Question from a fellow cellulite investigator:
I am interested in toxic chemicals that cause cellulite. I’ve been looking at your site and found fluoride, but are there others? And could you point me to the places on your site where you write about the fluoride connection?
Until I received Debra‘s email, I did not realize that our theories on fluoride are difficult to follow because they’re scattered in various posts throughout the site instead of summarized in one place. I hope this post will help Debra and others reconstruct any missing pieces of the puzzle.
Why Fluoride is My #1 Cellulite Suspect
At the outset of The Cellulite Investigation, fluoride wasn’t even on my radar. I still thought it was something everybody needs for healthy teeth. A few months after I returned to the U.S. from Scotland, my skin broke out in the same cystic outbreaks I developed when I lived in certain other cities on the East Coast. Over the years, it became clear that the culprit was in the water but I wasn’t able to identify the precise cause.
Eventually, a lymph drainage therapist helped me figure out that I have a condition called fluoroderma, or acne caused by fluoride exposure. Lymphatic drainage could heal the breakouts temporarily but they did not go away completely until I eliminated them from the source by limiting my fluoride intake.
At this point, I knew fluoride caused lymphatic congestion in my face and chest. I also knew cellulite was caused by lymphatic congestion in my legs. That is when I began to wonder if the source of lymphatic congestion in these two areas could be caused by the same element, i.e. fluoride.
Scientific Clues that Implicate Fluoride in the Cellulite Investigation
This connection became stronger after reading Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by Dr. David Brownstein. In his book, Dr. Brownstein explains that halogens, such as fluoride and bromine, are fat soluble and accumulate in fatty tissue. (See Iodine and the Cellulite Connection.)
We also know that fluoride accumulates in the skin and fat of animals who are fed a diet high in fluoride-based pesticides. Fatty chicken skin is one of the highest sources of fluoride. Why would the same not be true of humans?
Later, we learned that reduced glycosaminoglycans in the blood stream are a reliable indicator of fluoride toxicity. The body makes glycosaminoglycans from glucosamine, a critical element in connective tissue. According to Dr. Howard Murad in The Cellulite Solution
Where We Stand in Our Current Cellulite Theories
All this brings us to our current hypothesis. Right now, I am testing my theory that my cellulite is caused by fluoride by pursuing an extended effort to detoxify fluoride from my body.
Homemade bone broth is a traditional, natural source of dietary glucosamine so I’ve been including it in my diet on a regular basis (see Why Glycosaminoglycans Are A Girl’s New Best Friend and Glucosamine-Rich Foods as a Cellulite Treatment). If the animals are raised on grasses high in boron, the broth will contain boron and other minerals known to displace fluoride from the body (see Fluoride Detox and Boron).
Since starting the detox, I’ve experienced a range of detox symptoms, from mild headaches and lethargy to all-out signs of fluoride poisoning. It’s been several months and my body still seems to be releasing fluoride. I do not know how long this process will take but I am determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
As for what other toxins can cause fluoride, I am hoping my fellow cellulite investigators will help figure that one out. Some women report that sugar is their #1 suspect (see The Cellulite Investigation’s Spotlight on Sugar). This theory is corroborated by women who report all their cellulite disappeared when they eliminated sugar from their diet (see Real Life Cellulite Success Stories). Other women suspect gluten is the source of their cellulite (see Further Evidence on Food Sensitivities and Cellulite).
I suspect other causes of cellulite exist that we have yet to identify. This is one reason why cellulite is such a complex case. If we each focus on our own cellulite situation, and then share that information with each other, we should be able to piece together a comprehensive theory of cellulite. I have a feeling we are just getting started, but I’m in it for the long haul. It’s fun investigating cellulite with all of you, so why not?!
*This post is part of Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Works for Me Wednesday hosted at We Are THAT Family.
Are you battling the blight solo? Cellulite investigating is much more fun (and effective) when you're not going at it alone. Come join the conversation in our discussion forum.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Melissa,
Do you have carpets in your house or workplace? Also, have they ever been treated with pesticides before?
No, I have hardwood. My workplace was probably built before pesticides were invented!
What type of filter do you use to eliminate fluoride from your water?
I tried reverse osmosis for drinking water, but my skin was still a mess. I don’t know if it was because of trace amounts of fluoride that remained in the water or because my body just needed time to recover. I was still being exposed to fluoride in the shower, too. Eventually, I moved out of that town. I know live in a house that has well water. It is so much easier to keep my skin clear now! Active alumina is supposed to be a good filter for removing fluoride. I would look into that if moving out is not an option.
yes, i am wondering about filters also. I have well water, but plan to get it tested becasue of the fluoride that can come from pesticides (we live near many farms)>
That was a very interesting article on fluoride and cellulite. I think there really is something to it because of all the research I have done on fluoride myself. Check out this site for even more info on it’s dangers
Click here: Fluoride Action Network . If the link does not work then copy and paste this into your browser http://www.fluoridealert.org
To make matters worse the type of fluoride they put into the water is an even more toxic form of fluoride that what occurs in nature. It is a poisonous industrial waste product that is loaded with other toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, radioactive particles etc. Really toxic and very bad news. To make it even worse it is absorbed directly through the skin every time you take a shower or just wash your hands.
I am convinced that fluoride–and especially water fluoridation–has a lot to do with cellulite. My boyfriend had a book that had old pictures from the late 1800′s into the early 1900′s. It was a naughty book and it had pictures of naked women. Now the interesting thing I noticed was that out of the hundreds of pictures of hundreds of different naked ladies in that book only two of them had cellulite.
The ladies ranged from late teens to late middle age. There were skinny, medium, and heavy ladies. The pictures came from different countries like the U.S., England, France etc. Some were quite pretty but most were just average everyday women. They were not professional models.
They did not have photo shop or airbrushing back then. The ladies bodies in the pictures were exactly as they were in nature. The quality of old photos is startlingly good and the tiny details that are visible are amazing.
So what is the explanation for only two ladies out of hundreds in those old pictures having cellulite? This was before fluoride and other toxic chemicals became widespread in our air, water, food supply and personal care products. I think toxic chemicals–especially fluoride–is what is to blame for cellulite among many other things.
Great comment, Chris! I love the Fluoride Action Network! They have been very helpful in reviewing the e-book I am writing about fluoroderma. They are such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to anything fluoride-related.
You are on to something with the old photographs. I wrote this post about cellulite in vintage photos after looking through old photos on Shorpy.com. You’re right. You can see a lot of detail even though the photos are black and white. It’s easy to make out stocking lines from women who must have just removed their stockings prior to putting on their swimsuit. And yet, not a dimple in sight. Even on heavier women. Fascinating!
Chris,
I believe so, too. Also, not too many people today use bone broth on a daily basis, which is critical for skin and bone health.
Good point, Erica!
WOW! You know I didn’t have an ounce of cellulite anywhere on my body until I got to be around age 44 or so. It suddenly started to appear all over from my knees all the way up to the top of my thighs. Even some on my upper arms! It was awful! Well then I started to have stomach issues and finally when I was 50 I was diagnosed gluten intolerant! So now I am thinking I had gluten issues earlier but wasn’t diagnosed for 6 more years and there is a gluten connection. Now it is horrible trying to get rid of at least some of these lumps. Ugh.
That makes so much sense, Punkin. The gluten was probably affecting you without you knowing for years leading up to the onset of more noticeable symptoms. Have you tried the GAPS diet? (Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell-McBride? It’s supposed to be the best way to heal the digestive system. It’s the next book on my reading list. I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s all about.