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What Can You Do to Get Rid of Cellulite?

Hi Macey,

Many people automatically assume that cellulite is weight related – only people who are fat or overweight get cellulite. That is not true. Even very thin women, like Megan Fox and Mischa Barton, suffer from the dreaded cellulite.

While the exact cause of cellulite in women is unclear, experts believed that it has a lot to do with the fat cells underneath the skin in the subcutaneous tissue. Poor blood and lymphatic circulation are known to aggravate cellulite problem. Slow metabolism, hormonal imbalance, hereditary, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and even your race may also be contributing factors to cellulite formation.

In case you're wondering whether cellulite gets worse with age, the answer is yes. Your skin becomes thinner and loses its tone as you age, thus making cellulite more visible. Additionally, your body tends to be less efficient at eliminating toxins and blood circulation may be impaired the older you get.

Do Cellulite Creams Really Work?

This is a tough question since there are so many anti-cellulite treatments (topical creams and serums) available on the market that claim to remove cellulite fast, whether it's on the thighs, calves, hips, stomach, breasts or even the knees.

As far as I know, most cellulite creams work by improving the circulation. So if you massage the cream onto problem areas using circular motions, it helps improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, which in turn encourage the removal of toxins from your body.

However, not all anti-cellulite creams are made the same because some ingredients are much more effective in improving the appearance of cellulite than others so you have to try different creams to see which anti-cellulite cream works best for you.

What ingredients should you look for in a cellulite treatment cream that actually works to reduce and prevent cellulite? You want quality ingredients that help reduce fluids and increase lipolysis while tightening your overall skin tone – caffeine, adipoless, adiposlim, or aminophylline.

I personally found Cellutherm to be one of the best anti-cellulite creams around but I suggest you go to www.cellutherm.com to find out more about their product or google cellutherm and read reviews for yourself.

If you decide to use cellulite creams, make sure to regularly exfoliate your skin, either using a scrub or by body brushing so as to allow better product absorption.

What Can You Eat to Reduce Cellulite?

One of the best ways to get rid of cellulite fast is to watch your diet and consume foods that will help keep your skin cells, collagen and elastin in good condition.

1. Lecithin, which is most abundant in eggs (yolks), peanuts, soy and tofu, has been proven to help rebuild damaged cells that cause cellulite. Lecithin stimulates cell repair, thereby stopping waste water from accumulating in your body.

You can also find natural sources of lecithin in vegetables such as spinach, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce. Some fruits like tomatoes, apples and oranges also provide a significant amount of lecithin.

If you want to add lecithin supplements to your anti-cellulite diet, look for a supplement that has minimum 2000mg’s and no more than 4000mg’s.

2. Lean, protein-rich foods also helps remove cellulite by strengthening skin and muscle tone. Try to include turkey, extra-lean meat, pulses, nuts or skimmed milk in your daily meals as these foods will help repair, strengthen and stimulate collagen and elastin production in your body.

3. You also want to eat a wide variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which protect the cells against free radical damage from stress, pollution, chemicals, smoke and sun exposure.

Brightly colored fruits and vegetables have more antioxidant power than paler ones, so consume blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, goji berries, grapefruits, papayas and artichoke hearts. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

Onion is particularly good for cellulite removal. It helps release water held in the adipose (fat) tissue from skin cells, which cause water retention.

4. Essential fatty acids, also known as EFAs or the good fats, may help lower inflammation and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Rich sources of essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) are found in foods like nuts, soybean, canola oil, walnuts, and flax seeds. Fish, especially cold water fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel also contain essential fatty acids.

5. Water is also helpful in cellulite reduction, with the added benefits of slimming and detoxification. Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water every day to flush out excess sodium and toxins that contributes to fluid retention and cellulite.

If you're bored with water, try fruit or vegetable juices. I highly recommend you drink the juice of a lemon diluted in a glass of warm water the first thing in the morning to detoxify your body.

How Do I Remove Cellulite Naturally Without Surgery?

1. Aside from eating the above mentioned anti-cellulite foods, you should also limit caffeine and alcohol intake. Both caffeine and alcohol may cause poor blood circulation and interfere with lymphatic drainage, resulting in an accumulation of toxins in your body.

2. If you smoke, quit. Smoking is bad for your skin in many ways. It accelerates collagen breakdown and loss of elasticity in the skin, which makes cellulite look worse.

3. Avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar (or sweeteners) and salt (or sodium) since salt causes water retention while excessive sugar and fat intake cause weight gain. Junk food (fast food, chips, cakes, etc) and refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta or anything made from white flour should be limited in your anti-cellulite diet.

4. Regular exercise – a cardiovascular exercise program combined with resistance training – burns fat and significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite. Try cycling as it's one of the few exercises that can help reduce cellulite on your thighs and calves. You'll also benefit from toning exercises such as lunges and squats.

5. Unnecessary medication like diet pills, sleeping pills, laxatives as well as diuretic pills are also on the no-go list.

6. Massaging your skin is another natural way to get rid of cellulite. Simply squeeze the problem areas between your fingers and thumbs to break down fat pockets. This will greatly help reduce the dimpling effect of cellulite, improve circulation and get rid of water retention.

7. Skin brushing improves circulation and fluid drainage, thus reducing cellulite which typically occurs on areas with the poorest circulation – thighs, hips and stomach. Besides that, dry brushing your body before you shower removes dead skin cells on the outermost layer of your skin, leaving your skin looking healthy and glowing with radiance. Using natural bristle brush or a loofah, brush your skin towards your heart in circular motions.

By Diane Hanson

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