Cellulite:

What Is Cellulite?

Fat is deposited under the skin in clusters of cells held together by a fibrous network of connective tissue.The pattern of fat storage in your body is partly controlled by the sex hormones.In men, the fat is stored in a fairly uniform manner.In women, on the other hand, fat is stored to a large extent, in one or two specific areas like the thighs and buttocks.Some "body care people" have termed the fat stored in these areas as cellulite.

Cellulite, according to these people, is a gel like substance made up of a mixture of fat, water and waste materials, all trapped as immovable lumps, just beneath the skin.The protagonists of this theory believe that when the connecyive tissue is "poisoned", it begins to expand abnormally, accumulating fat, water and body wastes-cellulite is thus formed.

Tension, fatigue, smoking, lack of exercise, alcohol, and drugs have been held responsible for the poisoning of connective tissue and formation of cellulite;these factors are thought to slow down the rate of elimination of waste materials from the body and these then collect in the connective tissues.It stands to logic that if you eat more than you require, you would put on weight.The body can easily store this excess fat in the skin.When too much fat is stored, it tends to bulge out between the fibres of connective tissue.The overlying skin then begins to look and feel uneven and flabby.Doctors also agree that too many calories and too little exercise both contribute to this excessive collection of fat.Doctors, however, do not regard cellulite formation as a special condition at all; they think cellulite is nothing but a fancy name for excess fat.Chemical analysis has shown that cellulite is similar to ordinary fat.There is also no indication of the presence of any abnormal connective tissue or excess amount of water in the skin of people having excess amounts of the so-called cellulite.

What Are Anti-Cellulite Diets?

These diets claim to purify the body and to eliminate the so-called "poisoning agents".They basically contain the all too familiar list of low calorie foods-plenty of raw vegetables, skimmed milk, cheese, fish and lean-meat.Logically, they exclude the so-called "body-polluters" like chocolates, chips, and alcohol-all having many calories.So, naturally these anti-cellulite diets will help you lose weight.

Apart from their low calorie value, these anti-cellulite diets contain plenty of fluids, restrict salt intake and contain large amounts of iodine.Fluids are included because they are supposed to increase kidney activity and speed up the rate at which your body gets rid of the waste materials.Once the 'poisons' are eliminated, the cellulite would follow.But this is a hypothetical explanation, because doctors do not believe that the kidney activity has anything to do with accumulation and elimination of fat.Iodine is included to hasten up burning up of fat.Iodine is used uo normally in the body by the thyroid gland to produce hormones which control the rate at which fuel is burnt.Including extra iodine in the diet is, however, unlikely to be of any use in speeding up the process of getting rid of fat, as the thyroid gland only needs a minute amount of iodine and this is generally provided by a normal balanced diet.