Fluid retention in tissues occurs in most people. This causes swelling, which negatively affects a person's appearance. In addition, the load on the organs increases. What foods retain water in the body?

This problem occurs as a result of not proper nutrition. If swelling occurs constantly, then you should change your diet, reducing or eliminating harmful foods from it.

Causes of edema

Why is water retained in the body? This often occurs as a result of an electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are necessary for proper operation organs. These are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium. Their excess or deficiency causes metabolic imbalance.

Water-salt metabolism is regulated as follows: sodium retains fluid, and potassium removes. Excessive presence of sodium in the body leads to water accumulation. Potassium deficiency also causes swelling.

The daily sodium intake should be no more than 5 g. This substance enters the body with salty foods. Excessive consumption of such foods is considered one of the causes of edema.

What else retains fluid in tissues? Increased levels of insulin in the blood stimulate the production of aldosterone, a hormone that inhibits sodium in tissues. Therefore, swelling can be caused by foods with a high glycemic index.

Also, the reasons for the accumulation of excess water can be:

  1. Impaired kidney function.
  2. Slow metabolism.
  3. Use of medications.
  4. Dehydration.
  5. Drink plenty of fluids before bed.
  6. Inactivity.
  7. Infectious diseases.
  8. Hot weather.

Why is water retention harmful during pregnancy, what are the causes and consequences? This is due to the increased load on the kidneys and urinary system expectant mother. Swelling can be not only external, but also internal.

In the second case, the functioning of internal organs may be disrupted, which negatively affects the development of pregnancy. This can lead to complications during childbirth. Therefore, you need to monitor your weight gain and take the necessary measures if you deviate from the norm.

Many athletes take creatine to increase muscle mass. It retains water in the body, this is its main property.

Swelling before menstruation often bothers women over 30 or during menopause. This occurs as a result of natural hormonal changes.

Signs of fluid accumulation

Swelling causes great discomfort. This is often the cause of excess weight. Women encounter this problem much more often than men. This is due to hormonal fluctuations and age-related changes.

Signs of water retention:

  • swelling of the eyelids and face;
  • dyspnea;
  • body weight gain;
  • bloating;
  • Pressing on the skin leaves marks on the body.

You can easily determine if there is swelling. To do this, you need to press firmly on the problem area. If a trace remains, then there is swelling.

Foods that promote swelling

Most foods retain fluid in tissues. To eliminate swelling, you should reduce their consumption. Especially when the body is more susceptible to reserves: hot weather, illness, taking medications.

Foods that retain water in the body:

  1. Fast food.
  2. Oil, .
  3. Pickled foods.
  4. Canned food.
  5. , ketchup.
  6. , dairy products, .
  7. Smoked meats.
  8. , candies.
  9. Juices with sugar.
  10. Products with preservatives.
  11. Cakes.

Most of all it retains water. It is necessary to monitor the amount of its consumption. There is a lot of salt in store-bought beer snacks, sausages, canned food, which also contains various flavors and dyes.

Alcohol dehydrates. In this regard, the body strives to compensate for this, and edema forms. In addition, beer is usually drunk with chips or salted fish. Coffee in moderation has a diuretic effect, but if it is abused or consumed with sugar, the drink retains fluid.

What retains water in the body the most? This is salty food. On average, to maintain water-salt balance, you need to consume no more than 5 g of salt per day. Most products contain this component, which many are not aware of. In this regard, it is better not to add salt to the dishes. The following table shows which foods retain liquid and how much salt they contain.

Product (100 g) Amount of salt
Sauerkraut 0.8 g
Kelp 0.52 g
Cheese 0.8 g
Black bread 0.43 g
Cornflakes 0.66 g
Canned tuna 0.5 g
Beet 0.26 g
Green beans 0.4 g
Flounder 0.2 g
Shrimps 0.15 g
White bread 0.25 g
Chicory 0.16 g
Sardine 0.14 g
Egg 0.134 g
Veal 0.1 g
Chicken meat 0.08 g
Raisin 0.1 g
Pork 0.14 g
Beef 0.078 g

In many even healthy products There is salt, so you need to consume any food in moderation. When choosing a ready-made dish, you should pay attention to the label so that there is no more than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

Methods to combat edema

You can prevent fluid retention by removing foods that contribute to it from your diet. However, not everyone manages to eat right; junk food can end up on anyone’s table. What can you do to reduce the likelihood of swelling after consuming such foods?

  1. Drink a lot of water, at least 1.5 liters per day. Many people mistakenly believe that it is necessary, on the contrary, to reduce fluid intake. However, then the body will accumulate it even more in the tissues. And if there is sufficient water intake, there is no need for its accumulation.
  2. Exercise. Be outdoors more often.
  3. You can remove water from the body using a bath or bath with sea ​​salt.
  4. Drink freshly squeezed vegetable juice, it has a diuretic effect.
  5. To remove excess liquid, you need to eat rice or oatmeal in water without spices for several days. This method is often used by athletes to dry their bodies.
  6. You should do fasting days once a month. Days on kefir or apples will help get rid of water retention.
  7. You should try not to add enough salt to your food when cooking.

To remove accumulated water, you should consume foods with plenty of potassium and fiber:

  • cucumbers;
  • green tea;
  • avocado;
  • dried apricots;
  • cranberries, blueberries;
  • bananas;
  • bran;
  • raisin;
  • nuts;
  • zucchini;
  • watermelons;
  • Herb tea.

If, following all recommendations and eliminating from the diet junk food swelling continues to bother you, you should consult a doctor. The reason may be dangerous diseases that need to be treated with medications.

Medicines

If fluid retention cannot be eliminated, special medications are used - diuretics. They can only be selected by a specialist, taking into account the patient’s condition and diagnosis.

The most common diuretics are:

  1. Lasix – stops the reabsorption of sodium in the kidneys. The drug acts quickly, but its effect does not last long.
  2. Uregit – recommended for edema associated with kidney and heart diseases. The action appears within an hour. With long-term use, you can lose a lot of potassium.
  3. Hypothiazide - it acts only after 5 hours, but produces a long-lasting effect.
  4. Canephron is a plant-based diuretic. It normalizes kidney function and has a diuretic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effect. You should drink plenty of water while taking this drug.
  5. Phytolysin is a soft plant-based paste. It eliminates swelling, spasms, and inflammation. Contraindicated for use in pyelonephritis.

The choice and duration of use of drugs depends on the cause of edema. Water retention often occurs as a result of a sedentary lifestyle, long travel, or standing.

If the cause is any disease, diuretics should also be used during treatment. In this case, it is necessary to treat the disease, not the symptoms.

