DR. PERRICONE'S 7 SECRETS
I don't know if these are really "secrets", but I've done a little research and it seeems that much of what he claims is backed-up by other sources. The Perricone Weight Loss Diet is supposed to reduce fat while maintaining muscle mass.
Perricone talks about systemic inflammation on the cellular level. If you can reduce this inflammation, you'll have better skin, lose weight and decrease age-related diseases. Inflammation causes you to get fat and stay fat. Excess body fat leads to higher insulin levels which then leads to food cravings.
Perricone studied the effects of the suns rays on the body. The sun creates free radicals that interact with the skin cells. The treatment or prevention of free radicals is with antioxidants.
- Free radicals cause a cascade of inflammation in the cell.
Free radicals hit the outside of the cell which has lots of fat around it and causes a bad chemical called arachidonic acid to flow into the cell.
- Arachadonic acid triggers messenger systems.
The messenger system it activates is called NF Kappa B.
- Nf-kB turns on cytokines.
This messenger goes to the nucleus of the cell and turns on a pro-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Sunlight causes this but so do the foods we eat. Whenever you have a spike in blood sugar and then a subsequent insulin response, it leads to a burst of inflammation. This inflammation can cause and maintain obesity.
- Metabolic Syndrome characterized by abdominal obesity.
Abdominal fat is very active. It can make changes in our body through hormones. Abdominal obesity can do this whereas women's obesity in the hips do not.
- Higher levels of cholesterol, triglycerides.
- Elevated insulin and blood sugar levels.
- Increase in risk of heart disease and diabetes.
- Fat is a living endocrine organ.
It secretes hormones that can affect our bodies. These hormones are called adipokines. Adipokines can do some good things like secrete leptin which decreases appetite. However, fat cells are pro-inflammatory factories and are not inert which was previously thought.
Every fat cell is pro-inflammatory. The more fat you have, the fatter you get and the higher levels of inflammation. The higher your weight burden, the more pro-inflammatory chemicals you create. Increased inflammation increases your risk for every age-related disease such as Alzheimers, diabetes and cancer.
- Sarcopenia is age-related muscle mass loss.
Loss of muscle mass can happen to young people if they are bedridden. If you take two older adults with the same body type/lifestyle and measure their inflammatory chemical load, the adult with the greater muscle loss has higher levels of inflammation.
- Patients with Sarcopenia have higher levels of inflammatory chemicals.
- Every decade we age, we gain 10 pounds of fat and lose 5 pounds of muscle.
Why do we lose muscle mass when we're dieting? Aren't we lowering inflammation? Yes, but there's a difference.
- Insulin triggers amino acids uptake into cells.
- Over stimulated insulin receptors down regulate.
When you diet, you can't pick up the amino acids in your cells because you are insulin resistent due to the high levels of insulin you had. You'll lose body fat but lose muscle at the same time.
It's the anti-inflammatory approach that allows the maintenance of muscle mass.
- NF-kB makes us insulin resistant.
- Hyperinsulinemia puts a lock on body fat.
If insulin levels are high, you can not access the body fat you are storing. It blocks the enzymes that break down fat.
- Body fat creates inflammation throughout the body and makes us fatter.
Here's the cycle that you need to break. You have a few pounds on you that pump out inflammatory chemicals. They make you insulin resistant. It locks your body fat. Your appetite swings. You eat more. You get fatter. Greater inflammatory burden. More chemicals released. More insulin resistance. More fat.
- The perfect meal starts with cold water fish, like salmon.
Other cold water fish include sardines, trout, herring and mackerel.
- Salmon is high in high-quality protein.
Protein is needed to maintain cellular structure, muscle mass and body repair.
- Salmon contains essential fatty acids.
Omega-3s function like anti-inflammatories and tells our bodies what to do with the fat we're eating. Even if you eat fish every day, a fish-oil supplement is recommended. You need fat to burn fat.
1,000-mg capsule 3x per day.
- Salmon contains antioxidant astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a micro-algae that gives salmon its color. These microscopic antioxidants concentrate in the flesh of the salmon. It is 100x more powerful than vitamin C and E combined.
Take 2-2mg capsules per day.
When eating a salad, look for brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Generally speaking, antioxidants are present in colorful foods. Interestingly, the brain and skin are composed of the same tissue. If something is therapeutic for the brain, it will also be beneficial for your skin. Your skin may reflect how you're doing on the inside.
Postprandial thermogenesis is the body heat you give off after eating a meal. You produce more heat when you're young and if you're thin. When we take in food, we burn it up and create heat, store it as fat or make ATP (energy) out of it.
If you create heat instead of storing fat, this process is known as uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. Uncoupling agents help with this and ephedrine is one such example. However, these agents tend to be toxic. The key was in front of Perricone the whole time - it was in the Omega-3s.
- Omega-3 essential fats can create postprandial thermogenesis.
- Can turn on energy partitioning.
It can take carbs and store them as glycogen which is ready-made energy instead of fat.
- Can uncouple oxidative phosphorylations.
Omega-3s are a powerful anti-inflammatory. Perricone says he's put patients on supplements and have seen improvement even with heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, psoriasis. They make your skin beautiful. They can elevate your mood. In fact, one study showed that supplements were more effective than antidepressants.
- Turn on production of leptin.
Fat has hormones called adipokines that can release leptin which decreases appetite. Omega-3s also help the immune system. The immune system is simply an extension of our brain tissue.
When you sit down to a meal or a snack, always ask yourself, "am I getting enough essential fat?" The ultimate way to burn fat is with the right kind of fat. Perricone recommends an Omega-3 supplement in addition to your meal. He also recommends nutritional supplements which are somewhat controversial.
This anti-inflammatory diet carefully regulates blood sugar levels which prevents insulin spikes. One easy guide to follow is the glycemic index which rates how quickly food is converted to sugar in the body. Think of water as 1 and table sugar as 100. Try to stay below 50 on the index so you won't have much of an insulin spike. The index is not perfect. It can be affected by the amount of food you eat (glycemic load) and other foods in your stomach.
Even foods that aren't sweet can still be converted to sugar in the body. A plain potato is absorbed faster than that with fat. It can have a higher index than a candy bar.
Here's the diet reviewed.
Good source of protein.
Essential fats.
Antioxidant rich foods with bright colors.
Three meals plus snacks.
Lots of spices.
Spices help prevent meals from getting boring and have antioxidant properties. Spices were used to preserve food in the past before refrigeration.
Supplements work in many ways. These nutrients can work to stabilize blood sugar which regulates insulin response. They are powerful antioxidants and can increase metabolism.
Glutamine- Conditionally essential amino acid.
Essential amino acids can not be manufactured in our bodies. Glutamine is a white powder that is sweet. Perricone recommends
half a teaspoon, three times per day. Glutamine concentrates in muscle tissue.
There are several things that are catabolic which is the opposite of anabolic. Rather than building you up, it breaks you down. Inflammation, dieting, psychic stress, surgery and trauma are all catabolic events. Glutamine is anabolic and anti-inflammatory. In clinical settings such as burn patients and post op patients, there is far less catabolic breakdown of healthy tissue.
- Controls carbohydrate cravings.
- Repairs GI tract.
The cells that line our tract use glutamine for energy. Patients on medications for acid reflux and other problems report feeling better after their first teaspoon. It works rapidly and can help after a night of drinking. Glutamine breaks down into toxic products, so you must take it immediately after mixing it in water or juice. Do not store!
Carnitine- Unique fat transporting nutrient.
Mitochondria is where fatty acids are burned. This is where ATP is created and where oxidative phosphorylation happens. Carnitine transports fats to the mitochondria where it is burned.
- Powerful anti-inflammatory.
Carnitine is also anti-catabolic. It can prevent sarcopenia.
500 mg per day.
Acetyl-L Carnitine- Derivative of carnitine
- Protective of mitochondria
The mitochondrial theory of aging says we age because the mitochondria suffers from free radicals inflammation. High energy cells can help repair damage while aging, low energy cells can not. Acetyl-L Carnitine allows carnitine to get into mitochondria more easily.
Acetyle-L can cross the blood-brain barrier and can help preserve nerve and brain tissue.
- Powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
500 mg per day. Do not take after 3pm to prevent difficulties with sleeping.
Coenzyme Q-10- Synergistic action with carnitine alpha lipoic acid in mitochondria.
- Increases ability to metabolize food.
CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant and concentrates in the cell plasma membrane, the outside of the cell.
30 mg per day best taken with food.
- Stabilizes cell plasma membrane.
- Cardio protective
- Protective of brain tissue
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)It's a fat that used to be found in extremely high levels in beef and dairy products when cows used to eat grass.
- Helps metabolize body fat rapidly.
- Increases muscle mass and anti-catabolic
1000 mg in one or two doses per day.
ChromiumSugar not only causes inflammation but can attach irreversibly to the proteins in our body known as glycation. We want to prevent this since glycation produces free radicals.
100 mcg per day.Alpha Lipoic AcidIt is a universal anti-oxidant that can go in fat and water.
- Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant
- Blocks glycation.
It's found in very small amounts in food. Perricone recommends
50mg per day.
- Aids in metabolism
- Neuro-protective
Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA), Omega-6- Increases Prostaglandin E1
Precursor to Prostaglandin E1 which is a natural anti-inflammatory.
200-400 mg per day with meals.Maitake SX-Fraction- Prevents the Metabolic Syndrome
- Stabilizes blood sugar
One Grifron SX-Fraction tablet 30 minutes after a meal.
The Anti-Inflammatory LifestyleCortisol elevates when you don't get enough sleep. Cortisol is toxi to brain cells, gives you abdominal obesity, decalcifies bones, destroys immune system, raises blood sugar and insulin levels and makes you hungry. It thins and wrinkles skin.
- Maintain hydration - Eight 8 oz. glasses a day.
Biochemical reactions takes place within the cells in water. Without proper hydration, inflammation will occur.
- Reduce stress hormone cortisol.
Do some kind of meditation, yoga, prayer, anything that will reduce your stress levels.
- Substitute green tea for coffee
Coffee has organic acids that can cause rapid fluctuation of blood sugar and insulin levels. Green tea also contains an amino acid called theanine. It is a natural tranquilizer that relaxes us without making us drowsy and can elevate mood. Green tea increases metabolic rate and decreases absorption of bad fats. Perricone claims switching will allow you to lose 10 pounds in six weeks.
Too much exercise can increase inflammation.
Labels: health
