The Perricone Diet That Can Help You Have Better Skin And A Smaller Waistline

Yes, it does seem too good to be true that following a diet can do this, however, I have always been a firm believer in you truly are what you eat ... I know that when I binge out on junk food and alcohol and stop exercising that within a few days I really start to feel sluggish and unhealthy. As soon as I get back on a diet which includes lots of raw salads, veggies, fruits and healthy proteins plus a little bit of exercise, I can totally feel those roses coming back into my cheeks and I just feel better altogether. I don't believe that we can all be "good" all the time, but I think that keeping some good diet rules always at the back of your mind means that its OK to splurge out sometimes, but you need to balance it with an overall healthy lifestyle. And, if this also keeps me younger and slimmer then I'm really happy to follow some simple guidelines.

I read about Dr Perricone, who is one of the leading dermatologists in the USA, and his "Wrinkle Cure Diet" which has a large celebrity following and was interested enough to buy his book.  There are skeptics that don't believe all he says is true and many of his points have never been scientifically proven, but when you read his diet many of his guidelines make a lot of sense, but see what you think - they are listed below:

Drink Lots Of Water

• Pretty obvious, we have all heard a thousand times how good drinking lots of water is for your skin. There are experts on both sides of the fence with this one, some who say we get enough water from eating sensibly (as there is  a lot of water in fruit and veg) and others who promote drinking at least 2 litres of pure water a day - which seems a lot.  I do try to incorporate at least 3 large glasses of water into my diet each day as well as eating fruit and vegetables.

Eat Lots of Brightly Coloured Fruits and Vegetables

• Dr Perricone advises eating lots of fruits which are brightly coloured such as peppers, avocados, all kinds of berries, dark leafy green vegetables like spinach or spring greens, tomatoes and orange squashes and melons. These types of fruit and vegetables are highest in antioxidants which fight off all those nasty free radicals which can cause chaos with our bodies and skin.

Eat The Right Kinds Of Fats

• Dr Perricone advises avoiding many kinds of fats such as saturated, trans-fats (those are the nasty hydrogenated ones found in cheaper brands of biscuits and cakes which can clog up your arteries), and polyunsaturated fats. He advises eating lots of extra virgin olive oil which is rich in oleic acid which helps Omega-3 fats to protect cells and also to eat lots of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring and tuna.

Eat Good Quality Protein

• Look for wild salmon or if this is too expensive tinned Alaskan red or pink salmon, choose egg white omelettes, organic chicken without the skin or turkey breast. These are all healthy proteins and low in saturated fat.

Foods To Avoid With The Perricone Wrinkle Cure Diet

• All dairy products should be organic, and ideally should include plain yoghurt (which you can mix with berries), Feta cheese or organic Swiss or Cheddar cheese. You are recommended to limit your milk intake if you are lactose intolerant - but we all know that for girls its important that we get enough calcium, so I'll leave that one with you. Dr Perricone also recommends that all processed foods and carbohydrates are avoided, apart from those with a low glycemic content such as whole-grains, beans and non-instant oatmeal.

Five Easy and Painless Ways To Help Lose Weight Fast

There are lots of websites and magazines that have many weird and wonderful ways on how to lose weight quickly, some of them work and some of them don't. Many of them are also giving out the information to promote their books, slimming products and programs. None of these are for me really, and I think that the only real way to lose weight is to make a simple plan which suits you and to make sure you stick to it, ie no cheating at weekends, or letting those little "treats" which are ok once a week, turn into two, three or four times a week. Here are five simple tips that have helped me lose some extra pounds, even when I haven't had much time for exercising - if I had, the results could have been even better.

Avoid All Full Fat Dairy Products

This means cutting out of your diet everything such as hard and soft full fat cheeses, cream, full fat milk, creamy yoghurts and butter or full fat spreads. If you use milk for drinks or cereals then use skimmed milk and look for low-fat but fruity yoghurts. These low-fat dairy products can still provide you with the calcium your body requires to keep bones strong.

