Chapter 8 Glow Younger

Nourish Your Skin Cells and Outsmart Wrinkles

Is there any better compliment than “You’re glowing”? It’s the ultimate praise because it implies that you look youthful, fresh, and filled with health. But when you’re tired or sick, you may hear that you look “pale” or “worn out.”

The quest for youthful, glowing skin is not superficial. Your appearance is tied to so many other factors in life. It plays a role in first impressions, which make all the difference in all types of encounters (remember my story of Clive and how he rejected me once he got a glimpse of my skin covered in eczema), from business to personal. The way you look plays a role in factors that influence how you live day-to-day: confidently, sensually, powerfully, and happily.

More than that, skin isn’t just about how you look or how appealing you are to others. Your skin—your largest organ—is a direct reflection of your health and well-being. Dry, sun-damaged, dull skin and fine lines and wrinkles can be visible signs of your body's degradation. But when your skin glows it radiates inner beauty and better health.

Beauty, as the saying goes, is only skin-deep. But the importance of skin goes a lot deeper. In this chapter, I’ll show you how to activate your youth to get healthy and glowing skin by activating your autophagy, which is something that is new and groundbreaking to the beauty industry. Find out how to do this through nutritional ingredients and cutting-edge technology.

Why Your Glow Goes Away

The biggest threat to your health, and the health of your skin, is aging. The Inevitable and Accelerated Agers leave an invisible impact on your body and a visible impact on your skin in the form of dryness, loss of collagen and elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, and age spots. Dry skin (or dry patches of skin) is often one of the first signs of aging, but it also exacerbates most of the other ones. This is why dermatologists recommend we start using a moisturizer in our early twenties.

But what dermatologists didn’t realize until recently is the relationship between the Accelerated Agers, autophagy, and the skin. In fact, a breakthrough study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology conference showed that Accelerated Agers such as UV irradiation and free radical inducers can suppress autophagy. This is incredibly significant because we now understand that not only does autophagy naturally decline with age, but Accelerated Agers further suppress autophagy in the skin, and therefore further hinder your cells’ ability to clean up and repair the damage that causes visible signs of aging. As a result, we see an accelerated decrease in vital collagen production and a delay in cell turnover, which contributes to dry and dull skin, fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, and thinning of the skin, all commonly referred to as signs of aging.

In addition to the known Accelerated Agers you’ve already read about in this book, there is yet another category of Accelerated Agers that may be the reason your glow is going away, and these agers are likely hiding in your bathroom closet or medicine cabinet. Many products you use daily, even those that claim to be antiaging, can make your skin look older and age faster than it should. This is because the ingredients can contribute to the waste and damage in your cells and slow autophagy, making signs of aging appear faster. Common ingredients that can damage cellular components and hinder autophagy are in the following table.

Formaldehyde
Often used in cosmetics, lotions, creams, nail polish, eyelash glue, hair gel, and deodorants.
	An article published in Contact Dermatitis found that nearly 20 percent of products contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. This chemical is linked to allergies, chest pain, chronic fatigue, depression, dizziness, ear infections, headaches, joint pain, and loss of sleep, and can trigger asthma.
	Note that on a label, formaldehyde may be listed as formalin, or you may have to play detective and scrutinize the label for one of the following: DMDM hydantoin, found in more than 2,000 products; diazolidinyl urea, found in about 2,000 products; imidazolidinyl urea, found in more than 700 products; quaternium-15, found in about 400 products; and hydroxymethylglycinate, found in more than 300 products.
Mineral Oil and Petrolatum
Often found in lip balm, lipstick, day and night creams, lotions, and ointments	These petroleum derivatives coat the skin like plastic wrap, limiting the skin’s ability to breathe. Mineral oil doesn’t absorb into the skin—its molecular size is simply too big. As a result, it stays on the surface. Instead, look for natural emollients. Wax esters such as jojoba, candelilla, and carnauba are great oil-soluble options, as are cocoa butter and shea butter. I really like beeswax because it helps to prevent water loss and has the same moisturizing properties as mineral oil, but doesn’t pollute and clog pores and cause breakouts.
Oxybenzone
Used in sunscreens, lip balm, and moisturizers to protect against UV rays	This chemical has been linked to hormone disruption, cancer, and low–birth weight babies. Oxybenzone can cause an allergic reaction in many people when it is exposed to the sun. Quick tip: To avoid oxybenzone but still get the benefit of sunscreen, look for products that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Parabens and Phthalates
Found in cosmetics, creams, hairspray, nail polish, and perfumes, these preservatives keep out bacteria and prolong the life of products	Parabens and phthalates are preservatives used to keep out bacteria and prolong the life of products, but they are thought to be potentially carcinogenic. They were banned by the European Union in 2003. Parabens can be listed under chemical names like methylparaben, propylparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben. If you see the words “fragrance” or “parfum” on a label, that almost always means phthalates. To ensure your products are free of phthalates, look for the following claims: “no synthetic fragrance,” “scented with only essential oils,” or “phthalate-free.”
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
A common foaming agent found in personal care products, including shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes	SLS is a harsh yet effective cleansing agent that strips away oil and other gunk. But this powerful stripping quality also makes SLS one of the primary skin irritants used in body care products today. Its caustic lathering agent can destroy the lipid layers that keep the skin smooth and supple. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review recommends you chose less than 1 percent SLS to avoid irritation. An even safer option is to choose “SLS-free” products.

