CELLULITE: You can do something about it!

Regardless of your age or weight do you remember the first time you took a backward glance in a mirror and saw a dimple or heaven forbid dimples on the back of your arm or thigh or sprinkled across your bottom? The first day cellulite becomes a personal issue is memorable. Up to 90% of women and a small population of men have had this experience. Some shrug and try to forget about it and some try to attack it with vigorous spot exercise.

The term was first used in France in the 1920s and began appearing in English language publications in the late 1960s, the earliest reference in Vogue magazine, "Like a swift migrating fish the word cellulite has suddenly crossed the Atlantic."

Hormones play a dominant role in the formation of cellulite. Estrogen may be the most important hormone to initiate and aggravate cellulite. Other possible culprits are insulin, catecholamines, adrenaline, thyroid hormones and prolactin. All are believed to accelerated cellulite.

An Ally McBeel episode shows an exchange between Ally and her current lover about a nude portrait he has done of her. At first glance she is thrilled and flattered by his effort. Cue music. She notices that he has enhanced her posterior with texture. Her facial expression goes from delight to horror as she says, “Is that cellulite?” He naively replies, “Yes, it adds character.” While character is an excellent thing to strive for the presence of cellulite is not the step to achieve it.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a dimple-free butt and thighs? As we pass puberty our bodies tend to develop cellulite. Cellulite is fat that gets trapped between fibers that connect your muscles to your skin. The fibers are like stitching on a down quilt - cellulite puffs out between them; the more fat you have between fibers, the more visible your cellulite becomes. Cellulite stores in the hips, thighs, and butt in preparation for childbearing and it causes fat cells to stick together to create the dimply effect of cellulite.

Because you have cellulite it doesn't mean that you're fat. Regardless of your weight the presence of cellulite is an indication of toxicity. You can minimize toxicity with some simple lifestyle changes:

•Drink lots of water with lemon juice throughout the day to prevent water retention and flush the liver - a culprit in cellulite formation.
•Minimize intake of fried and processed foods; pass on the Big Macs. Processed foods interfere with digestion, blood circulation and lymph drainage. Sluggish circulation and drainage prevent sufficient waste and toxin elimination. Lymph builds up and makes cellulite appear worse.
•Eat greens; fill up on cellulite busting vegetables: asparagus, a great diuretic, celery, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, parsley, green peppers, and root veggies like turnips and parsnips. These foods nourish the liver and have a detoxifying effect on the body.
•Eat apples; an apple a day can keep cellulite away. The pectin found in apples (and carrots) is an important phytochemical that strengthens the immune and detoxification systems of the body.
•Exercise; it helps by increasing lymph flow. In addition, weight lifting builds more muscle, making the skin overlying your hips and thighs more taut. The tighter your skin, the less obvious the cellulite is.
• See you Spa Professional; your spa professional has massage treatments to minimize the appearance of cellulite and to further your commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Stay current with your spa’s news and stay current with the many ways they can improve your health and appearance.