Video: the most easy way get rid of swelling and fluid retention in the body.

Prevention

You should change your lifestyle so that water does not retain in the body. Constant reception medications- this is not an option. Simple rules must be followed:

  • You need to eat right. Reduce the consumption of foods that retain fluid, eat less carbohydrates, fatty, salty, fried and sweet foods. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages.
  • You need to develop the habit of not adding enough salt to your food and drinking unsweetened tea.
  • Drink a lot of water, at least 1.5 liters per day.
  • It is necessary to eat fresh vegetables and fruits more often.
  • Need to move more. Inactivity is the cause of most stagnant problems in the body.
  • You should visit a doctor and get examined. Fluid retention can be caused by diseases of the thyroid gland, kidneys, heart, or hormonal imbalance.

If swelling is periodically bothering you, you need to do something. Diet based on proper nutrition and physical activity - The best way prevention of fluid retention. Regular consumption of healthy foods, clean water, avoidance of fast food, sweets and various sauces guarantees a beautiful appearance and good health.

Thyroid hormones, an imbalance between hormones produced by the kidneys and the nervous system. For example, with hypothyroidism (thyroid disease), the face and limbs swell greatly. At the slightest suspicion that swelling is associated with a disease, be sure to visit a doctor.

Fluctuations in hormonal levels during menstruation can also cause water retention in the body. At this time, some people notice that their bra straps cause them discomfort, their usual shoes begin to feel restrictive, and the rings on their fingers become tight.

Fluid accumulates in the body in the last months of pregnancy. In this case, there is no need to panic, as the swelling will disappear after childbirth.

Poor nutrition and bad habits

Liquid may be retained in the body due to excess salt and sugar in the food consumed. To solve this problem, you should reduce the amount of salt and sugar in your daily diet, and temporarily give up marinades, pickles, canned food, and confectionery.

To relieve swelling, do capillary exercises regularly. To do this, lie on your back, lift your limbs up and shake them vigorously for several minutes.

Water retention in tissues occurs due to a lack of certain nutrients(B vitamins, potassium, fiber). In this case, include fruits, fresh vegetables, cereals, red fish and herbs in your diet.

In addition, allergens cause fluid retention in tissues. To get rid of toxic substances, the body attracts water to the tissues, which is necessary for their dissolution and removal. The same thing happens with alcohol poisoning, smoking, and constant use of medications.

Regular physical activity and trips to the bathhouse will help remove excess fluid from the body.

Dehydration

Another reason for fluid retention in the body is dehydration. If you significantly reduce water consumption per day, the body will begin to make reserves, keeping it in the intercellular space.

To cope with swelling of the feet, immerse your feet daily for 10-15 minutes in warm water with sea salt and herbal infusions.

To prevent this from happening, you need to drink up to two liters of fluid per day. This can be pure water, herbal tea, compote, natural juices.

Outflow excess liquid The lymphatic system takes care of the tissues, but sometimes it does not cope with its work, especially if for some reason a lot of fluid accumulates in the body. This is how swelling appears.

Fluid retention in the body usually occurs before menstruation and during pregnancy, and this is due to hormonal imbalance in the body. Also swelling, since many foods retain water in the body, such as spicy, salty, pickled and smoked foods, fast food, sausages, sausages, all kinds of sauces, sugar and sweets. The combination of sugar and fat is especially unfavorable, so donuts, cream pies and ice cream often become causes of fluid retention in the body.

Very often, accumulation of fluid in tissues is observed in the body after alcohol, since tired kidneys cannot cope with their duties, as well as the liver, which is responsible for recycling alcohol. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks also retain water in the body, so coffee drinkers experience swelling, although not as significant as from beer and smoked fish. Fluid retention is often the result of smoking, physical inactivity, excess weight, tight clothing and uncomfortable shoes, including high heels.

We have figured out the main causes of edema, and now let’s try to figure out how to deal with them. Before taking diuretic pills, try following your grandmother's advice.

Buy diuretics with corn silk or lingonberry leaves at the pharmacy. Brew herbs according to package directions and drink throughout the day. Some folk healers recommend adding crushed sugar to the night onion, and in the morning drink 2 tbsp on an empty stomach. l. squeezed juice. An infusion of 4 tsp also helps a lot. chopped root and parsley seeds, poured a glass of boiling water. After 10 hours, you can drink this medicinal drink half an hour before meals, 1 tbsp. l. Brewed in a similar way flax-seed- Mix 0.5 liters of water with 2 tbsp. l. seeds, boil for 15 minutes, leave for an hour and drink half a glass after meals.

Oksana Kurtukova

Herbalist

“Traditional medicine recommends many herbs that help quickly remove excess fluid from the body. These are St. John's wort, nettle, lovage, juniper, bearberry, rose hips, plantain, horsetail, cornflower flowers, wheatgrass root and licorice. I consider a decoction of birch buds or leaves to be the most affordable and effective way to combat swelling. It is enough to drink it three times a day, half a glass before meals, and you will soon see improvements. However, before using herbs, be sure to undergo a medical examination and consult with your doctor, because you may have contraindications to taking certain herbs.”

How to help swollen feet

For water retention in the leg muscles, garlic infusion, which is prepared from a head of chopped garlic soaked in water, helps well. After bringing the broth to a boil, you need to cool it slightly and rinse your feet with it - relief usually comes very quickly.

Creams with leech extract and raw cabbage leaves softened with a rolling pin are very effective. Ice foot massage is also very effective - for this procedure, brew herbs, freeze the decoction in the freezer in small ice trays, then wrap it in a cloth, crush the ice with a hammer into small fragments and intensively massage the swollen areas with it. It is believed that it also helps to relieve swelling if the problem area is wrapped in cellophane film and wrapped in a warm towel.

Lifestyle and diet for removing fluid from the body

First of all, give up salt, hot spices, sauces, smoked foods, sweets and fast food, drink more water and change your diet. Include in your diet foods that remove fluid from the body - this is compote from dried apples, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery, pumpkin, watermelon, black currants, strawberries and buckwheat. Sometimes the cause of increased swelling is a lack of potassium in the body, in which case you need to eat potatoes, seaweed, beans, lentils, dried fruits and nuts more often, especially hazelnuts and almonds. Radish juice with honey, which is usually prescribed for coughs, gives excellent results; as it turns out, it also helps with swelling.

In addition, you will have to change your lifestyle so that the lymphatic system works without interruption, and the kidneys and liver do not require weekends or vacations. Sleep for at least 7-8 hours and move more, because movement improves metabolism, due to which excess fluid is actively removed from the body. You've probably noticed that after a sports workout the scales show minus 1 kg or more - this is the result of the outflow of fluid accumulated in tissues and muscles. In other words, if you want to remove fluid from the body for weight loss, give up bad habits, eat right and engage in sports. Checked - excess weight will begin to leave more actively!