So not only do Accelerated Agers suppress autophagy, toxins hiding in your medicine cabinet can cause a buildup of toxic waste in your cells, further hindering autophagy. That, coupled with the fact that your autophagy naturally declines, makes it almost impossible for your cellular cleansing cleanup crew to do its job efficiently. The buildup of junk and damage to your cells leads to signs of aging in your skin like dryness, dullness, wrinkles, and discoloration. In other words, your glow begins to go away, and for good reason, but you can get glowing again. What’s staggering is over 60 percent of American women over 13 years old (that’s over 76 million women) are concerned about signs of accelerated aging—more than ever before.

How to Get Glowing

Even though you’re getting older, you can still look younger.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone is a board-certified clinical and research dermatologist, a world-renowned leader in antiaging skincare, and author of several New York Times best-selling book titles based on his passion and knowledge of the effect of antioxidants on our skin’s health. A line at the end of his book The Wrinkle Cure has stood out to me since the first time I read it many years ago, and it’s one of the driving factors that encouraged me to pursue autophagy activation and its impact on the skin. He says, “I’m convinced that the antioxidant revolution is just the beginning. Each triumph brings us one step closer to making the fantasy of eternal youth and beauty a realistic and obtainable goal.”

For so long, I was consumed with the idea that antioxidants were the be-all, end-all of antiaging. But this line from Dr. Perricone kept me wondering, “What’s next?” After years of research and discovery, I’m now convinced it is autophagy. Autophagy begins where antioxidants leave off. While antioxidants help to prevent damage due to the Accelerated and Inevitable agers, autophagy does what antioxidants can’t—it acts to remove and repair the skin’s already damaged cellular components.

What’s more, you have the power to boost your autophagy, rid your cells of damage and toxins, and repair your skin, so that it looks and behaves younger. New and very exciting research suggests that the stimulation of autophagy can positively influence each layer of skin to repair the visible and invisible signs of aging. I worked extensively with my good friend, celebrity dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman, to better understand the role of each layer of skin, how it’s impacted by Accelerated and Inevitable agers, and how each layer may be affected by autophagy activation. Let’s dive in.

Epidermis: This is the topmost layer of skin that protects your body from the elements. It guards against Accelerated Agers like the sun, pollutants, and chemicals and acts as a biological shield against other invaders like insect bites and stings. And this is the layer where lines, age spots, and discoloration form. Skin cell turnover happens in the epidermis; this is the natural exfoliation process in which dead cells should slough off naturally every twenty-eight days or once a month. But as you age from both the Accelerated and Inevitable agers, this sloughing process dramatically slows down, as slow as once every forty to fifty days, which makes your skin dry, dull, and older looking than it should. In addition, the epidermis holds in the skin’s water and precious oil. Fine lines are formed when the epidermis loses its ability to hold onto this moisture, causing your skin to thicken and become rough and dry. In addition, this outer layer is where skin-color-producing melanin is formed in cells. Age spots and uneven blotches occur when the epidermis overproduces melanin.

