Cellulite comes about due to an inappropriate storage of fat from microvascular damage and increased fluid and lymphatic retention.  Pretty much a right of sisterhood, cellulite treatments and therapies are craved by women around the globe.   Look at any women’s magazine or walk into a spa and you’ll find anti-cellulite creams that promise to reduce the cottage cheese looking skin and repair skin damage.

The majority of anti-cellulite creams have either caffeine or aminophylline (both dehydrating) and retinol or DMAE as special ingredients to help improve the appearance of cellulite.  Such anti cellulite creams are designed to improve the appearance of cellulite but  don’t actually get rid of it – it will still be lingering in the background.

The thinking behind these ingredients is that the caffeine, or aminophylline, will dehydrate the skin making it tighter and firmer.  This will decrease the appearance of the cellulite, but probably only temporarily.  Unfortunately the effect goes away when the user stops applying the anti cellulite cream.

Retinol is another common ingredient in anti cellulite creams as it penetrates the skin and increasing collagen production, which makes the skin thicker. If the skin is thicker then the dimpling of the fat tissue won’t be visible but it won’t decrease the fat storage in the subcutaneous tissue, which is the cellulite.

The trouble with this theory is that the exact amount of retinol needed to accomplish this task isn’t known and there are no standardized methods of measuring cellulite, so measurement during research is difficult if not impossible.

Other anti cellulite creams use DMAE or dimethylaminoethanol, an antioxidant extracted from fish that is believed to stimulate the muscles to become firmer and hide the appearance of cellulite.

Nourish Body Sculpt Cellulite Cream is a revolutionary cellulite cream that works a little differently to reduce cellulite. This advanced cellulite cream utilises peptides and polypeptides to firm loose skin and re-hydrate dermal layers to decrease bumps, lumps and uneven skin complexion.

HA (Hyaluronic Acid) supports natural, deep-penetrating moisture that replenishes collagen fibers while improving the strength of connective tissue – reducing the appearance of cellulite and helping prevent future occurrence.

Body Sculpt combines to top skin care additives used for smoothing skin while dissolving fatty tissue deposits and excess fluid.  Aloe and Sunflower extracts heal and repair surface layers while Emu Oil, DMAE and an advanced peptide complex penetrate to subsurface layers to strengthen elastin fibers and "lipo dissolve" accumulated fats and trapped fluids. 

If you’re looking for an answer to cellulite then Body Sculpt is a worthwhile option. And with our triple satisfaction guarantees you really don’t have anything to lose!

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If you’re looking for a cheap way to combat cellulite we have provided some exercises that you can use to help you decrease the appearance of cellulite in your buttocks, thighs, stomach and upper arms. Research has shown that cellulite exercises done at the gym are are more efficient at isolating the necessary muscles. That’s not to say that these can’t be done at home too but watch your posture and form closely so that you target the appropriate muscles. Also, be sure to include stretches after the exercises to maximise the effectiveness of the workout.

1. Lie on your side and perform 10 repetitions of each and then switch to your other side:

a. Bring your knees forward so that your hips are at a 90 degree angle. Straighten your top leg out in front of you; you should maintain the 90 degree hip placement. Raise the top leg slowly up to around 3 feet off the ground and then lower.

b. Straighten your legs and keep your body in a straight line. Tilt your hips forward a small amount. Raise your top leg around 3 feet off the ground and then lower.

c. Place your top leg in front of you on the ground. Move your bottom leg forward a small amount. Raise the bottom leg eight to twelve inches off the ground and back down again.

2. Seated leg curls followed by seated hamstring stretch. This will increase your muscle strength in the back of your thighs/hamstrings. Keep your back straight and against the backrest of the machine or a chair if being done at home.

3. Leg extensions followed by a standing quadriceps stretch will increase your quad strength and the muscles underneath the skin of the upper thighs. Do not point your toes and support the weights or band on your ankles.

4. Hip adduction exercise targets the inner thigh and lower abdominal muscles. Begin with 10-15 repetitions and then do a groin stretch.

