Natural health: What can I do to tackle cellulite? 

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I developed cellulite on my buttocks and thighs during pregnancy two years ago. I exercise regularly, but it seems to make little difference. What would you suggest?

Cellulite doesn’t discriminate based on weight, fitness, or healthy lifestyle choices, which can be frustrating. But there are some steps that you can take to help reduce cellulite. The best thing you can do is begin dry skin brushing. Invest in a long-handled natural bristle brush and use this each morning before you shower to help activate lymphatic flow. Use gentle but brisk strokes and always work towards the heart.

If you cannot find such a brush, using a rough cotton cloth or towel will have a similar effect.

Make your own cellulite-busting massage oil by adding essential oils such as juniper, grapefruit, fennel, cypress, sweet birch, and eucalyptus to a base oil (2ml of essential oils per 100ml of base oil) to support lymphatic flow and reduce fluid retention.

The retention of fluid waste products causes the skin to appear dimpled and uneven.

Restrictive clothing may also impair the circulation of the lymph fluid.

The flow of lymphatic fluid is crucial as it helps remove cellular debris and toxins and helps fight disease.

While drinking water helps to help to flush toxins and waste products from your body, fibre is even more effective. Psyllium husks are a great source of soluble fibre - begin with a heaped teaspoon stirred into a large (300ml) glass of water each morning, and work up to a tablespoon of psyllium.

Genetics play a role in the development of cellulite but it can also be triggered by a diet of processed foods, insufficient exercise and poor elimination.

Exercise will certainly help to prevent stagnation in the lymphatic system. Some exercises thought to specifically help reduce and prevent cellulite include skipping, jumping on a trampoline (or rebounder), walking, cycling, swimming, and aerobic exercise.

Fascia, a thin casing of connective tissue surrounding our internal body parts, is another important consideration in the search for dimple-free skin. One of the most informative books I have read on its role and function is Free Your Fascia, by Dr Daniel Fenster. It’s full of practical advice and information on how to take care of your fascia to help manage pain, improve organ health, and smooth the skin.

My husband is going through a stressful time at work and has started to grind his teeth at night. Is there a remedy you could recommend?

Stress is a common trigger for teeth grinding and jaw clenching and sometimes the more you worry and stress about it, the worse the issue of grinding becomes.

To prevent the clenching of his jaw, your husband can gently press the front of his tongue upwards against the centre of the hard palate and let it rest there against the roof of the mouth.

Practising this simple exercise regularly helps alleviate tension headaches, prevent snoring, open the sinus passages, prevent jaw clenching, reduce mouth breathing, and minimise the likelihood of teeth grinding while asleep.

Supplementary magnesium can also provide help with teeth grinding. Magnesium reduces muscle and nervous tension, plus it is an excellent sleep aid.

Magnesium levels tend to drop at night, which is why many of these issues are more common when we are sleeping.