One of my favorite hobbies is reading skin care and self-help books, because I get so excited that a single book can possibly change my life and cure all of my problems! I just finished reading The Cellulite Solution by Howard Murad, M.D., which offers a plan that is supposed to drastically reduce your cellulite. For someone with a normal weight-to-height ratio, my cellulite is pretty bad, and I try to make myself feel better by remembering that 90% of women have cellulite. So I guess my biggest question is - are we supposed to have cellulite, and is it completely healthy to have it, or is it a sign of a problem with our bodies? The premise of the book is that if we take better care of our bodies, our cellulite will go away, as well as spider veins (ooh, a great bonus).

Dr. Murad purports that cellulite is caused, not by excessive fat, but water damage in our bodies, and weakened skin cells and connective tissue. His main theory about cellulite, skin care, and aging as a whole, is that it’s our cells inability to hold water as we get older that causes all of these visible aging problems. By repairing cell damage, connective tissue, and the stratum corneum, we can reverse the signs of aging, and reduce cellulite.

The Cellulite Solution plan includes taking specific vitamins and minerals (such as glucosamine, essential fatty acids, B vitamins, and antioxidants), and eating specific foods (such as eggs, soy, and fruits and vegetables). Dr. Murad suggests exfoliating your skin daily with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and also using a dry skin brush, which is something I hadn’t heard of before. After showering, locking in moisture with a moisturizer that contains good hydrating ingredients (such as Sodium PCA, Glycerin, or Hyaluronic Acid), anti-inflammatories, and antioxidants, is key.

The book includes detailed information about the different supplements you can take, and it gives sample meal plans. Inclusive health is covered, and Dr. Murad emphasizes the importance of de-stressing, sleeping enough, not smoking, and of course exercising (but he says losing weight is not necessary to reduce cellulite).

My take on the book
After reading the book, I do believe if all the steps are followed, some reduction of cellulite is possible. I doubt all cellulite will go away, but hopefully a visible difference can be seen. Check with your doctor before starting on supplements, but there’s nothing in the book that is bad for you, and everything suggested can only help your body be healthier. Personally I’m already doing half the things mentioned in the book, but I definitely need to work on eating better, and there are some vitamins I’m not taking. I’m already taking about 8 vitamins for my hair loss, but I guess I can take even more! My biggest issue is that I don’t cook, and have an aversion to it, which is kind of a big problem I need to overcome. I exfoliate every day, but haven’t tried using alpha hydroxy acids on my legs, or using body moisturizers that specifically contain the ingredients Dr. Murad recommends. Similar to The Cellulite Solution, Dr. Murad’s The Murad Method is a good skin care book that also uses an inclusive plan to improve your skin and wrinkles by improving your body as a whole. While I’ve had good success curing myself of acne, and reducing my wrinkles, cellulite is the next battle I want to win!

Here’s where I need your help!
I read so many books (books on acne, anti-aging skin care, hair loss, the glycemic index, body inflammation, wrinkles, women’s hormones), and while a lot of the information says the same thing (eat better, exercise more), a lot of it contradicts the ideas in other books, and it gets confusing! I’m going to do my best to follow the tips in The Cellulite Solution, but here’s where I need your help… If you are interested in getting rid of cellulite, then read this book, follow the steps, and let me know if it works! The good thing is that the book will definitely improve your body as a whole, but I really want to know specifically about cellulite reduction. If you have successfully reduced cellulite, let me know!