5. Hip Abduction is the counter exercise to adduction – targeting the outer thigh muscles and lower abdominal musculature. Do 10–15 reps followed by stretches of the external thigh muscles.

6. The leg press targets the buttocks, thighs, hamstrings and calf muscles. Do 10-15 reps and finish off by drawing your knees to your chest and stretching out your lower back.

Don’t forget to warm up before you exercise and try to include a cardiovascular session in your exercise program. Combining stretches and strength training helps to decrease the appearance of cellulite in your legs, arms, stomach and buttocks. You’ll be racing onto the beach and wearing those shorts and sleeveless tops again before you know it!

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Cellulite is the term used to describe pockets of fact under the skin data fax in 90% of post-adolescent women. These dimples caused by fat deposits just below the surface of the skin generally appear on the stomach and thighs and often after puberty. Some women describe it as orange peels syndrome or cottage cheese skin.

While 90% of women will be affected most men never say it. It is classified using three grades. Grade 1 sees no clinical symptoms but there is a microscopic underlying anatomical change to the fat cells. Grade 2 cellulite requires the skin to show some pallor and have decreased elasticity in addition to the microscopic examination. Women who experienced grade 3 cellulite have visible roughness of the skin, similar to an orange peel, along with all the other signs in Grade 2.

Researchers believe that cellulite is more common in women because they are more likely to have particular types of fat and connective tissue which increases the risk of the developments of this condition. Although the causes are not well understood doctors believe that the main ones are hormonal factors, genetics, diet, lifestyle factors (more prevalent in smokers and those who do not exercise) as well as clothing.

Wearing underwear with tight elastic across the box may contribute to the formation of cellulite because it limits the blood flow to that area. People who eat too much fat, carbohydrates or salt may also have a greater amount of cellulite and researchers believe that oestrogen, insulin, thyroid hormones and prolactin are all part of the production of cellulite in the female body.

Interestingly, cellulite is not a condition that is a result of being obese or overweight. Contrary it is a condition that happens as frequently to those who are overweight as those who are thin. Cellulite does tend to develop during times of hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause and premenstrual syndrome.

Despite regular exercise and a well-balanced diet it is still possible for cellulite to form. However, an unhealthy lifestyle will worsen the appearance of cellulite and poor exercise and diet can also result in poor circulation and water retention which will further the effect of cellulite. The loss of skin thickness as an individual ages increases the appearance of cellulite even though the amount of cellulite does not increase.

While some hold out hope that liposuction will remove the cellulite, a surgical procedure is not often successful to remove this condition. It is best to seek the advice of a medical professional before deciding that this procedure is the way to remove the fat cells.

The lymphatic system is another factor in the creation of cellulite. When the flow of limbs is slowed down circulation tends to be poor and relies almost on gravity to move it back up. This stagnation encourages the formation of cellulite and will also result in fatigue and creates a condition which is conducive to disease and cell degeneration. Efficient lymphatic drainage should be a main concern of both men and women, not only to help eliminate cellulite but to improve health and vitality as well.

Cellulite is not a "fat" problem so it does not respond to diets or weight-loss programs. It is a progressive condition and the earlier treatment is started the better the chance the individual has of stopping it. While oestrogen does contribute to cellulite some women are more prone to the condition because of genetic factors rather than hormonal balance. No matter what the reason, in order to halt the progression and improve the overall appearance women should address their lifestyle choices, exercise and diet to improve their chances of staying swimsuit ready all year long.

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Its when the autumn is gone and you can feel a nip in the morning air, you know winter is not far. This weather is also a very favourable time for microorganisms to grow and multiply. The cold air inhaled causes the blood flow to certain parts of the throat to decrease, as a part of our body’s adaptation to decrease heat loss. This in turn compromises on the immunity at these sites, since the immune cells are essentially blood borne. The throat and upper respiratory tract become easy targets for invading organisms. It is important that we strengthen ourselves from within, in terms of a strong immune defence to fight such invasions this winter. With the added threat of swine flu it has never been more important!

