Beyond Beauty: Proven Secrets to Age Well, Look 10 Years Younger & Live a Truly Happy, Healthy, Long Life

BEYOND BEAUTY

Proven Secrets to Age Well,

Look 10 Years Younger &

Live a Truly Happy, Healthy, Long Life

Dr. Debbie M. Palmer

with Valerie A. Latona

Copyright © 2016 Dr. Debbie M. Palmer with Valerie A. Latona

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

ISBN: 1535596015

ISBN 13: 9781535596015

ISBN 13: 9780692141977 (e-book)

Readers are urged to consult their health-care provider or medical practitioner before undertaking any new diet, fitness, or healthy living advice or program. The information in this book is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of your physician or medical practitioner. Although every effort has been made to provide the best possible information in this book, the author(s) are not responsible for accidents, injury, or damage incurred as a result of any steps in this book undertaken by readers.

To my husband and soul mate, Sergio; my children, Matthew and Michael; and my mother with boundless gratitude.

In loving memory of my father and grandparents.

Contents

Introduction

DO YOU WANT TO LOOK years younger—and have plenty of energy and enthusiasm to keep up with your busy life?

Then you’ve come to the right place. You’ve already taken the first step toward change just by picking up this book. Now, stick with me as I guide you through the very doable steps toward radiant, beautiful skin—and a healthy body, spirit, and mind—all of which I detail throughout each chapter of this book.

But first, I’d like you to step back and look in the mirror. Write down the things you’d like to tweak, be it dark under-eye circles; fine lines and wrinkles; dark spots; dull, lackluster skin; dry, rough skin; acne; skin rashes; or whatever it is that you want to improve.

Even better, if you can, take a selfie to record your current look, as a reminder of what you want to change. (This picture will also become your before picture in your very own beauty and life makeover.)

What about your weight and your overall health? Is your body performing at its best, or are you often fatigued and frequently getting sick? Take note of how your body feels today—and where you want to be.

Also, be sure to include how you feel. Are you experiencing inner turmoil, sadness, or anxiety? Do you wake up every morning with a feeling of happiness or dread when you think about your day? Do you truly love what you do every day? Do you feel fulfilled with your social connections and relationships?

What about your sleep: how much are you getting every night, and do you wake up feeling rested and recharged? How about your energy levels: do you feel lively or sluggish?

And how’s your outlook on life? What are your recurrent thoughts? Are they positive? Are you satisfied with your spiritual connection? Do you take time to slow down and connect with your inner or higher self?

Write everything down—and write down your reason, too, for wanting to change it; these words will be important motivation to keep you on track through this process of inner growth and outer transformation and beauty. True beauty is a radiance that comes from a truly healthy inner self.

WHAT I WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT MY BODY AND MY SKIN

Now, take a habit inventory and see if those things that you’re frequently doing are benefitting you. When you’re under stress, do you overeat or binge eat, eat unhealthy junk food, smoke, have repetitive negative thoughts, show anger toward others, or fight with loved ones?

Write down the healthy habits you’ve been meaning to incorporate into your life—but haven’t had a chance to do so. Be sure to write the reason you want to incorporate these healthy habits.

HEALTHY HABITS I WANT TO INCORPORATE INTO MY LIFE

The reason I have you write down both healthy habits and the things you want to change about your body and skin is that the two are connected. A healthy body equals radiant, glowing skin. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but this book will take you through exactly why the two are linked and the specific steps you can take to make all the things you listed above a reality.

Throughout the course of this book, I’ll work with you at replacing unhealthy habits with healthy ones. For example, when under stress, instead of turning to your usual ways, maybe you’ll take a short walk to blow off steam or sit quietly in a chair for ten minutes and close your eyes and meditate. Or maybe just turning your mind to positive thoughts and giving thanks for the positive things in your life will help. It isn’t easy to stop bad habits, but it’s easier to replace them with healthy ones. By the end of this book, the healthy choices will become habit!

A good mantra to write down and repeat, as you move through your journey to a healthier, happier, and younger-looking you: I know that old, negative patterns—of eating, living, working—no longer limit me.

EXACTLY HOW THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU

Everyone these days, it seems, is searching for a quick-fix fountain of youth. I know this because, as a practicing dermatologist in New York for over sixteen years, I get every request imaginable when people walk through the doors of my practice. Patients want to erase years from their skin in minutes so they can walk out looking younger—and be more confident. And while this is possible with all the office procedures available in a dermatologist’s arsenal today, there’s a key component of the aging process that many people are missing out on. And that’s a healthy lifestyle.

What you’re putting into your body—and doing to your body on a daily basis—is as critical to the skin-aging process as what you’re slathering on or injecting from the outside.

In fact, I would argue that it’s even more important.

As one of just several hundred dermatologists in the country trained in osteopathic medicine—a holistic philosophy and approach that relates each part of the body to the entire system—I know that what we do to our bodies on a daily basis affects how much energy we have, our outlook on life, how confident we are—and, yes, how we look on the outside.