A conference of the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that autophagy activation can lead to increased cell turnover, helping to eliminate the dryness that causes fine lines. Increasing this cell turnover revitalizes the overall health and youthful appearance of your skin. Boosting autophagy can also stop the overproduction of melanin that causes age spots, as indicated in the journal Experimental Dermatology. As mentioned above, age spots form when melanin, which is what produces skin pigment, is overactive. UV light accelerates the production of melanin and thus the formation of dark spots. Slowing down melanin production helps slow discoloration.

Dermis: This is the middle layer, consisting of connective tissue, capillaries, nerves, hair follicles, and oil and sweat glands. Collagen and elastin fibers weave through the dermis, giving the skin firmness, elasticity, and structure. By the time you reach age 25, you produce about 1 percent less collagen per year. That loss gets even greater as you age. When you reach your forties, you may have 10 to 20 percent less collagen than you did in your twenties. And at fifty, you may have up to 50 percent less collagen than you did in your twenties. Collagen depletion leads to the formation of wrinkles, sagging skin, easy bruising, and loss of elasticity. Also noteworthy: Wounds take longer to heal with a lack of collagen.

Stimulating autophagy in this middle layer can lead to an increase in collagen production, according to the journal FASEB. Activating autophagy also slows the process of cellular senescence. Senescence is the cell condition of deterioration with age—the loss of cells’ power to divide and replicate. Slowing senescence makes it possible to preserve the function of skin tissues and ward off the visible signs of aging.

Hypodermis or Subcutaneous Layer: This is the bottommost layer, often referred to as the “fat” layer because it is composed mostly of fat and connective tissue lying atop your muscles. This is the layer that helps regulate body temperature and protects your muscles and bones. It also keeps your skin smooth and plump. As we age, the fat pads that once gave us fullness through the mid-cheeks—or the “apples”—naturally start to disappear and the connective tissue loses its resilience, leading to sagging skin.

Autophagy plays an essential role in the homeostasis of adipocytes (fat cells). There is also evidence that autophagy plays a role in the interconversion of brown and white fat cells. In general, younger people have more brown fat cells. Brown fat cells convert excess sugars and fatty acids into heat for temperature regulation. In contrast, white fat cells convert excess sugars and fatty acids into storage fatty acids. With increased age and deteriorating autophagy, the balance between white and brown fat cell formation may be compromised, which may have broader impacts on health.

A Remarkable Discovery

While science shows that stimulating autophagy can improve cellular function, the application of autophagy in skincare is only just being realized. One of the most respected and credentialed dermatologists studying autophagy and the skin is Richard Wang, MD, PhD. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him on the development of Glow15.

Dr. Wang regularly sees patients and is an assistant professor of dermatology at one of the most prominent centers for research in the field of autophagy. He is among a select few scientists who have conducted significant research related to autophagy and skin.

The 2016 Nobel Prize-winning research around autophagy inspired Dr. Wang and me to revolutionize the approach to antiaging nutritional skincare ingredients. While traditional ingredients largely focused on the external signs of aging, our approach was to combat what we now know as the fundamental or root cause of aging—the decline of autophagy. Dr. Wang and I hypothesized that if we could boost autophagy levels to what they were in our youth, our skin will not only repair damage with the same efficiency as young skin, but cellular health would also be prolonged and signs of aging could be delayed and even reversed.

With my commitment to pure and efficacious nutritional ingredients and Dr. Wang’s research and understanding of the optimal conditions for autophagy activation, we went on a quest to identify ingredients that not only could activate autophagy, but were also proven to protect, repair, and nourish the skin.

The scientific literature is littered with claims about different ingredients that can activate autophagy. After carefully researching hundreds of ingredients over the course of two years, I brought the leading ingredients to Dr. Wang, and through his research we landed on powerful nutritional ingredients that together activated autophagy over multiple cellular pathways when tested in-vitro. This is remarkable and significant because the complex process of autophagy occurs across multiple cellular pathways, and our nutritional ingredients activate each of them. The key ingredients are ceramides, trehalose, polyphenols, and caffeine.

Putting the Nutritional Ingredients to the Test

Dr. Wang's clinical results, coupled with the transformative changes to my skin (you know I’m always my own human guinea pig), were so inspiring that I decided to share the nutritional complex with all of the women in the Jacksonville University study.

