Sensei Talks

Truth, Myth & Opinion on Health, Wellness & Diet

Search Sensei Talks

Labels

Monday, May 18, 2009

Diet & Cellulite

It’s that time of year when women (and some men) start wondering what they can do about their cellulite. Most of us have some, and all of us don’t like it! Cellulite can appear on even the thinnest of people. It has a nasty way of making us self conscious in our summer shorts or bathing suit.

Cellulite is actually a fancy name for collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath a person's skin, causing the surface of the skin to dimple or pucker and look lumpy. Most often, cellulite is found on the back of the legs and buttocks. Men and women can have cellulite, but it is much more common in women

There are many treatments for cellulite. You can find an expensive anti-cellulite cream in any drug store or department store. Many spas and fitness centers offer treatments such as endermologie to help with cellulite. Endermologie uses a machine to massage the fat and redistribute it. This is a temporary fix as the cellulite will reappear. It can also be very expensive. Other treatments that involve laser therapy are FDA approved, but are even more expensive then endermologie and also usually provide temporary results. Another option is an expensive wrap usually performed in a spa. These wraps have not been proven to decrease cellulite at all. Overall, most of the current therapies for cellulite either don’t work or provide temporary results. So, what’s a girl to do?

Well, I have a few ideas. My strategies won’t “cure” your cellulite, but they will decrease the amount of it, and improve the look of it, just in time for summer. My strategies are low cost and can be very effective. So try them all or try a few and you should see results in time for the summer.

Keep yourself hydrated. Cellulite consists of hardened lumps of fat and connective tissue just beneath the surface of the skin, and aging thinning skin can make cellulite appear worse. Flush out the toxins in the body that cause connective tissues to harden and form cellulite. Drink between 6 and 8 cups of water per day and keep your caffeinated drinks to a minimum because they act as a diuretic.
Exercise. Exercise will not eliminate cellulite. Even thin people who are physically fit can have cellulite, but exercise will help decrease it. If you’re overweight, cardiovascular exercise will help you lose weight which will result in less fat and less cellulite. If you’re already thin, work on toning up the back of the legs (hamstrings) and glutes. There are many exercises that can do this. Squats and lunges are two great exercises for this area. Walking up hill or on a treadmill with a high incline will help too.
Increase your intake of Vitamin C. Taking in adequate amounts of Vitamin C can help eliminate cellulite by taking toxins with it when it’s excreted by the kidneys. Foods high in vitamin C include oranges, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, broccoli and tomatoes.
Reduce your intake of processed foods. Reducing you intake of processed foods may help decrease cellulite. You may lose weight and you’ll also be reducing the amount of toxins you take in if you switch from processed foods to more fresh foods.
Decrease your saturated fat intake. Replace those foods with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Don’t smoke. Smoking ages the skin prematurely. As skin ages, it thins and cellulite becomes more visible.
Exfoliate. You can use an inexpensive loofah or brush and scrub the area where the cellulite is most abundant. This will give the skin an overall smoother look.