According to Dr. Oz’s view of cellulite, the problem is mostly genetic. But if this were the case, ANALYST’s dry brushing experiment should not have yielded such positive results. Over the course of her initial research, ANALYST soon came across an alternative theory of cellulite that was congruent with the newfound evidence.
When it comes to cellulite, it’s useless to talk about fat cells without also discussing the intricate circulatory network that surrounds them. We are all familiar with the cardiovascular system, which is responsible for the delivery of life-sustaining oxygen, nutrients, and other chemicals to the trillions of individual cells in the human body. But we are less familiar with the system western medicine often calls the “secondary circulatory system.” I am referring to the lymphatic system, and the world’s leading lymphatic specialists
The lymphatic system is often thought of as the “sewage drainage system” for the body. Although it has a variety of functions, its main purpose is to remove metabolic debris from our cells, including our fat cells. Like the cardiovascular system, it is connected to every cell in the human body through a network of capillaries, vessels, and ducts. It’s a little odd that the lymphatic system is thought of as the secondary circulatory system, because the human body contains twice as much lymph as it does blood.
Returning to our discussion of how cellulite is formed, we now have more than just fat cells to work with. We still have the subcutaneous fat cells and the septa holding them in place to the skin, but we now understand there is also an intricate network of lymph vessels involved. When lymph circulation grows impaired, cellular waste builds up in and around the fat cells. If these cells are located in regions of subcutaneous fat, the restricted flow of lymphatic fluid can cause a bulging effect underneath the skin. And there you have it: cellulite is born.
The next natural question to ask, once again, is why? Why does the lymphatic system become impaired? What causes lymphatic congestion?
A recent poll on Oprah.com revealed that ninety percent of women have cellulite. Does that mean cellulite is “normal”? Do ninety percent of all women have cellulite, or is it more of an American thing? Have women throughout history been plagued by this dreaded condition? Or, is the staggering rate of cellulite unique to our modern era?
*Since most of us don’t know much about this neglected part of our own anatomy, here is a brief primer on the lymphatic system
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