Reduce Cellulite Naturally :: Fitness

Reduce Cellulite Naturally
by author David Pollock

I have always been jealous of my friend, who is naturally petite, eats all she wants, and never seems to gain a pound. But despite how skinny she is, she still complains of cellulite. As a matter of fact, more of my friends complain about cellulite than about wrinkles.

According to many experts, nine out of 10 women have cellulite. What is cellulite? What causes it?

Cellulite is dimpled or uneven skin, often on the thighs and buttocks, created by fatty deposits. These fatty deposits are a result of a number of contributing factors: poor circulation, weakened connective tissue, hormonal changes, thickness of the skin, diet, and activity level.

What can we do about it? Is there a cure or a miracle treatment? Yes and no.

Food Fight

First and foremost, lead a healthier lifestyle. That doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon and eat nothing but fresh fruit. Instead, make slow, minor lifestyle changes.

For one full day, make a note of everything you eat. Be honest with yourself. Note every cup of coffee, every piece of bread, every piece of fruit, and every snack.

While you could look up calories, an even simpler approach is to use common sense to review your daily diet. What single thing could you change tomorrow to create a slightly healthier lifestyle? Are healthier snacks available? What foods could you have eaten that contain a smaller amount of toxins?

Every few days, repeat this process and make another minor change. Slowly and easily you will make a significant change in your eating habits.

A great source for this information is as close as your local health food store. You will find all the staff very willing to help. You all have the same goal–simply, a healthier lifestyle.

Walk It Off

Another easy step toward a cellulite solution is exercise. Exercising does not have to be a major workout. Again, start with a small lifestyle change. Each evening, take a short walk through your neighbourhood. Enjoy the sunset and the neighbours, and appreciate life. Then, every few days, try to extend your walk by another half a block.

In no time at all, you will notice that you have made a simple lifestyle change that will make a difference and give you more energy, not to mention a few minutes of quiet time to relax.

The Spa Factor

While exercise can obviously help improve circulation, many spas offer various types of treatments for the affected areas. The intent is to increase circulation and break down the fatty deposits. Obviously, just one massage won’t solve the problem. But, combined with other solutions, massages can certainly help.

Let’s Get Topical

Let’s face it, we all want fast results. While a healthier lifestyle will help in the long term, the key question is what we can do for immediate results.

There is no shortage of potions and miracle cremes claiming to provide the answers. Cut through the hype and look at the ingredients. An effective product will contain one or more of the ingredients known to improve circulation, increase thickness of the skin, fight free radicals, and smooth the skin’s appearance. Some of these ingredients are caffeine, natural cocoa (a natural stimulant), coleus extract, and active ingredients found in asthma medicine: aminophylline and theophylline. Another effective ingredient, a peptide from yeast extract, has been clinically proven to increase skin respiration.

Until recently, these kinds of products have been available only in department stores. We are now starting to see a growth in the skin care category at health food stores that carry natural solutions. Some of these cremes have been clinically tested with very impressive results for reducing thigh circumference and body fat and for creating smoother skin.

Put It All Together

While miracle lotions are quickly becoming more than just marketing hype, nothing compares with a well-balanced combination of topical creme, improved eating habits, and a little more exercise for a healthier, younger-looking you.

David Pollock is president of Clinical Results, Inc., a contract laboratory that emphasizes antiaging and natural products. David has worked on some of the most prestigious brands in the industry.

Source: alive #273, July 2005

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