Water retention is a common condition that everyone has experienced in their lifetime. The most common symptoms are bloating, swelling of the limbs, a feeling of heaviness, and a sharp increase in weight.
If it is not caused by a specific medical condition, then the reason for water retention is probably an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle. The condition manifests itself as a protective function of the body, which wants to signal that something is wrong.
Fortunately, there are ways you can easily control water retention and get rid of the unpleasant discomfort that this condition causes. If you also suffer from a similar problem, stay with us until the end of the article to learn 9 easy ways to overcome it.
How to reduce water retention in the body
Water retention is caused when there is an excessive amount of fluid in the tissue. This causes the body to swell, especially in the limbs. Such symptoms may be related to a lack of a varied and healthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, or other medical conditions.
When the cause of water retention is not related to a serious health problem, there are ways you can help your body to cope with this condition.
In the following lines, we at The Sized will present 9 ways to reduce water retention in your body.
1. Reduce salt consumption
The main ingredients of salt are sodium and chlorine. Sodium binds to water in the body and helps maintain water balance in cells. It also participates in the process of storing fluids to serve as a reserve from which the body can draw.
Reducing your salt intake doesn’t just mean skipping it when seasoning your food. It is good to know that almost every food that is not homemade has added salt in its composition.
You need to limit your intake of processed foods such as sausages, dough, canned food, sauces, and semi-finished foods. They contain high levels of salt and sodium and their frequent consumption leads to water retention.
The permissible daily dose of salt that can be consumed varies according to the person’s state of health. In healthy people, the recommended intake for the day is about 2-3 grams, and for sodium – up to 5 grams per day.
2. Drink more water
Insufficient fluid intake is also a prerequisite for water retention in the body. The body’s functions work in the same way to store food and fluids. If the body is often subjected to hunger or thirst, when it receives what it needs, it will keep the maximum amount of it in reserve.
Thus, when it experiences a lack again, it will have a stock from which to draw. In this way, it is very easy to gain extra pounds and retain water in the body.
Therefore, strive to eat regularly and drink plenty of fluids. The recommended daily water intake varies according to gender, age, activity, and weight, but 1.5 liters of water per day is considered the absolute minimum.
It is important to strive to drink mostly clean water, without added sugar and preservatives, in order to maintain the healthiest possible lifestyle.
3. Increase magnesium intake
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions that ensure the smooth functioning of the body. It is needed to maintain an optimal balance between electrolytes and fluids, and its lack leads to disorders in the body.
According to a number of studies, getting enough magnesium helps reduce water retention in the body. To achieve this result, increase your magnesium intake. This can most easily be done through a diet.
Among the main foods rich in magnesium are nuts, seeds, whole grains, dried fruits, and more. If you are not able to get the right amount through your daily menu, nutritional supplements are a good way to provide your body with what it needs.
4. Eat foods rich in potassium
Potassium has a vital function in regulating fluid balance in the body. Just as sodium acts as a supplier of water to cells, so potassium is the one that “pumps” the unnecessary part of it out of the cells.
It is important to maintain a balance between the intake of the two elements so that the processes can proceed normally at a cellular level. Unfortunately, on the menu of modern man, there are many foods containing salt, which increases sodium levels in the body.
This leads to an imbalance between its amount and that of potassium. You can change this by regularly adding potassium sources to your diet. Some of the most popular are bananas, avocados, oranges, potatoes, and spinach.
5. Reduce refined products and fast carbs
Refined products and fast carbohydrates are found in processed foods. They are devoid of fiber and therefore the body perceives them as simple sugars.
They can be defined as empty calories that accumulate in the body because as a result of over-processing they have lost nutrients such as minerals and vitamins that are naturally contained in them. Examples of the most common simple carbohydrates are foods containing processed sugar and white flour.
Consumption of refined products, fast carbohydrates, and simple sugars causes sharp spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. This leads to more sodium retention and more fluid in the body. Less frequent consumption of such foods will help both to limit the intake of empty calories and to reduce water retention in the body.
6. Take natural diuretics
Diuretics are substances that help the body get rid of excess water, salt, and toxins. They achieve this by boosting metabolism, which stimulates the excretion of more urine. In this way, an effective detox is performed and the accumulation of harmful substances in the body is prevented.
Some of the strongest natural diuretics are green tea, nettle, dandelion, cranberry, and horsetail plant. These can be used to make aromatic tea to help you naturally get rid of excess water in the body.
In case you do not consume enough tea, or you do not like this medicinal drink, there are dietary supplements with a diuretic effect, created by a combination of the best natural diuretics. It will help you easily and effectively get rid of the accumulated excess water in the body in an even easier and faster way.
7. Get enough sleep
In today’s fast-paced daily life, we increasingly neglect long and quality sleep. However, lack of rest has an extremely negative effect on the body and leads to a number of health problems. And water retention is one of the main ones.
Systemic insomnia can trigger reactions that cause the body to retain fluids. Give your body at least 6-8 hours of sleep a day to give it the rest it needs to function properly.
8. Be physically active
If you work in a sitting position and rarely move during working hours, probably at the end of the day when you get up from the chair, your legs would be swollen. This is because sitting for too long can cause water retention in the body.
To avoid this condition, try to maintain a balance between time spent standing and sitting. You can achieve this at regular intervals and at every opportunity you get up from the desk you should take a few steps.
Regular exercise improves blood circulation and helps flush excess fluids from the body. Practicing yoga, meditation, cycling, running, or even walking at a normal pace will help you get rid of the accumulated stress and tension during the day, as well as excess water.
9. Reduce stress
Long-term stress has extremely bad effects on a person’s physical and mental health. It increases the level of the hormone cortisol, also called the “stress hormone”. Cortisol directly affects fluid retention in the body.
This is because stress increases the hormone responsible for controlling the body’s water balance, known as “antidiuretic hormone” (ADH).
ADH works by sending signals to the kidneys telling them how much water to pump back into the body. By controlling stress levels, you will maintain normal levels of cortisol and ADH, which is important for fluid balance in the body.
Water retention in the body is a common condition. In most cases, it is the result of a lack of a healthy and varied diet, as well as low physical activity. There are ways you can easily prevent this problem in a completely natural way.
The combination of a balanced and varied diet and regular physical activity is the best way to keep your body in good shape.
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