The Cellulite Investigation

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1. The conventional wisdom on cellulite is not supported by the evidence. If cellulite is purely a cosmetic issue, it wouldn't be physically painful. If cellulite is purely genetic, it would not fluctuate so chaotically within the lifespan of one woman. If cellulite is untreatable, no woman would ever have successfully treated it. In all of these situations, the evidence indicates to the contrary.
   
   
2. The Cellulite Investigation is not biased towards finding a marketable product.  Anti-cellulite treatments are a massive billion-dollar-per-year industry. How will the Cellulite Investigation beat them to finding a real cure for the blight? The answer is simple. The real cure for cellulite can't be bottled and sold, so the industry will never find it. Even if they did find it, they probably wouldn't sell it to you because then we wouldn't have cellulite anymore and that would be bad for business.
   
   
3. We already know the cure for cellulite, we just don't know that we know it. I'm using "we" in the broadest sense of the word here. I believe that collectively, we already know the cure for cellulite. Some women know a certain food or event that caused their cellulite. Others know a change in diet or an exercise program that remedied it. If we gather all this evidence, we can synthesize it into a theory on cellulite that will be much greater than the sum of its parts. 

Bruno Chikly, MD, DO, is the author of Silent Waves: Theory and Practice of Lymph Drainage Therapy. His book is the first comprehensive text on the lymphatic system and lymphedema in North America. Dr. Chikly is also the developer of Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT), a hands-on method of lymphatic manipulation now used by thousands of health care professional throughout the world. Learn more at www.ChiklyInstitute.org.

Cellulite Solutions (52 Brilliant Ideas): Tips and Techniques to Lose the Lumps by Cherry Maslen and Linda Bird is the current selection for our Cellulite Book-of-the-Month (BOTM) Research Group.  

To actively participate in the group, you can order the book from Amazon for under $4 including shipping, or simply add your questions or observations in the comment section at the end of this post. 

Image by Martin Beek

I know February is usually reserved for issues of the heart. On top of Cupid's target practice and all those tiny heart-shaped candies (which, ironically, are made of sugar, corn syrup, and corn starch), Congress has required the President to proclaim February "American Heart Month" since 1963.

After nearly 50 years of outright neglect, the lymphatic system is finally demanding a month of its own. Since none of the other months volunteered to adopt the lymph node as a mascot, February graciously agreed to work double-duty.

Isn't she sweet?

Since many of us know very little about the lymphatic system, I thought it would be good to kick off Love Your Lymph Month with an audiovisual description of this neglected system. Your trusty cellulite analyst scoured the Youtube depths for a quality video that explains the inner workings of the lymphatic system.

This is what I came up with:





I know, it's not going to win an Oscar anytime soon. But it's only the first ever Love Your Lymph Month, so what did you expect? Apparently, American Heart Month has a much bigger film budget.

I wanted to share a video that is more cutting-edge, like this short video by the Lymphatic Research Foundation. It is a much higher quality, but you have to view it directly on Youtube. The first half describes the importance of the lymphatic system in overall health while the second half focuses on the Foundation.

The goal of Love Your Lymph month is to raise awareness of this vital but neglected system. If you have a moment to comment, please let us know if you learned anything new from either of these videos or if you have any specific questions to address in Love Your Lymph month. (It might make February feel better about taking on another part-time job. But with the economy the way it is, you know, a month's gotta do what a month's gotta do...)


You might also like:
Interview with Dr. Thomas Cowan on Lymphatic Health
What is the Lymphatic System and How Does it Work?
What is the Lymph Theory of Cellulite?
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Do you want to be a part of the burgeoning grass-roots movement to end the blight of cellulite? Spread the word about the Cellulite Investigation by sharing this post via the social bookmarking tool below!

For most of us, the hardest thing about sticking to a new workout plan is finding the time to fit it into a busy schedule.  

Over her long career in the fitness industry, Joyce Vedral picked up some foolproof techniques for turning those New Years workout resolutions into lifelong habits.  The following letter to CI readers explains her most effective tips and tricks. Thanks, Joyce!

Dear Cellulite Investigation Readers,

Today it is more tempting than ever to not work out. We can just sit in front of a screen all day --TV, computer, Blackberry --you name it. When people do work out, they often want to do a trendy workout --something "fun."