It is important that you start top boost your immune system well ahead in time for the autumn; later October or beginning of November. It can take weeks to develop a strong and healthy immune system. A few things can help develop a strong immune system before winter sets in. The idea is to “have” a strong immune system when the winter starts, not to build up during the cold weather months. If you haven’t started yet though don’t worry – there are plenty of long cold months still ahead to protect yourself for.

Regular exercise is essential for a healthy immune system, as this helps stimulate our lymphatic system to make its specialized cells called lymphocytes, which help fight infection. Walking is one of the most effective forms of exercise to help your whole body function at its optimum, however cardiovascular & resistance exercises are also essential.

Fresh fruits are a rich source of vitamins essential to support and maintain the functioning of the immune system running at its best. A multi-vitamin is always a good idea too. At TrooHealthCare.com we also have specialist immune system support supplements such as ImmunityPlus which can give your body all the nutrients it needs to protect itself. We also have specialist supplements for children so you can keep your family safe too. Don’t delay – take a look at your immune system requirements today!

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To use games to improve your memory you first have to have an understanding of what memory is. If your understanding of memory needs improving then check out our post from yesterday – ‘What do You Know About Your Own Memory’. It will give you a very basic insight into what memory is and how it affects us to help you make the most of games!

There are ways of improving your short-term memory ability by using games. One game to improve your memory is storytelling. Storytelling is a way to remember the information you need committed to long-term memory. The story connects the ideas and facts making them easier to recall. It also a way to increase participation which increases memory – as opposed to the use of a laundry list of items.

For instance, when you are storytelling you make up images of what is happening. This is also a very powerful technique to achieve your goals. Set your goal, tell it in a story of your life and ‘see’ yourself in the story. Use that story each day to commit this memory to long-term memory and increase the possibility that it will happen.

This can be a fun game to improve your memory when done with a group. Practice by laying out a group of items on the table and try to remember them. Each member takes a turn adding the object to the story. Once the objects are included in the story the objects are taken away and everyone sees who can remember the most objects.

Go Fish is another game to improve your memory that is fun to play alone or with friends. Use a standard deck of playing cards and remove 2 of the 4 suits. Leave yourself with 2 of each number and picture card. Now, with the 24 cards (making sure all have a match), place them face down on the floor or table. Move them around so you don’t know where each is located. One at a time pick up a card and then another trying to find the match. If there is no match put them back where they were and try again. This helps to improve your short-term memory. Time yourself to see how much faster you can do it each time.

Another inexpensive game to improve your memory is using a puzzle – but put it together without referring back to the picture on the box. Look at the picture first, giving yourself a couple of minutes; mix up the pieces and work on putting them back together.

In March 2007 Reuters news bureau reported that using computer games that are designed to help memory and cognitive function may be better than classic games at delaying age-related mental decline. There is a new group of games designed for older adults from Nintendo and Mattel, based on studies that show older people can improve their brains.

In a study at the University of California researchers studied 45 patients who had diagnosed mild cognitive impairment using either the Posit Science Brain Fitness program by Mattel or comparable computer-based tasks. The group using the Posit program had a significant improvement in visual spatial memory and a trend toward short-term and long-term memory improvement.

More research is showing that our cognitive abilities are not stagnant and that like a muscle if we don’t use it we lose it. Exercise your brain power and play some games to improve your memory!

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There are actually several types of memory. There is the picture you hold in your mind of your first home. There is the knowledge that New York is called the ‘Big Apple’. There is the ability to ride a bike or knowing the face of the people you love. And there is the telephone number you learned just five minutes ago. Amazingly all of these processes depend upon memory.

When a person memorizes a phone number that they dial and promptly forget they are using working or short-term memory. This type of memory is fragile and unless you commit the data to long-term memory the information is quickly gone. Researchers believe that you have the ability to easily remember 7 bits of data quickly but more than that is difficult. This is why you can remember the telephone number but need the credit card in front of you when you order online.

Long-term memory happens when you attach a new memory to another that has already been committed to memory. For instance the cell phone number of your neighbour is ‘attached’ to the memory of the face of your neighbour.

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Over recent years more and wider reaching studies have been made into the relationship between what we consume and the speed at which we age. This more specifically relates to the types of food groups and their impact on anti aging and wrinkles. Such research has meant that old sayings – such as ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, ‘you are what you eat’, or ‘eat your greens’ – were way beyond their years. Many of you will probably of heard of the term ‘free radicals’ which attack our body. Consuming the right foods gives your body the right weaponry to fight back.

Researchers have a theory that free radicals exist within the body which destroy cells and DNA replication causing disease, illness and cancer. Doctors and researchers believe that anti-oxidants, other proteins molecules, will combat the effects of free radicals in your body. This, in turn, has led physicians to theorize that antioxidants will reduce oxidative stress and decrease dysregulation of cells function as well as aging. All of these factors combined lead physicians to think that antioxidants positively affect the aging process. In other words, if you eat your fruits and vegetables you prevent premature aging and delay natural aging.

It’s important to have an understanding of how antioxidants are used in the body to delay the aging process. The body constantly has to cope with oxidative stress which causes a rustic effects in the cells. A good analogy of this is cutting open an apple and leaving it on the counter. When you go back to the Apple later it has turned brown; oxidative stress. Researchers approximate that your body’s cells take up to 10,000 hits a day from environmental elements and stress.

These environmental stress factors can damage DNA, tissues, vital organs and muscles because they are unstable molecules that bond with other molecules and destroy the bonded molecule. This damage can lead to the development of degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease and premature aging. Antioxidants are the hero’s in this situation as they bind with the free radicals to fight cellular damage.

In this ongoing fight to slow down the aging process many people have turned to external creams, serums, pills and ointments in order to prevent the physical signs of aging. One of those physical signs that is significant is wrinkles. One of the latest anti-aging remedies on the market is resveratrol, believed to be a strong antioxidant. It is sourced from a plant and can also be found a number of foods including peanuts, blueberries, sparkle berries, cranberries and bilberry’s. However, it is most identifiable within grapes, especially in the skin.

This is good news for red wine lovers as most red wine contains large amounts of resveratrol. Some of the newer supplements on the market contain a more potent concentration which would mean a person would have to drink 1000 bottles of wine each day in order to intake the same amount as in supplement form.

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If you’re looking to improve your health and perhaps shift a few pounds then you really should have some sort of anaerobic exercise making up some of your weekly lifestyle. If you don’t exercise currently and are nervous about it then the first step is to take advice from your GP. Although exercise is good for you, for some people flying off into a manic exercise regime from a standstill could be counter-productive or even dangerous. In this article we are going to provide some tips on how to develop a program suitable for you which you can stick to.

1. Start by finding or developing and anaerobic exercise program that you will be able to maintain in the long term. You should find it interesting as if you don’t enjoy it it won’t be long before you get bored and begrudge doing it.

2. A good option for most people is regular walking. Many folk enjoy walking and find they are happy to maintain a walking program at least three times a week.

3. Wear loose fitting, non-restrictive clothing and footwear that is specific to the activity you are doing. This will reduce your risk of injury to your legs, hips and core.

4. If necessary seek appropriate training for the exercise you are going to attempt. Although you may not feel that you require training in order to walk, many people find that they walk inappropriately and cause injuries to either their plantar fascia, shins or hips. Obviously you don’t need a fitness trainer to walk but don’t overlook the necessity of getting proper instruction.

5. Try to make your exercise part of your daily routines at least three times a week. As a general rule for maintaining fitness you should be looking at three times weekly and to improve it 5 or more.

6. Try to include strength training into your routines in order to improve bone strength and cardiovascular health. Strength training should not be done more than three times per week and there should always be a 48 hour rest period between each workout.

7. If you do not have access to weights or hand weights, resistance bands will help accomplish the same task. You can find these bands in most department stores or online.

8. Make sure you warm up properly before any sport, whether it’s weight training or anaerobic activity. Warming up will ensure flexibility of muscles and decrease the risk of incurring an injury.

