The Perricone Prescription : A Physician's 28-Day Program for Total Body and Face Rejuvenation

Rating:
Summary: apparently salmon causes insanity
Review: if you want the cliff notes to this book, it goes something like this: carbs bad, protein good. Salmon: develop monomania for. Any grain but oats, bad, very bad. Kill you. Orange juice? Poison in the vein. Give Megan the insulin spike. Make her age before our eyes like in some B horror films. Never did like the name Megan. The whole "case study" seemed made-up.
Ok, listen, people: if you are the type of neurotic who jumps ten feet in the air and screams whenever the newest fad diet erupts on the scene, this book is for you. This book will tell you that the Food Guide Pyramid has been sadly misleading you in saying that carbohydrates should be the basis of a healthy diet. In fact, did you know that those "carbs" are killing you just as surely as poison? Oh yeah. Seems the only way to eat healthy is to eat protein like its going outta style, in particular salmon, natch. This causes weight loss. And everybody knows that a healthy diet is one that causes your weight to go down, right? I mean, isn't weight loss and health the same thing? I mean if you eat a lotta "carbs" and sit on your backside and don't do any exercise, doesn't your balooning weight indicate that "carbs" are the work of the devil? I mean it couldn't possibly be that inactivity is the problem, could it? Oh, yeah, I know, Perricone has got the baby boomers "lifting weights" : one lb dumbells is somehow supposed to be exercise. This is flim flam for the pseudofitness crowd: you know, the usual out-of-shape liberals who think that walking at a snail's pace is some kind of exercise. You know who this guy reminds me of? A somewhat pink version of Rex Harrison from The Music Man.

Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive program
Review: The physician-author starts the book with a review of the core-wrinkle free program including a 3-day manu. He reviews the connection between body inflammation and the aging processes. Chapter 3 focuses on his recommendations for a "wrinkle-free" diet. He then reviews anti-inflammatory supplements for beautiful skin including alfa-lipoic acid and vitamins etc followed by such agents for topical application including vitamin-c ester fortified creams, tocotrienol and olive oil as beauty products.

Finally, the author discusses whole body rejuvenation techniques like exercise program and reviews potential technologies of the future like light therapy, skin brightening agents etc.

Anil Minocha MD
Author: Natural Stomach Care


Rating:
Summary: Great Gift
Review:
I recommend Perricone Prescription to anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle and have younger looking skin.

Dr. Perricone has an easy-to-read writing style. In addition, the book is not only informative but also inspiring. Both in content and in style "Perricone Prescription" reminds me of "Can We Live 150 Years?" by Dr. Tombak. I keep both titles as my reference books. Although I know all the simple ideas presented by Tombak, I always get new motivation to improve my well-being and to become 150 whenever I read that book again...

Same with Perricone - I reach for the book whenever I feel that I start neglecting my skin again... To get the Best Value, Amazon.com suggest buying "Perricone Prescription" with "Perricone Promise" together. For me "Perricone Promise" is just an updated version of the original "Perricone Prescription" and there is no need to have them both. I find a bundle of Perricone and Tombak a better combination as they supplement each other. In fact, I think that a bundle of one book of each of the authors make a very good gift idea for anyone who cares about their health, beauty, and longevity.

Rating:
Summary: Baseless claims?
Review: I don't have a problem with the diet; as far as it goes; it probably won't hurt you. But anyone who thinks this man's work has a basis in research should definitely read the Feb 5 2005 NY Times Magazine article entitled "Perriconology". You can search for it at www.nytimes.com.


Here is an interesting excerpt:

"It in fact seemed impossible to find any doctor, dermatologist or otherwise, in four different cities, to go on the record when talking about Perricone, pro or con. That he used his medical credentials to sell his diet and products while skipping the peer-review process, seemed, in that world at least, a significant breach. An academic hematologist who has done research for almost 30 years said: 'There is a Pygmalion complex in research where you fall in love with your own work. But the gold standard is, are there objective observers who can verify it? What is the data to support that diet switches off or retards inflammation? Where is the controlled, randomized, independent-observer study? Or is this anecdotal?'"

Rating:
Summary: You won't lose your wrinkles, but do the diet and exercise.
Review: Dr. Perricone wants you to believe his theory that skin aging and wrinkles are caused by inflamation; and inflamation is mostly caused by a lack of protein in your diet. This bogus theory is good news if you own a meat market. Despite his overreaching efforts to categorize this theory as scientific, he fails to mention that no respected scientists agree with him. His only original "study" of the subject consisted of a few dozen of his coworkers. Many of the "before" and "after" pictures he offers are puzzling because you can't tell which is before and which is after! Human vanity is forever hopeful: promise the "fountain of youth" and someone will buy whatever you are selling.

Even though his theory is bad, many people would still see substantial health benefits if they followed his diet and exercise program. He advocates regular exercise. The exercises illustrated are simple and suitable for most beginners. His diet plan proscribes against eating many unhealthful foods including: red meat (except Canadian bacon?), dairy (except yogurt?), coffee, fried foods, and processed grains such as white flour breads, pasta, crackers, pastries, and desserts. Anyone who stops eating those foods is bound to feel better. The foods he recommends to eat are fish, water, legumes, and specified fruits and vegetables. As a vegetarian, I don't agree with his recommendation for fish or for disallowing whole grains. Also, the fruits and vegetables which he includes and excludes seems a little silly, but I won't quibble with him. The conventional diet most people eat contains too much of the foods Perricone prohibits. His diet and exercise program should promote weight loss and better health for those people. Will it cure your skin wrinkles as he says? Don't bet on it.

