FertilehealthyAiming for success, not perfection…

Years ago a lollipop-skinny friend of mine tried to interest me in a cellulite-cream she was selling.  I burst out laughing!  I was morbidly obese and cellulite was the least of my problems…  But for her it was a huge, unsightly nightmare.

We are forever bombarded by paparazzi images of stick-thin celebs with lumpy “orange peel” on their legs. The medical profession generally dismisses the notion that cellulite is anything other than normal fat, but these women exercise religiously and have very little fat on their bodies.

There is a direct relationship between cellulite formation and body toxicity.  Cellulite-prone women are found to have the following in common:

- incomplete removal of wastes from the colon, i.e. digestive problems like constipation, etc.

- poor lymphatic drainage, which means that wastes which lie in the spaces between the cells are not effectively eliminated.

- poor circulation.

- contraceptive hormones and hormone therapy.

The correct approach to dealing with cellulite would therefore have to involve removing the toxins, healing the underlying conditions that contribute to its formation and preventing recurrence.  You can buy all the amazing creams and preparations on the market, but if your body’s ecosystem is not clean, you’re not going to beat cellulite (although you will be a lot poorer).

The first and most important aspect is diet.  Making raw fruit and vegetables the basis of your diet (at least 75%) will not only help sort out any digestive problems over time, but will provide the necessary bio-flavenoids to strengthen the capillaries, which in turn will stimulate lymphatic flow, thereby more effectively removing toxins from the body.  Eating high raw also provides plenty of pure water to the body.  This is exactly what the rich and famous are fed at those posh “rejuvenation” spas and they emerge looking younger, firmer and healthier.

Of course, it’s no use eating 75-80% high raw, and 20-25% junk.  It is also important to remove the following from the diet:  heated fats (use only cold-pressed and don’t heat it), caffeine, alcohol, food additives, artificial sweeteners, HFCS, sugar and dairy (if you insist on dairy it should be raw and organic).  If you’re sensitive to gluten, it should be excluded too.  These are poisons and cause far more problems that just cellulite in the body.

The second step is exercise.  Any exercise is better than no exercise, but some are far more beneficial when dealing with cellulite.  Dancing, walking and lunging are good, while running seems to aggravate the condition in some women.  Swimming and water aerobics are very helpful, since the massaging action of the water helps stimulate the lymphatic system.  But the best exercise for getting rid of cellulite is rebounding. (I’m still too heavy for a rebounder, but one day I’ll get one!)

Regular body brushing is another effective weapon in the fight against cellulite.  It stimulates blood circulation in the trouble spots and helps to give the skin a smoother appearance.  The mistake a lot of women make is that they only brush the affected area, instead of the whole body.  In order to remove the toxins you have to start at the extremities and move towards the heart.  Read more about body-brushing here.  Follow up with contrast showers (hot→cold→hot→cold) – it feels amazing!

Body massage is also beneficial and helps stimulate not only blood flow but also lymphatic flow.  If you have the resources, a Swedish body massage or a lymphatic drainage are best.  Otherwise, just rope in your significant other or do it yourself, using firm but gentle pressure.

While exercise, brushing and massage are helpful, they will not make much difference if you do not address your diet.  I know that for most people eating this way is a radical shift, but the health benefits are so astounding that people who have made the changes never look back.  I particularly like Kristen Suzanne’s story, told without any sensationalism or wild claims.

As for me, when I’m eating high raw my cellulite (which sits on top of the other fat on my thighs) diminishes.  Last year during my 80-day Juice Feast I was amazed at the speed at which it “dissolved”.  When I slip and eat badly for a while, it comes back (along with acne, rashes, PMS, etc.)  It’s as simple as that.

Disclaimer: This is not me!