Spider veins, bumps, cellulite - a tribute to connective tissue

Mid-May in Munich: The thermometer is already climbing to almost 30 degrees. And even though I've been waiting for weeks for it to FINALLY be summer, the joy of the sudden warmth is rather muted at the thought of shorts, dresses and skirts. When I look down at myself, I'm a little annoyed about my Corona-induced laziness when it comes to exercise over the last few weeks. Well... ok. "Months" probably fits better. Naked skin, pale and rippled, is somehow not the number one feel-good factor right now. So the choice falls on airy long pants, although I actually wanted to hold my cheesy legs up to the sun. So why didn't I? Because unfortunately I can't absolve myself of being one of those people who aren't 100% happy with the stripes, dents and bumps. And since you've landed on this post, I think it's appropriate to say, "Welcome to the club". Let's try together to combine a bit of positivity with our supposed flaws. Are you in?

1. What does connective tissue actually do for us?
2. Connective tissue "weaknesses
3. Spider veins
4. Stretch marks
5. Cellulite
6. How can we support our connective tissue?
7. Let's forget the shame! Let's set ourselves free!

1. what does the connective tissue do for us?

When you get right down to it, "connective tissue" is a generic term for many different forms of tissue that encompass various organs and, in addition to many other tasks, also ensure that they can be in motion. When it comes to the connective tissue around our muscles or our nerves, blood vessels and lymph vessels, it also serves as a supporting stabilizer. So if it starts to weaken, the skin can become less firm and lose its evenness.

Our connective tissue holds us together in the truest sense of the word. Together with our largest organ, our skin, which we take care of every day here at JUNGLÜCK . This makes it all the more important to look a few layers deeper to find out how we can support our connective tissue as well as our skin. Especially when we can already see the marks on our skin and don't feel comfortable with them.

For the three most common "weaknesses", I have collected some tips on how we can best support our connective tissue and our skin, either preventively or if we have already discovered some traces. However, this is not about giving out insider tips and 100% guarantees. This is my tribute to our connective tissue, which does amazing things every day and deserves an extra portion of care for that reason alone. Perhaps this will also teach us to accept and love ourselves a little more for who we are.

2. connective tissue "weaknesses

Spider veins

Spider veins are these small or larger blue-purple veins that usually appear on the legs and feet, but can also be found at to face . They are actually completely harmless, but if they develop into real varicose veins, they can become quite uncomfortable. While spider veins are usually only minor visual changes, varicose veins can be raised and painful. If they do, you should see a doctor as a precaution, ideally a specialist, because varicose veins can quickly lead to inflammation of the veins, which can even lead to a thrombosis, i.e. a blood clot in the vein, if things go badly. Many people who have already discovered varicose veins therefore go for regular check-ups. Varicose veins can be removed in various ways, for example surgically or by sclerotherapy. Depending on the size of the varicose vein, a liquid or foam is sprayed into the vein to close it.

Do:
Horse chestnuts.
The active ingredient aescin it contains improves blood circulation through the vein. Various studies have shown that constant use stabilizes the vein walls and thus reduces the outflow of fluid into the tissue. Ointments, tablets or extracts for mixing with your own lotion are available over the counter from pharmacies or well-stocked drugstores.
Personal tip: Mix it with our Squalane before applying it to your skin. Squalane has the property of absorbing Actives more quickly into the skin layers due to its skin-like structure, where it can be absorbed all the better Treat .

Basil.
A study by the University of Maastricht has shown that daily consumption of basil releases enough vitamin K into the body to bring about a visible reduction in spider veins after approx. 6 weeks.

Cold showers.
Showering your legs in cold water every day promotes blood circulation, which gets the veins moving properly.

Raise your legs.
Putting your legs up from time to time is also a wonderful way to stimulate blood circulation in the legs. If you want to (and find sleep this way), you can sleep with your legs slightly elevated at night to better activate blood circulation through the veins.

Don't:
Shame on your spider veins and varicose veins: Fat Don't! They belong to you, are completely normal and, just like the rest of your body, deserve to be cared for and treated with love.

