Sorry, I just couldn’t resist that cheeky title. 🙂
As I’ve said before, taking care of your skin from the inside is just as important as caring for the outside. That means when there is a nutritional supplement that will significantly improve the appearance of your skin — and have the added benefit of promoting good health in general — we want to make sure you know about it.
The supplement I want to tell you about today is one that Dr. Oz recommends as one of the top 3 fat-burning supplements. So why am I talking about a fat-burning supplement on a site that’s all about skin care? Well, the cool thing is that GLA is a powerful tool to help vastly improve the look of cellulite.
What Is GLA, Anyway?
GLA stands for Gamma-Linolenic Acid. Without GLA, the body can’t manufacture prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are a highly therapeutic compound responsible for such things as:
- Controlling abnormal cell growth
- Relaxing blood vessels
- Balancing the immune, glandular and nervous system
- Regulating body temperature
- Metabolizing cholesterol
- Regulating brain function
- Regulating blood flow
- Regulating gastrointestinal activity
- Regulating fluid balance
- Regulating fat decomposition
GLA itself is an omega-6 fatty acid and it is essential to human health. The GLA stimulates the thyroid, and therefore raises the body’s metabolism and causes fat to be burned rather than stored in tissue. It also helps create smooth supple skin and who doesn’t want smooth, supple skin?
The problem with GLA is that our regular diet doesn’t include adequate amounts. Luckily, there are herbal supplements we can take to make up the difference. Borage oil, Hemp oil, Black Currant oil, and Evening Primrose oil all contain significant amounts of GLA and basically provide the body with similar functions.
That being said, I’m going to focus solely on Evening Primrose Oil. Why? Because not only is it very rich in GLA, but it has the added benefit of helping minimize menstrual cramps. If I can take a supplement that kills two birds with one stone, I’m all over it!
Why You Should Be Taking Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose
Evening Primrose is a night blooming plant and is favored in Europe not only for its medicinal qualities, but its ornamental beauty as a flower. It is native to North America and grows wildly in fields and along roadsides. The oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant and the supplement is generally taken in capsule form.
The leaves of the Evening Primrose plant provide the best source of the bioflavonoid called “quercetin”. Bioflavonoids are not produced by the human body but are found in the leaves, seeds, bark and flowers of many plants. They protect blood vessels, aid in circulation, stimulate bile production and lower cholesterol levels. So, you may be asking, what the heck does bile production have to do with cellulite?
Healthy bile is the key to a healthy liver and, weirdly enough, to getting rid of cellulite. This is because bile helps break down fats and toxins to eliminate them from the body, so if bile production becomes compromised, the fat globules collected by the lymphatic system can’t be processed by the liver and unfortunately remain in the body.
Evening Primrose oil can ease a variety of symptoms, especially those that result from an imbalance of essential fatty acids, inflammation of the skin, or an immune deficiency. This important supplement is approved in Great Britain as an effective treatment for eczema. It reduces swelling and can also be applied as an oil directly on the skin to relieve irritations.
In children, a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet can contribute to hyperactivity. Researchers recommend placing 10-20 drops of Evening Primrose oil on the tongue daily after the child reaches the age of three months.
Evening Primrose oil has been approved by doctors in Britain in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome because it gives much needed relief from the pain,
bloating, and cramps. In men, the supplement contributes to a healthier prostate gland.
In one particular study done, people with cirrhosis of the liver were found to have an imbalance of essential fatty acids, which are needed for liver cell protection. After taking 10 capsules of Evening Primrose oil daily for a period of three weeks, a marked improvement was noticed in the balance of fatty acids.
Other studies have shown that Evening Primrose oil can help recovering alcoholics with their withdrawal symptoms, especially during the first three weeks after downing their last drink. Taking the supplement during this time may help the liver begin to function properly sooner than not taking the supplement.
If all of the above wasn’t proof enough of the importance of taking Evening Primrose oil, here’s a last little tidbit. The Native American Cherokee tribes often drank Evening Primrose tea to counteract obesity.
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