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PREVENTING CELLULITE:
THE DIET SOLUTION
Those lumps and bulges that look like fat, but can't be
dieted or exercised away, may be cellulite, some experts claim.
More than a simple weight problem, this may be a symptom of
faulty nutrition and living habits. Now, a unique food plan
could be the answer to all our body's needs.
Some experts maintain that cellulite is more a symptom of
faulty living and bodily imbalances than an actual disorder
itself. Dr. Robert Wallis, a specialist in internal medicine,
believes that it is really a "general disease of
nutrition," resulting in circulatory impairment and a
breakdown of the body's natural elimination system.
Normally, our bodies have a highly efficient means of
releasing wastes through the lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines
and skin. But when we abuse ourselves by eating the wrong
foods, or even by overdoing it with beneficial ones, we
interfere with this natural "disposal" process.
The idea, then, is not only to eat the right kinds
of food, but also the proper amounts. "Either
a deficiency or an excess of even a wholesome food can lead to
trouble," reports Dr. Christopher Gian Cursio, Ph.D., a
New York-based nutritionist and specialist in naturopathic
medicine. During his own 40-year practice, he has prescribed a
uniquely structured, basically vegetarian diet - called
"The Natural Hygiene Food Plan" - that has had some
astonishingly beneficial results.
WHY VEGETARIAN?
According to Dr. Cursio, many people hesitate to follow
vegetarian diets or restrict their meat intake because they
mistakenly believe they will be losing vital proteins and
nutrients in the process. Yet vegetables, such as soybeans,
dried peas, beans and lentils, average about 20 to 28 per cent
protein - approximately the same as most meats - with the
added advantage of being entirely fat-free.
Of course, all living things use and depend on protein, about
20 different kinds in all, each made up of smaller molecules
called amino acids. Since our bodies are able to manufacture
only 12 of the 20, the rest must be supplied by our diets. And
because animal sources-meats-contain all eight remaining amino
acids (or a "complete" set), we popularly assume
that they provide a superior quality of protein. Not
so. In fact. eggs and milk products are the leading sources in
this category. Among the plant foods that contain such
"quality" protein are peas, beans, soybeans and
nuts; other vegetables must simply be eaten in certain
combinations to provide all the necessary amino acids. (Dr.
Cursio's program provides more than enough protein through its
daily allowance of cheese and eggs, and properly combined
vegetables.)
Importantly, many vegetarians maintain that, despite their
protein content, meat, poultry and fish are nutritionally
inferior foods. "There is a significant difference
between the protein derived from hamburgers or sausage and
that from, say, legumes, leafy greens and whole grains,"
says Dr. Cursio. "The latter are primary sources,
nourished directly by the sun, water and soil, while meat is a
secondary source - nourished and sustained by the first. It is
a low-grade protein because it contains a relatively high
concentration of toxic factors - antibiotics, hormones,
chemical additives, pesticide residues, not to mention a high
proportion of saturated fat. Also, by the time meat reaches
our dinner tables, it is a dead and decadent source of
nutrient - all of which have lost a good deal of their
potency. Green plants are a living storehouse of nutrients and
minerals, and contain chlorophyll, a vitamin-rich, naturally
synthesized substance that is essential to the formation of
healthy cells."
EATING IN SEQUENCE
The food plan conceived by Dr. Cursio and his colleagues
is not revolutionary at first glance. What is
unusual is the order in which the foods are eaten
- in a logical, undeviating sequence, conforming to a
"highly developed system of food combinations that must
not be altered in any way."
- Called sequential or "layered" eating, the
program is designed to conserve the energy used by the body
for the digestion and absorption of foods - in order to
maximize the energy needed for healing, repair and the
elimination of wastes or toxins (the raw materials of
cellulite). It also insures that no stresses or imbalances
result from eating essentially incompatible foods, or overly
complex ones at the wrong time.
A group of research scientists at Columbia University has
found evidence that a meal is digested by the body in the
exact order it is eaten - one food group at a time, regardless
of its complexity or quantity. According to the theory, if you
start out with a relatively concentrated food that takes a
long time to break down, followed by something that takes only
half the time - digestion of the second food will be delayed
and it will start to ferment and decompose - losing much of
its nutritional value.
