Fluid Retention is common term used by the health experts to indicate the fluid building up in the body cavities, body tissues, and the circulatory system.
Human body is 70% water, which exists outside and inside the cells. Water plays very important part in human body. Blood, organs, muscles, and organ systems have water in their formation.
Lack of water in the body results into fatigue, headache, and may give rise to many other health problems.
The importance of water for human body is very much known, but at the same time retention of water at wrong places would also create health issues.
The water trapped in the tissues of the body would cause edema or swelling.
About 75% of the total body water is present in the muscle tissues, 50% of water is present in bones, and 50% is present in the body fat.
Due to certain reasons, the water percentage in the body crosses the given percentage and that causes edema, which is severe water retention that require immediate medical help.
However, water retention can also be experienced as mild swelling that can be cured by making just few lifestyle and diet amendments.
What are the common reasons for fluid retention?
Diet
Diet plays a major role in maintaining health and wellness. High sodium intake is probably one of the most common reasons for water retention. More sodium in your body means retention of more water. You may not notice your sodium intake until you check the nutrition value of the food you eat.
Some processed foods, chips, ketchup, soft drinks, meat, canned soups, and fast food are very high in sodium content. If your diet consists of any of the above mentioned foods or you tend to sprinkle table salt on the cooked food then you are taking too much of sodium than what your body actually requires!
Lifestyle
Certain lifestyles cause water retention. Staying in either standing or sitting position for long hours would make the tissues trap the water in the same place and lead to water retention. This commonly occurs as swollen ankles and legs.
Hormones
Water retention is normal before or during the days of menstruation. This is temporary water retention and would give the bloated feeling during those days. Water retention caused because of hormonal imbalance goes away on its own when the balance is established.
Medicines
Some pain killers, hypertension medicine, antidepressants, and medicines for chemotherapy are also known to be causing water retention.
Remedies you can trust!
Drink more water
Sounds really strange, but drinking more water can help in removing water retention. When you drink more water, your body flushes out excess sodium by urinating frequently.
The amount of water needed by your body depends on your lifestyle and body structure. Consume water at regular intervals to keep water retention in check.
Keep moving
If you tend to sit or stand continuously, ensure that you change the position or stroll around at regular intervals. This helps in improved blood circulation that removes the trapped water from the tissues.
Salt bath
Salt intake should be checked to lower water retention, but immersing yourself in Epsom salt bath really works! Add Epsom salt to the bath tub filled with water and soak yourself into the tub for about 15 minutes. This reduces the water retention by reverse osmosis process. Epsom salt bath also relaxes your muscles, removes stress, and calms nerves to give you the instant feel of wellness.
Coconut water
Coconut water has rich potassium content. Drink it in the morning or during the day. Potassium nullifies the effect of sodium and hence helps in preventing water retention. Apart from coconut water, you can also consume other potassium rich foods like spinach and banana to cut down on the effect of sodium.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice and other citrus fruit juices help in flushing out the toxins and excess fluid from the body. Adding lemon juice to warm water along with honey is the best solution for breaking down of fat and removing trapped fluids.
Above remedies usually work for mild water retention that is not caused due to any underlying medical condition. However, if the problem becomes severe or the symptoms are not very common then it is always good to see a doctor.
