Reversing Cellulite

August 8, 2014
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

462282395Four simple strategies to fight cellulite.

You’ve lost those stubborn inches. You’ve gained a tremendous amount of energy. You have healthy, glowing skin, your eyes have new sparkle. Your friends think you look fabulous, and you feel renewed.

There’s only just one concern that remains…cellulite! For most of us women, cellulite is an annoying aspect of getting older that we’d dearly love to get rid of.

But, there’s good news on the horizon.

Fat Flushers across the country have reported to me for years that simply by following my diet and fitness plans, they noticed that their cellulite simply seemed to disappear…in fact, many have nicknamed my Fat Flush Plan the “anti-cellulite diet!”

The first step to reversing cellulite is learning a bit more about what it is and how it’s formed…

 

A basic cellulite primer

European researchers have generally taken cellulite far more seriously than their American counterparts, using ultrasound, lymphangiography (an examination of the lymph channels), and other sophisticated techniques to studying cellulite. Thanks to their efforts, we now know that cellulite occurs when the fatty tissue just beneath your skin is damaged.

It helps to picture your skin as a series of layers. On top is the epidermis—that’s the layer you see. Just under the epidermis is the dermis, also known as the corium. Then comes the upper layer of subcutaneous tissue, which in women contains large oblong fat-cell chambers, separated by connective fibers that are attached to the dermis at one end and the lower layer of subcutaneous tissue at the other end.

As you age, these connective fibers become thinner and less rigid. A number of other factors can weaken them as well: accumulated toxins caused by a sluggish lymphatic system and an overstressed liver; excess fat deposits caused by a deficient diet and lack of exercise; and poor circulation, which leads to a slowdown in venous blood flow.

According to British physician Dr. Elizabeth Dancey, this sluggish blood flow allows toxic wastes to accumulate and blood pressure to build, which in turn weakens the veins’ walls. Blood leaks out into the surrounding tissue, your veins don’t do their usual efficient job of carrying waste away from your tissues, and the excess waste damage the connective fibers that hold together the various layers of your skin. (As a result, the same factors that create cellulite also seem to lead the development of varicose veins, and the anti-cellulite tools in this report may likewise work to mitigate varicose veins.)

As the same time, a sluggish lymph system is also contributing to the buildup of waste in your tissue. Dancey describes a study at Brussels University using lymphangiograms to examine lymph flow in women visiting a cellulite clinic that found that every woman who had cellulite had poor lymph flow. In the words of Dr. Dancey, “the problem of a deficient lymphatic system must be addressed if cellulite is to be dealt with effectively.”

Meanwhile, in the subcutaneous layer just beneath your skin, fat is accumulating within the cells, due again to poor diet and lack of exercise. This accumulation distends the fat cells, enlarging them and causing them to protrude upward. In response to the pressure, the dermis loosens and becomes thinner, and fat cells—which were never meant to leave your subcutaneous layer—migrate on up to the dermis. So the fat cells have ballooned up in size and they’re also moving up closer to the surface of the skin; hence, the bumpy appearance of cellulite.

By now you may be wondering why men don’t also get cellulite. The answer lies in their tissue structure. Their dermis is thicker than women’s, helping it to resist invading fat cells. And their subcutaneous layer contains smaller fat chambers that are themselves crisscrossed by connective fibers. As a result, men’s skin is naturally firmer and better toned than women’s.

As you can see, we’re back to the same matters with which we started: a buildup of toxins in the body and a sluggish lymphatic system, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, stress, fluid retention, and a diet high in processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and allergic producing foods, especially dairy.

These are the factors that create cellulite—and these are precisely the factors that the Fat Flush eating and fitness programs are designed to address. If you follow these plans, your cellulite will looked markedly better—and some women have even found that it has completely disappeared.

 

Your Anti-Cellulite Tool Kit

Remember, it took years to accumulate your cellulite, so you may need a bit of patience as you work to overcome it. But with this set of anti-cellulite tools, you’ve got a fighting chance to achieve clear, smooth skin:

 

Fat Flush PlanTool #1: The Fat Flush Eating Plan

The effectiveness of the Fat Flush eating plan in making cellulite seem to disappear stems from both what it includes and what it avoids. The plan’s Cran-Water beverage (unsweetened cranberry juice-water mixture) and Long Life Cocktail of cranberry juice, water, and psyllium or flaxseed are potent sources of phytonutrients—the special nutrients found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including proanthocyanidins and phenols.

Proanthocyanidins strengthen connective tissue by blocking the destructive activity of certain enzymes. They also protect blood vessel walls from damage by free radicals, thought to contribute to cellulite and varicose veins. In addition, they make your capillaries stronger and increase muscle tone in your veins, both of which may help prevent varicose veins. Phenols protect against atherosclerosis and reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Cranberries help defeat cellulite in another way as well. Recent research has found that cellulite contains more water-attracting molecules than smooth skin, which may lead to increased water retention. The phytonutrients in unsweetened cranberry juice—and in many other brightly colored fruits and vegetables—have been shown to reduce fluid buildup in tissues.

The Fat Flush eating plan as outlined in The Fat Flush Plan book, is also based on an understanding that while some fats are bad for our health, other “good” fats are crucial to it. One of those crucial good fats is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a dietary supplement that you take daily during phase 3 of the Fat Flush diet.