In order to prevent this, the Natural Hygiene Food Plan is
based on a simple rule: You generally start your meal with a
freshly prepared vegetable juice, such as carrot, celery,
cucumber, tomato or a combination of these. Then you follow
with a blended or tossed salad - foods that are rapidly
handled by the body. (Dr. Cursio prefers the semi-liquid
blended salad because it is initially easier to digest, and
therefore less of a body energy-consumer.) Next, you introduce
a more complex food, such as a raw, unpeeled fruit, followed
by a more concentrated one - nuts, cheese, or eggs, consisting
of fats, proteins, carbohydrates and complicated nucleic
acids. Thus, you allow your body to break down relatively
"fast," simple foods first, then progress to levels
of increasing difficulty - all to insure the most efficient
and least wasteful assimilation of nutrients.
HOW IT WORKS
Assuming that the Natural Hygiene Food Plan succeeds in
preserving energy, how does it specifically help rid the body
of toxic wastes and purify the system? How does it eliminate
cellulite?
"It's basically a two-fold process," Dr. Cursio
explains. "First, people who follow this plan are allowed
a relatively high number of calories - and yet they proceed to
lose weight almost as soon as they start. Why? Though they
ingest this food, they don't assimilate much of it - at least
initially. They aren't fully able to incorporate these
differently-derived nutrients into their cells or body mass
because of their own previous, ingrained pattern of eating and
metabolizing foods. Secondly, the body reacts by starting to
"catabolize" or break down its old, long-held
residues of accumulated wastes and low-grade tissues - and
cellulite starts to disappear."
What happens after you become conditioned to the new regime?
"I have seen many patients lose from 10 to 40 pounds, and
then, after reaching their proper weight, they start gaining
on the same or even a lesser amount of food," reports
Dr. Cursio. "So we have to adjust the quantities in order
to insure that they maintain their desired weight.
"From consistent and convincing clinical experience, we
know that this diet results not only in weight loss, but also
purifies and strengthens body tissues and our natural defenses
against disease. We have repeatedly observed people with a
wide range or disorders - including cellulite or
diet-resistant fat - get better after strictly
following this program. Skin tone improves, circulation
becomes more efficient, hormonal outputs are balanced, vigor
increases. As the body's vitality is enhanced and its
capacities are improved, the cleansing or
"detoxifying" of its tissues follows as a natural
by-product - it simply happens."
Scientists can't fully explain why, but some believe it
works on the principle of self-immunization: Foods themselves
neither cleanse nor pollute our bodies. But rather, the proper
ones eaten in a non-stressful sequence help create a highly
favorable internal environment, in which the body can simply
maintain or regenerate itself and correct its own imbalances.
MODERATION
Not surprisingly, "less is more" applies with
particular relevance to the Natural Hygiene Food Plan.
"Eat sparingly and remember that quantity is
all-important," maintains Dr. Cursio, "even when
you're eating only wholesome foods. Too much cheese, fruit,
too many nuts can overtax your system and interfere with its
proper functioning. And, obviously, so will anything alien,
artificial or unwholesome."
While other anti-cellulite diets stress large quantities
of protein, Dr. Cursio's program carefully limits the amount.
"As a nation we consume about twice the protein we
need," he points out. "Studies have shown that the overconsumption
of proteins and of all foods in general can actually shorten
human life. Excesses are either eliminated or stored - and
both processes help deplete the body of vital energy."
As for liquids: Many diets aimed at preventing or eliminating
cellulite recommend drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day in
order to help "flush" out the system. Dr. Cursio
believes this is an excessive amount since water is already
supplied in abundance by fruits and vegetables. He advises
drinking whenever you feel thirsty - the body's natural
signal that we need water - but never during meals. Liquids of
any kind dilute food too much and interfere with digestive
enzymes and secretions. At mealtime, they can also dilate and
bloat the stomach.
