Do you feel helpless at the onslaught of cellulite?

Added April 14, 2010, Under: Diets, Exercise, Pregnancy, Weight Loss, Women's Health

tweet

Although cellulite is caused by lots of different reasons, the bottom line is that about 95% of females will have cellulite to some degree so it is not going to be that easy either to avoid it or to get rid of it once it arrives.

Nevertheless you can try!

I think that most people know what cellulite is but in case you don’t, it is the appearance of orange peel or mattress-like areas of skin mainly on the hips, thighs and buttocks. Cellulite used to be considered a cosmetic condition but recently studies have shown that, over time, changes in the body’s skin structure can lead to the transformation of fat cells into cellulite.

So why do we get cellulite?

The main reasons are:

• Those digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation or liver problems.

• That constant stress, that leads to tension in the neck muscles, problems with the vertebrae and inflamed tissue, which is thought to cause cellulite at the back of the neck. Prolonged stress and the associated surge of adrenaline can also lead on increased fat storage in the stomach, hips, buttocks and thighs.

• Cellulite in the upper arms and legs is common in older women and this is thought to be partly caused by impaired vein systems in the arms and legs.

• One cause you might be surprised to read about is that too much leg exercise can lead to cellulite appearing on the front of the thighs.

And there are other causes too:

• If it is in your genes and you follow the kind of lifestyle that aggravates the condition.

• There is a septae structure under the female skin which is very fibrous and mesh-like making it prone to trap fat cells.

• The female hormones estrogen and progesterone. The former encourages fat cells to develop and grow around the breasts, thighs and buttocks while the latter can lead to fluid retention, weak veins and weight gain.

• Pregnancy is a time of drastic change in the body including fluid retention and a surge of hormones while the growing uterus can also affect circulation and lymph drainage. Plus any cellulite problems will usually worsen with each successive pregnancy although the good news is that breastfeeding is very beneficial in reducing cellulite.

• A sedentary lifestyle. This means little or no muscle contractions and a strong possibility of weight gain.

• Cigarette smoke is damaging to vein and capillary walls causing inflammation and leaking while nicotine itself can affect your circulation.

• Overweight and obese women are more prone to cellulite plus any fat accumulation will also push the existing cellulite upwards so that it is more noticeable.

• Crash diets are particularly harmful because they lead to the body wanting to store fat.

• Highly processed foods, artificial sweeteners and other additives build up toxins in the body and ultimately, cellulite.

• Aging plays a big role in cellulite formation. Our bodies become less efficient in getting rid of waste products, perhaps our circulation is not as good and we may tend to put on weight.

So what is cellulite?

There are two types – hard and soft. All the muscles in the body are covered with a fatty padding which varies in thickness and which is surrounded by a liquid. This liquid supplies the padding with nourishment and takes away the waste products. The tissue made up of this fatty padding is held together by a network of fibers and when everything is in place and working well, our body takes on lovely smooth curves.

But oh dear! Things can start to go wrong if the waste products are not being removed properly. Then they start to build up, saturating the fatty padding with liquid. This liquid then thickens and hardens into pockets called adipose fat cells which puff up to produce that “orange peel” look many of us know so well.

Is there anything you can do about cellulite?

Yes, of course there is! You can prevent or remove cellulite through some big changes in your lifestyle:

• A detox diet will cleanse your system and get it working properly again by getting rid of the toxins that clog up your healthy body, forming cellulite. To detox, you need to avoid alcohol, coffee and tea, spices, cigarettes, crash diets, fat and cream, fried and oily food as well as over-the-counter medications such as diet liquids and pills, sleeping pills, diuretic pills and stimulant pills.

• Breathing and exercise done correctly will ensure the proper oxygenation of your blood while assisting the lungs to remove toxins, stimulate circulation and speed up your metabolism. Your muscle tone will improve and your tissue will firm up.

• You need to let your skin sweat, any constipation problems should be addressed and you can help your kidneys by drinking more liquids (at least 8 glasses per day). All this improves waste elimination.

• De-stressing and relaxation – these need to go hand in hand to get your body working correctly.

• Massage – if the areas with cellulite are massaged, circulation can be improved. This will make you feel good and improve your stress levels too.

Once you have detoxed your system, you should keep up the good work by keeping to a healthy cleansing diet. Stick to simple natural food and avoid all processed, refined and convenience foods.