked goods, convenience foods, sugar, butter, and sugary drinks, Dr. Perricone also redlists bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, beef, coffee, cheese, grapes, watermelon, bananas, carrots, and corn. What were they guilty of? In that they contain either saturated fats (cheese, butter, meat), or “fast” carbohydrates. Both provoke inflammatory processes in cells, which means it brings aging closer.

But what about those products that are not included in either the “green” or “red” list? To eat or not to eat? The criterion is simple: we choose those that have the lowest glycemic index (it shows how quickly a particular product raises blood sugar levels). The lower the GI, the “safer” the product. Most fruits and vegetables have a GI of less than 50 and are safe to include in your diet. For those products whose GI goes off scale for 50, Nicholas Perricone recommends being treated with caution. By the way, the GI of sugar, beer and fried potatoes is about 100!

One day in the struggle for beauty and harmony

Nicholas Perricone has developed several diet options. There are, for example, three-day courses aimed at intensive skin tightening or cleansing. Those who would like to boost their metabolism can try the “metabolic” version of the diet – in addition to changing the diet, it involves taking special supplements. But the most popular is the basic diet for beauty and harmony. Her course is designed for 28 days and, with the right approach, allows not only to improve complexion and increase skin elasticity, but also to lose a few kilograms. For example, here is how one day of the four-week “beauty marathon” will look like:

• After waking up – 200 ml of water.
• Breakfast – 100 g smoked salmon, 1/3 cup slow-cooked oatmeal with cinnamon and 2 tbsp. l. blueberries, 1 tsp chia seeds, green tea or water.
• Lunch – 100-150 g of boiled turkey fillet, lettuce, tomato, white bean and asparagus salad.
• Snack – 50 g baked chicken fillet, 4 hazelnuts, 4 celery stalks.
• Dinner – 100 g boiled salmon, 1 cup green vegetable soup (artichokes, watercress, etc.), ½ cup boiled spinach, green tea or water.

In addition to the diet, Perricone “prescribes” workouts: three times a week aerobic exercise, three times – power, and one day is allotted for rest and meditation.