The Perricone Promise : Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review:
I got interested in Dr. Perricone theory once I saw him on PBS over a year ago. He was convincing enough to make me, old sceptic, get his book and follow his advice... I recommend "The Perricone Promise" to anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle and have younger looking skin. It is actually a continuation of the idea presented in his previous book "Perricone Prescription".

Dr. Perricone has an easy-to-read writing style. In addition, the book is not only informative but also inspiring. Both in the content and in the style Dr. Perricone reminds me of Dr. Tombak, whose book "Can We Live 150 Years?", although not as popular at Amazon, turned my life around, and made me pay close attention to what and how I eat, how I breathe, how I think, and how I live in general.

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 whenever I read that book again... Same with Dr. Perricone - I reach for his book to complement on things that I am missing in the other volume, such as, for example, good information on supplements.

To get the Best Value, Amazon.com suggest buying "Perricone Prescription" together with "Perricone Promise". However if you get "Perricone Promise", there is simply no need for the original "Perricone Prescription". You will find too much repetition. I find a bundle of Perricone and Tombak a better combination as they complement each other. In fact, I think that a bundle of one book of each of the authors make a very good Christmas sock stuffing idea for anyone who cares about their health, beauty, and longevity. If you can get such a big sock, that is...


Rating:
Summary: Too technical for the average person to follow
Review: Although this book is very informative, it dwells too much on the technical. I was hoping that this book would be easier to read and it's suggestions easier to follow. They're not. Unless you have a private chef or a lot of time on your hands, the 28 day diet is almost impossible to follow. recipes are very elaborate (i.e. Saffron-Scented Oat Pilaf with Parsley) What the Heck!! Not to mention the suppliments that have to be purchased from either the Doc himself, or such stores as Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks or Neiman Marcus. After seeing Dr. Perricone on Oprah, I thought this book would offer the same simple tips for improving your diet and appearance that he offered on the show. It does not! I did however, come away with a list of some fruits and vegtables that I will incorporate into my daily diet.

Rating:
Summary: Read this first...
Review: http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/perricone.html

An excerpt:
"Dr. Perricone would be more credible if he could show us a study demonstrating that people who followed his prescription lived longer, had `younger' skin demonstrated by objective measures, or felt better compared to those on a placebo program--or that they were better in any measurable way. Instead, he provides only testimonials, exaggerated claims, partial truths, and incorrect statements. He cherry-picks possibly supportive studies from the literature and ignores contradictory studies. He cites lots of lab studies (in vitro or in animals), but few that demonstrate any clinical effects in humans. The diet he recommends is low in calories, and weight loss alone may improve the way his patients look and feel. His advice about tobacco and sunscreens is appropriate, but there is little science behind the rest of his program. He seems to have gathered every nutrient and skin cream he had any reason to hypothesize might work and advised using all of them [and sells them for an exorbitant amount of money to the exclusion of anyone else's]. A more rational approach would have been to first see which ones really worked, and later to see if any combinations of the effective agents worked better than a single agent."

Rating:
Summary: thoroughly researched, fantastic advice
Review: I agree with other reviewers that Dr. Perricone's advice is difficult to follow - but that doesn't make it bad. We're all used to having everything made easy for us with fast food restaurants, packaged pseudo-foods, and fad diet empty promises, so I guess people who want everything easy might be intimidated by doing a little thinking and planning. But anyone who truly cares about his/her health can drive across town to find a health-food store and prepare meals that require more effort than opening a box and adding water. Likewise, there is no need to buy any of Perricone's vitamins or skin care items to follow his plan and he doesn't harp on that. The same or similar products are available everywhere. If you have half a brain, you can figure out a way to make this plan work for your schedule and budget - and learning about the science is fascinating! While I haven't been on the plan long enough to vouch for the anti-aging benefits (I'm sure that takes months or years; nobody gets old overnight, so slowing down the process isn't going to happen quickly either), I will say I have had the most AMAZING amount of energy following his plan, and I do feel that my skin looks fresher - which is highly desirable if you're over 40!