After sixty days of applying the autophagy-activating nutritional ingredients every morning and night, 100 percent of the participating women reported a dramatic improvement in their skin’s youthfulness, citing a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles as well as a reduction in pore size. Additionally, 85 percent found their skin to be firmer and plumper, and their complexions were more youthful and smoother. And 88 percent of the participants found their complexions were visibly more even.

Facial photographs, assessed by an independent board-certified dermatologist, confirmed the subjective self-report findings of improvements in the women’s skin health. In addition, digital photographic analysis using the VISIA facial imaging system showed statistically significant improvements, including improvements in skin texture and reductions in aging markers like brown spots and facial wrinkles.

The most rewarding part of the process was hearing from the participants themselves. They repeatedly told me how much happier and better they felt about their appearance. Many of them described their skin as “radiant,” “brighter,” and “glowing.”

I believe in a multifaceted approach to fight skin aging—treating both the visible and invisible signs. So, in addition to diet, exercise, and sleep modifications, the autophagy-activating nutritional ingredients that Dr. Wang and I identified to reduce dry, wrinkled, thinning skin as well as uneven pigmentation can be found not only in your skincare but also in your kitchen.

Targeted Topicals to Glow

Some of the best nutritional ingredients to activate autophagy are part of Glow15. While ingesting them helps in the systemic stimulation of autophagy, applying them topically can repair and rebuild the very scaffolding on which your skin sits, so the results are long-lasting and continue to get better and better over time.

The nutritional ingredients that maximized autophagy activation during our clinical research and produced astonishing results for the women in the Jacksonville University study are listed below. These ingredients will activate your skin’s natural youth-promoting cellular activity, keeping you healthy and beautiful—both inside and out.

Ceramides

These sphingolipids lock in moisture to help plump the skin. Found in the epidermis, they are a crucial component of your skin’s barrier against pollutants and harmful bacteria. Like most things, your skin’s natural ceramide production decreases as you age, which can lead to dryness, fine lines, and wrinkles. Decreased ceramide levels are also associated with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, eczema—as I know well!—and psoriasis.

The good news: Topical ceramides can replenish your natural lipid loss, help restore youthful moisture, protect skin from irritants, and fortify your skin’s natural barrier. In a Japanese study, eyelids, a key indicator of facial aging, treated with a ceramide gel for four weeks showed a significant increase in water content. Numerous clinical studies have also shown the promising benefits of ceramides in treating atopic dermatitis.

Topical ceramides have been proven to move into the upper layers of skin, promoting hydration. Natural ceramides, derived from plants like wheat germ, penetrate the skin better than synthetic ceramides, but can also be expensive. You will see them listed on the product labels as “ceramide AP,” “ceramide EOP,” “ceramide NG,” “ceramide NP,” “ceramide NS,” “phytosphingosine,” or “sphingosine.”

Another way to get the benefits of ceramides is with one of my favorite DIY treatments, designed to nourish, moisturize, and improve skin tone.

Unmask Your Glow

1 tablespoon olive oil mayonnaise
1 teaspoon wheat germ
2 or 3 drops bergamot essential oil

1.Mix the mayonnaise and wheat germ in a small bowl.

2.Add the bergamot oil and mix.

3.Apply this mixture to the face, covering it evenly and completely.

4.Let the mask sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

5.Rinse with lukewarm water.

6.Repeat twice a week in the evening for best results.

Trehalose

Have you ever wondered how a desert plant is able to bloom, or resurrect itself, after months of rain deprivation? Or have you thought about how dried mushrooms magically spring back to life when dropped in water? The answer is trehalose.

This naturally occurring sugar forms a gel as plant cells start to dehydrate, stopping them from falling apart and helping them get back into shape. Trehalose can do the same for your skin.

Science shows that when applied topically, trehalose possesses a massive ability to retain water and can help strengthen a parched and weakened skin barrier. Keeping your skin hydrated is one of the keys to making skin appear smooth and young. While trehalose is not an antioxidant, it does offer protective antioxidant effects. For example, the journal Biomedical Reports found that trehalose can help protect the skin against UV damage.