Edema and health problems

What else retains water in the body? Alas, sometimes the accumulation of moisture in tissues is a symptom of many diseases, which general practitioner Yuri Ivonin talks about.

Yuri Ivonin

General practitioner

“Many infections and viral diseases block the lymphatic system, so fluid is retained in the tissues and swelling appears. Similar things happen when there is a metabolic disorder, which results in obesity, as well as when hormonal imbalances during pregnancy and menopause. Pregnant women should never self-medicate, and if swelling occurs, they should immediately consult a doctor, since these symptoms may indicate gestosis, requiring immediate hospitalization. However, the most dangerous are considered to be disorders of the cardiovascular system, in which there is also fluid retention in the body, because with poor performance heart, blood circulation in the tissues worsens. Allergies, kidney failure and vein blockage lead to edema, so if you experience edema, do not delay and immediately consult a doctor. Side effect“Many medications also cause moisture accumulation in the tissues, but this is a temporary phenomenon that will go away after stopping treatment.”

Fluid retention in the body is nothing more than a manifestation of a protective mechanism of self-regulation. This happens for many reasons. At first, a person does not notice any changes, unless an unreasonable weight gain occurs. If you leave the problem unattended, then unpleasant consequences are possible in the form of constant morning swelling, a swollen face and poor health. Severe swelling cannot be ignored - it can serve as a symptom of cardiovascular or renal disease, or be a consequence of hormonal disorders. To identify the cause, you must consult a doctor and undergo a medical examination.

Retention of excess fluid in the body can occur due to completely banal reasons - a sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition. Those who plan to lose weight through diets first of all need to know how to remove excess fluid from the body. Due to the loss of water, you can achieve quick and noticeable results - 2–3 kg are lost in just a few days.

Why does water accumulate in the human body and how to remove liquid from the body at home?

Why is excess fluid not removed from the body?

Where does excess water in the body come from? Everything is very simple. If everything is in order with the kidneys and cardiovascular system, then your body simply stores water, leaving it in the intercellular space. The body does this in case of excess salts, in order to dilute waste and toxins, as well as due to a lack of clean water coming from outside.

The appearance of edema may also be due to hormonal reasons. Water retention often occurs in women when their menstrual cycle is disrupted. In this case, you need to consult a doctor, but you can reduce swelling with the help of folk remedies (in addition to the main treatment).

Here are the main reasons why fluid is retained in the body.

As you can see, the problem of water retention is complex. Therefore, before you go on a diet to remove fluid from the body and lose weight, try simple recommendations and change your lifestyle a little.

Sometimes a simple change in your daily routine can work wonders. Here's what you need to do to normalize water balance in organism.

In addition to this, review your diet, if possible, eliminating foods that retain water in the body.

What foods remove fluid from the body

  • fats and oils;
  • salted, smoked and pickled foods.

It is clear that many products of the modern food industry fall into this category: canned fish and meat, loin, ham, brisket, grilled chicken, caviar, sausages, sausages, sauces and cheeses. Fatty desserts, mayonnaise, and cream are prohibited. During the diet you need to give them up completely. In the future, their use is limited by allocating 10–15% of the total diet or by allocating one “laxative” day per week.

Let's list the products that remove fluid from the body. These are foods rich in fiber or containing a lot of potassium:

Anything that removes water from the body helps cope with swelling.

Diets for removing fluid from the body

How to remove water from the body for weight loss? After normalizing the intake of water and salt in the human body, special diets can be used to achieve a quick effect. They not only get rid of excess fluid, but also remove toxins and waste.

Here are several ways to remove excess fluid from the body to lose weight.

Kefir diet

First you need to do an enema to cleanse the intestines. Then they begin a diet designed for seven days. At the same time, drink 1.5 liters of kefir every day and eat the following foods:

Milk tea diet

Another way to quickly remove water from the body is milk tea.

By the way, simple fasting days on oatmeal cleanse the intestines well and remove excess water from fabrics. To do this, during the day they eat only oatmeal, cooked in water without salt and sugar. In total, you will need about 500 grams of cereal per day. You can drink the porridge with herbal tea or rosehip decoction.

How to remove excess fluid from the body using folk remedies

The easiest way to remove excess fluid from the body using folk remedies is to replace daily drinks with herbal teas that have a mild diuretic effect. It could be:

There are herbs that remove fluid from the body, which need to be taken in doses - they are strong diuretics:

Baths and saunas help remove excess fluid from the body. By visiting the steam room once a week, you get rid of waste and toxins, excess salt and water, and train your heart and blood vessels. Massage has an excellent preventive and therapeutic effect.

It is also useful to do various exercises. Joint exercises stimulate lymph circulation well. By devoting 15–20 minutes a day to it, you can not only cope with swelling, but also avoid osteochondrosis, arthritis and other unpleasant diseases musculoskeletal system.

Drugs that remove fluid from the body

You can take medications that remove fluid from the body only on the recommendation of a doctor! As a one-time measure to eliminate edema, you can use mild diuretics:

These pills flush out electrolytes from the body and can lead to imbalances and metabolic problems.

In conclusion, we will dwell on the main points on how to cope with excess fluid and swelling. First of all, you need to normalize the flow of water and salt into the body. To do this, drink 1.5–2 liters of clean water daily and consume no more than 3–4 grams of salt (the norm is increased during heat and physical activity). The diet is enriched with foods rich in fiber and potassium: vegetables and fruits, nuts, herbs, cereals and wholemeal bread. Avoid the consumption of alcohol and sweet soda, reduce the amount of black tea and coffee. To achieve quick results, you can use special diets, and if you need a long-term effect, then drink herbal decoctions with a weak diuretic effect instead of regular tea.

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Many girls are familiar with the situation when the next day after one accidental overeating, the weight increases sharply. There is no need to panic right away - perhaps this is just a temporary fluid retention. Our article today is about what this concept includes and how to get rid of water in the body. Let's fight together!