Working out and having fun is a lovely idea. We can put on wonderful music and jump around like jackrabbits hoping to get lucky. Well, here's a newsflash. I don't want you to have fun. I want you to do a workout that works. The fun part will be seeing major changes in 3 weeks --and a whole new body in less than 12 weeks.

Okay. So how do you find the motivation to do a workout if it's not fun? First, tear up the New Years resolution list. Instead, write a list of your goals. When you think of working out with weights (and any other important thing you want to accomplish) as a goal, it turns it into something positive rather than a punishment.

When Should You Plan to Work Out?

When planning your workout, it is critical to have a Plan A and a Plan B. Say your plan A is to work out in the morning. But some mornings you just can’t. You either got up late, your child needed special attention, or some such reality. Then you should have already set up a plan B. The big key is programming your mind ahead of time, twice. Once when you make your overall plan, and again the moment your plan A falls through.

When it comes to working out, morning is always best. I mean real morning --right after you roll out of bed and go to the bathroom. And hey, no need to take off your sleep clothing --after the workout you can throw them in the wash. It’s okay if you feel drowsy when you start. After three minutes you’ll wake up and keep getting energy after that, so your whole day goes better. Plus, working out in the morning guarantees that you get it done.  So unless there is no way you can workout in the morning, I say DO IT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

But what if you can’t? The next best time is to workout at lunchtime. If you can’t bring your dumbbells to work, see if there’s a fitness center nearby that has free-weights and a bench. Make sure the fitness center is not crowded when you would go. The last thing you ever need is to wait even one minute for your weights.

Your third choice is to work out the minute you come home from work. When you walk in the door, like a robot you would take off your work clothing and put on some sweats or boxers (I like boxers and a tank top) and before you have a chance to think, you would start the workout. Do not answer the phone, the door, or the call of nature. (Just kidding about that last one.) Before you know it, the workout is over and you can enjoy your evening in peace.

Why is it Better to Work Out at Home than in a Gym?

You are much more likely to do your workout if you do it at home. The very thought of dragging yourself to a fitness center, before or after work, is enough to make most people say “forget about it.”

In addition, think of all the time you are wasting. Traveling to and from a fitness center is bound to be at least 30 minutes to an hour --more when you count in the changing of clothing, getting set up, and waiting for the weights or machines you want to use.

Also, think of how much more effort you have to put into your appearance. In your house, who cares? But if you know you will be seen by the public, you are bound to want to fix your hair and put on a little make-up and care about what you wear. Also, chances are you will waste plenty of time talking to people you meet there --and at the same time, weakening the power of your workout.

And what about the money? Let’s face it. A gym membership is expensive, even in the most economical set-ups. Why waste the money when you get a better workout at home with three sets of dumbbells and a step or bench. Your total cost will be under a hundred dollars. Plus, it’s a one time cost. Not a yearly renewal cost.

Cellulite is attacking people younger and younger because cellulite is bunched up fat that shows through thin skin when muscle is not present. So let's get to work building that muscle. If you have any questions about weight training, I will personally answer your e-mail and give you free fitness advice. You can contact me through my website at www.joycevedral.com.

Love,
Joyce

Next month's selection for the Cellulite BOTM is Cellulite Solutions (52 Brilliant Ideas): Tips and Techniques to Lose the Lumps. You are welcome to read along as we journey on our way to cellulite enlightenment!

Bottoms Up! by Joyce Vedral, Ph.D. is the first selection for our Cellulite Book-of-the-Month (BOTM) research group. 

Next month's selection is Cellulite Solutions (52 Brilliant Ideas): Tips and Techniques to Lose the Lumps. To actively participate in the Cellulite BOTM research group, you can pick up the book for less than $4 (including shipping) from Amazon.com or check your local library.

Joyce includes a brief description of how muscles and bones grow, which made me realize I have no idea how this actually happens --just another example of all the ways the human brain accepts mental shortcuts to simplify the complexity of the real world.  It's impossible to explain a complex physical process like muscle growth in a few short paragraphs, but Joyce's description is worth noting.

If you find it difficult to perform the exercises as described in the book, Joyce recently released a DVD version of her Bottoms Up! workout.  Bottoms Up! Gold Plus features some additional exercises as well as a new workout partner, Joyce's daughter Marthe.  

