During the Christmas vacation in Colorado, my family and I decided to go to the local hot springs. It was just what we needed to warm our bones from the cold of being outdoors all day skiing cross country. There were people of all shapes and sizes. What I noticed in almost all women and teenagers was the appearance of cellulite on the thighs. I started paying attention to who had the most cellulite and who had the least. No woman was immune to its effect. There were even female athletes with washboard stomachs who had cellulite on their thighs. I found it very annoying that so few women did not have cellulite. What is it in our culture that is promoting this unsightly bulge and what do we do to prevent it? Is exercise the key or is it something more than that?

What really is cellulite and how do we get rid of it? After doing some research on how to get rid of these deposits naturally, I discovered that women in Europe have been going to health spas and using creams to get rid of cellulite or “unsightly fat deposits” for at least twenty years. American doctors regard this type of fat as a problem, but they do not treat it as a “connective tissue disease” as the medical community in Europe does.

Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat, toxic waste material, and water that is trapped between fibrous tissue just below the skin’s surface. Cellulite is mainly a female problem due to the higher percentage of fatty tissue in women and the greater elasticity of the skin. The layer of fat under the skin appears between this fibrous tissue causing a “fat bulge” in the subcutaneous layer. In a healthy woman without cellulite, the fat would remain in the dermal layer. This problem occurs when blood vessels deteriorate and deprive the skin of important nutrients. Second, fats clump together and bind to proteins. Cells are swallowed by water due to toxicity in fatty tissue. The water dilutes the toxic waste matter and creates a gel-like substance that creates the orange peel appearance of the skin. It can be said that cellulite is an inflammatory process due to:

1. Decreased circulation in the area.

2. Loss of capillary networks

3. Excess fluid retained

4. Fat deposition is usually mediated by hormones

5. Vascular changes within the dermis.

6. Toxic waste material that is stored in less vascular areas of the body in fatty tissue.

7 steps to detoxify your thighs

Some doctors say that cellulite is caused by damaged and dehydrated skin. I think this is one of the causes of cellulite, but it is not the whole truth. The first step in reducing cellulite is to repair damaged skin cells and connective tissue. We can do this by following these seven essential steps.

1. The first step to change is to use antioxidants to eliminate free radical damage and promote microcirculation. Vitamin C and vitamin A are the most important antioxidants for the skin. You cannot grow collagen without vitamin C. Vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients for keeping skin healthy and firm.

2. The second key is to increase circulation throughout the body. Gingko biloba increases microcirculation and thus removes stored toxins from the body. Dry brushing is an important addition to our detox regimen. Dry brushing for five minutes a day is equivalent to half an hour of exercise. Use a dry vegetable bristle brush in a circular motion from toes to heart. This acts as a manual lymphatic pump to flush out toxins and maintain healthy circulation. Use the circulation that generates essential oils like rosemary and birch to start breaking down fatty deposits. Put 20 drops each in 4 oz. of a carrier oil such as sesame or almond oil and rub it on your buttocks, thighs, and hips every day.

3. Eliminate foods high in mucus and most dairy products, especially if they are not organic. The lymphatic system has a direct impact on the appearance and condition of your skin. When lymph becomes clogged with mucus-forming food, toxins cannot be removed and many of these waste products end up being deposited and trapped in the skin. Cellulite forms when stagnant lymph full of toxins gets stuck in the accumulations of fat just below the skin. Non-organic dairy products contain high amounts of synthetic hormones that disrupt our sensitive hormonal systems.

4. Regulate your hormones with oils rich in specific nutrients. The high amounts of estrogen in the body determine where fat will be deposited, especially on the hips, buttocks, and thighs. Remember, estrogen builds the body, just like in pregnancy. It also promotes excessive water retention in tissues. If the lymphatic system is down, toxins get stuck in storage containers on the thighs. Essential fatty acids also hydrate the skin by strengthening the cell walls. The oils keep the skin well hydrated. This is important due to the fact that essential fatty acids regulate the body’s hormones. When hormones are balanced, cells are properly hydrated. It is also easier to maintain the proper weight. An easy way to do this is to rotate the organic flax oil and evening primrose oil with the waxing and waning moon. This will regulate estrogen and progesterone in the body naturally. After menopause other oils should be used. If your hormones are really out of balance, I recommend weekly acupuncture treatments and specific formulas to help with this. A woman with hormonal balance is usually a healthy woman.

5. Open the elimination pathways by stimulating detoxification of the liver, kidneys and large intestine. When a vacuum cleaner is full of toxic waste, it doesn’t work. We need to clean our system to make it work more efficiently. When we are constipated, our elimination system is “backed up.” The other organs then have to perform a “double function.” Sometimes when this happens, too many toxins flood the system at once and the liver has to store this waste material for a later day. It does this by storing waste matter in a fatty lobe. The liver then sends it away from major organs and into areas of the body where there is little circulation. These toxins will remain in this place, safe from important bodily functions. A French herbalist named Maurice Messegue conducted extensive research on cellulite control with women from all over Europe. Only when these women stopped consuming foods that contained pesticides and chemicals (most processed foods) were they able to decrease the amount of cellulite on their bodies. By stimulating liver function with milk thistle, dandelion, or specific individual detox formulas targeting the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system, we can help them function more efficiently. At my clinic in Austin, Texas, I use individual patient-specific formulas and nutrients to break down waste material stuck in cells. The general ways to do this are to squeeze half a lemon into water three times a day to break down mucus and stimulate the liver. Next, I suggest taking organic raw apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon in 8 ounces of water) before meals to stimulate digestive processes and alkalize the body.

6. Boost your metabolism. Drinking three cups of green tea a day is one of the best ways to do it. Not only does it stimulate your metabolism, it has many antioxidants, but it also has the ability to emulsify fat! The second ingredient to improve our metabolism is to use cayenne in our lemon juice on a daily basis. Cayenne stimulates our digestion and improves our circulation. Do not use cayenne pepper if you have symptoms of heat such as hot flashes or constant thirst.

7. Take saunas and hot baths regularly. The most important secret of cellulite detox is to heat up and break down fat deposits. Heating the body stimulates the elimination of toxicity and increases your metabolism and circulation. After taking a hot bath, you need to squeeze and twist your thighs and buttocks with your thumb and the first two fingers. Do it gently, but firmly. By doing this, you are breaking down the fat and dispersing it into the bloodstream. Then make firm movements toward the heart to move the blood and lymph. You can use the dry vegetable bristle brush for this part. If you don’t have access to a sauna, hot baths are wonderful. Add essential oils like juniper, grapefruit, and rosemary to stimulate the liver and eliminate toxins. Other additions can include Epsom salt and baking soda. Use two cups of Epsom salt and one cup of baking soda in the bathroom. Epsom salt draws toxins out of the body while baking soda alkalizes the system. Soak for twenty minutes until you sweat. When you get out of the bathroom, massage your belly, buttocks, and thighs, then rest. Do this at least three times a week.

To conclude, detoxifying your thighs is not a simple quick fix pill. Most women will agree that staying healthy should be part of a lifestyle change. A diet rich in grains, vegetables, and fruits with small amounts of meat, fish, and legumes will keep us full of energy, strong, and lean. Daily walking and yoga keep our body flexible and strong in addition to the above steps. By incorporating all of these factors into your daily life, you will have amazing success in reducing those unwanted lumps. Our body only needs the right nutrients, the right diet, and the right detoxification.