Found in both skincare and haircare products, this targeted topical helps retain moisture and has been shown to reduce odors that stick to your hair and body. Note that this ingredient can also be listed on personal care products as “mycose.” For best results, look for brands that contain at least 1.5 percent trehalose. You can find pure trehalose in stores and online.

You can use trehalose to exfoliate and moisturize dry skin using this scrub.

Glow-To Facial Scrub

1 tablespoon trehalose
1 tablespoon tea seed oil
2 or 3 drops bergamot essential oil (optional)

1.Mix the trehalose and tea seed oil in a small bowl. Add the bergamot oil, if desired.

2.Apply the mixture evenly to the face.

3.Gently massage in small circles for 1 minute.

4. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

5. Repeat as needed two or three times per week.

Polyphenols

You may recall that these naturally occurring compounds, found in grape skins, red wine, green tea, and blueberries, not only activate autophagy but are also potent antioxidants. This is important because your body uses its own supply of antioxidants to defend against free radicals that affect skin’s appearance.

But, as we get older, the Inevitable and Accelerated Agers can leave that antioxidant supply depleted. This can lead to rough, sagging, and weak skin. The good news: You can replenish that antioxidant power with potent topical polyphenols, helping to repair damage and restore elasticity to prematurely aging skin.

A growing body of evidence shows resveratrol and EGCG can both slow skin aging when applied topically. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, researchers found that topical resveratrol possesses seventeen-fold greater antioxidant potency than an expensive and powerful drug used in some antiwrinkle creams. The Archives of Dermatological Research Journal showed the polyphenolic compounds present in green tea, including EGCG, also provide natural anti-inflammatory effects to the skin. When applied topically, these compounds help address many different inflammatory conditions of the skin, including acne, dermatitis, and rosacea.

The Journal of Dermatologic Therapy reported that polyphenols not only improved skin elasticity, but also increased moisture level and smoothness when applied topically. Polyphenol-containing skincare products include skin cleansers and face masks, moisturizers, and sunscreens. In skincare products, polyphenols will most likely be listed by their individual plant names—all parts of the plant can be used, including leaf, seed, skin, root, seed, shoot, vine, sap, flower, and fruit, in multiple forms such as powders, extracts, juices, and oils. Note that antioxidants will degrade when they are exposed to light and air, so if your polyphenols are in a jar, once you open it, they won’t work as well. Look for airtight, opaque packaging.

This DIY polyphenol treatment is one of my favorite ways to combat redness—from rashes to blemishes and even eczema.

On-the-Glow Spot Treatment

Green or black tea bags

1. Fill a cup with warm water (a mix of 2 parts hot water to 1 part cold water works best).

2. Dip the tea bag into the water and let it steep for a few minutes. (Polyphenols like the EGCG and bergamot found in the green and Earl Gray teas, respectively, are more potent together, so feel free to combine them for added youth-boosting benefits.)

3. When the water is dark, take the tea bag out and dab some of the water onto any red spots. Repeat this for a few minutes; the tea will dry quickly, so feel free to use a lot of the water.

4. Leave the tea on overnight—don’t wash it off right away!

5. Upon waking in the morning, rinse off any tea residue. You should notice firmer, softer skin and a reduction in your spots and any red marks.

Caffeine

Produced by plants and occurring naturally in coffee and tea, caffeine has the ability to penetrate the skin barrier. It works as an antioxidant and a vasoconstrictor.

As an antioxidant, caffeine can help fight future signs of aging. When topically applied, it helps protect cells against UV radiation and slows down the process of photoaging of the skin. A study done by the University of Washington and published in the Journal for Investigative Dermatology exposed healthy human skin cells and UV-damaged skin cells to caffeine. The caffeine caused the UV-damaged cells to die but did not affect the healthy cells. This may explain caffeine’s “sunscreen” effect.

Caffeine also works as a vasoconstrictor, constricting small blood vessels and reducing inflammation. It can be found in a number of creams designed to minimize dark circles and sagging skin under the eyes. In addition, its constricting effect can help reduce redness.

Caffeine derived from coffee beans and tea leaves can be found in a variety of skincare products, from moisturizers to serums to soaps and scrubs. One of my favorite ways to get the benefits of caffeine is with a DIY scrub. One of the best I’ve ever found came from a posting on Elle.com, which I’ve adapted here.

