There are many surgical and pharmaceutical ways to remove the appearance of stretch marks. However, one of the best ways is to simply eat a healthy and well balanced diet whilst carrying out regular and appropriate exercise. The following diet should act as a guide only and any allergies or food intolerances should be taken into consideration.
Breakfast – the most important meal of the day, a bowl of fresh fruit, including mango, oranges, kiwi fruit and apricots, with a glass of water should be had. Mango and apricots are rich in vitamin A, whist oranges and kiwi fruits possess high levels of vitamin C, both of which are vital to stretch mark removal.
Lunch – a liver stir fry or salad, featuring cabbage, spinach, peppers and broccoli would be ideal, as these foods all contain high amounts of vitamin A or vitamin D. Two glasses of water should accompany the lunch meal.
Dinner – one of the easier meals to prepare for, an oily fish should take prime place on the plate here. Accompanied by a range of vegetables and chips made from sweet potatoes, the dinner could finish with a desert of homemade meringue, filled with strawberries and washed down with a glass of fresh water.
Snacks – generally, assuming they are healthy and are not made up of high levels of saturated fats and sugars, snacks can be anything the person wishes. Healthy options are pieces of fruit, carrot sticks (often accompanied by a small dish of humus) or other cold cooked vegetables. Although crisps and chocolate may not seem overly healthy, as long as they are low salt (or preferably no salt), the chocolate is dark chocolate and only a minimal amount is eaten, they shouldn’t be completely disregarded. In addition, the remaining four glasses of water should be drunk at sporadic periods throughout the day.
Exercises – depending on where the stretch marks are on the body reflects which exercise should be carried out. As the most common areas are the stomach, thighs and arms, exercise round these areas should be a priority. For the stomach, simple abdominal crunches (‘sit ups’) should be carried out in three sets of ten. In regards to the thighs, leg raises – laying on the floor on the side of the body, slowly lifting the leg upwards and holding it there for five seconds – should be carried out in five sets of five, whilst easy, low level weightlifting should be carried out to reduce the appearance of stretch marks on the arms.
The above is a simple, basic guide to how a diet could help remove stretch marks. However, as everyone’s body is different, consultation with a GP, dietician or physio should be carried out prior to undertaking a change in diet or exercise.