Guide To Water Retention
Diet
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Diet To Reduce Fluid RetentionWater RetentionWe retain extra water for a variety of reasons. Most commonly the cause is eating too much sodium. Hot weather, and standing for long periods can also lead to fluid retention, which can also occur as a side effect of certain medications. Water retention may also be the result of a serious medical condition, involving major organs like the kidneys, the heart, the liver, as well as the lymphatic system. Women have a higher risk of water retention due to fluctuating hormone levels. Premenstrual swelling and menopausal edema are both believed to be caused by the impact of hormones on fluid balance. General Diet Advice To Reduce Water RetentionEat less sodium and salt. Ideally, reduce your daily sodium intake to about 1000 milligrams a day, until your water retention problem goes away. The only way to achieve such a reduce sodium intake is to avoid processed foods and eat more fresh food. When buying packaged or canned food, always check the label for sodium content. Most important, do NOT add salt when cooking or eating food. Choose alternative spices, or add lemon juice, or low-sodium chili sauce. A good diuretic herb is parsley.
Sample Daily Diet Plan To Reduce Water RetentionBreakfastA large bowl of chopped fresh fruit (eg. citrus, berries, melon), topped with 4oz/120g of low-fat bio-yogurt, sprinkled with seeds or chopped nuts. SnackHandful of unsalted nuts or seeds. One small banana. LunchA salad of brown rice, slices of orange, sliced avocado, sliced cooked chicken, topped with chopped walnuts. Add vinaigrette, made without added salt and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. SnackHandful of unsalted nuts or seeds. DinnerPortion of chicken baked with garlic and
lemon juice, served with steamed broccoli and carrots. |