Dt.Trishala Chopra
Water retention happens when there are excess fluids being built up inside our body. It is known as edema in the medical terms. Water retention usually takes place in the circulatory system i.e. between the tissues and the cavities. It’s major effects can be swelling in the limbs or hands, feet, ankles and legs. So here we have some suggestions for you so that you can manage water retention in your body.
Tips to manage water retention
If you have a bloated feeling, or you have a swollen face, hands, or feet, then you are most probably suffering from water retention!
Fluid or water retention is a health condition in which body stores or retains the water which is not used up by the body. You might have heard people saying that you have ‘edema’, which is nothing but ‘water retention’. This condition causes retention in different parts of the body and extreme conditions can swell up the face as well.
Water retention is very common when you are pregnant, or you are in your PMS, or you are menstruating. This is because it is a symptom of a physiological change in your body which goes off with time. But, if you are still facing water retention issues, then you definitely need to cure it.
Causes of unwanted water retention: –
- Imbalanced diet
- Severe drug reaction
- Pre-menopausal stage
- Hormonal imbalance
- Liver diseases
- Kidney disorders
Here are some home remedies and tips to manage water retention
Reduce the salt intake
- This is the best way to reduce water retention.
- Having more sodium in the diet can lead to retention of water in the kidneys.
- Excess salt clogs the water tissues.
Reduce sugar intake
- Excess of sugar in the diet can lead to increase in insulin level in the body, which decreases body’s function to flush out sodium (salt) from the body.
Eliminate the foods rich in sodium
- Most processed and junk foods are very rich in sodium. Avoid intake of these foods.
- Olives, canned soups, salted chips, farsan, bacon, salted butter, soy sauce, stored vinegar must be eliminated from the diet to get rid of water retention.
Increase the intake of potassium
- Banana and cabbage are the richest sources of potassium which must be included in the diet every day to get rid of water retention faster.
- Sweet potatoes, coconut water, prunes, carrot juice, milk are some good sources of potassium which can be included in the diet.
- Vegetables and fruits which are rich in Vitamin C are also helpful .
- Increase intake of herbal tea and juices.
- 1 cup of herbal tea every day is very useful to get rid of unwanted retention of water.
- The most beneficial tea for women is parsley and uvaursi tea.
- Lemon juice, green tea, chamomile tea, cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar if taken in moderate quantities every day can help in getting rid of water retention.
Adequate water intake throughout the day
- Some people think that to reduce the retention of water, they must reduce the water intake which is a wrong practice.
- Avoid taking aerated drinks as they have a very high content of sugar and salt in it.
- Coffee, tea, and alcohol have the capability of dehydrating the body, which causes a problem for the kidney to flush salt out of the body. So it is better if you avoid it.
Keep your diet rich in fiber
- Have more of whole cereals and pulses which can help in proper flushing out of salt from the kidneys.
- Keep your diet rich in fibrous fruits and vegetables throughout the day to get rid of water retention problem permanently.
Chew a piece of garlic!
- A bud of garlic empty stomach in the morning helps in water retention. And it also helps in cutting down the unwanted fats from the body.
Ice packs
- Stuff ice cubes in a thin cloth and press it on the affected area. It will give you some relief from the swelling but the people having diabetes should not follow this.
