Cellulite, diet, coldness and traditional Chinese medicine

The following is an excerpt from Hot and Cold Health (available on Amazon) by R. G. Heft (Acupuncture Physician FL 1992- 2002).

                Cellulite is excess water and fat weight that tends to accumulate in pockets around the abdomen and thighs, more so in women than men. Many women tend to eat cold, damp diets: low protein, low fat (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.) and high carbohydrate (raw vegetables, tropical fruits, juices, etc.). Women also menstruate lose blood on a regular basis, 3-7 days every month from onset, menarche to menopause, thirty plus years. Blood loss, hemorrhage weakens all function, including digestion. Digestion transforms food, nutrients into blood into structure into function. It also burns, dries excess fluids. Weak digestion transforms, burns less food, nutrients, fat, water, etc. More accumulates, is stored in the intestines, abdomen, thighs, etc.

         The body (organs, bones, skin, etc.) builds up (anabolism) and breaks down (catabolism) largely according to food, nutrients. There are only two kinds of foods, nutrients: building and cleansing. Protein and fat build fuel and heat. Too little protein and fat tends to weaken digestion, metabolism, burning less protein, fat, water, etc. while increasing waste product, solid and liquid, as whatever food, nutrients, not digested, absorbed becomes waste that is temporarily stored in the large intestines and later released, eliminated. Water, minerals, sugar, fruits, vegetables, juices, etc. reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten. Too many tends to dilute and weaken digestion, acid and enzymes, reducing nutrient absorption, blood, burning less, storing more fat and water: cysts, edema, cellulite, etc. 

         Cellulite while both watery and fatty is mostly water. It is generally a “cold” condition, caused by long-term cold, damp, low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diet. The cure is simple but time consuming, requiring months, years of good diet and exercise to not only cure but also prevent. Cellulite is a cold, damp condition. Do the opposite: heat the body, increase metabolism via protein, fat (eggs, chicken, turkey, etc.), cooked foods, soups, spices (cardamom, cumin, fennel, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, etc.), etc. while reducing salads, tropical and citrus fruits, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cold drinks, smoothies, sugar, etc.

        Spices are heating, drying and aromatic. They dry excess water, mucous, phlegm, open up the sinuses improving breathing, oxygen exchange), sleeping (sleep apnea) in combination with cooked foods and an overall reduction in cold, damp foods. If your digestion is strong and you are not too overweight then you can try bitter herbs (golden seal, gentian, aloe vera, Swedish Bitters, etc.). The bitter taste is very drying, cleansing and helps eliminate excess water, cellulite. It is also cold, weakening to digestion. If your digestion is already weak, cold (bloating, gas, loose stools, etc.) you may need to wait before trying the bitters; otherwise they may worsen your digestion. Exercise increases metabolism. You do not need to join a gym, club to walk.

             Questions?   email: rgheft@netzero.com

            Learn biology, diet and nutrition unless you want someone else (doctors, insurance companies, politicians) taking care of your health. It is the reason why I wrote my book.  You have very little to lose ($20 or less) and everything to gain.

Hot and Cold Health and Disease (new name, available on Amazon, old title, cover is pictured:    http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Cold-Health-Richard-Heft/dp/0974791709  on sale: $15.25

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I PHILOSOPHY AND DIET

Chapter 1 The Way of Thinking Chapter 2 Energetics of Food Chapter 3 Digestion, Spices and Chinese Herbs Chapter 4 Cooking Class

SECTION II BIOLOGY, EAST AND WEST

Chapter 5 Three Treasures Chapter 6 Blood and Body Fluids Chapter 7 Spleen Chapter 8 Stomach Small Intestine Chapter 9 Large Intestine and Urinary Bladder Chapter 10 Heart Chapter 11 Liver & Gall Bladder Chapter 12 Lungs Chapter 13 Kidneys Chapter 14 Disease and Diagnosis

SECTION III DISEASES A- Z

Chap 15 A Diseases AIDS 141 Alzheimer s 143 Anal fissure 143 Anemia 144 Anger 145 Aging 146 Anxiety 147 Arthritis 148 Asthma 152 ADD 154 Auto-immune 154 Chap 16 B Diseases Blood 157 Blood Pressure 158 Body Odor 159 Bones 161 Breast lumps 162 Bronchitis 164 Chap 17  C DiseasesCandidiasis 167 Canker Sores 169 Cellulite 171 Cholesterol 173 Chronic Fatigue 175 Circulation 176 Cirrhosis 178 Cold hands, feet 178 Cold (lungs) Constipation 180 Coughing 182 Crohn s 182 Chap 18 D DiseasesDepression 185 Detoxification 188 Diabetes 191 Diarrhea 193 Diuretics 195 Dizziness 195 Dysmenorrhea 196 Chap 19 E-F DiseasesEar Infections 197 Eczema 197 Edema 200 Endometriosis 202 Eyes 202 Fear 204 Fever 204 Fibrocystic Breasts 204 Fibroids 205 Fibromyalgia 205 Forgetfulness 207 Frigidity 208 Chap 20 G-H DiseasesGall Stones 209 GERD, GIRD 210 Gout 212 Hair Loss 213 Hearing Loss 215 Hepatitis 218 Herpes 220 Hot Flashes 220 Hysteria 221 Chap 21 I-J Diseases Infertility 223 Inflammation 223 Insomnia 224 Irritable Bowel 226 Itching 227 Jaundice 227 Chap 22 K-O Diseases Kidney Stones 229 Miscarriage 230 Mucous 231 M. Sclerosis 231 Nails 233 Nausea 235 Numbness 236 Obesity 237 Osteoporosis 238 Chap 23 P-R Diseases Pediatric 241 Perspiration 244 Plantar F. 244 Pregnancy 248 PMS 250 Prostate 251 Psoriasis 252 Rashes 252 Restless Leg 252 Chap 24 S-Z Diseases Sex 255 Shaking, tremors 257 Sinusitis 258 Skin Diseases 259 Sleep Apnea 261 Snoring 262 Sweaty hands 263 Teeth 264 Tumors 266 Urinary T. I. 267 Varicose Veins 269 Weight loss 270 Yeast infection 274 Chap 25 Case Histories 275

SECTION IV DAILY PRACTICES

 Chapter 26 The Way of Breathing, Chap 27 Exercise, Chap 28 Meditation 303, Chap 29 Spiritual Practices 307 Appendix 313 Bibliography 315 About the Author 317