Do you often feel bloated? Do you often find your feet completely swollen? Well, in either case, it is pretty evident that you are suffering from water retention or fluid retention, which is medically known as edema.
Water retention refers to the high accumulation of water and fluid in your body tissues or more specifically, your circulatory system. This generally occurs in your feet and legs, but it can also affect your capillaries, heart and kidneys. For ladies, water retention is also a part of the premenstrual syndrome which is caused due to a series of hormonal changes. The constant hormonal fluctuations cause the rise of fluids in their kidneys. Following are a list of causes and remedies of water retention. Read on, for a better take on this ailment.
What causes water retention?
Water retention is caused by a series of factors which include:
- High intake of sodium.
- Poor circulation.
- Lethargic lifestyle and lack of exercises.
- Deficiencies in the vitamin content.
- Stress, tension and fatigue.
- Exposure to extremely hot weather and high altitudes.
- Pregnancy and menstruation (Water retention is a premenstrual syndrome).
- High blood pressure.
- Heart and kidney ailments.
- Liver ailments and thyroid disorders.
Apart from the mentioned problems, water retention may also be caused due to allergies, liver ailments, chronic lung disease, oral contraceptives and venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency is a condition where an individual experiences serious problems in the blood flow from the veins to the legs and back again in the heart.
What happens when you are affected by water retention?
Water retention generally causes puffiness and swelling in the affected areas of your body. It might also cause your joints to be stiff which in turn would lead to difficulty in walking. Weight change is also a common effect of water retention. You might suddenly gain weight due to this ailment. Apart from that, a constant bloated feeling, high blood pressure and increased pulse rate are also some of the common effects of water retention.
How can you prevent water retention?
Water retention might be a serious ailment, but it also comes with a series of natural remedies. Take a look.
Take parsley tea regularly
Parsley is a common remedy for water retention as it comes with excellent diuretic properties. You can always take a cup of parsley tea to reduce the retention of fluids. Take two teaspoons of parsley leaves (dried) and prepare a cup of tea with it. Drink it thrice a day to reduce the water retention in your body. You can also make a drink of parsley and lemon juice, and drink it regularly for great results.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice works wonders in flushing out the excess fluids in your body. Blend two tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of honey in a cup of warm water. Drink this solution daily for two weeks to reduce the water retention.
Apart from this, Dandelion, Fennel seeds and nettle also can work wonders in preventing and reducing water retention.
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