The Cellulite Diet

Our "cellulite diet" is actually a comprehensive overall skin and health improvement diet. We believe that by increasing the alkaline pH in the body, you can decrease fat build-up, improve the skin tone, look and feel younger.

Many doctors are coming to realize that skin conditions, fatigue, and poor skin tone partially results from an overly acidic body and skin. Increasing your water intake can many positive results on the skin as well as your overall health. Water flushes acidic toxins from the body. It puts needed moisture into the skin and more moisture helps to increase the elasticity of the skin.

Water with an alkaline pH of about 7.3, and likewise more alkaline foods such as more fresh vegetables and fruits are needed which are alkaline (higher pH than 7.0). Acidic foods and drinks are the problem with a pH of below 7.0 such as coffee at 2.2 and beer averaging 2.0 to 2.5, wines at 3.0, whiskeys/gin/vodka at 4.0 (2 ounces mixed with six ounces of water at 7.3 averages about 6.5 pH or so which is a good drink. The opposite is true when mixed with coke as Soft Drinks have a pH of about 2-2.5 pH. So try hard to minimize the above drinks and delete them entirely if possible while increasing your alkaline foods. To improve your total body and skin condition, eat and drink 90% of the alkaline foods with 10% meats while avoiding breads, pastas, sugars, desserts, etc.

The body has several different ways to ensure that the pH balance stays in the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45. These are referred to as buffer systems. Through normal day to day activity in the body, acids are formed as waste products that need to be neutralized, alkalized, or buffered and eliminated. Some of the acids are released with CO2 from exhaling; others are excreted via the kidneys. With acidic foods and drinks, there is always more carbon dioxide (acidic) while alkaline foods produce much more oxygen (think of your high school classes of the tree, grass, and plants giving off oxygen). These systems work together in the healthy human body to keep the pH level within normal ranges. Sometimes with extreme intake of acidic foods and drinks, the normal system can not compensate and the body becomes even more stressed resulting in more stress hormones which are also acidic in nature causing more of a blush/flush. Likewise, simple illnesses such as influenza, minor surgery, or emotional and mental stress continue to lower the pH of the body and with more resulting skin blushing and flushing. Likewise, almost all medications are acidic except anti-acid medications such as Zantac, Milk of Magnesium, etc.

The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol, a natural body hormone of about 10 mg of cortisol daily, with peak cortisol levels occurring early in the morning and therefore the rosacea flushing and rosacea papules along with seborrheic dermatitis face will look best in early mornings after this natural anti-inflammatory drug. The hormone that will report back to the original brain centers together with other body organs to tell it to stop the whole cycle. But since cortisol is a potent hormone, the prolonged secretion of it will lead to health problems such as the break down of cardiovascular system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system with resulting osteoporosis and arthritis- rheumatism, and the immune system. Also when the organism does not have a chance for recovery, it will lead to both catecholamine and cortisol depletion. The whole idea is "not to keep" the body in a 'fight or flight' system with any stress, stimulation or food/drinks.

Basic dietary changes may include:

  • Large meals should be avoided. Eat 5-6 small meals or three small meals with protein snacks in between.
  • Reduce saturated as well as total fat intake.
  • Adjust caloric intake to help maintain ideal body weight.
  • Increase amount of complex carbohydrates such as a baked potato seasoned with various herbs or peppers, etc., mixed brown rice, multiple grain breads and cereals. Always try to reduce simple carbohydrates such as cookies, doughnuts, or candies with refined sugars or baked goods which are high in saturated fats.
  • Increase the amount of vegetables, broiled fish and various fruits. Fruits are wonderful for the mid-meal snack as they provide nutrition, ease of handling while working and providing the strength needed to work while being low fat.
  • Eat foods from all the basic food groups. Alter bad eating habits that you are already aware of by simply eating properly without starving so that you do not 'binge'. Make a list of permitted foods so that you are always prepared to eat sensibly and to prevent the adding of fat and the 'cellulite circles'.

(Drs. Lewis, Heitkemper, and Dirksen)

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