In the previous pieces in this series we have seen that the three main symptoms that in combination give the bumpy appearance associated with cellulite are excess fat, circulatory insufficiency, and connective tissue architecture. In the last instalment we also saw that the epidermis (the upper surface of the skin) can often mask cellulite even if all the other factors are present; so we looked at a basic protocol overview of how to begin thickening the skin to provide this effect. As with all things in the body we have to bow down to nature and respect physiological dynamics, so this protocol will take at least 6 months of regular application to have an effect of allowing enough turnovers of the cells to develop an increased protein content. Although this will help to improve the ‘appearance’ of cellulite it does nothing to change the factors that really create the cellulite situation.
Cellulite usually occurs at a few periods in life; knowing this we can then gain an insight into the mechanisms responsible for its development. The main period when cellulite becomes apparent is puberty, a time when the hormonal milieu kicks into high gear. Because cellulite is more commonly a female issue this points straight away to estrogen being a key player. The whole hormonal network is fairly complicated and thus space prevents us from exploring all of the interactions, so we’ll just skim across the area to pick up the main gist of what is going on.
Estrogen is the pivotal player in cellulite by propagating many of the features of cellulite. It underlies the abnormal architecture of the connective tissue that forms the mesh in which the fat cells poke through. An imbalance in estrogen either as an excessive total amount, or disproportionate levels relative to other hormones is a key feature of people with cellulite. This can be caused by many factors but the key ones are excessive body-fat, stress, alcohol, smoking, and exogenous sources of estrogens such as birth control pills and exposure to environmental xeno-estrogens.
As well as promoting the formation of irregular connective tissue, an estrogen imbalance promotes the formation of fat, which will further feed back into the production of estrogen. So one major factor in reducing the environment that causes cellulite is to address hormonal balance, which as stated above is way beyond the scope of this piece. To give you an idea of the complexity, in the HPC-UK Lean for Life Program it takes 12 weeks to cover the basics of the hormonal cascade for fat loss. The major hormones involved in cellulite are, as already stated estrogen, as well as progesterone, prolactin, thyroid, insulin and cortisol.
Besides the specific hormonal environment (although as with everything in the body, there is massive interplay) the other causes of cellulite are inactivity or inappropriate activity. Even in people who do not have a hormonal imbalance that propagates an irregular connective tissue matrix, the act of gaining body-fat too quickly will create a cellulite condition, as the connective tissue cannot maintain pace to provide the necessary scaffolding to hold the structures in place, so the excess adipose (fat) spills out through the established collagen strands.
Inactivity hits you from multiple angles. Modern life has provided us with many creature comforts, but one that is seemingly innocuous is our chairs. Depending on your occupation, I would hazard a guess that at least half of your waking hours are spent in a seated position. Being in this position for hours on end creates a situation where the area around your thighs is relatively inactive which not only reduces circulation due to lack of muscular contractions, but also compresses the tissues underneath and to the sides of your thighs which further increases the herniation of the adipose. This should also reveal the wisdom of any kind of wrapping treatment and excessively wearing tights or leggings.
Because circulation is reduced the normal flow of nutrients and metabolites cannot occur in the area, so the fat cells can’t effectively liberate their fat to be used as fuel, nor turnover the cells properly to ensure maintenance. This situation further compounds the issue as the tissues begin to accumulate damage which then increases localised inflammation and with it fluid retention. The inflammation issue itself, which is a pivotal feature of cellulite, is dependent on your nutritional makeup, your physical activity (amount and type) and many other lifestyle factors. Excessive inflammation also adds to the lipogenic (fat creating) environment which hastens the development of fat in the area. So for many reasons daily exercise and regular non-exercise movement throughout the day is essential to reduce the environment that creates cellulite.
However, even in those people that do exercise, they are unfortunately given poor advice as to the kind of exercise best used to help the situation. I’ve shown before how excessive reliance on aerobic type exercise actually reduces your ability to remain lean as it increases your efficiency at metabolising fat, which on the surface appears oxymoronic. And even in those people who do sufficient exercise to out-weigh the efficiency (as long as they continue to exercise), the negative effect it has on the hormonal and metabolic environment is still unhelpful.
You can’t cheat it off either; not covered in the previous piece on current treatments, liposuction is often promoted as a cellulite cure by sucking out the excess adipose tissue. No way. Liposuction removes the deeper levels of fat that actually provide a cushion for the more superficial cellulite. By removing that softer layer, the cellulite rests closer to the firmer muscle tissue and becomes even more obvious.
The only way to permanently reduce cellulite is to lose the excess fat that is pushing through the mesh of connective tissue, support the re-modelling of the connective tissue and improve the health of your skin, which although not covered here is a major contributor to the production of hormones, especially testosterone in females. This requires an integrated approach where you improve your daily nutrition to optimise your structure, exercise regularly to signal the correct expression of your DNA to produce a lean body, and regulate your hormones to help create healthy and vital environment. All of this takes a little time to accomplish, as you have to wait for the old cells to die off and be replaced with newer more appropriately constructed cells. Look at a minimum of 6-12 months as the time period for this to occur. Each day is an opportunity to support the revision of the condition or contribute to the worsening of it.
If you are looking at that timeframe and are balking at the idea, remember this - The time will pass regardless, the key factor is how you choose to utilise that time.
www.hpc-uk.net
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