Diet & Dermatology

Food for Thought:

Remember the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Well, a new book about diet & dermatology confirms that eating that Granny Smith apple may in fact reduce your visits to the dermatologist. The promise behind The Acne Prescription: The Perricone Program for Clear and Healthy Skin at Every Age (HarperCollins 2004) is that fruit and certain other foods promote a healthy complexion. Maybe you should trade that Botox injection for a bowl of blueberries!

According to the author, Nicholas Perricone, MD, an adjunct professor at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, eating the right foods can reduce acne and make your skin more youthful looking. This is based on his theory that both aging and acne are caused by inflammation and that foods that quickly raise blood sugar levels add to the inflammatory process. Eating noninflammatory, low-GI foods that are high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids is the prescription for clearer skin, believes Perricone.

Although some nutrition experts are skeptical about Perricone’s claims regarding diet & dermatology, a sample dinner on the Acne Diet consisting of grilled salmon, green salad, steamed asparagus, cantaloupe and plain old water appears to be nutritionally sound—at least on the face of it!