5 Reasons Your Body Is Retaining Water - And How You Can Avoid It

Jan 09, 2019

The negative effects of water retention can have devastating consequences to your daily life. Water retention in your body can lead to severe bloating that makes wearing clothes severely uncomfortable.

It can lead to poor self-esteem. And retaining water can lead to unwanted medical conditions. If you know the reasons your body retains water, you can help to prevent it from occurring and lead a happier existence.

Your food could be the root cause of your bloating. The first place to look is at your sodium consumption. The FDA recommends that you do not consume more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.

This is the rough equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. If you eat fast food or junk food, dine out at restaurants or eat pre-packaged foods, you are far more at risk of eating dangerously high levels of sodium.

Other foods are also high in sodium. Such food items include bacon, deli meats, sausages, cheese, dairy milk, ketchup, canned fruit and vegetables, premade soups and dressings and much more. The easiest way to drastically reduce sodium from your diet is to make everything yourself at home to limit the amount of sodium added to your meals.

If a change in your diet does not solve your bloating issues, you may have food allergies or food intolerances. These contribute to a growing number of bloating and water retention issues. A dietitian can help determine the best way to move forward. They may also recommend certain teas to minimize bloating, such as mint tea. 

Fluid buildup due to heart issues can occur in a number of places throughout your body. You might find yourself bloated in your belly, ankles, legs or arms. If your water retention is directly related to your heart, you will also experience additional symptoms, such as fatigue, fast heart rate, lightheadedness, shortness of breath and weakness.

It is essential to seek medical attention straight away if you have these combined symptoms. They can then run the appropriate tests, including a chest x-ray, blood tests, an ECG, a CT scan and an MRI. Being in tune with your body can help to save your life.

Hormones have a way of causing women to bloat. Once menstruation begins, many women will become familiar with the side effects of bloating and their cycles. This is due to hormone imbalance.

Unfortunately, this may worsen during early menopause and full-blown menopause. This type of severe bloating is thanks to the combination of intestinal gas, lower bile production and water retention. It can also be individually related to each.

Legal drugs...they make you feel so good. This is true most of the time. Sadly, they can also make you feel so very bad. Many prescription drugs list water retention as a possible side effect, such as beta-blockers, antidepressants, chemotherapy medication, blood pressure medication and over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Most people take an NSAID at least a few times a year and up to every day. These are commonly found in the form of aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. To eliminate side effects, try holistic approaches to pain management, such as specific natural food items, herbal teas and acupuncture. If your swelling is excessive, go to the doctor.

Your body tissue loves to retain water when you sit or stand for long periods at a time. This becomes difficult to manage when you work long hours and commute to work in the sitting position. You might begin to experience swelling in your legs and ankles as a result. You must find ways to keep your blood circulating throughout your entire body during the day.

Take frequent breaks to walk around. If it is nice out, go outside. An easy way to incorporate more movement is to park as far away from buildings as possible to force yourself to walk. You might even consider taking the stairs rather than the escalator or the elevator at work or whilst out shopping.

Keep your friends informed of the reasons behind bloating and water retention with this information. What did you think about this list? Do you agree with it? Let us know!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!