But can you believe all the ads for popular cellulite creams that claim to “get rid of cellulite in only four weeks” or even “smooth and transform your skin”? In most cases, it pays to do a little investigating before buying an expensive cellulite cream that may be ineffective.

You can save money and treat cellulite at the same time with a number of home remedies that can help you get rid of that "cottage cheese" on your thighs.

• Exfoliate with used coffee grounds. Not only is this an inexpensive home beauty treatment, but recycling used coffee grounds as a body scrub is eco-friendly! Why are coffee grounds beneficial to treat problemareas with cellulite? Caffeine is a vasodilator that tightens the skin to reduce cellulite pockets.

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drinking enough water each day will hydrate and firm your skin. Staying hydrated will also flush harmful toxins and chemicals from your body so that your skin looks fresh, healthy and radiant from head to toe.

• Eat antioxidant-rich foods. Bright fruits and vegetables like blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, yellow peppers and tomatoes are rich sources of antioxidants. By adding more antioxidant-rich foods to your diet, you’ll naturally boost collagen production in your skin to keep it supple and strong.

  Blueberries especially are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin and fiber. As an added bonus, blueberries will help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, improve your vision, and protect your memory.

• Eat more healthy fats. But wait a minute – if you’re trying to tone your body and get rid of fatty pockets of cellulite, it doesn’t make any sense to eat more fat! Does it? Actually, healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids found in wild-caught salmon help to lengthen telomeres – protective compounds attached to your DNA that shorten as your skin ages.²

  So, if you want your skin to stay healthy and youthful, eating healthy fats like salmon will keep your telomeres long and slow down the aging process. Healthy, firm skin is less likely to show signs of damage in all areas – including cellulite.

Smooth, cellulite-free skin starts with a healthy diet. And what you eat is reflected in the quality of your skin. You can use the natural home remedies above to minimize problem areas – for a fraction of the cost of over-the-counter cellulite creams.

Best Wishes for Health and Beauty,

Tara Smith, ARNP, NP-C

In recent months there’s been a lot of buzz about some of the trendy new cosmetic products on the market. It seems like every female who comes into the office for a skin treatment asks me about one of them or another… lip plumpers, eyelash lengtheners, Botox replacements… the list goes on.

The ads for these products sound great. After all, who wouldn’t want Angelina Jolie-worthy lips in a matter of minutes?

The problem is many of these claims are overstated. So let’s take a look at some of them.

1. Botox-in-a-Box. There are a whole slew of new facial creams that claim they can reduce wrinkles by inhibiting muscle contractions of the face… just like Botox. But these products don’t really contain Botox. Instead, they include ingredients that supposedly affect the nerve signals of the facial muscles.

The question is do they really work?

It’s pretty unlikely the FDA would approve something that affects the nerve response of your muscles for a mass market product. Plus, as far as I can tell, there have been no studies on the effectiveness of these ingredients.

2. Longer Eyelashes. Have you seen the commercial for that new eyelash lengthening product? It’s scary!

The warnings include growing hair in places other than the eyelash, risk of bacterial infection, darkening of the eyelid skin, and a change of eye color. And let’s not forget the itching, redness, and irritation.

As an alternative, many spas have natural eyelash dyes that can enhance your eyelash length without dangerous chemicals and side effects. These treatments are relatively inexpensive, and can last up to 4 weeks.

Or, you can go the old-fashioned route with lengthening mascara. Just make sure you don’t get the waterproof kind. It tends to pull out your lashes and can be hard to remove.

3. Lip Plumpers. Will today’s new lip plumpers turn you into the next Anne Hathaway or Jessica Alba? Not likely. These new plumpers contain ingredients that give your lips a temporary “fuller” effect. The truth is, most of them only plump up your lips for about 10 minutes or so.

For a longer-lasting effect, consider an injectable treatment of hyaluronic acid (HA)… like Restylane or Juvederm. HA attracts water – up to 1,000 times its weight – so it acts as a great dermal filler.

True, these injections are more expensive than store-bought lip plumpers. But the effects will be much more noticeable, and they’ll last 6-9 months.

4. Cellulite Creams. The cause of cellulite is mostly hormonal, although other contributing factors may be genetics and diet. It’s basically pockets of fat that push through your connective tissue.

There are all kinds of cellulite creams on the market, filled with caffeine that is supposed to stimulate and tighten the area. But they don’t even penetrate the skin. So here’s what you can do …

First, get your estrogen levels checked. If you have too much estrogen, 100 mg daily of a supplement called DIM (Diindolymethane) can help flush out excess estrogen. Then, avoid pre-packaged foods that are filled with sugar, flour, and salt. Add a little daily exercise, and you should see results over time.

5. Stretch Mark Creams. These are pretty much the same story as the cellulite creams. The fact is, you can’t rub on a cream and produce the protein, collagen, and elastin needed to heal stretch marks. The skin has to manufacture those on its own.

Prevention is key. If you don’t have stretch marks, be cautious of rapid weight gain. Stretch marks are caused by the breakage of skin proteins when you put weight on quickly. And if you’ve been trying to get rid of the marks you have, check into laser treatment. It’s being used on stretch marks with a lot of success.

Best Wishes for Health and Beauty,

Tara Smith, ARNP, NP-C

Coach Yari

Not so!  You can simply and effectively get rid of your cellulite. There’s one, single cause, and your doctor or trainer probably never told you about it. Although cellulite is often associated with being overweight, it affects women of all sizes and shapes while men usually get off scot-free.

There’s a reason: Estrogen.

That’s right ladies. Cellulite is frequently a direct result of excess estrogen build up that weakens your connective tissue. That weak tissue allows fat cells to float to the surface, creating all those lumps and bumps that make you crazy.

But I have good news, I spoke with Tara Smith, ARNP, NP-C at Dr. Sears’ office…

She told me about a safe, natural compound that breaks down excess estrogen and flushes it right out of your body. It’s called DIM (Diindolymethane).

If you’ve tried everything else, and haven’t been able to get rid of those demon dimples, getting more DIM in your diet may be exactly what you need. And it’s super easy to add to your diet, because it’s found in most cruciferous vegetables.

So all you need to do is eat more broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts. It’s that easy! Cruciferous veggies are packed with DIM.

But to really bust the cellulite, Tara recommends trying DIM in a supplement.  She said you can find it at your local health food store or vitamin shop. Follow the directions on the label, but you should get at least 100mg a day.  Start off easy and if you need more you can double the dose.

Best wishes for beauty and fitness,

Coach Yari

[Ed. Note: Yarixa Ferrao, A.K.A, Coach Yari is a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM) and an expert in functional training, fat loss, sports performance, and cellulite. Coach Yari is the founder of Get Fit in 6, a 6-week life transformation program for both men and women in Delray Beach, Fla. You can visit her at: www.getfitin6.com.]