Hi Everyone

Ladies did you know the greatest thing to help keep cellulite to a minimum is through a good healthy diet, as this keeps your liver working at its potential, reducing storage of HDL – bad cholesterol.

As I have mentioned many times before ‘we are what we eat’ so our motto ‘good food for good health’ should be everybody’s.

I believe as we get older we do take this ‘on board’, but we need to encourage the younger generation that they need to instill this as a way of life now, and not something they can just put right later on, as cellulite can start to form at puberty – although it is generally later.

French doctors coined the term ‘cellulite’ – the bain of all women, believing it is a certain form of fat that accumulates under the skin, leaving the affected area looking lumpy and dimpled, like orange peel.

As with any health problem, there is generally no such thing as a single cause, but different life situations combined with co-factors and causative agents that interact and promote an effect or symptom, and cellulite is no different.

Today most doctors do not believe cellulite to be a special form of fat, but believe it is simply ordinary fat that is pulled down by gravity.

I hold my hand up to the fact that over the years I have checked in the mirror for tell tale signs, and yes I do have some, I first noticed it when I was half way through my first pregnancy and nearly had a fit, only being 28.

Before this I had always thought cellulite was an ‘older’ thing that happened to us when we became a certain age, unlike nowadays when the paparazzi show pictures of stick insect models sporting it.

Cellulite can affect any woman of any size at any time. I really wish that when I was younger I knew what I know now about eating ‘good food for good health’, as this has a great bearing on what we are, and how this really does affect our health and its effect on our body.

Many studies have been carried out on cellulite and its causes, and weak functioning of the liver was found to be common in women prone to it.

So it cannot be stressed enough ladies that we really do need to eat a varied diet of good food, so that the liver can work effectively. When we eat a poor diet that is high in saturated fats, our liver becomes sluggish and clogged.

Fatty degeneration of the liver is caused by excessive fat build up and impairs the ability to function and handle fat properly, this allows fat to be stored around the body accumulating often around the waistline or being deposited as cellulite under the skin.

When the liver is impaired by fatty degeneration cholesterol levels are hampered allowing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol to build up instead of manufacturing ‘good’ cholesterol – HDL.

Also it revealed that a poor lymphatic system, bad circulation and constipation were thought to help with the formation of cellulite. Hormonal in-balances could also be a determining factor.

Therefore poor dietary choices and nutritional deficiencies- where diets are rich in processed foods, fats, alcohol and toxins such as additives and colourings affect our biochemical processes and digestion, that hinders and prevents natural detoxification.

Because of the fast food lifestyle undertaken nowadays – obesity is alarmingly on the rise, and is an underlying cause of several illnesses, as the dietary factors with these types of foods are causing congestion of vessels and ducts of the circulation and eliminations systems including the bile ducts of the liver and the digestive tract.

Unfortunately for us females hormones and fat are very much related, and after reaching puberty we carry twice as much fat due to the body becoming ready for the event of pregnancy. This stored fat is very resistant to the effort of weight loss.

Fat or fat cells are formed from – fatty acids in food, lipoproteins in the liver, chylomicrons in the intestine and from insulin dependent triglycerides that come from amino acids and glucose.

The volume of fat cells in certain areas of the body is increased with higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, whereas testerone does the opposite.

So ladies we are all bound to have some cellulite, but by eating a healthy diet and eating slowly can help as this allows the enzymes that break down food to work efficiently enabling proper absorption of nutrients and digestion of the food.

As we get older- the pancreas that produces enzymes to metabolise food starts to diminish, so this can also lead to fat gain. Aging is not the only factor for of the pancreas producing fewer enzymes, our diet can be a cause when high in processed foods and trans fatty acids.

When your liver is healthy it produces bile that breaks down fat. If your body is lacking certain nutrients the bile cannot do its job properly, or if the liver is clogged with toxins, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

So drinking plenty of fluid and eating a varied diet of good food will give you many of the different nutrients, vitamins and anti oxidants needed to keep the liver working at full potential.

Fruit and vegetables are excellent, and you can always make them into a smoothie if you prefer to ‘drink’ them rather than eat them.

Beetroot juice is said to help the liver break down stored fats, you can make it fresh with an extractor or buy it from your local health food shop and drink a small glass daily.

Seaweed is rich in minerals, proteins, iodine and vitamins and is said to promote smooth skin and to gets fats moving in the body. Seaweed – Kelp tablets are available in most health stores, and there are many seaweed-based products that are great for the skin.

Skin brushing is claimed to remove toxic waste by stimulating the lymphatic system, directly through the skin. Brush your whole body once a day, I often do this in the shower, start off gently then gradually increase pressure to a firm stroke as you become used to it.

Begin brushing with the soles of your feet, moving up your legs with firm sweeping strokes – I always linger a little longer on the thighs, then brush up the arms, across the shoulders and down your back to the buttocks – another area I linger on, then softly across your tummy and chest with light circular strokes to your neck

I believe massage is the best way of making cellulite look less obvious, it does not go away but the surface becomes less dimply with regular massaging.

There are many products today claiming to reduce cellulite, whether these are effective or not is a matter of opinion, but if they make you feel better about your cellulite then they are worth it.

Skin firming lotions are great for massaging all over your body and especially in areas where cellulite is prone.

Almost twenty years on since having seen my first signs of cellulite, I am really lucky as it has not increased much at all, and my friends and family have noticed this too.

I have never been a great exercise freak, but yoga and walking are my passion and my dog appreciates the walks! This combined with a healthy diet most of the time – like everyone eating a little of what you fancy does not hurt- but continually on a regular base can cause problems- is all I do.

I have not yet bought into buying expensive creams and lotions, but I do body brush a couple of times a week and massage an ordinary body lotion all over every day, I feel this keeps my skin in excellent condition and really helps with circulation by improving blood flow.

It may take a few minutes longer every day doing this, but it has the advantage that you really get to know your body and notice when there are little changes, which us women should all take care of, especially the breast area.

Let us know how you have improved your cellulite.

So remember good food is good health.

Sandra & Ted