How Can I Stop Water Retention?

Most people retain a little water, and it is fairly common. Women especially may notice an increase in water retention during the week before their period. It’s fine to stop water retention at home that is minor. Yet if water retention seems major, occurs all the time, and is continually resulting in puffy extremities or excessive weight gain, this can indicate serious health issues. If you suffer more than a little water retention, you should not try to stop water retention at home but should see a physician for a thorough checkup.

There are essentially two main things that help stop water retention. Ironically, the first of these is drinking more water. Water retention is common when we are dehydrated or low on water. The body tends toward conserving water, and will retain a bit in order to keep us hydrated. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day helps shed extra water, reducing water retention.

The other thing that can help stop water retention is minimizing extra sodium in the diet, which can be difficult. We usually can point to a few foods high in sodium, but just about any packaged food contains some level of sodium. Most natural food sources also have some sodium too, though the amount is negligible. If you’re having problems with water retention, lowering overall sodium intake is one of the best methods for reducing it. Look for low sodium varieties of foods, especially canned foods and prepared meals.

Try to keep sodium content to under the recommended daily allowance. This amount varies for men, women and children. However, eliminating all sodium can actually create major health issues. Usually simply buying fresher foods and preparing them at home will go a long way toward reducing sodium without completely eliminating the supply needed each day.

You can try a few other remedies to stop water retention. Caffeine, for instance, is a known diuretic, explaining its presence in many pain relievers made for women with PMS. It will shed a bit of water weight when taken in small amounts. Too much caffeine can have a reverse effect, causing dehydration and thus a cycle where the body attempts to retain water.

Some foods have a bit of diuretic effect. A little lemon juice in your water will cause more frequent urination and stop water retention. Cranberryjuice is another natural diuretic. You might substitute a glass of cranberry juice for one of your cups of water each day to stop water retention. Just about any food high in vitamin C has natural diuretic properties.

Water retention levels vary, and will go up and down depending upon a person’s diet. To stop water retention permanently means committing yourself to drinking water daily, and to eating a low sodium diet. Still, your body may retain a little water, especially if you are a menstruating woman. These symptoms may be reduced but may not always be wholly eliminated.

How to Fight Water Retention with Food:

• Eating a well balanced diet will help you fight water retention.
• Foods high in calcium such as milk, curd or buttermilk help eliminate excess fluid from the body.
• Include foods rich in potassium and Vitamin B complex: Fruits like bananas, papaya and pear; citrus fruits like orange and pineapple will help too.
• Cranberry, grapefruit, melon (watermelon, muskmelon), and avocado juices help fight water retention.
• Nuts like almonds or walnuts and flax seeds are good for water retention too.
• Other foods that will help fight water retention are lean meats like chicken, egg whites and vegetables that belong to the gourd family like bitter gourd, snake gourd etc.
• Increase your fluid intake: Drinking plenty of water (around 2-3 liters everyday), lime water, barley water or coconut water can also speed- up the process of eliminating unwanted fluids from the body.
• Use of diuretics: Diuretics are medicines that induce the kidney to eliminate excess water and sodium from the body, causing a decrease in the blood volume and thereby reducing the blood pressure. Hence, diuretics should be used under the supervision of a doctor or physician. This, of course, only applies to extreme cases of water retention wherein the patient seeks medical counsel.
• Avoid foods high in sodium or with added salt like processed salad dressings, pickles, chips and salted nuts. Any processed, packed or canned foods contain high amount of sodium and usually lead to water retention.
• Avoid excessive intake of caffeinated drinks and beverages like soft drinks, energy drinks, tea, coffee, and alcohol.

Exercise: Taking up an activity like brisk walk, running, jogging for at least 30 minutes can help combat water retention. Exercise helps dilate the blood vessels, thus increasing the amount of fluid that kidneys excrete.

An old home remedy for water retention, specifically for the legs, is to elevate the affected part while sleeping to improve blood circulation. While this does prevent the condition from aggravating, we still think that eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly are your safest bets against water retention. If you still experience water retention despite all the healthy foods, diets and activities in your life, maybe it’s time to let a medical professional examine you and rule out any serious ailments.