WHOLE FOODS
Another key principle of the Natural Hygiene Food Plan is that
foods be eaten in their whole, natural state. Thus wholegrain
breads and brown rice are preferable to parts of them, such as
bran or wheat germ. "By isolating one component of a
total food - even a superior one - you may help trigger an
internal stress," says Dr. Cursio. "For example,
when integrated in the whole wheat kernel, bran is an
important nutritional element, but by itself it's largely an
irritating factor: It's not only essentially indigestible, it
also over-stimulates peristalsis and thus hastens the passage
of foods through the digestive tract. As a result the vitamin
and mineral content of certain foods may not have adequate
time to be absorbed and assimilated. And the body must waste
too much energy to neutralize the irritating bran. Far better
sources of fiber - the soft, gentle, digestible hydrogels -
are plentiful in vegetables and fruits."
FORBIDDEN FOODS
As in almost any diet, some foods are strictly forbidden on
the Natural Hygiene Food Plan, among them, salt, pepper,
sugar (except from natural sources), butter, cream,
alcohol, soft drinks (including low-calorie varieties) and
ice cream. Also taboo are yogurt, cottage cheese,
whole milk, spinach, asparagus, onions and garlic.
Most experts agree that the overuse of salt contributes
significantly to cellulite among other conditions, since it
tends to cause water retention in the tissues. Thus, avoid
adding salt to food, and stay away from those containing
generous quantities - canned soups, smoked or processed meats,
potato salads, pickles, etc.-as well as flavorings such as
celery or garlic salt and the like.
Though fresh, raw spinach and asparagus are rich in vitamins
and iron, they contain oxalic acid, a substance which
(paradoxically) interferes with the absorption and
assimilation of iron by the digestive system. Garlic and onion
are undesirable because they contain mustard oil - an
ingredient that disrupts the action of certain digestive
enzymes. Dr. Cursio believes that yogurt is a
"nutritionally overrated" food: ("The natural
bacterial / fermentation process that results in yogurt
actually causes it to coagulate and disintegrate its own milk
protein - so we derive no real benefit from it.") He also
advises adults to avoid whole milk and cottage cheese
because we don't have the "necessary enzymic makeup"
to curdle (digest) their form of protein. However, cheeses
like ricotta and mozzarella - preferably unsalted - already
contain the enzymes that essentially help "digest"
them for us before we eat them.
Dr. Cursio suggests eating yolks only rather than whole
eggs because the egg white contains avodin - a substance
that destroys biotin, an important member of the vitamin B
complex. Strictly limited are added oils and fats, since
adequate amounts of these occur naturally in cheeses, egg
yolks and nuts - all mainstays on the eating plan. As much as
possible, oils should be cold-pressed (available in
health-food stores) - without chemical additives and unaltered
by heat. Always store them in a cool place to prevent them
from becoming rancid.
A FLEXIBLE PROGRAM
Dr. Cursio himself treats and supervises only those who are
"psychologically prepared" enough to relinquish
their former eating patterns and preferences. Admittedly, they
have to be either committed vegetarians or otherwise highly
motivated at the outset to experience the fewest adjustment
problems with this 2-week program which consists of raw
fruits, dark leafy green vegetables, vegetable juices, eggs,
nuts, cheese and whole grains. However, for inveterate meat
eaters, such a drastic changeover may be unrealistic and
unworkable - at least initially. Thus, though he himself does
not recommend it, several members of Dr. Cursio's staff have
designed a modified 2-week plan that may vary, depending on
your state of readiness.
(Note: Consult your doctor first before following these
or any other food plans.)
If you strictly follow Dr. Cursio's program, you should expect
to lose weight, purify your system and solve your cellulite
problem at a faster rate than if you include chicken or
fresh-water fish in your daily diet. If meat is your chief
source of protein, expect to achieve results at the slowest
pace of all. To minimize this drawback, avoid beef and pork in
favor of baby lamb and veal, both relatively low in fat and
easily digestible. However, even on the modified program,
every meal should include fresh fruits and vegetables; fish,
poultry or meat should be eaten no more than once a day, and
preferably every other day. At other times, try having a
gourmet vegetarian specialty - such as a savory lentil loaf or
green peppers with whole-grain rice. After awhile, predicts
Dr. Cursio, your marked improvement in health and looks
will be motivation for your continuing the program, and
even progressing to a more disciplined regime.
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This article contains the crux of his techniques, of the foods
he considered to be of the highest quality, eaten in the ideal
sequence for maximum digestion, absorption, assimilation and
fixation in the cells of the body - while at the same time to be
correctly combined for maximum utilization.