We now know that CLA has the ability to help your body flush out the fat, based on studies like the one headed by Michael Pariza, M.D., who concluded that CLA reduces the body’s ability to store fat and promotes the use of stored fat for energy. CLA’s impact seems to be especially profound on deeper abdominal fat, suggesting it might be effective on the fat that gives rise to cellulite as well.

At the same time, the Fat Flush eating plan steers you away from substances that might ultimately promote cellulite. On this plan, you’ll avoid caffeine, which can raise blood sugar, insulin, and cortisol, high levels of which ultimately encourage your body to store fat.

You’ll also avoid high-glycemic carbohydrates and simple sugars which also encourage fat storage, as well as processed and intolerant foods, which can overload your body with toxins inflammatory byproducts and interfere with your body’s ability to access stored fat as fuel.

 

Fat Flush FitnessTool #2: The Fat Flush Fitness Plan

Thanks to the way rebounding stimulates your lymphatic system, helping to drain waste products and fluids from your tissues, many Fat Flushers begin to see their cellulite diminish soon after starting on the plan. Then, with the introduction of strength training later on, anti-cellulite efforts get a real boost.

Strength training ensures that you will add muscle mass as you lose fat, which, as you’ve seen, works against the appearance of cellulite. Studies by Wayne Westcott, PhD, research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, confirm the anti-cellulite effects of building up lean muscle mass.

In one study, Westcott found that fully 70 percent of the participants reported they had “a lot less cellulite” after completing an exercise program that included strength training, while the other 30 percent reporting having “less cellulite.” In other words, 100 percent of the people he studied found that exercise helped reduce their cellulite.

Of course, the Fat Flush fitness program found in The Fat Flush Fitness Plan has even more anti-cellulite effects than most exercise routines because of our focus on cleansing the lymphatic system and promoting lymph flow. Although we didn’t actually design the Fat Flush eating and fitness programs to target cellulite, we might as well have!

 

cellulite creamTool #3: Gels and Creams

Let’s be very clear about this: simply rubbing a beautifully packaged fragrant cream or gel on your thighs will not make your cellulite magically disappear. However, some products have been shown to reduce fluid accumulation, stimulate the release of fatty acids into the bloodstream, and give your skin a smooth appearance.

Gels are water-based, whereas creams are an emulsion of oil and water. Women with oily skin may prefer gels, but be aware that creams contain both oil-soluble and water-soluble ingredients, while gels can carry only water-soluble substances. You can buy anti-cellulite products online, in health and beauty stores, or in health food outlets.

Look for gels and creams that contain the following types of ingredients:

  • Centella asiatica (gotu kola) – to improve circulation, strengthen and tone blood vessels, and stimulate tissue repair, including the connective tissue in the subcutaneous layer of the skin.
  • Hedera helix (ivy) – to improve fluid drainage in the tissues.
  • Cola vera – a natural source of caffeine that stimulates fat cell receptors to release fatty acids into the bloodstream when applied topically. Look for salves with 0.5 to 1.5 percent cola vera extract.
  • Horse chestnut – which contains an active ingredient, escin, that reduces tissue swelling, improves circulation, and has an anti-inflammatory effort. Look for salves with 0.5 to 1.5 percent escin.
  • Algae or seaweed, including kelp, fucus, and bladderwrack — to promote firmness of the epidermis and blood circulation in the tissues.
  • Silicium – an organic form of silica derived from the horsetail plant that stimulates fat-cell receptors to release fatty acids into the bloodstream, preventing damage to the small blood vessels and ensuring a good blood supply to the skin and other tissues.
  • Retinols – to smooth the surface of your skin, minimizing the orange-peel look of cellulite, according to research at the University Medical Center of Liege, Belgium, and elsewhere.

anti-cellulite supplementsTool #4: Fat Flush Anti-Cellulite Supplements

Remember, there’s no miracle cure, so you can’t get rid of cellulite simply by taking a pill. However, there are natural ingredients that really can make a difference–for example escin, the active ingredient in horse chestnut, which has been shown to inhibit vein swelling and tone blood vessels, lessening the appearance of varicose veins as well as that of cellulite.

In addition, look for formulas that contain a number of lipotropic elements (as highlighted below) to help prevent excess fat buildup and thin or emulsify fat for easy movement through your bloodstream. While there are more popularized “fat burners” out there these days that you be familiar with including green coffee bean extract, garcinia cambogia, mulberry and raspberry ketones, these lipotropic elements have a much longer history of safety and efficacy without the possibility of interaction with other nutrients, prescriptions or foods.

Some of the most beneficial lipotropic elements include:

  • Methionine, an amino acid
  • Lipase, a fat-digesting enzyme
  • Phosphatidylcholine and inositol, B-complex vitamins
  • L-carnitine, which carries fat to the mitochondria, the “fat furnaces” in your cells that convert fat to energy
  • Turmeric, dandelion root, milk thistle, and Oregon grape root, which are all lipotropic herbs

The Fat Flush Weight Loss Formula was formulated with all of these time honored and well respected fat metabolizers. It’s also included in the popular Fat Flush Kit designed for advanced detox for the whole body.  Don’t miss Weight Loss Formula AND Fat Flush Kit on sale today for complete fat flushing support for advanced detox and cellulite management!

 

 Source: The Fat Flush Fitness Plan (McGraw-Hill, 2004)

 

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Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

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