How to Avoid and Reduce Water Retention

Water retention comes from many things - including PMS in women, hot weather, standing for long periods, side effects from certain medications, stress, and/or problems with heart, kidneys, liver, or adrenal glands. One thing most of us don't realize is that a lot of it also comes from things you eat! Both men and women experience bloat now and then.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pay attention to what you eat
• At LEAST 8 hours off your feet a day!

1. Reduce your sodium intake - a.k.a.- salt! If you are drinking water like a fish, you have too much salt in your system. Things like those sneaky little ham, cheese, and cracker packs - there so many preservatives in those! Salt has been used as a preservative since humans began drying foods in order to keep them longer. Even as a fast snack, these kinds of foods are bad for everyone but especially for kids! And way toooooooo expensive!
   
   Here is a quick list of excessively salty foods:
   Ham, all bacon, lunch meats, hotdogs and sausages, pepperoni, dried or canned meats, and canned or smoked fish.
   Canned soups & stews, bouillon cubes, dry packaged soups, mac & cheese, pot pies, peanut butter and T.V. dinners are packed with sodium and preservatives.
   Buttermilk and instant cocoa mixes. Teriyaki or soy sauce.
   Most Mexican foods. Potato, rice and noodle mixes with seasoning packets. Instant potatoes and stuffing mixes.
   Sauerkraut and things prepared in brine like olives, pickles, relish. Veggie juice based products like V-8, regular tomato juice, regular spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce or tomato. Even some veggies like frozen peas and many canned veggies.
   Bagged chips, popcorn, salted nuts, crackers and pretzels and many prepackaged items like snack packs, chip dips and spreads for crackers. Soda!
   
   Sure - have a snack once in a while but don't make it a habit. Make it what it's supposed to be - a treat.

2. You can take diuretics but be aware that they can drain your system of potassium and you need to compensate for it. Eat a banana a day if taking a diuretic. Guess what - bananas and rasins help eliminate water retention! Try not to take diuretics all the time, no matter what – unless prescribed by a doctor.
   
   Here is a list of natural diuretics:
   Watermelon, corn, grapes, cucumber and asparagus.
   Coffee, cranberry juice and black tea are mild diuretics. (Yes – coffee!)
   Cabbage, watercress, asparagus, beets, brussel spouts, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onion, celery and parsley.
   Vitamins A and C – so drink milk and citrus juices.
   Yogurt contains active cultures that aid in digestion that can help when your stomach is bloated by increasing the good bacteria in your stomach.
   Ginger, garlic, dandelion, juniper, fennel, and apple cider vinegar.

3. Drinking alcohol and smoking contribute to water retention.
   Wearing tight clothes cuts off your circulation, not allowing your system remove fluids.
   Drinking more water actually helps flush your system of the salts and sodium that retain water better than just about anything else.

4. Move around every hour or so to keep circulation going.
   
   Elevate your legs for about 10 minutes two or three times a day - why not use a recliner while reading or watching TV?
   
   A good soak with very cool water helps relieve the pressure in your feet and ankles when it's hot or use an ice pack where it is bothering you the most.
   
   Take an aspirin a day.

Tips & Warnings

• The more hydrated your body is, the less it will retain water!
• Drink at least 8 glasses of fluids a day.
• 1200-1350 milligrams of calcium, per day - 16oz of milk and a cup of yogurt.
• Buy garlic and onion powder instead of garlic and onion salt.
• Use MSG sparingly - new evidence says it's not so bad!
• Women taking estrogen replacement hormones have a tendency toward water retention.
• If it’s processed or fast, it’s too salty.
• If it comes with a packet of spices, try to double the volume by adding an equal amount of your own raw rice or noodles and double the water using the same packet of spices. See the article How To Make The Most Out Of A Box Of Rice Mix link below.

Resources

• How To Make More Out Of A Box Of Rice Mix

[barba0727]

on 11/30/2009 Great tips on reducing water retention. I really only get this due to PMS and in the summer. Great tips, i really enjoyed this article. 5*

[barba0727]

on 11/30/2009 Great tips on reducing water retention. I really only get this due to PMS and in the summer. Great tips, i really enjoyed this article. 5*

[cbbknows]

on 11/26/2009 Great information. Thanks.

[christmaszorro2]

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[badkitties]

on 10/9/2009 Great article with lots of good tips. 5* & rec., thanks.