It is an interesting fact that our body is made up of almost 60-70% of water, yet some people tend to retain excess water in their system, which is termed as Water or Fluid Retention (Oedema).
Water retention is an extremely common condition that is usually not a medical scare but sometimes can lead to excess body weight that may pose a risk in certain ailments like high blood pressure and heart, kidney and liver diseases. It may also act as a deterrent to achieving your weight loss goals.
Causes of Water Retention:
- Excessive intake of salt.
- A diet high in sodium-based preservatives, baking soda, and fermented foods.
- Diets low in protein, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and other micronutrients.
- Certain food intolerances and allergies.
- Some health conditions (like anaemia, high blood pressure, liver and kidney diseases) and intake of certain medicines.
- Inadequate sleep and stress increase hormone levels (cortisol), which in turn causes water retention.
- Lack of exercise and prolonged sitting hours.
It is surprising to know that sometimes water retention can be as high as 5kg or more of the actual body weight.
Physical Manifestations Of Water Retention:
- Swelling of legs, feet, ankles, and fingers.
- Puffy face and eyelids.
- Premenstrual bloating.
- Unexplained weight gain during a short span of time.
- Lack of exercise and long sitting hours (in desk jobs and long flights).
By eating the right kind of foods that are rich in vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, protein and omitting the foods that could potentially be the cause of water retention, can reduce the amount of excess water from the body through urine within a couple of days. Some lifestyle modifications to reduce water retention are to exercise regularly, sleep adequately and decrease stress levels.
Whatever be your goal, to lose that excess water weight let us get to the root cause of water retention and treat it by tweaking your lifestyle with a healthy diet and exercise.
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