I’m confident about what truly works to help people bring change into their lives and look and feel better, because I’ve seen the results in so many people—of different ages, lifestyles, and cultures—whom I’ve treated. In my private practice, I’ve helped thousands of clients learn how to live a healthier, more peaceful and spiritually aware, more productive, more beautiful life.

The skin is a living, functioning organ. In fact, it’s the largest organ in the body. Whatever you do to your body, you do to your skin. What I find fascinating is that researchers from the University of Southern Denmark found that the skin actually communicates with the liver,¹ which is the organ in the body that filters out toxins. This explains why if something’s going on inside our body, it’s often reflected on the skin (rashes, eczema, wrinkles, sallow skin, etc.). I believe this is proof why taking a holistic approach to health and our body, like the one I’m recommending in this book, is so important.

There’s a quote I love about the earth by the Indian Chief Seattle that holds true for our body and our skin:

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.

Borrowing from Chief Seattle, I’m going to apply this quote to the body—and skin—and say:

Our skin is but one thread in the aging process. Whatever we do to our bodies, we do to our skin. All things in the body are bound together. All things connect.

KATE’S STORY

Take Kate*, for example. Kate is a patient of mine who was beyond stressed in her high-pressure Wall Street finance job. She had put on about ten pounds over the last couple of years, due to on-the-go eating, plenty of travel, not so much sleep, and no time for regular exercise—not to mention practically nonexistent me time. She came to me to help her look younger and was requesting several procedures. Not only did Kate look tired and worn out, she also looked ten years older than she actually was. She had dark circles under her eyes, her skin looked dull, and her wrinkles were pronounced.

I discussed in-office procedures with her, but we also talked about the other important elements of beauty that she wasn’t paying attention to in her daily life—diet, sleep, stress reduction, a home-maintenance skincare routine, spirituality, and healthy relationships. All are important elements of beauty—both inside out and outside in.

Kate is not unique. So many of us live lifestyles dictated by stressful, high-powered jobs that leave little time for the key components of healthy living, such as:

✓ Eating a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods (including colorful fruits and vegetables)

✓ Drinking plenty of water

✓ Taking time out to relax mentally and physically

✓ Exercising every day

✓ Getting enough restful sleep

✓ Learning to develop a passion for life again

✓ Nurturing healthy relationships

✓ Spiritual enrichment

In this book, I’m going to talk about ways to slowly and gradually balance out your life so you’re healthier—and your skin looks years younger. You’ll have a more positive outlook on life, too, because there’s a genuine happiness that comes when all parts of your body are working together in harmony.

Want proof? Next time you go to the grocery store, take a look at what’s in people’s shopping carts. What you’ll find: those with the carts filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains like oatmeal, lean (unprocessed) meats, fish, and beans—not processed foods, soda, sugar-laden sweets, and unhealthy snack foods—are the ones who have more youthful, radiant skin. They also look and act younger. You might argue that these foods cost more money—and that these people are probably also getting pricey facials and treatments at the dermatologist’s office. But healthy eating and healthy living do not have to cost a lot of money, as I’ll show you in this book. Not eating healthy costs a lot, too. In fact, I’d say that eating an unhealthy diet costs even more: an unhealthy body, a lack of energy (and enthusiasm, as food affects mood), and skin that’s not looking its best.

I know the link between nutrition and beauty firsthand. My mother was a dietician when I was growing up and stressed the importance of vitamins and minerals in food choices. This influenced me to take a nutrition course in graduate school—and I was hooked from that point on. I realized that the food we eat every day is such an important part of overall well-being.

I also realized how vitamins, minerals, and particularly antioxidants (key substances—often nutrients—that fight disease-causing and aging molecules in the body called free radicals) fit into our lives and keep us healthy. I continued to study nutrition, and particularly antioxidants, through medical school and have incorporated the healthy habits detailed in this book into my own life. I also recommend these healthy Beyond Beauty strategies to each of my patients.

In fact, osteopathy—one type of medicine practiced commonly by primary-care doctors throughout America and some dermatologists like myself—is a holistic, preventive approach to medicine that believes each part of the body, including the skin, is connected to the entire system.

Something that’s important to know about me: I’m not against aging but for aging well. I had my children later in life (in my forties), so I’m motivated to take care of myself and stay healthy, energetic, and youthful so I can enjoy my family for years to come. And having enough energy and vitality to enjoy every day of our lives is something we all can accomplish—by putting into practice the essential tools and information in this book.

It’s not easy, though. Having radiant, youthful skin and a healthy body takes hard work and commitment, but if you follow these secrets of aging well—eating healthy food; managing stress, thinking positive, and connecting to your inner spiritual self; exercising regularly; getting enough sleep; and using proven strategies to rejuvenate the skin—you’ll be able to age gracefully, feel and look years younger, and live longer.

All I ask is that you don’t give up; stick with me through this entire process—and throughout each chapter of this book—and you will see change, guaranteed. One of my favorite motivational thoughts is:

Each day is a new opportunity. Yesterday is done. Today is the first day of my future.