Stagnation of fluid in the body: causes and symptoms

It is not always possible to definitively answer why fluid is retained in the body in a particular case. The fact is that there are at least five main reasons for the appearance of edema:

  1. Too active or passive work. , as a rule, lie in your lifestyle. Do you move too little, or, on the contrary, barely have time to sit down? Both can cause swelling. And most often the legs suffer from them.
  2. Lack of water. Do you drink black tea, coffee, milk, juice, sweet soda and other drinks all day, thinking that this amount of liquid is enough? We hasten to upset you: the body needs clean water, not surrogates. Otherwise, fluid stagnation cannot be avoided.
  3. Diuretic drinks. Abuse of coffee, lemonade, beer and other alcohol is a direct path to the appearance of edema. Such drinks remove all useful moisture from the body. He, in turn, experiences enormous stress and stores liquid for future use. In the form of a few extra kilos.
  4. Excess salt in the diet. It's no secret that overly salty foods retain fluid in the body. But not everyone knows why this happens. The fact is that the body uses water to try to remove salt that is harmful to it. After eating salty food, you begin to drink a lot, excess fluid is retained in the body, resulting in swelling.
  5. Foods that retain water in the body. In addition to salty foods, the appearance of edema can be provoked by:
  • marinades and pickles - both homemade and store-bought;
  • sweets: pastries, cakes, honey, syrups, cookies, various chocolates;
  • dairy products with high fat content or preservatives: butter, spread, margarine, cream;
  • any factory sauces;
  • hard cheese;
  • eggs;
  • flour: baked goods, loaves, pasta;
  • smoked meats of all types, sausages;
  • fried in any oil;
  • chips and crackers with flavoring additives;
  • fast food;
  • any other product that contains preservatives, dyes and other synthetics.

If fluid constantly accumulates in the body, and you can no longer cope with the stagnation on your own, this is a serious reason to consult a doctor. Perhaps the cause of fluid retention in the body is a hormonal imbalance, infection or kidney disease. In any case, only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis.

To determine the presence of swelling, press your finger on the test area. If spots appear that do not go away for a long time, or a depression in the skin persists for several seconds, then there is a problem.

How to remove fluid from the body?

There are several effective ways cope with swelling and ensure that stagnation does not recur. Let's look at each in detail.

Method one: eat certain foods

You already know which foods retain water in the body. Now let's deal with those that bring it out. Helper products include:

  • Fruits and berries with diuretic properties. For example, watermelon chokeberry, viburnum, strawberries and wild strawberries, cranberries, blueberries.
  • Natural diuretics: beets, bell peppers, celery, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, herbs (dill and parsley), and also buckwheat and apple cider vinegar.
  • Foods that speed up metabolism and remove toxins: tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, various leaf salads, cabbage in all variations.
  • Herbal infusions and teas: chicory, centaury, blueberry and lingonberry leaves, chamomile, calendula.

It is important to know: if the causes of fluid retention in the body are caused by kidney diseases (stones, kidney failure, etc.), you should not rely on diuretic products. Otherwise, you risk harming yourself.

Method two: drink more clean water

Drink at least two liters of water a day and you will feel improvements very soon. The secret of success is simple: the body begins to understand that it has enough water and stops storing it for future use.

But you need to drink water wisely. For example, you should not do this while eating. In addition, it is better to abstain from liquids in the first two hours after a meal. The fact is that if you “dilute” gastric juice with liquid, food is less digestible, which means it runs the risk of being stored as fat.

Method three: add less salt

If in your case the answer to the question of why fluid leaves the body poorly is excess salt in the diet, we advise you to change your eating habits. Moreover, salt not only retains water, but also masks the real taste of food.

Switching to low-salt foods is not as difficult as it seems. Add salt to ready-made dishes, gradually reducing the amount of this spice, and after a while you will definitely see a positive effect.

Do you want to know how to get rid of excess water in the body in as soon as possible? There is nothing simpler: completely eliminate salt from your diet, stop eating processed foods, and literally in one or two days the swelling will completely disappear.

Method four: play sports

If the reasons for fluid retention in the body are poor metabolism and sedentary work, start moving more. Even if you don’t have time to fully engage in sports, it’s okay: just set aside 10 minutes a day for exercise.

Crunches with weights, lunges with dumbbells overhead, plies, squat jumps, and even regular morning exercises will help speed up your metabolism!

Method five: take a healing bath

This is another answer to the question of how to get rid of fluid in the body in a short time. Procedure:

  1. No snacks or tea at least two hours before the procedure. It is better to abstain completely even from ordinary water.
  2. Pour water into the bath so that it reaches your armpits. Measure the water temperature - it should not exceed 38 degrees.
  3. Add about half a kilo of regular salt and 200 grams of baking soda to the water.
  4. Take a bath for 10 minutes. During this time, you need to drink a cup of green tea without sugar. Important: the drink must be hot!
  5. After getting out of the bathroom, dry your body thoroughly with a towel.
  6. Lie down in bed, cover yourself with a warm blanket - you need to sweat well. Spend at least half an hour under the covers.
  7. Take a shower to wash off the sweat.
  8. Don’t rush to the refrigerator: you need to hold out for at least another hour without food or drink.

Method six: unload

Experienced fighters against edema know: to prevent stagnation, you need to do fasting days once a week. Here are the three most effective:

  • On milk tea. This magical drink is prepared simply: add a couple of tablespoons of high-quality green tea to two liters of milk, almost brought to a boil. Let the drink brew for half an hour and drink as often as your body requires.
  • On kefir. Excess fluid is retained in the body - what to do? The answer is simple: buy a liter of one percent kefir and drink a little every couple of hours. One day of such a diet - and the swelling is gone!
  • With pumpkin juice. You can use a pure product, you can mix it with another juice (for example, from carrots or apples), you can dilute it with water - there is no difference. But when mixing, the main thing is not to overdo it: there should be as much pumpkin juice as possible, because it is what removes excess water.

Another way to cope with swelling is to indulge in “beauty porridge”.

Boil oatmeal in water, add fruits and spices to it if desired (for example, cinnamon, which also speeds up metabolism) - and go to slim figure! Remember: under no circumstances should you add salt and sugar to this porridge.

To summarize: if fluid is poorly removed from the body, you need to look for the reasons in yourself. Pay attention to your diet, level physical activity, amount of water consumed.

Chances are the problem is easier to solve than you think.

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Causes of water retention in the body

Fluid retention in the body is the body's ability to regulate its protective functions. Excess water causes swelling, which most people experience as bags under the eyes or swollen limbs. In addition, it can cause excess weight, adding extra pounds.

Excess water in the body can appear due to poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption and demonstrate that a person has a problem with the cardiovascular system or kidneys. It is necessary to remove surpluses for improvement general well-being and normalization of organ function. To lose weight using diets, fluid is removed first, and in just a few days you can lose up to 3 kg of weight.

Causes of water retention in the body

Water accumulation occurs for various reasons. A person's hormonal levels may change, and this may be influenced by environmental elements. Excess water can be a consequence of past illnesses. For example, excess fluid appears due to the action of pathogenic bacteria or chronic diseases. Hoping that the swelling will go away on its own and drink less for the sake of it is not a way out of the situation. It is necessary to find out the cause, and for this you need a diagnosis made by a specialist.

