Causes of water retention in the body

Know the causes of water retention in the body it is fundamental because it also allows you to identify the solutions to use to deal with this problem. Let's see them together causes of water retention in the body such as incorrect nutrition, sedentarism, hormonal disorders and more which we will delve into here.

Causes of edema

Fluid retention, scientifically called edema, occurs when the body or a part of it swells due to an excess of fluids that remain trapped between the cells, which can occur from remaining in the same position for a long time, due to sedentarism, disorders hormonal, due to a diet rich in salt and sodium, or as a consequence of certain diseases.

Sedentarism

Sedentarism is the attitude of the subject who leads a sedentary life and is one of the first causes of water retention in the body .

Sedentarism is more widespread in cities, where technology is oriented towards avoiding great physical effort: watching TV or sitting in front of a computer for many hours a day is a sign of sedentarism, which promotes obesity, weakens bones and increases the risk of heart disease.

A simple look at society shows us that the latest generations have a greater tendency towards sedentarism than the elderly, having been born in a computerized era, with less free space available to move and with a growing sense of insecurity on the path that leads them to seek shelter in closed places. To combat the lack of physical activity there is no magic formula; as in all cases, the key lies in the will.

Practicing some sports with a certain consistency can be very beneficial for your health, as long as it does not conflict with entire days of poor nutrition and postures that are harmful to the body. Of course, this depends on each person's tastes; for this reason, many choose to take a morning walk, for example. But in both cases, it is important to keep in mind that practicing without technique can be counterproductive.

Hormonal disorders

Fluid retention caused by hormones during pregnancy or menstruation is not serious, but can be a problem when it occurs due to kidney, liver, or heart dysfunction.

This is why it is important to contact a competent doctor who will help us discover any hormonal disorders and the dysfunctions that may hide behind such disorders and the pharmacological therapies most suitable for us.

Diet

To avoid fluid retention, it is necessary to follow a low sodium diet, consuming certain foods that allow you to lose accumulated fluids. On the other hand, it is important to eliminate from your diet some products that promote fluid retention and make you feel bloated. There are six foods we recommend eliminating from your diet:

1. Alcohol

Consumption of alcohol produces fluid retention, as it is very rich in sugars and is difficult to dilute. In fact, if alcohol is not abused, weight gain due to fluid retention is usually temporary and is concentrated in the feet, ankles and legs. However, you should avoid consuming it every day, even if it is simply a glass of wine, especially if you suffer from severe retention and need to lose weight. It is much better to drink water which, contrary to what many people believe, does not cause retention. In fact, water helps fight the problem.

1. Refined sugar

Something similar happens with sugar with salt, and that is that its excessive consumption causes greater water retention in the body. If you ingest too much sugar, your body may have problems eliminating sodium from your body, thus causing fluid retention. It is advisable to reduce the consumption of sugar, as a condiment or as an ingredient in a certain dish. If you can't do without it, it's always better to choose cane sugar.

1. The sweetener

Is it really worth replacing natural sweeteners, such as sugar and honey, with artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin? The truth is, no. Artificial sweeteners are a source of sodium, that is, they bring large quantities of salt to the body, which promotes fluid retention. So, if you take artificial sweeteners and have fluid retention issues, opting for saccharin to lose volume is not a good idea. It is best to use brown sugar or honey as a seasoning. This yes, in moderate doses and without abusing it. You can also try stevia, a natural sweetener of plant origin.

1. Cold cuts

These foods, so rich and tasty, are the enemies of a healthy diet: they contain high quantities of salt, which hinder the body in adequately eliminating toxins and liquids. Furthermore, cold cuts are very rich in saturated fats. If you want to lose weight and maintain a balanced diet, you will have to completely eliminate them from your diet.

1. Flour

Flour and carbohydrates generally cause increased water retention in the body. According to some experts, carbohydrates cause the kidneys to accumulate salt instead of excreting it. When increasing the salt content in the body, the amount of water should also increase to maintain the proportion of salt in the body. To avoid this, you need to reduce your consumption. This doesn't mean we need to eliminate pasta, rice or bread from our diet. You simply need to moderate your consumption and avoid consuming processed flour.

1. Salt

It is clear that among the causes of water retention in the body from a nutritional point of view, salt is among the first elements that must be removed from the diet if you suffer from fluid retention, because salt contains a large quantity of sodium, which makes it difficult to eliminate. It is advisable to eliminate it from the diet as it is not really necessary for the body as a condiment. Most foods are already naturally salty. This doesn't mean your dishes have to stop being appetizing: you can season them with spices, such as basil, thyme, oregano or pepper. There is plenty of variety to avoid getting bored.

What to do to eliminate fluid retention

Fluid retention is usually not serious, so when you ingest water, diuretic teas, perform lymphatic drainage and engage in physical activity the problem should resolve.

Therefore the suggestions to reduce the causes of water retention in the body I am:

Consume diuretic tea

We recommend tea varieties such as horsetail, hibiscus/jamaica flower, cinnamon with ginger, green tea, ginkgo biloba, parsley, gotu kola, East Indian chestnut.

Any tea has a diuretic effect because basically the more water the person ingests, the more urine will be produced. This urine will be full of toxins and will cause the body to eliminate excess fluid. However, some plants increase this diuretic effect of teas by decreasing fluid retention more rapidly.

Exercising physical activity

Practicing exercises is a great natural way to deflate the body. The contraction of large muscle groups such as arms, legs and buttocks causes excess fluid to be removed through urine. For this reason, it is common to feel the urge to urinate after doing 1 hour of exercises in the gym.

Some exercises that may be indicated are fast walking, running, cycling and jumping rope. Localized exercises are not as beneficial as these, but they can be performed after doing at least 20 minutes of aerobic activity.

General advice to reduce retention

• Drink water, about 2 liters a day, or tea such as horsetail tea

• Replace salt when preparing or seasoning foods with aromatic herbs such as parsley or oregano;

• Increase consumption of diuretic foods such as watermelon, cucumber or tomato

• Avoid foods such as canned, cured, smoked or containing a lot of salt;

• Avoid standing for long periods of time, sitting or with your legs crossed;

• Eat water-rich foods such as horseradish, turnip, cauliflower, watermelon, strawberry, melon, pineapple, apple or carrot;

• Perform a lymphatic drainage, which is a specific massage to reduce excess fluid in the body;

• Eat food such as cooked beetroot leaves, avocado, skimmed yogurt, orange juice or banana because they are foods rich in potassium, which helps reduce salt in the body;

• Raise your legs above your heart (you can place a pillow under your knees) at the end of the day.