Beat cellulite from the inside

As bikini season approaches, the number of us looking for creams, wraps and other expensive high-tech treatments to get rid of that dreaded orange-peel is on the rise.

If cellulite were just fat, then banishing it would simple – one would simply eat less. But it’s not about that at all, It’s about eating the right things.

There is no need to forfeit your favourite foods. Just try to incorporate the following nutrients into your normal regime as often as possible.

In a just few months, not only will the quality of your skin on your legs improve, but so will your skin everywhere else.

Lecithin

Imagine a nutrient that can give you glowing, youthful skin that is simply too strong for cellulite to show through.

Lecithin is a crucial building block in cell walls. Eating lecithin-rich foods daily can directly restore the integrity of cell walls in your skin’s deep layer (the dermis), helping to make them watertight.

Daily servings of eggs, soy, spinach, cauliflower, peanuts, iceberg lettuce and apples are essential.

Essential fats

Essential fats draw water to dehydrated cells and create a watertight barrier, preventing further water loss. Eat plenty of oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring etc), walnuts, Brazil nuts and olives. Also avoid foods containing unhealthy saturated or trans-fats such as cakes, biscuits, chocolate and fast food. These foods are loaded with empty calories and also compromise circulation.

Amino acids

Eating a regular supply of amino acids from lean protein foods is vital if your body is going to produce the collagen and elastin that makes up connective tissue. Meat, poultry, fish and eggs all contain good amounts of the nine essential amino acids you need.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants prevent the dermis and epidermis damage that eventually leads to lumps and dimples.

All fruit (especially berries and citrus) and vegetables provide a good supply of antioxidants. As a rule, the darker and brighter the colour of the food, the more densely packed it is with beneficial nutrients.

Anti-inflammatories

Rainbow-coloured, antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, combined with plenty of omega-3 rich oily fish makes for a great anti-inflammatory diet.

There are a few ingredients that are even more potent: alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and gamma linolenic acid (GLA), available in beans and peas, fruit, wheatgerm, broccoli and spinach.