The cause of fluid retention in the body can also be an insufficient amount of fluid intake. For example, a person, seeing swelling, decides to fight it himself in an accessible way– drink less, but swelling does not disappear. The reason for this is that the body is able to independently regulate the excretion of urine, and if there is not enough water in the body to remove waste products, it begins to accumulate it until the required amount is collected. Many people mistakenly think that if water is retained in the body, the best way to get rid of it is to drink a diuretic.

Constant use of diuretics leads to edema.

Excess salt can also retain water in the intercellular space. A healthy person needs to consume up to 15 gm of salt per day, but the dose can be increased if he is actively involved in sports or in the summer, when salts leave the body through sweat. Thus, per day active person may lose up to 50 gm of salt. But to remove excess, you need to drink more water, which will dilute the salt and restore electrolyte balance.

Why is fluid retained in the body? One reason is drinking at night. If you go to bed at ten, then last time should drink no later than 20:00. Drinking drinks later will put extra strain on the kidneys. This may result in you having to get up to go to the toilet at night and wake up in the morning with a swollen face. It is better to drink actively before 19:00.

So, one of the reasons for fluid retention in the body lies in a passive lifestyle. Fluid in the intercellular space is concentrated near the lymphatic vessels due to contraction of the muscle tissue around them. It becomes difficult for the body to remove water, and that is why many people cannot fasten their boots in the evening due to swollen feet.

What foods retain water in the body?

Any containing synthetic additives, dyes, preservatives. Alas, it is now impossible to find other products in stores, so it is worth focusing on eating home-cooked dishes.
Products whose consumption should be limited:


Consequences of fluid retention in the body

External signs will be visible to the naked eye:

  • excess weight;
  • swelling of the face;
  • bags under the eyes;
  • swollen legs or arms;
  • sickly appearance and poor health.

Chronic diseases of internal organs may worsen.

In some cases, water accumulates due to drinking too many drinks. For example, an adult needs to drink about 2 liters of water every day, not counting juices, apples, oranges, compotes, soups, and fresh vegetables. In summer, this norm increases to 3 liters, and if a person drinks more per day, this can cause edema. But most often this is not what happens main problem, since people usually drink much less than the daily norm.

How to remove fluid from the body

In some cases, you can get rid of water by simply changing your diet. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of fatty, fried, salty foods, sweet drinks and give preference to clean water.

Let’s not forget that physical activity and walks in the fresh air are vital for humans. If you devote at least 15 minutes a day to a banal walk in the fresh air, you will give your legs the necessary load, which will help relieve swelling. You can see this clearly: if before walking or playing sports you had difficulty putting on shoes, then after that your feet will return to their normal state.

We have looked at what foods retain fluid in the body, now we need to understand their antipodes.

Foods that promote the release of water from the body

How to get rid of excess water in the body in a natural way? Enough to eat the right products, high in potassium or fiber. These are fresh fruits and vegetables, and, accordingly, all the dishes that are prepared from them. Watermelons, cabbage, pumpkin, beets, strawberries, apricots, zucchini and eggplants are especially good in this regard. By the way, juices from vegetables or fruits can be considered an ideal diuretic, especially birch, cabbage and beet juice. If you are prone to swelling, you can arrange fasting for yourself and eat only watermelons and fresh cucumbers. This will cleanse the body, remove stagnant fluid, and at the same time cleanse the kidneys.

If a person suffers from renal failure or other kidney diseases, the watermelon diet is contraindicated for him.

In its pure form, constantly eating the right foods can get boring, so salads with parsley, nettle or sorrel will perfectly complement your diet. Nuts and dried fruits will be no less useful, but at the same time nutritious and will relieve the cause of fluid retention in the body.

Fluids are poorly removed from the body due to the lack of rice and oatmeal, muesli, wholemeal bread, hibiscus and green tea in the diet. Regular consumption of these products will avoid swelling and increase the tone of the body.

Rice contains a lot of potassium that removes salt and little sodium that retains water, which is why professional athletes eat bland rice porridge for several days on the eve of important competitions.

How to get rid of water in the body through diet

Doctors do not recommend resorting to exhausting diets to combat edema, since any of them is stress for the body. Restriction always has a positive effect on one thing, and always a negative effect on something else. Stick to proper nutrition as much as possible, and sometimes have fasting days on oatmeal or kefir. As a supplement, you can drink unlimited amounts of hibiscus or green tea.

How to get rid of fluid in the body using folk remedies

To get started, you can experiment with drinks. Many people cannot give up coffee, although they more harm than benefit. As an alternative, you can try brewing mint, rose hips, lemon balm, lingonberries, birch leaves or caraway seeds. If you like apple tea, then you can drink it, but only use dried apple peels as tea leaves, and not ordinary dried fruits.

IN folk medicine They always used diuretic herbs: barberry, horsetail, elderberry, bearberry, arnica flowers. But you need to remember that these are potent drugs, and they can only be used in a certain dosage.

You cannot buy herbs at markets. They must be sold in pharmacies unopened, accompanied by instructions for use.

Several recipes for removing water from the body:

  1. 2 tbsp. l. crushed dried birch leaves pour 250 gm of boiling water. Cover the cup tightly for half an hour. The resulting infusion must be filtered, add soda on the tip of a knife and drink 1 tsp. 3 times a day.
  2. Brew dried lingonberries or rose hips as tea, drink half a glass several times a day.
  3. Drink a glass of compote made from dried apple peels 4 times a day.
  4. 1 tbsp. l. dill seeds, brew 250 g of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. drink 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day.

Folk remedies include regular visits to the sauna or bathhouse. By visiting the steam room just once a week, you can not only get rid of excess salt and water, but also toxins.

Visiting the sauna also helps you lose weight!

An addition to this can be a therapeutic body massage, which activates blood circulation and triggers the body’s excretory processes, so after a massage it is usually advised to drink more water, which is designed to remove waste products from the body.

Removing water using medications

It is unlikely that you will be able to independently determine what is retaining water in the body. Only a doctor can find out the cause by conducting laboratory tests, make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

There are cases when the fluid needs to be removed urgently, and in this situation they will not be suitable folk remedies. In such cases, powerful diuretics are prescribed, such as Furosemide, Diursan, Torasemide, Ethacrynic acid, Diuver. All of them are designed for use within a strictly limited period of time, which will be determined by the doctor, since in addition to water, they are able to flush useful components from the body, for example, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

So why does fluid leave the body poorly? Sometimes this is facilitated by the drugs used medications. For example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta blockers, estrogen-based medications. This is why you should not self-medicate. Many medications may not be combined and, if used in parallel, will lead to complications. Consultation with a doctor is essential for successful treatment.

The cause of fluid stagnation in the body may be the inability to dress warmly during frosts. The body perceives any cold as an unusual situation, turns on the protective function, and therefore begins to accumulate water reserves.

Medicines for each person are selected individually. A drug may help one person but not another. This depends on the tolerability of the individual components of the drugs.

If during long trips the body retains fluid, what should you do?

Tourism enthusiasts have probably noticed that during long flights or car trips, water begins to settle in the limbs especially quickly. To avoid this, you need to periodically get up and move. If this is a car, you need to make stops, during which you squat, jump and do other things. physical exercise.

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Fluid retention in the body is an unpleasant phenomenon familiar to most people, especially women. It leads to swelling, which not only affects the appearance, but also increases the load on the internal organs. Difficulty removing fluid from the body is a symptom of some heart and kidney diseases. But most often this happens due to an incorrect lifestyle and because many do not know what foods retain water in the body. If edema has become a constant companion in life, first of all you need to adjust the menu, reducing or completely eliminating these particular products. Often this is enough to get rid of bags under the eyes in the morning and a couple of extra pounds.

Why does fluid retention occur in the body?

The main reason for water retention in human tissues and cells is electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) play an important role in ensuring the normal functioning of the body. They are responsible for metabolism and affect the composition of the blood. Excessive or insufficient use of at least one of these minerals leads to imbalance.

Sodium and potassium regulate water-salt metabolism: sodium ions retain water, and potassium removes it. Excess sodium in the body causes excess fluid to accumulate. Insufficient potassium intake also causes swelling.

The daily dose of sodium to maintain electrolyte balance is 1.5-3 g. Regular excess of this dose (more than 4-5 g) leads not only to edema, but also to increased blood pressure, kidney diseases.

The main source of sodium in the body is food containing salt. Excessive consumption of salty foods is main reason morning swelling, but not the only one.

Another reason why water retention occurs is high level insulin in the blood, stimulating the release of aldosterone, a hormone that retains sodium in tissues. Therefore, edema is also provoked by foods and drinks with a high glycemic index.

Thus, there are two main food groups that can retain water in the body. Let's look at each in detail.

Foods High in Sodium

All products containing large amounts of sodium in their composition are products that retain fluid in the body. The most common source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride). Almost all animal food and plant origin contains pure sodium chloride:

milk; seafood; meat; eggs; celery; legumes; cereals.

Their salt content is low, and their consumption is the minimum necessary to maintain electrolyte balance. But in the production of many food products, sodium is artificially added to them. Most often, manufacturers aim to enhance the taste and preserve the freshness of the product for as long as possible, so they add additional forms of sodium instead of salt:

sodium nitrite to improve color and as a preservative; monosodium glutamate to enhance taste; sodium saccharin – sugar substitute; sodium benzoate – keeps the product fresh for a long time (preservative); sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

These forms of sodium are found in large quantities in all processed foods. We express the quantitative content of sodium salts in them in the table.

Name of food products Content of sodium salts, mg/100 g
Sausages:

smoked sausage

boiled sausages

1300-1800
Hard cheeses 900-1300
Hamburgers, sandwiches (fast food) 1000-1200
Sauerkraut 800
Canned fish 400-600
Canned meat (stew) 500-700
Bakery products:

made from rye flour

from wheat

450
Sea kale 550
Pickled olives 1500
Canned vegetables (peas, beans, corn) 400-700
Mayonnaise 2000-3000
Ketchup 1500-1800
Soy sauce 5000
Chips 1000-1700
Crackers, snacks 800-1200

The food products noted in the table are leaders in salt content, so if you are prone to edema, they should be excluded from your diet first.

A small package of any salty snack or just a few slices of sausage provides several times your daily sodium intake. The constant addition of various sauces, even to healthy foods with low salt content, also leads to an overdose of this microelement, causing electrolyte imbalance and fluid retention in the body.

High glycemic index foods

Another group of foods that cause water retention are foods with a high glycemic index (GI). Its use causes a sharp release of insulin, which leads to the production of the hormone aldesterone. It retains sodium in the body's cells and causes swelling.

Below is a list of high GI foods:

all sweets: chocolate, cookies, candies, halva, waffles, muffins; sweet products; dried fruits; bakery products; potato; cornflakes.

These foods, which retain water in the body, should also be limited if there is swelling and excess weight. When consuming dairy products with high fat content, the body also begins to produce aldesterone, so they can also be included in the list of foods that provoke water retention.

Drinks that retain water in the body

When drinking some drinks, fluid will be retained rather than removed, so if you are prone to swelling, you should limit their intake. For example, beer and sweet carbonated drinks have a high glycemic index, and coffee in small doses has a diuretic effect, but when consumed in excess or with large amounts of sugar, coffee retains water in the body.

Drinking alcohol always causes swelling. Alcoholic drinks are strong diuretics; they remove fluid from the body, but at the same time disrupt the balance of all body systems, including water-salt balance. To remove toxins from the liver, water is needed, so all the liquid drunk after an alcoholic libation accumulates in the intercellular space and becomes the cause of edema.

How to deal with fluid retention in the body

The best way to get rid of edema caused by consuming foods and drinks that cause fluid retention is to completely limit them in your diet.

But due to various circumstances, it is not always possible to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, so these foods and drinks can appear on any person’s menu. What can you do to minimize the risk of edema after eating foods that cause water to accumulate in body tissues?

To do this, you should follow several rules and recommendations.


Drink as much clean, non-carbonated water as possible (at least 1.5-2 liters per day). At first glance, this seems illogical: if water accumulates, its intake should be reduced. But the body will react to the restriction of fluid with an even greater delay and will accumulate it “in reserve.” With sufficient fluid intake (except for coffee and sweet carbonated drinks), the need for water accumulation will disappear. Exercise and walk in the fresh air. This helps speed up metabolism, improve kidney function and remove excess water faster. If there is a lot of fluid in the body, a bath or a warm bath with sea salt and soda helps to successfully remove its excess. Try to salt foods as little as possible when cooking. Salt contained in the diet modern man, is quite enough for the normal functioning of all organs (even without the use of various sauces, smoked meats and snacks). Consume foods and drinks high in potassium and fiber - they help to quickly remove excess fluid: green tea and hibiscus; dried apricots and raisins; berries, especially cranberries, blueberries, chokeberries; wheat bran; nuts; bananas; avocado; jacket potatoes; watermelons and melons; herbal teas from chamomile flowers, calendula, lingonberry leaves, blueberries, lemon balm; zucchini; cucumbers Use the juice of fresh vegetables (carrots, cabbage, beets) as a diuretic. It is prohibited to prescribe or drink pharmaceutical diuretics on your own - they are addictive and remove potassium, magnesium and calcium salts from the body along with sodium salts. Periodically arrange fasting days. Regular unloading on kefir, apples or milk tea prevents fluid stagnation in the cells (2 tablespoons of green tea are brewed in 2 liters of milk). To eliminate swelling caused by foods high in salt, you need to eat rice or oatmeal with water (unsalted, of course) for several days. This is a proven product used by athletes to dry their muscles before competitions.