Cut Down on The Carbs

Personally I avoid all breads (apart from the occasional wholemeal pita bread), pizzas, pastas, rice, noodles, crackers (apart from dark rye Ryvitas), cakes and biscuits. Instead of sandwiches at lunchtimes, I have salads which have a good portion of lean protein instead, such as tuna or chicken, which keeps me full up until evening. I sometimes have cereal at breakfast, but this has been All-Bran mixed with nuts and seeds, but usually I have filled up on protein again, with two eggs, scrambled with skimmed milk.

Become Teetotal - Just For A Little While

Yes this seems like a very difficult ask for a lot of people, but life does go on without having a drink - surprisingly! The two main reasons for cutting out alcohol if you want to lose weight are that you are taking in approximately 170 calories if you have a large glass of wine, plus the more glasses you have, the more your will-power shrinks, until you do get that kebab on the way home from the pub! It's not that difficult to find something else to occupy yourself with for a few weeks if you seriously want to drop some pounds.

Don't Eat Anything You Haven't Made Yourself

Yes, I'm not saying you can't go around to your mum's and have Sunday dinner - although I would advise having the meat and veg and missing out on the potatoes, but avoid readymade meals, take-aways and readymade sandwiches and snacks. It is so much easier to avoid unwanted fats and carbs if you make up your lunches and evening meals yourself.

What Foods You Should Fill Up On

You are probably wondering what there is that you can fill up with after reading the above, and this can vary to your own personal taste, but the main food groups should be lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and low calorie dairy products, plus a small amount of olive oil. The Mediterranean diet is based around these food groups and there are some great recipe books which have some fantastic filling and tasty dishes which you will probably want to carry on eating forever.

Like we always say, if this is a huge change in diet for you, then consult with your GP before making any drastic changes or cutting out food groups. 

Some Great Tips On How To Do A One Day Detox To Feel Fantastic And Lose Weight

Yes, we have all over-indulged at some time, either on holiday, going to too many parties (is that possible?) or just by eating a poor diet because of our busy lives. Our harshly treated bodies struggle along trying to deal with all the toxins we put into it - so sometimes it is good to give it a rest and do a one day detox ... come on, we can all manage one day. Actually, there is a little more to it than that, but it's not too difficult.

How To Prepare Your Body For the Detox Day

In the week leading up to your detox day you should eat between one to three servings of any of the following foods - onions, garlic, oranges, celery, asparagus, green leafy vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and limes.

In addition eat at least one serving or supplement from the following list - apples, berries, pears, carrots, flax seeds, olive oil.

Eat also two servings of lean protein such as chicken or fish, and drink enough water to equal have your bodyweight in ounces. For example if you weigh 140 lbs (or ten stones), you should drink 70 fluid ounces of water which is around three and a half pints.

Avoid any kind of junk or processed food! 

The Detox Day Has Arrived!

You need a quiet day when you will be at home, so plan ahead. 

You should drink a cup of fluid each hour from when you get up in the morning, ideally water. Every other hour you should drink a cup of the drink made from the following recipe. The ingredients you will need are - freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and cranberry juice (unsweetened). You will also need a herb called Stevia (which is a natural sugar substitute) which you should be able to obtain from a health food store. Bring to the boil the cranberry juice and simmer for 20 minutes over a low heat adding all the ingredients apart from the orange and lemon juice and the Stevia. Allow the liquid to cool and add the Stevia and orange and lemon juice and refrigerate.

First thing in the morning and when you go to bed take one to two teaspoons of powdered psyllium husks or two to three teaspoons of ground flaxseeds with a glass or water or the juice you have made.

Chill out - do very little exercise on your detox day.

For Three Days After the Detox Day

Make sure that each day you eat a serving of low fat live yoghurt with active cultures as this will restore good bacteria into your gut.

By this stage you should be feeling fantastic and remember to check out the scales as you can lose up to around half a stone in weight by following this Detox plan.

It is important that you check with your doctor before embarking on any major change in your diet, so we recommend that you speak to your GP or your pharmacist before starting any kind of detox plan.

10 Great Tips On How To Wear The Maxi Dress

The maxi dress has been around for a few seasons now, but it doesn't seem to be losing any of its appeal or popularity - maybe this is because it is so easy and so forgiving to wear. It can look fabulous whether you are tall or short and it's brilliant to take away on holiday as it can be worn casually in the daytime over a bikini or in the evening dressed up. Here are some tips on how to choose a maxi dress to suite your size and shape and how to wear it.

