• Avoid processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and salt. Instead of using salt, substitute herbs and spices, such as oregano, basil, coriander, thyme, parsley, paprika or cayenne pepper, and season with lemon, garlic or vinegar, all of which support the detox process while adding flavour.

• Fresh, raw vegetables (e.g., broccoli, beets, leafy greens, cauliflower, onions, etc.) and fruits (e.g., lemons, grapefruits, tomatoes, pineapples, etc.), and whole grains (especially, oat) are a great food for detox since they help the body flush out toxins.

• Exercise regularly. Exercise (e.g. swimming, walking, yoga, dancing, etc.) is an effective method of cleansing many of your vital organs simultaneously.

• Drink plenty of pure water. You can also add some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, which have great detoxifying properties.

• Herbal teas are used as part of many detox programs because of their healing properties.

• Try this cleansing tonic to help strengthen your liver:

1 cup of pure water
juice of a lemon
pinch of powdered ginger
1 tbsp flax seeds.

• Make a purifying herbal tea from:

1 tsp nettle
1 tsp peppermint
1 tsp dandelion root
1 tsp clover
3 cups cold water
Combine everything in a saucepan, bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with apple juice if you wish.

• Detoxify your body by adding half a cup of sea salt to your bath as it fills up. Not only will it stimulate your skin, you’ll float better in it, taking the strain of muscles.

You can also make apple cider vinegar or ginger detoxifying baths. Add 1-2 cups of pure apple cider vinegar or 2-3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger in your bath and soak in the tub for about 20 minutes. Hot water works better for detoxification (But be careful, if you have cardiovascular system diseases!).

• Dry body brushing before showering has also been shown to stimulate lymphatic flow and circulation and remove dead skin cells.

• Other effective methods for detoxification include sauna, massage, reflexology, acupuncture and acupressure.

Related post: Herbal teas that detox

Healthy nutrition

In order to fight cellulite, you have to detox your body. Avoid sugars, saturated and hydrogenated fats, caffeine, refined and processed foods, alcohol, soda and tobacco use.Reduce the amount of salt in your diet, since salt is known to contribute to water retention, which promotes cellulite.

Eat little and often. Consume a nutrient-dense diet rich in whole, unprocessed, preferably organic, foods. Feast on fruit and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Fiber is important, as it removes waste and toxins from the intestinal tract. Increase your intake of proteins (cold-water fish, lean meats, seeds, nuts, legumes) and wholegrain foods (bran, oat cereals).

Use spices that are effective in curing cellulite, owing to their antioxidant properties: cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic, ginger, juniper berries, peppermint, etc.

Drink 1-2 liters of still, pure water daily. Add fresh lemon juice for further detoxification. Drink detoxifying herbal teas of dandelion, ginger, burdock, red clover, etc.

Supplements
Vitamins C and E may help to reduce cellulite. Fish oil, gingko biloba, and soy lecithin are also effective supplements that provide positive effects such as improving blood circulation, boosting metabolism, and protecting against cell damage.

Exercise
It is better to combine cardiovascular exercises with strength training and stretching. Though this may be anything from walking and swimming to dancing and yoga. You can lose weight, tone your muscles and keep your heart healthy. To help speed up the cellulite reduction process, you can choose exercises that target the area that contains the cellulite. Exercise also helps your body eliminate toxins, another key to cellulite reduction. Moreover, regular exercise increases your serotonin level as effectively as an antidepressant. Make a habit of exercising for at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

Massage
A massage activates blood circulation and lymphatic system helping battle the cellulite. Perform cellulite massage in a circular motion from top to bottom. Massage with coconut oil proves to be very useful in treating cellulite. As well, many essential oils like cedar, juniper, rosemary can be added to your massage oil for better effect. Mixing 3 parts apple cider vinegar with one part of your massage oil is also effective.

Dry skin brushing
Regular dry skin brushing just before bathing gives excellent results. Start brushing your feet upwards and from your lower to upper arms going through your shoulders and back. It will increase blood circulation and improve the appearance of your skin. Wet skin is generally not recommended, as it stretches more on brushing.

Anti-cellulite creams
Anti-cellulite creams with botanical ingredients like ivy barley, kola nut, sweet clover, lemon, strawberry and fennel increase circulation and blood flow in the area, repair and fortify skin cells and connective tissue, therefore improving the skin texture and reducing the cellulite.

It is very easy to make an anti-cellulite massage cream at home. Mix coffee grounds with any vegetable oil or moisturizing lotion. Rub it on the cellulite areas for just a couple minutes a day and then shower it off. The coffee grounds will exfoliate the skin, while the caffeine will absorb into the skin and stimulate fat cells to release.