Make Cellulite Glow Away

1 cup coffee grounds
3 tablespoons sea salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil
Dry brush (optional)

1. Combine the coffee grounds and salt in a large measuring cup or bowl.

2. If the coconut oil is solid, melt it in the microwave; if liquid, simply pour it into the measuring cup or bowl with the coffee grounds and salt. Mix well.

3. Transfer to a waterproof jar or other airtight container and store it in the shower.

4. If desired, before showering, use a dry brush (see sidebar) to exfoliate and stimulate blood flow.

5. In the shower, apply the scrub to areas with cellulite. Massage the scrub onto your skin in a circular motion, then rinse.

6. Repeat every time you shower for best results.

Try to use as many of the autophagy-activating topicals—ceramides, trehalose, polyphenols, and caffeine—as possible, because a combination is best to outsmart wrinkles and get glowing skin. To be sure you are getting a quality amount of these actives, make sure they appear among the top third of your skincare product’s ingredient list.

Dry Brushing

This practice involves rubbing a dry brush in a circular motion on your dry skin. It stimulates exfoliation by sloughing off dead skin cells. It also promotes circulation.

A proper dry brush should have firm bristles and a long handle for hard-to-reach areas. You can find them in stores or online for around $10.

Working from the outside in, start at your hands and arms or feet and legs and move toward your heart. The process should take 10 to 15 minutes.

Treat Yourself to Youth-Boosting Therapies

You already know about the stress associated with fasting and exercise to activate autophagy—but here’s one more reason stress doesn’t have to stink. Therapeutic mechanical stress—causing minor trauma to cells in skin and muscles—may elevate autophagy and execute repair. That means that manipulating your skin through therapies like massage and acupressure can stimulate your cellular cleansing cleanup crew to help you look and feel younger. What a perfect excuse for a spa day!

Try one of these youth-boosting treatments to activate mechanical stress, making your cells act younger.

Facials: A great way to remove dead skin cells and stimulate cell turnover, facials can help to smooth skin and boost a youthful glow.

One of the most promising facial treatments for autophagy activation and youthful-looking skin is microneedling, a cosmetic procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny sterile needles that range between 1 millimeter and 1.5 millimeters in length. Being pricked over and over again with tiny needles may seem like a form of torture, but I can tell you from firsthand experience, it may be one of the best things you can do to rejuvenate your skin.

Many dermatologists believe microneedling may be an antiaging breakthrough—and it works by creating a stress-response mode in your body. The theory is that the needles stress your cells to activate autophagy and repair the damage. The procedure boosts production of collagen and elastin for an antiaging effect. A study in the International Journal of Dermatology found it to be a promising, minimally invasive treatment option to help advance collagen production. It can be effective for dark spots, redness, and fine lines and wrinkles. The procedure is most commonly performed by a doctor or trained aesthetician, but at-home versions also exist and are gaining popularity.

Massage: This therapy dates back more than 5,000 years. The benefits of massage have been well examined, proven, and recorded throughout its history.

Archaeological discoveries indicate that prehistoric people used herbs on their bodies to promote health and healing. Chinese literature records that massage was used for healing as far back as 3000 BCE. It is believed that Hippocrates, the Greek physician, was the first to use massage for circulation, maintaining that the strokes should be made in the direction of the heart. And during World War I, massage was used along with surgical treatment to alleviate pain, reduce edema, assist circulation, and promote tissues nutrition.

Today massage is more than just a luxurious form of pampering. It’s been shown to help reduce anxiety, aches, and pains, and relieve sore muscles. Its benefits are so widespread that it’s offered everywhere, including doctors’ offices, spas, and even airports.

There are many different types of massage. Some of the most common therapies include:

Swedish massage, a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration, and tapping to help relax and energize you.
Deep-tissue massage, a technique that uses slower, more forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.
Sports massage, similar to Swedish massage, but geared toward people involved in sports activities to help prevent or treat injuries.
Trigger-point massage, which focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.

Most states regulate massage therapists, so make sure yours is credentialed.

Acupuncture: This popular alternative treatment originates from traditional Chinese medicine. Practitioners use needles to trigger specific points throughout the body to release the flow of energy.