Choosing a maxi dress to suite your size and shape

• If you are taller with a larger frame look for a maxi dress which has a more fitted bodice rather than one that is gathered under the bust as this will give you a more defined profile rather than yards of material billowing out around your middle.
• For those with a few extra pounds around the waistline look for A-line styles (rather than gathered) which flare out from under the bust and which will flatter the waist and hips.
• Bandeau style maxi dresses are fantastic for hot summer days and they look very elegant as they accentuate the shoulders and neck - think of Angelina Jolie in that famous black bandeau maxi dress pictured with her children. She is wearing no jewellery at all, just sunglasses, but looks super cool.

Choosing Colours and Patterns On A Maxi Dress

• If you are petite look for smaller prints such as flower or Indian designs which won't swamp you. Smaller girls can still pull off the block stripe designs as well though.
• If you are choosing a maxi dress for evening wear, look for a single coloured dress which will look stylish and which can be dressed up with jewellery.
• White maxi dresses are perfect for summer days and evenings and they have been spotted on celebrities such as Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Hudson. Perfect for that sunset walk along the beach on holiday too.

Accessorising Your Maxi Dress To Perfection

• Small and delicate jewellery doesn't really suit the maxi dress vibe. Jewellery to accessorise a maxi dress needs to be strong and bold in style and colour. Look for colourful Millefiori glass pendants, ethnic style jewellery and bold wood or metal bangles rather than bracelets.
• With shoes - really anything goes. Flip-flops can be worn daytime or evening with a maxi, but if you are going for the super sophisticated evening look then go for some killer-high heel strappy shoes to add extra glamour. Even pumps or cowboy boots will look great with a maxi dress.
• Please don't carry a tiny hand or shoulder bag around - again choose something big and bold - I really think casual bags are the way to go for daytime wear with a maxi, look for straw bags, or colourful fabric styles.
• For cooler evenings a pashmina to wrap around your shoulders looks great - or instead take some tips from the golden girl of Hollywood - Jennifer Anniston. When she wore the Burberry maxi dress (pictured above) at the premier of Marley and Me above in London, she covered up with a tailored and chic blazer which looked amazing.

Have You Ever Wished You Looked Taller - Choosing The Right Shoe Can Give You Inches!

Many of us have looked at photos of ourselves and wondered why we weren't the ones born with legs up to our armpits (or maybe slightly longer legs anyway). Sometimes, we are just petite all around, or some ladies are longer in the body relative to their leg length. However, there are ways, particularly by choosing the right shoe style, where we can visually increase our leg length. There are also styles of shoes we should avoid as well, so here are some "do's and don'ts" which will get you the long, lovely pins you desire.

Don't choose shoes which have..

• Ankle straps or are gladiator sandals as this visually cuts your leg off at the ankle.
• Straps which lace up and tie around the leg - visually cutting even more of your leg away.
• Heavy, chunky heels or square toes, which blunt the shape of the leg.
• Heels which are far too high for you - have you ever seen anything less desirable than a tiny girl tottering around in six inch heels - not a good look.
.

Do choose shoes which have..

• Peep toes, as they elongate the foot and look dainty and pretty, with the benefit of showing off a perfectly painted pedicure.
• Slingback straps - particularly where the strap stretches in a "v" shape from around the ankle to the front of the shoe as this again elongates the foot. Look for narrow straps rather than wide ones.
• Kitten heels - especially in a mule style, ie with a strap just across the front of the foot. Kitten heels are not very high themselves, but they display your ankles perfectly on a pretty, curved heel.
• Pointed toes - if you are looking for flats or pumps. Pointed toes elongate the foot again, rather than a rounded toe, and a "v" shaped opening in the shoe or a peep-toe flat will also add length.
• Classic pump heels - a pretty pump with a low cut front, a peep-toe and a mid sized heel will elongate legs, make calves more shapely and generally add height.

These tips are ideal now it's Spring as there are some beautiful floral skirts and dresses out there begging to be paired up with a lovely pair of new shoes.

Sarah's recommended read - Every shoe you need to get you through the season at www.handbag.com