Anti-cellulite body wrap
Try to make an anti-cellulite body wrap at home (and safe at least $100 ). The body wrap will stimulate your fat cells and absorb toxins that have been built up in the skin. Take the warm coffee grinds or seaweed and smooth them out over the area of skin that has cellulite. Wrap the treated area in plastic wrap and some towels. You can also use gauze to hold the coffee grinds in place before applying the plastic wrap. Relax and leave it for about 30 minutes. Then, remove the towels and plastic wrap. Take a warm shower and enjoy your rejuvenated skin.

Aromatherapy
Soak yourself in warm bath with a mixture of about two cups of sea salt and 6-8 drops of essential oil for 10-20 minutes. While you are in a tub, massage your body with an upward motion. Essential oils such as juniper, rosemary, cedar wood, grapefruit and patchouli are useful in cellulite removal.

Stress reduction
It is vital to reduce unmanageable stress. Start to practice deep breathing, meditation and yoga right now.

Getting rid of cellulite is not a big deal, if you work to remove it on a daily basis! Wish you patience and good luck!

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean doing without dining out! These tips will help you make the best choices at different types of ethnic eateries.

Chinese cuisine:
Look for: Stir-fry or steamed dishes with lots of vegetables, steamed rice, poached fish, and hot and sour soups.
Avoid: Fatty spareribs, fried wontons, egg rolls, shrimp toast and fried rice. Remember that soy sauce is high in sodium.

Indian cuisine:
Look for: Dals (bean and lentil-based dishes), biryanis and pilafs (rice-based dishes), and naan and capitis (baked breads). Try the vegetable curries, salads with raita (shredded vegetables), tandoori chicken or fish, which are low-fat, tasty meals.
Avoid: Fried entrees, chapati, nan, kulcha, or roti breads. Avoid dishes made with coconut (a hidden source of fat and calories).

Russian cuisine:
Look for: Soups (shchi, borsch, ukha, rassolnik, okroshka), vegetable salads (such as vinegret), pelmeni, kashas, meat, poultry and fish dishes, studen’, shashlyk. Taste beverages: medovukha, kvas, sbiten, mors.
Avoid: Mayonnaise-based salads (such a s olivie). Do not fall on pies and pancakes (pirozhki, blini, syrniki, vatrushka)

French cuisine:
Look for: Steamed shellfish, roasted poultry, salad with dressing on the side, and sauces with a wine or tomato base.
Avoid: High-fat sauces (béchamel, hollandaise, béarnaise), croissants, pate, and rich pastries.

Greek cuisine:
Look for: Plaki (fish cooked with tomatoes, onions and garlic) and kabobs, in which the meat or poultry is broiled on a spit with tomatoes, onions and peppers.
Avoid: Dishes with large amounts of butter or oil such as baba ganoush (eggpland appetizer) and baklava (dessert made with butter, nuts and honey).

Thai cuisine:
Look for: Seafood-based dishes (e.g. steamed mussels), vegetable and noodle-based dishes, such as yum salads, steamed dumplings, soup (e.g. tom yum koong or tom yum kai), larb (meat-based salad), nam pla (as a sauce or dressing).
Avoid: Curries prepared with coconut milk or deep-fried foods.

Italian cuisine:
Look for: Marinara, marsala, clam sauce and pasta primavera with vegetables and a small amount of oil. Simply prepared fish and chicken dishes are also good choices
Avoid: Pasta stuffed with cheese or fatty meat and dishes with butter sauces.

Japanese cuisine:
Look for: Steamed rice, soba or udon noodles, yaki sobra (stir-fried noodles), shumai (steamed dumplings), tofu, sukiyaki, kayaku goban (vegetables and rice), yakitory (chicken teriyaki).
Avoid: Shrimp or vegetable tempura, chicken katsu, tonkatsu (fried pork), and fried tofu.

Mexican cuisine:
Look for: Fish, shrimp, and chicken with salsa made of tomato, chilies and onion. Order corn or flour tortillas as long as they are not deep fat fried.
Avoid: Dishes with large amounts of cheese, sour cream, guacamole and refried beans cooked in lard.

Vietnamese cuisine:
Look for: Pho (Vietnamese soup), lean salads with a wide variety of raw vegetables, and meats, fish and shellfish that are grilled, simmered, braised or stewed.
Avoid: Fried foods. Stay away from the popular fried spring rolls, fried fish and fried stuffed chicken drummettes.

Reference: Mayo Clinic (2002). Healthy meals for hurried lives.

Herbs and species are actually the first power foods, since they’ve been grown and cultivated for thousands of years. Herbs and spices not only add flavour to meals but also deliver potential health benefits. Fresh herbs and spices pack the same – or greater – antioxidant punch as fresh fruits and vegetables.

The difference between herbs and spices is the part of the plant they come from. Herbs come from the leaf of the plant (e.g. parsley, oregano), whereas spices are from buds (e.g. cloves), bark (e.g. cinnamon), roots (e.g., ginger), berries (e.g. peppercorns), and seeds (e.g. cumin).

Use the chart below to add a pinch of flavour and an antioxidant punch to your meals.

Source: Beck, L. (2008). Foods that fight disease. Penguin Canada.