The 'C' Word...

Cellulite.

The very word makes it sound like a terrible disease.

I absolutely HATE it, but have it in abundance - and can't seem to get away from it. I’m not over weight even; in fact, there have been times when I have been slightly underweight, but STILL a victim of the dreaded ‘orange peel’.

Now the sun is out in force, so are the legs; and subsequent ‘lumps 'n' bumps', mine included (actually not; I’m a dedicated maxi-dress wearer and let my other ‘assets’ do the talking).

According to the statistics, it's a very normal condition and affects nearly all women at some stage of their lives.

Why, why, why?

Is it God's way of punishing us for being so much more perfect than men? *wicked grin*

The bottom line is, no matter how normal it is to have cellulite, none of us actually want it. Let's face it, to see those dreaded dimply bumps on our own bum, hips and thighs when they should be soft and smooth, is enough to bring a lot of us out in a cold sweat.

So appalled are we by the unsightly lumps that many women will spend huge amounts of cash trying to get rid of it. Creams, lotions and potions, scrubbers and massagers, and even liposuction - you name it; we'll try it.

But most products don’t live up to their claims. Just this week, the US Bureau of Consumer Protection ordered the distributors of a cellulite 'treatment' to pay £12m to its customers who had spent £120 per packet. The product claimed to free us from cellulite but, unfortunately, like most cellulite creams out there, it didn't live up to expectations.

That's primarily because, to some extent, it's determined by your genetic make-up and by your hormones.

Fat is stored around your hips and thighs for a reason - it's to protect that area of your body during pregnancy and to act as an energy store when you are breast feeding.

That said, there are some measures you can take to try to tackle cellulite.

Cellulite is worsened by poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle and poor circulation. It will help to eliminate toxins by eating more healthily, starting an exercise programme and incorporating some massage into your daily routine.

For example:

Diet


Eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables to provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre
Eat plenty of wholemeal breads and wholegrain cereals
Eat less processed foods, which can be high in sugar, fat and salt
Avoid artificial additives, such as sweeteners and colourings
Drink at least 2 litres of water daily
Reduce your alcohol intake

Exercise
Any aerobic activity (jogging, swimming, stepping, rowing etc) which increases your heart rate, increases your blood flow and improves your circulation can benefit the appearance of those problem areas.

Massage
Brushing or massaging the problem areas every day can help stimulate circulation and break down fatty deposits. Although specialist anti-cellulite creams and oils should help, something as simple as baby oil works just as well for massage.

So, is it worth sacrificing a lot of things you love for the sake of smooth, youthful looking legs? Only you can decide…

Although this sort of change is credited towards ‘less cellulite’, I've yet to see it tried and tested by the experts, with truly successful results.

If I’m going to alter my whole lifestyle I want to see the proof in the pudding (low fat of course).

Anyone need a guinea pig?!