There are countless of reasons why you may be experiencing water retention. But more often than not, bloating and swelling is largely due to your diet, particularly if you love to eat foods that are high in sodium. Other reasons why you may be experiencing fluid retention include hormonal imbalance during monthly periods or menopause, standing for a long period of time, effects of some medications, symptoms of serious illnesses and the hot weather.
Whatever is the reason behind your water retention blues, the important thing to do is to watch your diet. Sometimes, changing the way you eat could already help ease your fluid retention problems. However, if you suspect that your edema or bloating is caused by some serious illness, you need to go to your doctor to have your condition checked. Heart problems and kidney failure are some of the serious illnesses that include water retention as a symptom.
Once you have ensured that your swollenness is not due to an illness or serious condition, you can now start following the tips below that can help ease bloating and swelling.
1. Eat less sodium
As mentioned earlier, people who are fond of salty food are prone to water retention. Thus, it would really help if you minimize your sodium intake. It may be a wise idea to stay away from chips, fatty foods, instant noodles and processed meats. If you really have to eat such types of foods, you may want to choose something that is low in sodium or has less salt.
In fact, it would be so much better if you can lower your sodium intake to only 1,000 milligrams each day. You can achieve this by paying attention to food labels. You may also want to reduce use of condiments and seasonings, which are also high in sodium.
2. Add diuretic food in your diet
Other important items you need to add to your diet are natural diuretics, which are foods that naturally make a person expel excess water in the body. Citrus fruits and melons are just some examples of such foods. You may also want to find foods that are rich in potassium so that you can maintain the level of essential minerals in your body.
3. Drink plenty of water
Ironically, people who do not drink enough water or fluids are more susceptible to water retention compared to those who drink a lot of water and fluids. The main reason behind this is that the body tends to retain water when it is dehydrated. This is the way your body copes during drought or scarcity of water sources.
If there is really no drought or lack of good source of water in your area, then there is no excuse for you to skimp on water. You need to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to help your body function well. Some fluids, such as fruit juice and soups, can also be used as replacement for water. However, it would be a good idea to minimize drinking coffee, tea and soda when you are dehydrated because these beverages can cause you to eliminate more water out of your body.
If your water retention problem is due to hormonal changes during menopause and your monthly menses, you may want to try Expelis.
