An interesting article on WebMD where Dr. Perricone talks about wrinkles, maintaining a youthful appearance, and green tea in our diets. Here are a few snippets that I thought were most interesting:
“Moderator: What are the five worst things we do to our skin?
Perricone:
- Sun exposure
- A pro-inflammatory diet (That consists of sugar and starches)
- Cigarette smoking
- Lack of sleep
- Excess alcohol consumption“
“Perricone: If you truly want to maintain a youthful appearance, it is essential to get enough sleep. We should also mention that when we are getting adequate sleep, we release another hormone that is actually a youth hormone called human growth hormone. Human growth hormone does exactly the opposite of what cortisol does -- that is, it builds us up rather than breaking us down. It results in increased muscle mass, thicker skin, stronger bones, and an overall more youthful body.”
“Member: What about tea?
Perricone: If we just substitute green or black tea for coffee in our diets, I predict that in 6 weeks without changing anything else, you will loose 7 to 8 pounds of body fat. In addition, green tea contains substances that help relax us and elevate our mood and counteract the negative effects of the small amount of caffeine that is present. In addition, coffee elevates cortisol levels, which can accelerate the aging process. Therefore, I'm allowing tea as part of the 8 to 10 glasses of water required a day.”
Recommended Green Tea
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