Foods to reduce cellulite
Food expert Janella Purcell answers your nutrition questions.
Q. This sounds very vain of me, but I’m worried about getting into my swimwear this summer because I have very bad cellulite on my thighs. Are there certain things I should avoid or certain food I can eat to get rid of cellulite or at least reduce it?
A. All of us want to look and feel our best, so why shouldn’t you want to do what you can to reduce the dimples. Cellulite occurs in both men and women, but it is much more common in women because we are more likely to have particular types of fat and connective tissue.
What causes cellulite?
Things that may contribute to cellulite are a hormone imbalance, genetics, diet, lifestyle factors including smoking, lack of exercise and tight clothing. But no one really knows for sure.
What can we do?
It is important though to keep moving, keep your exercise regular as this will increase your blood flow and may well be the best way to reduce the fat content in cells, helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Massages will also help for this reason.
Foods to eat
Your diet needs to be ‘clean’. This means avoid all junk and processed foods and increase your intake of fruit, vegies and plant-based protein. Be sure you’re getting enough omega-3 oils in the form of chia, flax and hemp seeds and dark green leafy vegies as these will help keep your hormones balanced, and keep you full for longer. Of course, stress needs to be reduced for many reasons, including to keep those hormones in check.
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