Rating:
Summary: Health Bible?
Review: I am a very health conscious person and my personal "Health Bible" is rather unknown book by Dr. Tombak titled "Can We Live 150 Years?" which I bought on Amazon over a year ago. 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.

Considering the above it is only understandable that after seeing Dr. Perricone on Oprah show, I immediately went to my local book store looking for the book. I found in "The Perricone Promise" almost all that I had expected. 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 new "Health Bible" because of rather complex and impractical food menu suggested by Dr. Perricone. ( In that respect Dr. Tombak is superior.) However, I do believe that Dr. Perricone will deliver his "Promise" and I am already in my third day of the program. I should probably write more after the next 25 days... Today, however, I advise everyone to get the book. Maybe it will become your "Health Bible".


Rating:
Summary: Please!
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: not practical
Review: I enjoyed reading Dr. Perricone's scientific research and the basis for his recommendations. However, I would say that 90% of the recommendations are not practical for the average person. Many of the foods and supplements he recommends are hard to find and/or expensive. Of course, he is promoting his own formulations of supplements and topical creams. I felt like I was reading the words of TV infomercial. As far as his diet...cut out the sugar and caffeine and eat more richly colored fruit and veggies and as much Alaskan salmon as you can tolerate. There! now you don't need to buy the book.

Rating:
Summary: not what I thought
Review: I have to say I felt mislead by his appearence on Oprah. Never once did he mention his supplements or creams on that show, he just kept speaking of eating right. So, when I bought the book and noticed then he mentions all of the supplements and creams that cost a bloody fortune I was disappointed. I gave it 3 stars for the food choices and recipes, because that is how we need to be eating anyway, but who has the time to prepare gourmet lunches? Save your money, use common sense, work out and follow the food pyramid.

Rating:
Summary: Feel Good And Look Good
Review: I use The Perricone Promise because I believe in natural look good, feel young remedies to slow the aging process. The book basically asks you to promise to do three things that you probably do daily anyway: eat, take vitamins and apply a daily skin routine. The recipies at the back of the book make it easy to plan meals and the few obscure ingredients mentioned in other reviews are not that hard to find. It's just a matter of slightly adjusting the that way you shop.

Yes it is costly to follow the supplements/lotions but I can justify the time and money I spend on these three steps in an effort to avoid surgical procedures. If you have already invested in plastic surgery or if you are thinking you'll soon jump on the surgery or Botox bandwagon then this health regime may give you a decade or more to budget for the more invasive 'still lookin' good' solutions.

Overall, it's a great feel-good type of book. Just like my new beverage of choice called s o y f e e. It's made from soybeans that you brew just like coffee. Caffeine-free, you'll find it at www. S oycoffee.com. This is a great book.

Rating:
Summary: The Perricone Promise et al. by Dr. Perricone MD
Review: The work is a good compendium of alternative medicinal approaches
aimed at keeping young and dealing with fundamental inflammations
in the body. The author's approach is through diet, supplements
and topical creams which are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Dr. Perricone MD points to the importance of Omega 3 fish oils,
Co Enzyme Q 10 ( free radical protector) and Probiotics for
optimal digestive system management and the promotion of good
bacteria in the intestine. The author provides a series of
model meal plans which include fruits and veggies; such as,
onion, garlic, seeds, spices and herbs. Alpha Lipoic Acid is
cited as a model anti-oxidant and fat metaboliser. Kefir is
a favorite milk-related product which has the elemental properties for optimum digestion. Acai is a famous South American
food with up to 10 times the oxidant power of other foods/groups.
The author discusses the importance of controlling stress
and employing relaxation techniques to ward off disease.

The program is a refreshing alternative to expensive and
intrusive medical interventions. As we get older, all of us
tend to require medical management of permanent conditions.
The Perricone Promise provides classic medical management
techniques which are known to be safe, effective and cost
efficient. This is a wise purchase for your medical library.