Make this saying your motivational motto as you journey on this path toward inner and outer beauty.

HOW TO AGE WELL IN THE MODERN WORLD

To get started, I want to ask: How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?

If we all were to sit down and think about this, we would realize that our age is so much more than the number of wrinkles we have on our skin or the number of candles on a birthday cake. It’s the state of our health, how we feel, how much energy we have, and how happy and confident we are each and every day now—and throughout every moment of our journey. In the wise words of Betty Friedan:

Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength.

In a nutshell, how old we are is a result of how we treat our bodies every day: how much we sleep, what we eat, how we cope with stress, whether we exercise or not, how positive we are—about ourselves, our relationships, and our life—and, of course, how we care for our skin. Our skin and the fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging that we see when we look in the mirror are just the icing on the proverbial age cake. But it’s the entire holistic picture of our body—and our health, both physical and emotional—that contributes to how old we truly are and how long and well we’ll live.

I know this firsthand. As a busy mom of two, I know that eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and spending time meditating (even if it’s just five or ten minutes a day) helps me stay balanced and get everything I need to get done, done. It also helps me avoid getting sick with every cold and illness that my kids bring home from school. This healthy lifestyle keeps me sane, too, particularly when work and my personal life get crazy busy at the same time (which happens a lot!).

Let me share a personal story: Just recently, I accompanied my older son to a Boy Scout camp for the weekend. We spent the weekend tubing, hiking, climbing ropes and rock walls, and generally staying active the entire time. I was able to keep up, I know, because I try to follow a healthy lifestyle most days. When I don’t, I can feel it: I’m sluggish and have low energy. Sure, there are times when I have pizza or indulge in some chocolate or potato chips, but moderation is key to everything. I use the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of the time, I make sure to really try to do everything right for my body, and 20 percent of the time, I let myself indulge or skip a workout if I’m really busy. No one can be perfect!

In fact, this book isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making small tweaks in your daily routine that equal big changes in your life, your health, your skin, and your longevity.

In each of the sections that follow, I’ll be giving you practical tips and advice for your daily life, based on the very latest scientific evidence and research, on how to be well…so you can age well, ward off debilitating illness and disease, be happy, have a healthy mental outlook, and have enough energy to do all the things you want to do—and look gorgeous every step of the way.

CHAPTER 1

Give Your Diet a Mediterranean Makeover

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.

~ JEAN ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN

ONE OF MY PATIENTS, SAMANTHA*, has been troubled by adult acne for over twenty years. She came to see me because she had tried other treatments that just weren’t bringing her long-term relief. We talked about the treatments that were right for her, such as topical acne medications, but we also addressed some critical aspects to healthy skin, including her diet and her lifestyle (including stress reduction).

It turned out that Samantha drank a lot of diet soda every day and regularly ate fast food and drank alcohol. She tweaked her diet, cutting down on soda and alcohol and opting for fresh, nutrient-rich whole foods instead of takeout.

Samantha also started taking Vinyasa yoga to reduce her stress, and she swapped out her makeup and moisturizer for noncomedogenic (non-pore-clogging) options.

The result: Samantha’s skin cleared up—and stayed acne free. She developed a healthy glow, and she began to look years younger. She recently told me that she feels like a new person and gets compliments all the time on how great she looks. At my age, she told me, my skin has never looked better!

Like Samantha, patient after patient in my practice tells me that when they follow my advice about eating a healthy diet, their skin is transformed. No, it doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen. Acne is cleared up. Rashes and eczema disappear. Dry skin becomes more hydrated. Skin becomes more radiant and youthful looking.

I remind patients to treat their skin as one very important part of their whole being. Every aspect of our body (including the skin) works together; when one part of the body is out of balance, it shows up on the skin. And then, when the body is out of balance for long periods of time, whole-body illness and disease sets in—and eventually, our longevity is affected.

Consider it this way: the skin—one of the largest organs in the body—is a very important part of our whole body. In fact, problems on the skin can be the very first sign that something’s out of balance with the rest of our body.

So what diet do I recommend to all my patients (and follow myself)? No, not juice fasts, raw-vegetable-only diets, or restrictive calorie diets. What I recommend: a Mediterranean style of eating, which is healthy and delicious, and the benefits of which have been proven over hundreds of years. The benefits of this style of eating and living go way beyond the skin—feeding what I like to say is truly beauty, and health, from the inside out.

WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?

Did you know that the Japanese people—particularly those from the southern Japanese Okinawa islands—have the highest proportion of centenarians (a person who lives to or beyond one hundred years of age) in the world?² And within these islands, Ogimi—a tiny village—has more than a dozen centenarians! These people have been studied, and experts have determined that it’s not just their leisurely way of life that contributes to their longevity. It’s what—and how—they eat, namely a garden-to-table diet that is so similar to the Mediterranean style of eating, with their fruits and vegetables coming straight from their own