Dr. Thomas Cowan is author of The Fourfold Path to Healing: Working with the Laws of Nutrition, Therapeutics, Movement and Meditation in the Art of Medicine. He is also a family physician with a private practice in San Francisco, CA.  You can meet Dr. Cowan at the annual Fourfold Path to Healing Conference, held this year on January 29-31 in Nashua, NH or sign up for his newsletter at http://fourfoldhealing.com.

In his book, Fourfold Path to Healing, Dr. Cowan explains how the cloudy fluids of the lymph are associated with the metabolic system.  Based on the teaching of Rudolph Steiner and Paracelsus, Cowan describes the function of the metabolic system as anabolism (building up). Too much or too little activity in the metabolic system can throw off the balance of the whole organism, leading to symptoms of dis-ease.

Nutrition and Your Lymphatic System

As you recall, the lymphatic system is often described as "the sewage disposal system" for your cells. This is why the raw material we put into our bodies (and therefore, our cells) is of the utmost importance for lymphatic health.

According to Dr. Cowan, any substance that is not properly digested can end up in the lymph. Eliminating toxic additives, preservatives, and other hard-to-digest materials from your diet will help lymph flow more freely.

Jessica Winkworth Photography

Dr. Cowan mentions one food that is particularly damaging to lymphatic health: trans fat.  According to the American Heart Association, trans fats are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.  Another name for trans fats is "partially hydrogentated oils." If you are cellulite-conscious, keep an eye out for the word "hydrogenated" on any ingredient label. 

Here's why trans fats are so detrimental to the lymphatic system. Fat digestion usually begins in the small intestine, where bile acids and lipases (a type of enzyme) break up the fat into smaller elements.  These fatty elements are then absorbed through the intestine wall and carried into the body through... you guessed it, lymph!

Lymphatic Healing

Lymph congestion is manifest in a variety of symptoms.  Dr. Cowan points out that when the lymphatic system is impaired, people tend to get sick in the upper respiratory region --often with a sore throat --or they experience edema in the lower legs. [Analyst's note: or perhaps, cellulite?? Dr. Cowan admits the lymph theory of cellulite makes sense.]

A late sign of lymphatic problems is cancer.  Cancer isn't caused by lymphatic congestion --they are both caused by something else --but it is a sign that the lymphatic system is impaired.

The most effective step in healing the lymphatic system is to eliminate industrial foods from the diet and replace them with traditional, nutrient-dense fare. If you suffer from impaired lymph flow, Dr. Cowan notes, you might experience some nausea or sickness when you start to improve your diet.  This is a sign that the lymphatic congestion is breaking up and lymph flow is improving.

Love Your Lymph!

Since the lymphatic system is such a crucial aspect of cellulite (and since few of us know much about it), I hereby declare February as "Love Your Lymph" month at the Cellulite Investigation! Here are some of the topics you can look forward to this coming month:

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• The lymph theory of cellulite: We'll take a closer look at this alternative interpretation of the root cause of cellulite. What is it? Who supports it? Who doesn't? What research has been done on it? etc.
  
  
• Interview with Dr. Bruno Chikly:  Dr. Chikly is regarded at the word's foremost expert on the lymphatic system. Dr. Oz called his work "the next frontier of discovery in human disease." We'll talk to him about the lymph theory of cellulite and learn how to treat the dreaded blight.
  
  
• Lymph-Friendly Foods: Which foods enhance lymphatic health and what are the top dietary contributors to lymphatic congestion? Savvy cellulite-sufferers want to know.
  
  
• Interview with Mya Breman (LCSW, LMT, CST-D):  Mya is a lymph drainage therapist, instructor, and international lecturer. We'll talk to her about her experience treating various lymphatic conditions and how we can implement our own lymph drainage program at home.
  
 

*This post is part of Prevention Not Prescriptions hosted at The Kathleen Show, Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Fight Back Friday hosted at FoodRenegade.

You might also like:
What is the Lymphatic System? Lymphatics 101
Interview with Connie Leas, Author of Fat: It's Not What You Think
The One About My Breakthrough Lymph Drainage Therapy Session

Dear CI readers, please give a warm welcome to Latebloomer, our first undercover source for the Cellulite Investigation! She is a fellow cellulite sufferer, in her early fifties, living in Canada, and brave enough to share her Cellulite Story with us today. What valuable Intel can you glean from her account?