Stretch marks

I don't think the dear zebra stripes, as a friend once called them, need much explanation. Most people know that they don't just occur during pregnancy. But how exactly they develop might be new to you, so here's a little crash course: stretch marks develop in the subcutaneous tissue when the connective tissue is overstretched. This can happen during pregnancy, weight gain or rapid muscle building, for example. What many young women experience when they decide to take the pill or other hormonal contraceptives is a sudden growth of the breasts, often accompanied by stretch marks. On top of the unfamiliar blocked view downwards, there are often complexes about the "zebra stripes".

Do:
Tip: Pregnancy OilEven without being pregnant.
If you know that your skin has to work that extra bit because you're training, pregnant or about to take the pill, you can take preventative measures to help your skin grow with you. I recommend our Pregnancy Oil, regardless of whether you are growing a baby bump, biceps, breasts or legs, because it has been developed precisely for this purpose.

Water.
Speaking of elasticity: Drinking a lot, i.e. around 2-3 liters of water a day, also keeps your skin well hydrated - which also benefits its elasticity!

Don't:
Again the whole thing: Shame on your stretch marks - fat don't! They belong to you, are completely normal and deserve to be cared for and treated with love, just like the rest of your body.

Cellulite

The bad, bad word! We all know what it looks like and what it is, but for anyone who isn't sure how it comes about in the first place, here are the facts: Once again, it starts with our connective tissue naturally starting to weaken a little. It becomes a little looser and the layers of skin, which are often much thinner and more finely structured in women than in men, lose their shape. Dents appear in the skin. What now?

Do:
Moisturizing makes all the difference! Drink plenty of fluids and moisturize the skin: keyword aloe vera gel - quasi moisture in a pump dispenser. Gladly with Squalane or Rosehip Seed Oil mixed to create a rich moisturizing effect.

Don't:
And once again: shame on your dimples - fat don't! They are part of you, are completely normal and deserve to be cared for and treated with love, just like the rest of your body. Your mantra!

3. how can we support our connective tissue?

Exercise.
As a preventative measure, we keep our connective tissue strong and supple by getting enough exercise. Endurance sports in particular promote the health of the veins, as the tensing of the muscles puts pressure on them.

Massages.
Used regularly, they help the skin to remain stretchy and flexible and reduce existing stretch marks Moisturize. For example, you can use a dry brush to stimulate blood circulation. Then apply the Pregnancy Oil to the moistened skin. Otherwise, simply enjoy this extensive massage.

Alternating showers.
They stimulate blood circulation! Simply shower your legs slowly from bottom to top, alternating between cold and warm water.

Nutrition.
A healthy and balanced supply of nutrients is important for a functioning body. This includes getting enough Vitamin C (e.g. kiwi, broccoli, peppers), amino acids for collagen production (e.g. eggs, soy, lupins), wholegrain products and vitamin E (e.g. nuts).

Nutrition sets the tone for the music in our body. For the sake of your connective tissue (and the rest of your body), you should eat the following things in moderation and only rarely:

• Saturated fatty acids slow down the metabolism
• Refined sugars accelerate the breakdown of collagen
• Salt binds water in the body
• Carbonic acid promotes the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin
• Coffee has a vasoconstrictive effect and thus slows down blood circulation
• Sweetened drinks and juices accelerate the breakdown of collagen
• Alcohol and cigarette consumption promotes water retention and inhibits fat loss

But I have to be honest and admit that I don't want to completely give up my occasional glass of wine, my coffee in the morning and the odd snack. So as long as there are no really critical health problems, I stick to the rule: everything in moderation, even unhealthy things are allowed from time to time if you want to. It's much more important than abstinence to feel good about yourself and to be able to reward yourself in this way and enjoy it! The next day comes the balance, with exercise, the right diet and a little self-love with an extensive connective tissue massage.

4. let's forget the shame! Let's set ourselves free!

Whether and to what extent our connective tissue neglects its tasks over the years is largely down to genetic predisposition.
First of all: realize that you are not alone in having to struggle with such symptoms. Almost every woman (one in three women worldwide for cellulite alone!) and many men also have one or more of these connective tissue "weaknesses". So if we start to normalize it in our own minds, we will create a general rethink!

Sources:
https://www.apotheken-umschau.de/krankheiten-symptome/herz-kreislauf-erkrankungen/was-kann-man-gegen-krampfadern-tun-734539.html
https://medlexi.de/Bindegewebe
https://medlexi.de/Dehnungsstreifen
https://medlexi.de/Cellulite_(orange peel skin)