If, after eliminating foods that cause fluid retention from the menu and following recommendations for preventing edema, they still occur and cause concern, this is a reason to consult a doctor for a comprehensive examination of the body. Possible cause of swelling - serious illnesses requiring medical intervention and medication.

Proper nutrition and an active lifestyle are the best means of preventing edema caused by the accumulation of fluid in the body. Daily consumption of clean water, fresh fruits, vegetables, steamed or boiled meat and seafood, exclusion of fast food, sweets and sauces from the diet industrial production– the key to excellent appearance, absence of swelling and health problems.

Fluid retention in the body - serious problem, as a result of which the human body works under a very heavy load. Reasons that lead to water retention: genetic pathologies, somatic diseases, impaired water regime, poor nutrition with a high salt content.

Water balance value

One of the important components that ensure a sufficient volume of fluid in the body is maintaining a balance of water consumption and its intake (proper drinking regimen).

A person needs 30-50 ml of liquid per kilogram of body weight per day. The amount of liquid may vary slightly depending on the ambient temperature, time of year, and health status. The more water is removed through sweat, the more you need to drink to maintain balance in the body.

Water balance depends not only on the water you drink, but also on its excretion, which is carried out by the excretory system and sweat glands. This balance can be disrupted by consuming foods that can cause a delay in the removal of fluid from body tissues, which leads to the appearance of edema, functional disruption of organs, and, as a consequence, the development of diseases.

Products retain liquid


Foods high in salt, creatine, coffee, some drugs, milk, cottage cheese, toxic substances, and alcohol delay the removal of water from body cells.

Sodium chloride, which is a supplier of ions necessary for normal life, retains water in the body. A lack of salt is harmful to the body, but its excess is also dangerous. Many foods contain salt, even if they do not taste salty (% DV).

Flour products and grains (2-14%): corn flakes; Rye bread; wheat; oat flakes. Meat and fish (2.5-2.7%): fish; veal; pork; beef. Dairy products (1-6%): cheese (26-27%); cow's milk; cottage cheese.Vegetables (1-9%): beets; potato; red cabbage; green peas; tomatoes. Greens (1-3%): celery; spinach. Champignons, mushrooms (2.5-15%). Eggs (3-4%). Nuts (0.6%). Fruits, berries (0.6%): bananas; oranges, almonds; dates. Pickles, pickled, canned vegetables, fruits (1400-2400).

A lot of salt:


in products containing dyes, preservatives: sausages, crackers, sausages, smoked meats, chips, mayonnaise, fast foods; in sweet teas and coffee (excess insulin retains water); in alcoholic beverages.

Sauerkraut

One of the most delicious and vitamin-rich foods is sauerkraut. But for some diseases, cabbage should not be consumed. It is contraindicated for high blood pressure and kidney disease. Sauerkraut can cause edema or hypertensive crisis, the reason is a large amount of salt, almost 800 mg per hundred grams.

Daily salt intake


The daily dose of table salt, according to doctors, is about two and a half grams. This is the amount of salt that is contained in food (hidden) and the salt that is added to cooked food. A larger amount of salt will actively retain water and aggravate pathologies such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes.

Such patients are recommended to reduce their salt intake to one and a half grams per day. The daily salt requirement can be obtained from food products, especially if their packaging says: E 401, E 301, E 500, E 211, E 331, E 524, E 485, E 339, that is, table salt.

Creatine and water loss

Creatine is an organic compound partially synthesized in the body. Creatine is found in fish and meat. Creatine is used as a relatively harmless sports supplement that increases endurance and promotes muscle growth. But an excess of the supplement, more than 25 g per day, is undesirable. Creatine causes a delay in the excretion of urine from the body.

Although the swelling is not visible externally, creatine can retain up to two liters of water, but it cannot be removed using diuretics (diuretics). Reducing your drinking regimen is also contraindicated, since creatine causes dehydration due to the absorption of water by the muscles. On the contrary, you need to drink up to three liters of water to restore your water balance.

The effect of coffee on water balance

The physiological effect of coffee depends on many factors. If you drink more than 3 cups of coffee, the diuretic effect is guaranteed; if less, coffee retains water in the body. Sweet drinks also have the same effect - if there is an excess of sugar in coffee, the diuretic properties of the drink increase. The reasons why pregnant women are not recommended to drink coffee are that it causes edema and increased blood pressure.

Dairy


Research conducted by scientists and doctors has shown why milk, ice cream, cottage cheese, and yoghurts cause fluid retention in the body. Reasons: when they are consumed, the secretion of insulin in the body sharply increases; insulin increases the production of the adrenal hormone (aldosterone), which delays the excretion of sodium salts. It is beneficial to consume dairy products immediately after physical training to quickly restore functionality.

Toxins and water retention

Alcohol, other toxins or drugs cause water retention because water dissolves these poisons, reducing the negative effects on the body.

Fluid removal products

The following products actively remove fluid from the body.

Fruits (watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, viburnum). In case of kidney stones, these fruits should be used in food carefully so as not to cause an exacerbation. Tomatoes, asparagus, cabbage, leaf salads. They not only help remove water, but also help eliminate toxins and speed up metabolism. Buckwheat, greens, bell peppers, zucchini, pumpkin, beets. Diuretic teas from chamomile, chicory, centaury, lingonberry and blueberry leaves.

Vitamins and fluid removal

Hypovitaminosis, a lack of essential microelements, can lead to a delay in the excretion of water. Therefore, it is advisable that your daily diet include the following products:

red beef, bananas, salmon, containing vitamins B6; fruits, low-fat dairy and lactic acid products with vitamins B, D; citrus fruits, greens, spinach, containing trace elements magnesium, potassium.

Pure water


The most the best remedy Clean water helps get rid of excess fluid and toxins. Not juices, fresh juices, compotes, teas containing fruits, honey, sugar, which are complete foods, but pure water is good for the body. You can drink bottled still water, environmentally friendly water, and water from mineral springs.

Some doctors and nutritionists say that if you freeze water, you can get structured water that has a beneficial effect on the human body. The greatest diuretic and detoxifying effect can be obtained by drinking warm water in the morning.

