Detoxification

The best cellulite treatment — a holistic approach

Looking at cellulite holistically — the Women to Women approach

The bottom line is that all the body’s systems are interconnected, and cellulite beneath your skin may be an important indication that something isn’t being cleared away or fed properly from within. As you clear your system of toxins and give it what it needs physically, nutritionally and hormonally, you will not only feel more energetic and vibrant, but your outward appearance will reveal how healthy you are on the inside.

• Detox regularly. Start your cellulite elimination process by cleaning house from tip to toe. Try a program designed to clear the digestive, circulatory, and lymphatic systems, such as our two-week Quick Cleanse. Or consider the benefits of a cellulite diet based on Ayurvedic principles. For example, try this mung bean soup detox (proceed with care, as some people detox very quickly).
  Make it less likely for toxins to find a home in your body by limiting your exposure. Tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, chemicals and preservatives all contribute to the toxins your lymph, liver and kidneys must eliminate.
  
  Toxins can also originate from emotional issues. Find ways to rid yourself of what’s lying beneath the surface from the past. We’ve have had good success with the Quadrinity Process.

• Revise your diet. Focus on whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and go organic whenever practicable. The less processed and refined foods you eat, the fewer toxins in your system. Treat yourself generously to foods high in antioxidants, such as deeply pigmented fruits and veggies: blueberries, cherries, blackberries, citrus, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, and peas. In addition to feeding the skin, these foods combat free radicals — the molecules linked to cancer and premature aging. They also help to strengthen the flexibility of septa — and with elastic septa, cellulite stays beneath the surface.
  Avoid sugar as best you can. Sugar interferes with how our bodies metabolize vitamin C, which is integral in restoring skin structure and the formation of collagen and elastin. (For more information, see our nutritional and lifestyle guidelines.)

• Take a high-quality multivitamin. Fill in any nutritional gaps with a quality multivitamin/mineral complex such as the one we offer in our Personal Program. This will ensure your skin has all the building materials it needs. The right supplement should contain essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C.
  

• Balance your hormones. Because cellulite formation is linked to estrogen levels, it is important that your hormones are well balanced. Gentle endocrine support can help get your hormonal balance back on track. Progesterone is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen. When your body is off-balance, especially during perimenopause, some people — though not everyone — can make what they need from progesterone and restore balance.

• Exercise regularly. Carrying out some form of exercise (3–5 days a week for 20–45 minutes) will allow you to burn excess fat and increase your muscle tone. Both of these benefits help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
  Exercise widens the circulatory pipes, bringing more “clean” or nutrient-rich blood to your skin and taking away waste products, which preserves your elasticity. And it has the same stimulating effect on the lymph system. By contracting your muscles you exert a pump-like force that pushes lymph fluid forward to remove waste.
  
  However you choose to get your vessels pumping, whether it’s jumping on a trampoline, biking, hiking, swimming, yoga, or Pilates, working your muscles will increase blood and lymph flow, burn fat and help reduce pressure on your skin.

• Don’t forget to breathe. Deep breathing not only helps us to relax, but it also increases blood and lymphatic fluid circulation, serving to eliminate toxins and nurture your skin cells with nutrients and oxygen.

• Reduce stress. When we are stressed, our bodies release adrenaline. Adrenaline naturally directs blood to our “fight or flight” muscles, such as the triceps, biceps and quadriceps, in preparation for defense or retreat. This means blood is redirected away from the skin, decreasing circulation and resulting in fewer nutrients delivered to skin tissue and less toxins removed.
  
  In addition to the physical consequences of stress, we also tend to reach for unhealthy food during periods of uncertainty, leading to greater toxin build-up, increased fat storage and ultimately, the appearance of cellulite.
  
  Yoga is a wonderful way to de-stress, meanwhile helping you to burn fat and tone your muscles. You might also try meditating for 15–20 minutes a day to clear your head and relax those tense muscles. Many women also enjoy massage as a way to relax. Massage accomplishes much more than just relaxing the body.

• Try a self cellulite massage. By putting pressure on your muscles, massage can increase circulatory and lymphatic system function, helping to feed your body and rid it of toxins. Massaging cellulite is also beneficial for targeting those difficult areas, such as the inner knee and upper thigh, that we can’t always get at through exercise. Like diet and exercise, massage for cellulite is something you can try on your own. Gently massage the area in circular motions, kneading the skin like dough. Performing self-massage techniques a few minutes each day will help deliver nutrients to your skin and break down unnecessary fat and toxins.

• Treat yourself to lymph massage. The goal of lymphatic massage is to drain and increase the flow of the lymphatic fluid in your body. The technique involves very subtle finger movements to create sufficient pressure to mechanically move lymph through lymph vessels and nodes from the lower part of your body to the upper part. Lymph fluid is ultimately carried to the thoracic duct, which empties into the subclavian vein under your collarbone. By connecting the lymphatic system with the circulatory system, the thoracic duct sends toxins picked up along the way to be filtered out of the body.
  
  Remember that your lymph vessels are as thin as threads and must be massaged delicately in order to produce an effect. You might consider visiting a lymphatic drainage massage therapist for best results.

Health becomes you!

How we look matters — not because society tells us we’re supposed to be beautiful and look young forever, but because how we see ourselves determines how we feel. And when we are uncomfortable with our appearance, it’s an opportunity for us to look inward and decide if there are ways to take better care of ourselves.

At Women to Women, we feel that you deserve to look beautiful and feel great well into old age. This means honoring your body and giving it what it needs. Remember that the skin, like any other organ in the body, needs to be fed and cleansed by the circulatory and lymphatic systems. These two systems work well if you only allow them to, by giving them what they need physically, hormonally and nutritionally. There is no instant cure for cellulite — the miracle happens when you understand and honor your body’s needs.

Related to this article:

References & further reading on cellulite

 

Last Modified Date: 04/18/2011
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP