Cellulite

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is fat stored just under the skin in fat storage cells on the upper arms, buttocks and thighs. As these fat cells grow they get damaged and damage the collagen binding the cells in place, leading to malformations under the skin. This pushes the skin outwards, creating unsightly bumps.

How can you handle cellulite?

Cellulite can be reduced by:

• following a low fat, low calorie diet;
• exercising regularly and intensively, at least every other day;
• stimulating the under-skin blood circulation;
• reducing the intake of toxic substances such as alcohol and nicotine;
• adding certain herbal extracts and nutrients to your otherwise healthy diet.

This encourages the following changes in the body:

• stored fat is released and redistributed;
• more fat is metabolised;
• the tissue around fat storage cells is strengthened;
• the body's need to 'hold water' under the skin is reduced.

Keep-on-Running is a nutritional supplement designed for endurance athletes that want to optimise the circulation and metabolism of fatty acids in their legs. The same active ingredients help fight cellulite:

Gotu kola:

• enables the body to strengthen tissue structures surrounding fat storage cells and veins under the skin by stimulating the body to produce more collagen;
• extra collagen production also enables the body to strengthen the weakened walls of subdermal veins;
• reduces the storage of subdermal moisture in the legs;
• has a positive effect on spidery and varicose veins.

Aesculus hipppocastanum (horse chestnut):

• reduces inflammations;
• stimulates venal circulation;
• reduces water-retention.

Ginkgo biloba:

• helps veins relax and expand;
• improves micro-circulation under the skin;
• strong anti-oxidant helps protect the body from toxins.

Cratægus lævigata (hawthorn):

• strong anti-oxidant helps protect veins from toxins;
• helps reduce cholesterol levels.

Zingiber officinale (ginger):

• helps control cholesterol problems;
• helps keep arteries clean.

Capsicum frutescens :

• increases the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats
• stimulates the circulation.

Fucus vesiculosus (kelp):

• increases the metabolism of fats

Vitis vinifera:

• helps veins relax and expand;
• reduces water retention;
• stimulates micro-circulation;
• strong anti-oxidant protects arteries and veins from toxins.

Salmo solar oil (containing omega-4 unsaturated fatty acids):

• helps protect large and small veins;
• helps reduce cholesterol;
• helps the skin stay looking vital;
• stimulates the metabolism of saturated fats.

Evening primrose oil (containing omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids):

• helps protect large and small veins;
• helps reduce cholesterol;
• helps the skin stay looking vital;
• stimulates the metabolism of saturated fats.

Vitamin B 6:

• works as a natural diuretic reducing water retention.

Vitamin E:

• strong fat-soluble anti-oxidant helps to prevent aging of the skin;
• helps protect arteries and veins;
• helps the body transport more oxygen to the living layers of skin.

Bio-flavonoids:

• strengthen skin and vein support structures;
• help reduce inflammations.

Curcuma longa:

• helps reduce inflammations;
• strong anti-oxidant.

Juniper berry oil, rosemary oil, mustard seed oil, turmeric, cinnamon bark oil:

• help stimulate subdermal fat metabolism;
• help increase subdermal circulation.

Compare the ingredients with the most famous cellulite product

References, studies and other links:

Cellulite

• Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Michael Murray, N.D., Prima Publishing (Revised 2nd Edition) 1998, p 329-334

Gotu kola

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in chronic venous insufficiency and in high-perfusion microangiopathy.
• Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in the treatment of venous hypertension: a clinical, prospective, randomized trial using a combined microcirculatory model.
• Treatment of edema and increased capillary filtration in venous hypertension with total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica: a clinical, prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, dose-ranging trial.
• Microcirculatory effects of total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in chronic venous hypertension: measurement by laser Doppler, TcPO2-CO2, and leg volumetry.
• The microcirculatory activity of Centella asiatica in venous insufficiency. A double-blind study
• Effectiveness of the combination of alpha tocopherol, rutin, melilotus, and centella asiatica in the treatment of patients with chronic venous insufficiency
• Chemical, pharmacological and clinical profile of the East Asian medical plant Centella asiatica.
• Activity of Centella asiatica in venous insufficiency
• Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by a triterpene extracted from Centella asiatica.
• Improvement of capillary permeability in patients with venous hypertension after treatment with TTFCA.
• Titrated extract of Centella asiatica (TECA) in the treatment of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs.

Horse chestnut

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Aescin: pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic profile.
• Horse-chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. A criteria-based systematic review.
• Steroidal constituents and anti-inflammatory activity of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) bark.

Ginkgo biloba

• Ginkgo biloba leaf extract: review of biological actions and clinical applications.
• Ginkgo biloba extract: mechanisms and clinical indications.
• Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract against lysophosphatidylcholine-induced vascular endothelial cell damage.
• Increase in circulating endothelial cells in patients with primary chronic venous insufficiency: protective effect of Ginkor Fort in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
• Peroxyl radical scavenging activity of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761.
• Ginkgo biloba extract in peripheral arterial diseases. Meta-analysis of controlled clinical studies
• A clinical trial of Gingkco Biloba Extract in patients with intermittent claudication.
• Microcirculation in parenteral Ginkgo biloba extract therapy

Hawthorn fruits

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Phenolic extracts from meadowsweet and hawthorn flowers have antioxidative properties.
• Actions of standardized extracts of Crataegus berries on exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure
• Hawthorn fruit is hypolipidemic in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet.
• Effect of tincture of Crataegus on the LDL-receptor activity of hepatic plasma membrane of rats fed an atherogenic diet.
• Characterization of antioxidants present in hawthorn fruits.
• Recent nutritional approaches to the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular disease.
• Oxygen species scavenging activity of phenolic extracts from hawthorn fresh plant organs and pharmaceutical preparations.

Ginger

• Ginger extract consumption reduces plasma cholesterol, inhibits LDL oxidation and attenuates development of atherosclerosis in atherosclerotic, apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
• The protective action of ethanolic ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract in cholesterol fed rabbits.
• Isolation of novel glucosides related to gingerdiol from ginger and their antioxidative activities.
• Antioxidative effect of Chinese drugs

Capsicum

• Effects of red pepper on appetite and energy intake.
• Antioxidative effects of turmeric, rosemary and capsicum extracts on membrane phospholipid peroxidation and liver lipid metabolism in mice.
• Dietary red pepper ingestion increases carbohydrate oxidation at rest and during exercise in runners.
• Effects of red-pepper diet on the energy metabolism in men.

Kelp

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Earl Mindell, Earl Mindell’s Vitamin Bible for the 21^st century, Warner Books 1999
• Michael T. Murray, N.D., Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements, Prima Health, Rocklin, California

Grape seeds

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Clinical and capillaroscopic evaluation of chronic uncomplicated venous insufficiency with procyanidins extracted from vitis vinifera]
• Free radicals scavenging action and anti-enzyme activities of procyanidines from Vitis vinifera. A mechanism for their capillary protective action.
• Comparative study of radical scavenger and antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds from Vitis vinifera cell cultures using in vitro tests.
• Antiexudative and capillaritonic effects of procyanidines isolated from grape seeds (V. Vinifera).
• Isolation, identification, and antioxidant activity of three stilbene glucosides newly extracted from vitis vinifera cell cultures
• Antioxidant activity of the stilbene astringin, newly extracted from Vitis vinifera cell cultures.

Salmon Oil

• Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the lipidic profile of healthy Mexican volunteers.
• The hypolipemic effect of concentrated salmon oil rich in n-3 fatty acids
• Effects of moderate fat intake with different n-3 fatty acid sources and n-6/n-3 ratios on serum and structural lipids in rats.
• Peroxisomes in liver, heart, and kidney of mice fed a commercial fish oil preparation: original data and review on peroxisomal changes induced by high-fat diets.
• The comparative reductions of the plasma lipids and lipoproteins by dietary polyunsaturated fats: salmon oil versus vegetable oils.

Vitamin B 6, Vitamin E, Bioflavonoids

• Earl Mindell, Earl Mindell’s Vitamin Bible for the 21^st century, Warner Books 1999
• Michael T. Murray, N.D., Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements, Prima Health, Rocklin, California

Curcuma

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• Protective effects of curcumin against oxidative damage on skin cells in vitro: its implication for wound healing.
• Phenolic anti-inflammatory antioxidant reversal of Abeta-induced cognitive deficits and neuropathology.
• Biological activities of Curcuma longa L.
• Molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive activities of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals: down-regulation of COX-2 and iNOS through suppression of NF-kappa B activation.
• Effect of glutathione depletion on caspase-3 independent apoptosis pathway induced by curcumin in Jurkat cells.
• The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse.
• Recent studies on the biofunctions and biotransformations of curcumin.
• Curcumin inhibits lipoxygenase by binding to its central cavity: theoretical and X-ray evidence.
• Curcumin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, induces heme oxygenase-1 and protects endothelial cells against oxidative stress.

Juniper berry oil, Rosemary oil, Mustard seed oil, Cinnamon oil

• John Lust, The Herb Book, Bantam Books, New York, New York, 1983

Cinnamon

• Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians