Cellulite: The Real Deal

Filed Under Blog, Health, Skin Care | 1 Comment

Ok, unless your eighteen, in perfect condition and never had a digestive problem, we all have it: cellulite. Dreaded word, I know, but the fact is that most of us live with it and don’t really know what to do about it. I’ve bought magazine after magazine claiming to have articles to help with this problem only to be disappointed by a run down on all the latest “miracle creams”. So after years of research I’ve decided to share my hard earned knowledge about the real deal on getting rid of the cottage cheese effect.

First of all let me say that the only thing that will really get rid of this problem is exercise; and it’s not just any exercise. Doing cardiovascular exercise is important as it will help with burning off some of the fat; but building and toning your muscle in whatever area you have the most cellulite will help the most with the appearance. For one thing, muscle eats fat and for another muscle will give your skin a smooth surface to lie on. If you do not have a lot of muscle then your skin will only have the fat pockets (cellulite) to lay on top of, if you have more muscle then your skin will lay on top of the muscle and cause a smoother look. After building and toning my muscles for six months I noticed a drastic reduction in the amount of cellulite on my thighs and butt.

Since cellulite most often shows up on our thighs and butt it is important to know that your thighs are directly connected to your digestion. When you have a digestive problem the first place it will show up is on your thighs. So it is important to eat healthy and pay attention to how many processed foods are going into your body. Your body can most easily digest foods in their natural form. On the opposite side of this, the type of food that will contribute most to cellulite is fast food. I know this from experience and it is the most difficult cellulite to get rid of. So my recommendation is that no matter what it takes, do not eat fast food. At this point I have completely eliminated it from my diet.

I recently read an article saying that research has shown that ginko biloba has a significant impact on cellulite. I have not yet tried this, but I plan to in the near future and will let you know the results. What I have found to be effective is acidophilus, this friendly bacteria eats the bad bacteria in your body and boosts the good bacteria, which in turn really boosts your body’s ability to digest food. Yogurt is high in acidophilus, but the thing I have found to produce the best results is Jarrow Formula’s acidophilus pills, Jarro-Dophilus .

Staying hydrated is also really important for managing the appearance of the skin that shows cellulite. Dehydrated skin has a dry appearance and lacks the elasticity needed to have tone and firm skin. While hydration will not solve the problem on its own it will help in the maintenance of your body’s overall health and help to hydrate you skin giving it a lively and young look.

As far as creams and lotions go you have to find the one that works for you. For me, I have seen good, yet somewhat slow, results with creams that contain seaweed and I have to use them everyday to get any results at all. Other creams contain caffeine and other ingredients known to help. One concoction that I have seen work on my self and others is something you make at home. Combine one ounce almond oil, 7 to 10 drops essential lemon oil and fine ground sea salt. (All of these can be found at your local health food store or on the Internet. Young Living makes some of the highest quality essential oils I have ever experienced.) Wet your skin in the shower, pour some of this mixture on an exfoliating mitt and massage any part of your body that has cellulite for about three to five minutes. Then let it sit on your skin for another minute and rinse off. (Do not use the lemon oil without the almond oil; it will burn your skin!)

Like I said, you’ll see the most drastic results when you build and tone your muscles. If you do this, really focus on what you are eating, take acidophilus, stay hydrated and use a topical product that works with your body, then you will see results. To some of you this may sounds like a lot of steps or even hard work, but just think, wouldn’t it be worth it to put on that bikini and love what you see?

The Perfect Reason to Pamper Yourself

Filed Under Blog, Holidays | Leave a Comment

What am I thinking about today? The holidays! I love the holidays. I view the holidays as a time to pamper myself. A time to surround myself with glitter, sparkle and music I love. This usually comes in the form of jazz. I use the holidays for all they are worth, to treat myself better than I treat myself all year long. It’s like my gift to me. This year I invite you to play with me!

I always start by buying a special lotion, one that I love, whose mere smell fills my mind with dreams of the perfect holiday season. This year Victoria’s Secret has a completely delicious collection, my favorite of which is Cranberry Crush. It smells like cranberry punch mixed with tangelos and apricots and reminds me of my moms cranberry bread baking in the oven.

Next I make sure I have two things, a candle and body glitter. Funny combination, I know. The candle is always something that smells, to me, like the season; maybe cinnamon or mulled wine. This way my environment always smells wonderful and the minute I walk into my house I am happy to be there. The body glitter is because I love to sparkle and this time of year I let myself fully embrace this. I even get a glitter spray or puff for my hair.

I always make sure I have a pretty dress, something I feel extra special in. And my naughty little secret? I always, always buy a pair of holiday panties! Something red, velvet or with rhinestones. I know this is hilarious and you might laugh, but with this special touch I make sure that I feel more special in this dress than I have all year long.

For the cherry on top I usually have a perfume that I pull out only during the holidays. It’s always something I adore, but also that is too amazing to wear every day. This is different for every woman, but you’ll find yours and you’ll start to look forward to it every year. The minute you smell it you’ll know that it’s that time of year that you get pampered the way you always wish you would.

Last, but not least, I choose a good book or a beautiful holiday magazine. This is my time for me, the time I get to be the one in the perfect magazine add we see all season long. I’m all curled up by a fire, happy and content as a kitty cat, drifting away to a wintry wonderland as I pamper myself during this special time of year.

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