The cellulite reduction diet - cutting down on sugars and fats

How do I change my diet so that I can effectively reduce cellulite?

Sugar

Try to cut out sugary foods from your diet completely as it causes collagen to harden, making the septa pull down on the skin, making the fat more visible. Circulation can also be slowed down by the hardening of blood vessels and arteries. Eating sugar can also increase the amount of free radicals in your system by 140 per cent.

Saturated fats

Saturated fats (found in animal products like meat, butter and full-fat dairy) double your free radical levels almost immediately. Aim to keep the fat content of your diet under 30 per cent of your daily intake with no more than 10 per cent from saturated fats.

Caffeine

Try to avoid drinking more than one cup of tea or coffee per day because large doses of caffeine can stiffen arteries, slowing circulation. High doses of caffeine can also cause sudden rises and falls in blood sugar levels which may encourage you to snack on sugary treats, thereby perpetuating the problem.

Refined carbohydrates

These include, white sugars, flour, rice, pasta and bread and should be avoided completely unless you plan to exercise within two hours of eating them. These carbs cause a sudden flood of glucose, to enter our systems. In order to counter this flood of glucose, the body attempts to find a balance by releasing insulin, which pushes the glucose into the body’s fat stores. This can result in the body becoming less sensitive to insulin, which means the body needs to produce more to get results – increasing the amount of fat stored. Try to use wholefood options e.g. brown rice, wholemeal wheat-free pasta, brown wholemeal bread and bran-based cereals.

Alcohol

Try not to drink more than one glass of alcohol per day because doing so can cause the fat levels in the blood to increase slowing circulation. Alcohol also creates high numbers of free radicals in the system and boosts oestrogen levels which may encourage fluid retention. Alcohol also prevents effective absorption of certain vitamins including fat burners like Vitamin C, zinc and calcium.

Salty foods

The body controls fluid levels in the body with potassium and sodium. When these two minerals are in balance, so is the fluid the body. Eating too much salt in peanuts, chips and crisps can cause an imbalance which the body tries to correct by retaining fluid in the tissues. The World Health Organization recommends we eat no more than 5g of salt per day.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Cellulite Reduction Diet

Contact | Disclaimer | Sitemap | Advertising |  Subscribe in a reader