9. The cool down period is just as important as warming up. You should take the time to cool down and stretch out in order to improve flexibility, muscle strength and decrease the risk of injury.

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The Acai Berry and more recently the Maqui Berry are the two top super berries, both hailing from the exotic South America. The Acai comes from the dense rainforests of the Amazon, while Maqui is found further south, in the Patgonian area of Argentina and Chile.

Between the two the Acai fares somewhat better in taste, but what keeps consumers interested in these berries are their scientifically proven antioxidant contents and overall health benefits. Antioxidants protect our body against free radicals which are unstable molecules produced during day to day functioning of the cell. The antioxidant activity of these two berries is attributed to their content of a phytochemical, Anthocyanin. These antioxidant packed berries empower us to fight the pull of age, wear a healthy skin, stay active and look young.

Consumers, in their quest for the one which will promise a longer and disease-free life are now between two horns while searching for the overall better among the two berries.

The acai berry is an excellent source of anthocyanin. No one can argue against the benefits this berry provides to the human body.

The little deep purple Maqui berry on the other hand has now set the bar higher and in doing so set the wellness industry on fire. With its ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) content 4-10 times higher than that of the Acai berry the Maqui is set to become the new king of health supplements. Maqui berries also contain minerals such as iron, calcium and potassium; along with Vitamins A and C.

But the Acai does still win against the Maqui Berry in its rich content of Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

Finally, the factors that will drive home the popularity of Acai and Maqui berries are scientific research and raising public awareness of their superfruit credibility. Both the Acai and the potentially improved Maqui are touted to benefit weight loss, boost immune support, possess anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-carcinogenic properties, and definitely provide long term benefits like help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

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For vegetarians a common predicament is working out where to get your necessary protein. Most of us find more than enough protein in meats, chicken, eggs or other animal sources. This is not an option for ‘veggies’. Despite it being widely acknowledged that a vegetarian diet is healthier for us overall, the issue of getting sufficient protein in your diet should be considered. We are going to try and help to identify the normal protein requirements of the average person and suitable vegetarian sources for getting it.

Protein is considered an essential foundation to good health. Our hair, muscles, fingernails, skin and Oregon’s are made up mainly of protein. And, as you could well have noticed, there are differences between how our muscles are made and our fingernails which implies that not all proteins are the same. In the same way that there are 26 different letters in the alphabet, we have 20 different amino acids which combine to form different protein types.

Interestingly, the recommended daily allowance of protein is not as high as the majority of individuals who meet a standard Western diet believe. More people eat more protein than they require. The approximate recommended daily allowance for protein is just 47 g for women and 54 g for men.

Of course your requirements go up at various times of your life when stress or some other condition may require a greater number of amino acids in order to maintain health. Examples of such life changes include pregnancy or breast-feeding, recuperating from surgery or during intense athletic periods.

Vegetarians can get their proteins from a plant-based diet that should include a wide variety of whole foods such as beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Anyone who thinks that plant proteins are inferior somehow to animal protein may be surprised to know that plant proteins contain the same 22 amino acid as animal proteins.

For example, 1 cup of cooked lentils has 18g of protein or one veggie patty has 13g. Many ‘veggies’ get much of their proteins from nuts and seeds; one quarter cup of almonds has 8g of protein and one quarter cup of sunflower seeds has 6g. Vegetarians may also find protein in spinach, broccoli, potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat bread, soybeans, black beans, chickpeas and quinoa.

It is fairly common practice among vegetarians to combine foods in order to ingest whole proteins. An example of this might be that beans are low in the amino acid lysine, while brown rice is rich in lysine. This may well be an explanation of why a meal of beans and rice is so popular in Third World countries. Other proteins which work well together include beans and tortillas, peanut butter sandwich, macaroni and cheese, hummus and pita bread and chickpeas and rice.

However, please be in mind that these proteins do not have to be eaten at the same meal. As long as you are consistently eating a variety of plant foods and include brown rice, corn, nuts, seeds and whole grains within a 24 hour period your proteins needs will be easily met.

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