Cellulite detox

There are many possible reasons for cellulite to appear. Besides the inherited affinity to accumulating cellulite, our habits play a huge role. What we do, eat, and even how we feel, may have affect.

There are some food that might be helpful for getting rid of cellulite, but it's also useful to know what food you should avoid to prevent cellulite.

Basically, you should avoid too sugary and too oily food. Everything super processed is bad. Deep fried - don't even think about it. List goes on, but I'm sure you catch my drift. :)

For the detox part, on one hand you have to reduce the input of said food, and on the other hand, you should try implementing as much fruit, vegetables, unrefined and even raw food.

Especially good for detox are teas (like green tea), but don't add sugar, use honey instead. Also, juiced fruit like grapefruit, oranges and lemons, (or all of them together!) are really great.

It's nice to make a "detox day" at least once a month. Menu for such day would tipicaly look like this:

Breakfast (in early morning)
Juiced grapefruit (pure, no sugar, lots!)
Yogurt (instead for looking at the supermarket for the low fat one, try your luck at farmers market with some home made organic yogurt)
Bananas

Lunch
Soup (just veggies, no pasta, no cream)
Raw salad (sprouts, avocado)
Juiced fruit

Dinner (at least few hours before you go to sleep)
Green tea with honey

During the day (between the meals)
Green tea (or some other kind) - few cups
Fruit - apples, pineapples, grape, citrus, ...
Raw vegetable - tomatoes, cucumber, celery, ... (anything that could be eaten raw)

This is just one example, you could try many variations. Also, remember - it is "detox day" - after one day of detoxification you should continue with a normal diet.

What is cellulite? Is it preventable or is it all in the genes like stretch marks?

Q: I've just noticed maybe a tiny weeny bit of what I think MAY be cellulite, on my thigh. I'm not sure though, I'm 18 and I've never really understood what it is. Is there anything I can do to prevent more forming?

A: Cellulite is fat pushed out from cells, put it most simply. For detailed explanation look here - cellulite vs fat.
Causes of cellulite are numerous:

• poor nutrition
• physical inactivity
• genetics
• stress
• bad circulation
• hormones

You can read more about each one of them in the article.

There are many ways how to get rid of cellulite:

• body creams
• massage
• liposuction
• laser reduction

Also, following those simple do's and dont's that you have on your right here on blog would help a lot.

Cellulite basics - cellulite vs. fat

> Regular fat provides protection to the organs and muscles, and insulates the body. Cellulite has no positive use.

> Regular fat, when squeezed, is smooth in texture. Cellulite appears to have ridges, lumps and irregularities, when squeezed.

> Regular fat could occur anywhere on the body. Cellulite appears only in some parts of the body such as the thighs, arms, buttocks and breasts.

> Regular fat can be accessed by the body as an energy source, while cellulite cannot be used as an energy source.

Cellulite basics - coining the word cellulite

Cellulite has actually only been in vogue since 1973, when the word was coined by Nicole Ronsard, the owner of a New York beauty salon, to describe that dire combination of fat, water and toxins.

Nicole Ronsard is an author of many books that may lead you through your cellulite battle. Here are some of them:

Beyond Cellulite: Nicole Ronsard's Ultimate Strategy to Slim, Firm and Reshape Your Lower Body, by Nicole Ronsard

From Library Journal

Ronsard's first book on cellulite ( Cellulite: Those Lumps, Bumps, & Bulges You Couldn't Lose Before , 1973) became a bestseller nearly 20 years ago. Here Ronsard updates her original work with a holistic approach to total body health that will, she says, eliminate cellulite as well. Her regimen includes sensible eating and exercise that will benefit anyone. She pushes fruits, vegetables, and grains, advising us to reduce fats and sugars. Several recipes are included. Directions for toning exercises supplement her recommendation for regular aerobic workouts. The controversial massage and brushing techniques for lymphatic circulation and tissue mineral balancing may not actually break up the lumps and bumps, but they feel good and are harmless. If it works, do it. Bathing suit season is coming! Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/91.

- Susan B. Hagloch, Tuscarawas Cty.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Cellulite: Those Lumps, Bumps and Bulges You Couldn't Lose Before, by Nicole Ronsard

Cellulite basics - Soft and hard cellulite

Soft and hard cellulite are therms which represent two different forms cellulite may take.

Soft cellulite is the most common form of cellulite. This type of cellulite can be found on big surfaces of problematic regions. It doesn't attach to the muscle, and therefor it is easier to get rid of it.

Hard cellulite is painful when touching, and could be found only on smaller surfaces of problematic regions. It attaches to the muscle, and therefor it is much harder to get rid of this type of cellulite. Hard cellulite could mostly be found at physically active women (e. g. sportswomen, dancers).

Cellulite basics - The Pinch Test

To determine the stage of cellulite accumulation in your body you can use Pinch Test (also called Pinch Method). The test gives results from 0 to 4:

• stage 0: When you pinch your skin you cannot see any cellulite. Also, when standing or lying down skin is smooth.
• stage 1: When you pinch your skin you can notice dimples, but if you are standing or lying down your skin is smooth.
• stage 2: There is an "orange peel skin" while you're standing, but still not while you're lying down.
• stage 3: There is an "orange peel skin" also while you're standing or while you're lying down.
• stage 4: Taking a Pinch Test hurts you, cellulite is clearly visible either you're standing or lying down.

What is your stage?
It's clear that different parts of your body can be at different stages by the Pinch Test. For example, on your arm you probably have negative result of the test - stage 0, while on your thighs you may have one of the positive results of the test - stages from 1 to 4.

Cellulite basics - causes

Main factors that cause cellulite:

• poor nutrition

Fat rich food, proteins of animal origin, spicy and too salted food, coffee, sugar (simple carbohydrates), smoking, alcohol, junk food, highly processed food... all those help accumulating cellulite. Avoiding those we do our body a favor either way :)

• physical inactivity

Physically inactive women usually don't use up all of the energy they have put by food consuming, therefor causing accumulation of fat, as well as of cellulite. Physical inactivity also causes bad psychological conditions, even depression. Being physically active makes us feel good, happy and confident.

• genetics

There is no way to avoid this factor, but still you can reduce the amount of cellulite.

• stress

Some argue that the modern way of life under constant stress is the main reason for cellulite accumulation. There's an special way of approaching the cellulite problem in which stress (or to be more correct - reducing stress and relaxing) has the central role.

• bad circulation

If the circulation is bad it means that some parts of our body cannot detoxicate normally. That is why cellulite accumulates mostly on the parts of our body that have the worst circulation, especially if we sit on them for the whole day :)

• hormones

Hormones play an important role in the appearance of cellulite, particularly female hormone oestrogen which seems to initiate and aggravate cellulite production. Other hormones including insulin, the catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenalin, thyroid hormones, and prolactin have all been shown to contribute to its development.

***

Fighting the causes of cellulite does much more to our body than simply reducing ugly bumps and lumps on our thighs. It helps us to become more fit, healthier and happier. Even if you do not succeed as you wish in cellulite reducing you're still going to do your body a giant favor by exercising, eating healthy slow food, relaxing, reducing stress, improving your circulation, avoiding bad factors such as smoking or junk food.

Solving the problem of cellulite is not considered to be just a superficial makeover, it goes deeper into your behavior, habits and values. There is a thing called a holistic approach to a cellulite problem, which I'm going to write about soon.