Preventing fluid accumulation

Drink at least two liters of water per day. Reduce the amount of salt and sugar, or eliminate their consumption altogether. Sugar can be replaced with fruits and natural honey. Adhere to a rational and healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, lactic acid products. Eat dried fruits, raisins, nuts, dark chocolate (in small quantities). Don’t forget that doing physical exercise is healthy, and walking in the air speeds up metabolism and leads to more active diuresis. Do not use diuretics without a doctor’s prescription, so as not to cause dehydration.

Maintaining the correct drinking regime and reducing foods that retain water in the diet protect the body from many diseases.

Beauty and Health Health

Most people are familiar with the problem of edema and excess fluid in the body. Often, when we go to the mirror in the morning, we notice that our face seems to be swollen or “blurred.” In the arms and legs, swelling is also detected visually, and by other signs: shoes are too tight, and the straps of summer shoes cut into the skin; In winter, it can be difficult to zip up boots.

If you feel “heaviness in your legs”, but appearance the swelling is invisible, you can press your finger in the area of ​​the shin: a trace remains - there is swelling.

Where does swelling come from?

Determining the cause of “swelling” of tissues and the occurrence of swelling is not always easy - competent medical diagnosis is needed.

For example, more fluid enters the body than is excreted; electrolyte balance or metabolism is disrupted; there are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, liver or kidneys.

Fluid may be retained due to lack of movement, incorrect posture, hot weather, working in one position - sitting or standing, using certain medications - including contraception, wearing tight (uncomfortable) clothes and shoes. In women, edema can also be accompanied by PMS, and in most cases, pregnancy, although this cannot be considered the norm.

When water is retained in the tissues, the body has to work under conditions of serious overload. This can last for months and even years: many people here simply get used to their illnesses and believe that “nothing can be done about it.”

Sometimes, having discovered a tendency to edema, a person seeks to limit fluid intake, but the problem does not go away. The swelling remains, the state of health does not improve.

The body needs to remove toxins - this requires water. If there is not enough of it, the body waits until it has enough, and the kidneys stop working at full capacity. But, having received such problems, people do not calm down, and resort to diuretic tablets: the liquid accumulated “with difficulty” is forcibly removed, and the process begins anew.

What to do to avoid fluid retention and edema? Remove foods that retain fluid from your diet or reduce their consumption to a reasonable minimum. If the swelling is severe, you should give up such foods completely for a while, give the body time to come to its senses and remove excess water without strain. True, many people think that they cannot do without these products, and they ask the question: what then to eat?

Products that retain fluid

First of all, “fast food” and ready-made products from the store: bring it home and eat. In the first place are any smoked and canned goods – meat and fish, salted fish “to go with beer”, like the beer itself. Any alcohol causes swelling: the body actively fights dehydration, tries to restore the acid-base balance, and generally return to normal. Chips, crackers and other snacks rich in salt also force the body to retain fluid.

Photo: products that retain liquid

In general, salt is contained in many products, and in considerable quantities, and we also add it to dishes consisting of these products: for example, we salt salads with sausage, cheese and mayonnaise. Any fried food also retains water, be it potatoes, meat or golden-brown pancakes. And by pouring ketchup on potatoes and pasta, we seriously complicate the work of the kidneys, which already have a hard time.

Fatty homemade sauces, pickles and marinades, canned compotes, high-fat dairy products, eggs, baked goods (especially white flour), store-bought sweets - from cakes and soda to chocolates and syrups, semi-finished products, aged cheese, margarines and spreads, juices with sugar, sweet tea and coffee - this is far from full list products that promote fluid accumulation.

Let's talk about some products in more detail. There may be doubts about coffee: this popular drink is known to have a diuretic effect. This is true if you drink coffee without sugar, and in large enough quantities - at least 3 cups. But we usually drink sweet coffee, and even with cookies, and the liquid is retained rather than removed.

Everyone knows about the benefits of milk, cottage cheese and yoghurt, but when consuming high-fat milk, the body begins to produce more insulin, the presence of which enhances the work of the adrenal glands: they produce a hormone that retains sodium salts.

Photo: products that retain liquid

To stay healthy, a person only needs 2.5 g of salt per day, which is less than 1/3 tsp, so, to be objective, food does not need to be salted at all. Why? But because in hidden form salt is also found in natural, natural products, and not just in store-bought, ready-made and semi-finished products.

So, a serving of regular beets, peas or red cabbage can contain up to 9% of the daily salt requirement; in pasta and cereals - up to 14%, in greens and mushrooms - from 3 to 15%, etc. This seems like a trifle, but we salt food when cooking, and even add “something salty” to “brighten up” the menu.

Sauerkraut is a healthy vitamin product, but it must also be used wisely: it contains a lot of salt - up to 800 mg per 100 g.

Another point is water retention due to excess creatine. This compound enters the body mainly with meat and fish, and is partially synthesized by the kidneys, liver and pancreas. Creatine is a source of energy for muscles (that’s why athletes take it as a supplement), but with our modern lifestyle we use it negligibly – less than 2 g per day. And we eat meat and fish dishes almost every day, and more than once; excess creatine works to accumulate water - up to 2 liters, even if the swelling is “not visible to the eye.” To restore fluid balance, you do not need to take diuretics or reduce your drinking regimen; on the contrary, you need to drink up to 3 liters of clean water per day, along with a salt-free diet, until the swelling “goes down”.

Hidden salt can also be “found” in very healthy products, although at first glance this seems strange. From 2 to 8% salt contain corn and oat flakes, chicory, green beans, Rye bread, potatoes, celery (root), spinach, bananas, raisins, oranges, dates, rose hips, nuts, tomatoes, etc.

Is it possible to avoid swelling?

And now what i can do? Should you exclude a product from your diet just because it contains salt? Not at all.

Under no circumstances should we give up the products we need for a normal life. But it’s worth reducing the amount of salt, as well as changing your diet better side: stop eating fast food, ready-made food, sausages, mayonnaise and ketchup, and start feeding yourself freshly prepared food, from environmentally friendly and natural products.

Sugar promotes fluid retention, just like salt, and we can definitely do without it by replacing it with honey, dried fruits, jam, etc. - in reasonable quantities.

Walking and physical exercise, even in the form of morning exercises, are very helpful in accelerating metabolic processes, improve kidney function and prevent swelling.

You should not take diuretic medications without a doctor, but drink clean water, up to 2 liters per day, is necessary: ​​when the balance of water consumption is maintained in the body, edema does not occur. In summer, when the hot sun and hot wind “take away” more moisture from us, we need to monitor our drinking regime especially carefully.

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