3. What do you suspect is your kryptonite?

 
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I think my kryptonite, my waterloo, my armageddon, might be coffee. I spent some time in Europe a little over two years ago and started drinking coffee there again, which I hadn't done in several years. The coffee in Italy and France is so good! Like dessert! When I got home, I started making coffee again (espresso really) and got pretty good at it. That was in October; by the following April I was beginning to gain weight, and whether the coffee is the culprit or not, I have nothing else on which to blame the increase in my cellulite (for me, I think cellulite and weight gain are MOST DEFINITELY related). 

Unless I blame it on oatmeal, which I started eating in Scotland at about the same time--raw, in homemade muesli (which I also started making when I got home). Before I noticed the worsening of my cellulite, I noticed I was gaining weight, though I couldn't understand why. I chalked it up to the oatmeal/carb thing and stopped eating the muesli and kept on with the coffee. Bad call perhaps! [Analyst's note: Hard to say. Raw oats can be tough on the digestive system. See this article by Cheeseslave about the importance of soaking grains.]

Welcome, fellow Friday Follow participants! In case you're new to the Cellulite Investigation, this will help give you an idea of what we're all about. I hope you will join us in our quest for Cellulite Enlightenment!

1.  Cellulite News from Around the World: Here at CI, we continually monitor the global chatter for the latest cellulite breakthroughs, from the newest cellulite studies, products, and treatments to the most recent sighting of celebrity dimple (although we try not to focus too much attention on the latter. After all, celebs with cellulite are women with cellulite, too).
   
   
2. Victim Accounts: Through our Cellulite Stories column, we gather valuable intelligence about REAL women and their cellulite experiences. We learn at what age cellulite develops, how it fluctuates over the years, and what treatments work or don't work on an individual level.
   
   
3. Requests for Information: When we identify an intelligence gap, we might send out an official Request for Information (RFI) to gather evidence from CI readers. We've already collected valuable intel through the RFI process, and it's sure to be an important tool as the investigation continues to grow.
   
   
4. Expert Testimony: Despite the raging cellulite epidemic, the world is not lacking in cellulite experts. Most specialize in a specific avenue of treatment. At the Cellulite Investigation, we interview relevant experts and incorporate their findings into our dog-eared CI files.
   
   
5. Good ol' Fashioned Research: Through the Cellulite Book-of-the-Month (BOTM) research group, we pour over the published literature on cellulite and add new evidence to the case.
   

Maybe it's the New York accent. Maybe it's the fact that, at sixty-six years old, she looks this great in a bikini. Whatever it is, there's just something about Joyce Vedral that makes you want to flex your way to cellulite freedom. (Admit it, you're squeezing your glutes right now, aren't you!)

Since we've been reading through Joyce Vedral's book, Bottoms Up!, in our Cellulite Book-of-the-Month (BOTM) research group, I thought it would be fun to include a few clips of Joyce in action so you can get a feel for the energy she brings to her workouts.

This first clip is the intro to her Complete Weight Training Series. She explains how to break-in to a new weight training routine and what weights to select for your workout.



This video is the intro to her new Cougar workout. Do you like Joyce's definition of what a cougar is? It's different from the wikipedia version, but we know language is what we (collectively) interpret it to be --so being a cougar is what we, as a society, make of it.  Why not make it something positive? Besides all that, I love her emphasis on Super Duper at the end!



If you like Joyce's book and want to be able to do the whole workout along with Joyce, she made a DVD of the Bottoms Up! workout with her daughter, Marthe. Here is a short clip:



I just noticed that Joyce put all of her cellulite books and DVDs on sale on her homepage,  www.JoyceVedral.com, and shipping is only $1.  Thanks, Joyce, for making it extra easy for us! We'll continue our research into the Bottoms Up! workout later next week. Until then, who inspires you to reach your fitness goals?

You might also like:
Bottoms Up! Getting Started with Weight Training
Who is Joyce Vedral and What's Her Take on Cellulite?
Join the Cellulite Bottom Research Group

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Do you want to be a part of the burgeoning grass-roots movement to end the blight of cellulite? Spread the word about the Cellulite Investigation by sharing this post via the social bookmarking tool below!