Anti-Aging Skin Diet

Nourishing your skin from within is just as important as applying antiwrinkle lotions and creams to help you look younger. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, MD, in his 2005 book "The Wrinkle Cure," sets forth a healthy eating plan that's specifically designed to restore your skin to a youthful radiance. If you follow the key elements of Dr. Perricone's antiaging skin diet, as described here, you could begin to look younger and feel revitalized within weeks.

Get Plenty of Protein

• Free radicals, those unstable molecules that inflict damage on our cells, triggering inflammation, are the main culprits in causing skin to look older. Protein is an essential key to repairing that damage.

  Many people, women especially, don't get enough protein in their diets. According to Dr. Perricone, an active woman should consume 60 to 80 grams of protein per day, or 50 to 60 if inactive. Men should get 80 to 120 grams if active and 70 to 80 if inactive.

  Be sure to get your protein from lean meats rather than fatty cold cuts. Keep your consumption of red meat to a minimum, or avoid it altogether. Fish is a great protein source because of its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which should be a daily part of your antiaging diet because of its ability to fight inflammation. Salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, snapper, bass, bluefish, trout and shellfish are your best bets.

  Yogurt is another excellent source of protein. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt promote a healthy digestive system. Choose nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Eat other low-fat or nonfat dairy products in moderation. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. Beans and other legumes provide fiber, as well as protein. Nuts and seeds are also high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Colorful Carbs

• Dr. Perricone recommends that you have one carbohydrate source with every meal. Focus on brightly colored fruits and vegetables because they're the ones with the most antioxidants to fight those free radicals. Avocado; dark, leafy greens; orange squash; berries; cantaloupe; and bell peppers are good examples of antioxidant-rich foods.

  You'll also want to look for carbohydrate sources that are low on the glycemic index. That way, you'll avoid spikes in blood sugar that set off chemical reactions in the body that lead to inflammation and a host of other physical ailments.

  Low-glycemic carb sources include most nonstarchy vegetables, as well as beans, blueberries, melons, peaches, pears, plums and citrus fruits.

  Avoid sugar, pasta, potatoes, rice, breads, cereals, corn, mangoes, papayas and bananas.

More Tips

• Have 1 tsp. olive oil or flaxseed oil, or 5 to 10 olives with every meal.

  Make sure you're getting adequate amounts of vitamins A, C and E in your diet.

  Eat four or five smaller meals each day instead of three large ones.

  Try to satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit rather than high-carbohydrate snacks.

  Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

  Eat several servings of cantaloupe for the two or three days preceding a special event. You should see a noticeable improvement in the texture of your skin.