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beauty
Youth Springs Eternal
john foxx/getty images
Seven of the state’s newest and most innovative anti-aging secrets by nadine haobsh
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beauty | youth SpringS eternal
Pick your poison: Wear it, drink it or inject it. Golden State doctors and scientists alike have been cooking up the most effective potions and processes for chasing the ever-elusive ideal of youth. But what sets these innovations apart is a decidedly technological, firmly results-oriented slant. For change that works, add a pinch of innovation and stir. EvOLuTIOnARY EATIng
are our genes trying to kill us?
That’s the revolutionary proposal from Dr. Steven R. Gundry, a cardiac surgeon with a practice in Palm Springs. Author of Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution: Turn Off The Genes That Are Killing You—And Your Waistline—And Drop The Weight For Good, he explains the surprising ways food choices activate genes programmed to increase fat and decrease health. Out of a desire to be slim, many of us eat precisely the wrong foods, activating so-called “killer genes” and provoking heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and a dramatically expanded waistline. So, in the quest to drop those extra 15 pounds, what should be avoided? Red meat, perhaps? Cheese? That third—or fifth— glass of wine? In fact, the single biggest culprit is fruit. “Individual genes are turned on or off by the compounds to which they’re exposed,” explains Dr. Gundry of his studies in human evolutionary biology. “Phytochemicals in plants interacted with our genes to tell them what time of year it was, what we were supposed to do and how to keep the organism well-functioning. Winter was a time for less food, no matter where in the world, so the only time we would run into simple sugar was in the form of early fall or summer fruit.” Bodies take this simple sugar and store it as fat. So by eating fruit, our body thinks winter is coming. Dr. Gundry’s plan involves three stages (the Teardown Phase, the Restoration Phase and the Longevity Phase), with the Teardown Phase barring all fruits for two weeks. “When people give fruit the boot, the weight loss is dramatic,” says Dr. Gundry, instead advocating a heavy reliance on dark, leafy greens (“If you eat green, you’ll become lean”) and protein from animals eating natural diets (i.e. grass-fed cows and wild, not farm-raised, fish.) In >>
HYBRIDLIFT
The next generation of facelift: natural-looking and longerlasting with limited scarring and minimal downtime. Method Double-board certified facial plastic surgeons Dr. Jason
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Litner and Dr. Peyman Solieman of Profiles Beverly Hills use small incisions similar to those popular in mini-lifts, but they dissect deeply in the lower-face, avoiding the bruising caused by raising a large skin-flap in traditional facelifts. Result Combined with fat-transfer to the cheeks and undereye area, the “windswept” look is avoided. Skin appears firmer for years longer than various “lunchtime” procedures. Dr. Jason Litner and Dr. Peyman Solieman, Profiles Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, 310-276-6800; beverlyhillsprofiles.com.
SMOOTH HAPES S
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SCLEROTHERAPY
goal Banishing undereye circles. No more cellulite. Method Sclerotherapy—the injection of Method A dynamic liquid into veins to dissolve and reduce process available at their appearance—is popularly perDr. Grant Stevens’ formed on legs to zap spider and varicose Marina Del Rey practice, veins. Dr. Alexander Cadoux, Medical SmoothShapes Director at Laser Solutions in Beverly uses a newer technology Hills, has translated its benefits for the called Photomology— dilated blood vessels which often cause combining a laser persistently dark undereye circles. with vacuuming and Result After three relatively painless massage to target treatments of 5-10 minutes each, expect the tissue that an approximate 90% reduction in circles. creates cellulite. $375/15 min. Dr. Alexander Cadoux, Result After four treatLaser Solutions, B.H., 310-550-5566; ments, cellulite is lasersolutions90210.com. slightly less visible; up to eight treatments are recommended to enjoy dramatic results of noticeably smoother skin and reduced fat. $2,500/8 treatments. Dr. Grant Stevens, Marina Plastic Surgery Associates, Marina Del Rey, 800-763-9968; marinaplasticsurgery.com; smoothshapes.com.
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fountain: john foxx/getty images. illustrations by gigi kalika
beauty | youth SpringS eternal
CHELLá PROFESSIOnAL SKInCARE
The best skincare advances— nanoparticles, botanicals and amino acids— in one powerhouse serum. Method Traditional Hyaluronic Acid particles are too large to penetrate the skin; Chellá Skin Firming Serum utilizes HA nanoparticles to ensure effective skin penetration and moisture retention for up to three days. Fortified with a Tri Amino Complex of Glycine, Proline and Alanine nano-sized amino acids, the serum also includes a vitamin and
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HEREnERgYDRInK
A health-drink for women’s needs. Method Slim, elegant, and decidedly pink, Hollywood-based HER (or “Health Energy Revitalizer”) contains calcium, antioxidants, and ginseng with a sparkling pink lemonade flavor. Available in regular and sugar-free/carb-free. Result A kick of gentle energy with less crashing, your daily dose of beautifying antioxidants, plus socially-conscious satisfaction—a portion of the proceeds from each sale are donated to battered women’s shelters and breast cancer research. $45/24. Target; herenergy.com.
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antioxidant medley. Result A plumper, better-hydrated complexion thanks to the one-two punch of collagenboosting Tri Amino Complex and absorption-aiding Transcutol, which allows HA nanoparticles to penetrate more thoroughly. $100. chella.com.
>> phase two, beneficial fruits such as berries can be slowly reintroduced. As far as those “killer genes,” Dr. Gundry’s studies turned up some scary findings. In any ecosystem, there is only so much food to go around, thus humans are possessed of an innate calorie counter. “People who take in more than their fair share are a threat to everybody else. If we’re exceeding that number of allotted calories, our genes say, ‘Bye-bye, that’s all you get.’” When these “killer genes” are activated, health issues begin in the form of high cholesterol and diabetes. “All of these are ways designed to slow us down and stop us in our tracks,” he says. Grains, quickly converted to sugar in the bloodstream, are also a culprit. Citing the turn-of-thecentury inventions of cereal and refined grains, Dr. Gundry observes, “When ground-up grain products are introduced into a culture that has never seen them before, within 20 years, all the diseases of Western Civilization begin appearing.” Gundry’s solutions for taking back your health are remarkably simple: a quarter-cup of raw nuts twice daily, halving the intake (or eliminating altogether) of artificial sweeteners, limiting dairy consumption and a glass or two of red wine daily. Rather than mask health problems with medicinal quick fixes, Dr. Gundry advocates going back to basics to create solutions. “Diabetes and high blood pressure are the warning light on our internal car dashboard. You don’t put a piece of tape over the light; you have it serviced. We’ve been misled to think that health is something that comes in a pill bottle, but if you give your genes what they’re looking for, they’ll take care of you.” The Center For Restorative Health at the International Heart and Lung Institute, 555 E. Tachevah Dr., Palm Springs, 760-323-5553; heartlunginstitute.com. •
Q-LInK
Enhancing energy, improving life. Method Billing itself as a personal energy system, the Q-Link Pendant—developed by Larkspurbased wellness company Clarus Transphase Scientific—uses Sympathetic Resonance Technology to resonate so-called life-supporting frequencies and balance the body’s energy field. Result Mental clarity, improved concentration, and reduced jet lag, stress and fatigue. Scores of PGA-tour golfers reportedly swear by its performance-enhancing powers. From $100 to $1,000. 800-246-2765; q-linkproducts.com.
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fountain: john foxx/getty images. illustrations by gigi kalika
“nature givES You thE facE You havE at twenty; it iS up to You to merit thE facE You havE at fifty.” —coco chanEl