It became especially popular in the ’70s during the Nixon administration. When a New York Times reporter, James Reston, covered the president’s trip to China, he had an emergency appendectomy. His postoperative treatment for the pain included acupuncture, which he wrote about
— thus introducing this treatment to many Americans for the first time.

Acupuncture has been shown to benefit a variety of ailments from digestive issues to neurological problems, sinusitis to mood disorders.

Ten to twelve needles are inserted by hand. The areas of insertion correlate to your specific ailment. The most important preparation you can do for this treatment is to find a certified or licensed practitioner. I found it to be painless.

Acupressure: This traditional Chinese treatment is known as needleless acupuncture. Hand or elbow pressure is generally used on the same trigger points as acupuncture. The goal again is to clear the flow of energy in the body. The major difference between this and acupuncture is that acupressure can be self-administered. (Click here for a DIY guide to acupressure to help your skin glow.)

DIY Acupressure

Acupressure points to help activate autophagy also work to boost your glow.

The following is a guide to the most commonly used acupressure points for alleviating skin conditions.

For each, use your index or pointer fingers to apply pressure for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat three times per week.

Third Eye Point

WHERE IT IS Directly between your eyebrows at the point where the bridge of your nose meets the center of your forehead.

WHAT IT DOES Stimulates the main endocrine gland, the pituitary, helping to enhance the overall appearance of your skin.

Four Whites

WHERE IT IS Near the top of your cheekbone, about a finger’s width below your the eye socket in line with the center of your iris.

WHAT IT DOES Helps alleviate acne and facial blemishes.

Facial Beauty

WHERE IT IS At the bottom of the cheekbone, about a finger’s length directly below your pupil.

WHAT IT DOES Improves circulation, swelling, and blemishes.

Wind Screen

WHERE IT IS In the indentation directly behind your ear lobe. (This is easiest to feel if you open your mouth and feel for the indentation between your ear and jaw.)

WHAT IT DOES Believed to help balance your thyroid gland and increase skin’s radiance; may also help to relieve hives.

Sea of Vitality

WHERE IT IS In your lower back (between the second and third lumbar vertebrae), two to four finger widths away from your spine at waist level.

WHAT IT DOES Fortifies your immunity, helping to relieve redness, eczema, and bruises on the body.

By stimulating specific points, you have the ability to alleviate tension, increase circulation, and reduce pain and other ailments for well-being.

Facial acupressure treatment is believed to improve the condition and tone of muscles and connective tissue, which can lessen the appearance of wrinkles. It can also help in weight-loss maintenance.

Facials, massage, acupuncture, and acupressure—along with other treatments that manipulate the body to cause minor trauma to cells—can help to stimulate autophagy. While some of these therapies can be practiced on your own or with a partner, if a treatment involves deep muscle and tissue manipulation, it is best to see a licensed therapist. I try to do one of these treatments each month to help change the way my skin ages.

You now have the tools to glow younger—from beauty to sleep to exercise to nutritional supplements and diet. In just fifteen days, you should see noticeable changes in your weight, your energy, your mood, and your skin.

I believe success is where opportunity and preparation meet, and I want you to succeed. Now is your opportunity, and in the next chapter, I’ll prepare you with everything you need to get glowing.

Glow15 Success Story

Iola “My skin is bright and smooth. It’s like Glow15 helped me get younger!”

“I’m in that gorgeous state of menopause and I just wanted to feel healthier. I wasn’t looking to be a skinny mini size 4, I just wanted to get back to feeling like my best me. Glow15 made that possible. It changed my mindset. I just became more positive. Maybe it was working out or it could have been sleeping in—both made a difference. I worked muscles I forgot I had and I slept better than I have in years, which meant I woke up happier.

“I also really liked AutophaTea—it tastes delicious. I feel so much more energized. I think the fat helps with that—you get so many mixed messages about fat being bad, but I think Glow15 gets it right: Good fat is a must for good health and a good mind.

“But the biggest change may have been to my skin—I added products that had the autophagy-activating ingredients like caffeine and ceramides and trehalose. And instead of the dullness and dryness I’d had since menopause, my skin is bright and smooth. It’s like Glow15 helped me get younger!”