There is more to his program beyond diet and exercise. He has a long list of food supplements and topical creams and potions he recommends. Incidentally, he also just happens to run a company that sells all of the recommended supplements and potions. How convenient! But the supplements are generally available over-the-counter anyway, and at substantially lower prices than he charges.

The book title says it is a 28 day program. What happens after 28 days? You must figure that out for yourself. Astoundingly, Perricone never discusses it.

Forget the supplements and potions. Forget his theory about skin aging. If you are not doing it now, just follow his diet and exercise program for 28 days. You won't lose any wrinkles, but you'll likely feel better and weigh less.

Rating:
Summary: 28 days program - give it a chance
Review: I am a very health conscious person and my personal favorite is rather unknown book by Dr. Tombak titled "Can We Live 150 Years?". Although Dr. Tombak seems to have covered every aspect of once life from the viewpoint of health, self-help, and longevity, I still have my ears and eyes open for other good educational materials how to feel good and look younger.

Considering the above it is only understandable that after seeing Dr. Perricone on TV, I went to my local book store looking for his books. I found in "The Perricone Prescription " a lot of advice on looking younger. I suggest the book to anyone who cares about health and physical well being. Included suggestions and arguments are supported by scientific research and are rather convincing. The book did not become my favorite because of rather complex and impractical food menu suggested by Dr. Perricone. (In that respect Dr. Tombak is superior.), but I would recommend it to anyone who has the strength to follow Mr. Perricone's 28 day program.

If you are not comfortable with Perricone's pace of 28 days, than do it in a more comfortable way by following Tombak's approach. You will be amazed...


Rating:
Summary: Even cheaters get results... this program is the bomb, baby.
Review: I can't recommend this highly enough. I read the reviews around here and started the 3-day diet without even reading the book. It works! The morning after I started it, as in after the the very first day, my dark circles, which I thought were here to stay disappeared almost completely. I have been following recommendations but not religiously. I did give up caffiene. Once I gave it up for the 3-day diet, I just didn't work it back in. I have had no sugar, either. Those are the areas I don't stray from.

For me, a busy mother of 3, I do not have the opportunity to follow the recipes in the book, so I have resorted to following its guidelines. It is great, has been about 2 weeks and I have dropped 7 pounds. As an aside, our grocery bills have dropped, too.

The main thing is, after I eat, instead of feeling sleepy or full, I feel energized. On a busy day, I eat eggs for breakfast, canned tuna, bagged salad and berries. Oh, and I almost always "cheat" at night with large glops of natural peanut butter. My husband has definately not been faithful, but has been eating much of what I have and he has lost 6 pounds. Suprisingly, our son, a bona-fide junk-food junkie has been eating some of this with us. At 13, he's had some bad acne and his skin has cleared up dramatically.

Now, I really don't like fish. So, I only eat it when it's broiled with just olive oil and topped with some fresh key-lime juice. Salmon has always been my least favorite. Yuck. Turns out the "wild" salmon does taste much better. I buy my fish at (egads!) Walmart. They have the frozen wild salmon for $4.94 a pound and talapia for $2.97 a pound, as well as orange roughy and more. Several times I bought fresh at our local Central Market and none of the fish I tried tasted better. The fresh salmon was not as good. I think it is because the stuff at Walmart is frozen immediately before transport.

Another food note- Olive Oil has replaced butter and other stuff and adds much flavor to things. A great olive oil is essential. I'll recommend several here- Lucini is the BEST. I have found it in all of our local grocery stores, though it is expensive, but the flavor is so delicate and fruity, it is unbelievable. Goya is harder to find for me (Central Market is our only local store) but is much cheaper and has the same full fruity flavor, though it is not as delicate. Another alternative is oils made from Kalamata olives. Believe me, if your food is tasting bland, you are not eating the right kind of olive oil. And key-limes are another flavor-booster.

As for the supplements, my approach, again, has been to simplify. I bought Oil of Olay for skin and hair and it has ALA and CQ-10, as well as most of his other recommended general multi-vitamins. I bought it at Walgreens, but saw it tonight at Walmart for about $12.00. I added some extra Vitamin C-ester, some fish oil combo (I got at Costco for $15.00 or so), some ALA and Acetly-LCarnitine, which I got at Walgreens 2 for the price of one. I do not follow his recommendations exactly- again, only what I can work in. Still, my nails are growing like crazy and my hair is super shiny and soft.

Lastly, I checked out some of his other books at the library and I think it's in the Wrinkle Cure that he shows you the results of DMAE. I bought some and mixed it in my face cream. My skin feels so much softer and just seems really glowy.

In summary, doing this was so easy and I feel so much beter now that I do not intend to leave this eating plan. I also do not mind the supplements and have simplified things down so that they work within my lifestyle. For example, I like to get outside. So, I started by walking each day- even for 20 minutes and am now running. Once I told myself to get out for the sake of my face, I just seemed to be more motivated than worrying about my waistline.

Good luck if you read all this! I hope that I have not upset the apple-cart too much by laying out my approach. I suspect, though, that some might be discouraged or intimidated and I say DON'T BE! It works, you deserve it and you will look FABULOUS!!!!




Rating:
Summary: Cleared up my cystic acne in one week!
Review: I'm a real skeptic when it comes to supplements. Call it years of reading weight lifting magazines and the rubbish they try to pass off in them.

But I bought almost all the vitamins Dr. Perricone recommended last weekend. I am 40 years old and have cystic acne as a side effect of PCOS. I was getting a cyst a day up until last weekend. I haven't had one since. My skin looks and feel THAT much better, and healthier..in only one week. Frankly, I'm stunned. I've also upped my water intake which has helped a number of things.

Thanks Dr. P., for this terrific manual. I only wish your skin care products were available to order in Canada.