Do you have dimply skin on your legs, arms or butt? Do you exercise and eat right but still can’t seem to get rid of your cottage cheese skin?

Believe it or not, cellulite doesn’t care how fit you are. While it is typically associated with being overweight, even the skinniest women fight cellulite on a daily basis.

What exactly is cellulite?

Basically, when you have globules of fat under the skin pushing up against the connective tissue, you have this uneven, “mottled” skin appearance – Cellulite!

Some of the factors that contribute to this condition are a lack of exercise, hormone changes and you guessed it — your diet.

The reason adults develop areas of loose skin and cellulite is due to uneven texture of fatty deposits beneath the skin. This condition is more common in women than men, with about 80 percent of women having some measure of cellulite, particularly as they age and the skin loses its elasticity.

However, anyone can develop cellulite, even teenagers dealing with weight and hormonal changes.

As a skin condition, cellulite is not serious or harmful, and therefore many choose to just simply leave their cellulite alone.

Meanwhile, others are very bothered by the unsightly appearance of cellulite, especially following life circumstances such as weight gain/loss or pregnancy — or in the summer when it’s common to reveal more skin.

The Main Causes of Cellulite

Several primary factors contribute to the development of cellulite, including:

• Poor diet
• Fluid retention (which also causes bloating)
• Dehydration
• Lack of circulation (blood flow)
• Weak collagen structure of the skin
• Being overweight or having increased body fat
• Hormonal changes
• Lack of physical activity (a sedentary lifestyle)

Some other factors that can cause skin changes such as cellulite, sagginess, wrinkles and formation of dark spots include: hormonal imbalances, high amounts of stress, existing medical conditions like autoimmune disease or diabetes, genetics, poor diet, allergies, smoking, too much sun exposure and other causes of toxicity.

While the connection between dealing with stress and developing cellulite may seem far-fetched, science has shown that all of the factors above increase inflammation and contribute to signs of aging.

Considering all the lifestyle factors that affect the appearance and health of your skin, it’s understandable why popular cellulite treatments, such as, massage, laser and light-based treatments, liposuction and topical creams aren’t long-term solutions.

Instead of wasting your time and money on expensive products or procedures, try out these natural treatments to get rid of your cellulite.

Natural Treatments for Cellulite 

Here are the top four all-natural tips for ridding your body of cellulite.

1. Eat a Healthy Diet

It’s been shown that reducing extra body fat through means like eating a healthy diet and increasing activity helps reduce cellulite.

Losing weight, and then maintaining a healthy body fat percentage, may all help reduce the appearance of cellulite for those who do not wish to resort to liposuction.

Some of the top foods for decreasing or preventing cellulite are:

• Flaxseeds. Flax is great for skin health and losing weight as it modulates estrogen levels and may also increase collagen production. You can sprinkle flaxseeds on your breakfast, in your smoothies or simply eat the seeds by themselves.
• Hydrating foods. Because dehydration can lead to bloating and dry skin, try to eat more naturally hydrating foods. These include fresh veggies and fruit, especially melon, berries, cucumber, celery, citrus fruits and fresh herbs.
• High-fiber foods. These include vegetables, nuts, seeds and berries. Fiber helps cleanse the colon, curb hunger, support your metabolism and balance hormones. High-fiber foods containing lots of antioxidants, such as leafy greens or berries, are also beneficial because of their ability to decrease free radical damage (which ages skin).
• Clean protein sources. High-quality protein foods like grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, pastured eggs, wild-caught fish and organic protein powder can increase metabolism and aid in cellulite reduction. Ideally, aim to consume at least 3–4 ounces with every meal.
• Potassium-rich foods. Flushing excess fluids and waste out of cells can help reduce cellulite. Green leafy vegetables, avocados, bananas, coconut water and cultured dairy are all high in potassium.
• Healthy fats. Coconut and wild-caught fish contain fatty acids that promote healthy tissue. Consume 1 tablespoon daily of extra virgin coconut oil and 1 serving of wild-caught fish (or 1,000 mg of fish oil daily) for the best results.
• Kelp. Kelp has many benefits and is a very low cost nutrient. It contains a compound called “fucoxanthin,” which is found in chlorophyll bearing green plants. It can help the body burn fat, thus reducing the appearance of cellulite. Add kelp to your diet by sprinkling a small amount onto your savory meals.
• Water. Wondering if drinking lots of water is really that important for reducing cellulite? Yes! Water keeps skin hydrated and helps flush out toxic compounds from your body. These fatty globules under the skin harbor toxins and make cellulite more visible. Clean them out by drinking 8–10 glasses of fresh water daily. Well hydrated skin will look more even, with less of a lumpy, dry or aged look.

Try to avoid or reduce these foods, which may cause or worsen cellulite:

• Sugar and salt. If you think your diet has no effect on cellulite, think again! Here’s why: Sugar causes fluid retention, inflammation and storage of body fat — all of which can increase the appearance of cellulite. Read labels and aim to reduce or remove added sugar from your diet. Limit your sodium intake as well, because salt is one of the main causes of water retention, which can worsen cellulite and bloating. 
• Refined flour and refined grain products. These break down quickly into sugar and are high in calories that can be stored as extra fat.
• Food Allergens. Foods like gluten, A1 casein found in most dairy, shellfish and peanuts can cause allergies or inflammation in some. This has negative effects on skin health like potentially decreasing circulation and interfering with normal nutrient absorption.
• Trans and hydrogenated fats. Unhealthy fats promote inflammation and can lead to weight gain.

2. Consume More Collagen

Connective tissue – including the layers of the skin – is comprised of collagen. So when the skin is strong, cellulite appearance is diminished.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and needed for skin’s elasticity, youthful texture and strength.

One of the best ways to get more collagen is from consuming bone broth. Bone broth contains the amino acids called proline and glycine that make up collagen, along with important trace minerals and even antioxidant compounds. The collagen in bone broth can strengthen skin tissue and help reverse the underlying the causes of cellulite.

3. Exercise Regularly

Along with improving your diet, exercise can be your best ally when it comes to shedding extra body fat and getting rid of cellulite.

Although long distance cardio can be of value in boosting your metabolism and helping you reach a healthy weight, doing interval training (also known as burst training) will likely be much more effective.

Here are some quick facts and tips to keep in mind:

• Interval or burst training is known to increase metabolism and burn calories long after (24-48 hours) your workout is over (known as the afterburn effect).
• Interval training incorporates short intense exercises, such as sprinting, and then returns you to a cool-down period briefly (this concept is also called high-intensity interval training, or HIIT).
• Look for a program that ideally combines burst cardio and resistance training to optimize your body’s ability to burn fat fast by exercising for only about 20 minutes a day.

4. Use Skin-Healing Essential Oils

Commercial or prescription cellulite creams can be ineffective or expensive (or both!), plus the majority are full of chemicals that can aggravate your skin.

Instead, try making your own natural homemade Grapefruit Cellulite Cream. The recipe uses fat-reducing grapefruit essential oil along with coconut oil to help hydrate the skin.

Cellulite isn’t overall harmful and is more of a concern for vanity reasons. However, if you have tried all of the above solutions and your cellulite hasn’t gotten any better or has gotten worse, you should seek the advice of your dermatologist to eliminate the possibility of any other underlying health issues.

What solutions have you tried to get rid of your cellulite? Let me know in the comments below!

Yours in Health & Happiness,

Chrissy

P.S. To easily rid your body of free radicals, load up on antioxidants and burn calories, be sure to drink two cups of oolong tea each day. Stock up now for the summer season – our iced tea recipes are super delicious!

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References: http://draxe.com