Though other skin-care experts have identified free radicals and cellular inflammation as key triggers to the breakdown of healthy skin, renowned dermatologist and former National Institutes of Health fellow Jeannette Graf, M.D., has discovered a way to prevent these saboteurs from developing in the first place—rather than just treating the symptoms they’ve caused.

Based on the scientifically groundbreaking premise that our cells—and consequently our skin—can only function best when the pH balance of our body is at its proper level, Dr. Graf’s four-part plan focuses on changing your body’s ratio of acids to alkalines. Most of us tend to eat three acidic-building foods (like sugar, refined carbs, meat, and dairy) for every one alkalinizing food (dark green leafy vegetables, garlic, onions, olive oil, lemon, fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains)—the reverse of the ideal ratio. And while changing your diet is important, food is not the only way to shift this ratio or reverse the cell aging that’s affecting your skin. The plan also includes detailed information on:

• daily alkalinizing “cocktails”
• quality calcium-mineral supplements
• probiotic supplements (good bacteria in a bottle)
• how to assess your skin and care for it accordingly—choosing the right cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments that will give you the most noticeable results (hint: many of these products line the shelves of your local drugstore)
• the joy prescription: activities that can add exhilaration and laughter to your life and increase the neuropeptides in the brain that actually rejuvenate skin cells
• nutrients in foods that enhance cell energy production and cell signaling

But don’t just take her word for it: Stop Aging, Start Living is filled with testimonials from her patients. Whether you want to see results fast (with her twenty-four-hour kickstart plan), ease into it (with the two-week prescription), or just incorporate a few Stop Aging, Start Living strategies into your life as they suit you, you’ll come away looking and feeling incredibly younger.


From the Hardcover edition.