Generality
Water retention is a rather widespread disorder that affects millions of people, especially women (30% of the Italian female population) with varying intensity.
What is water retention?
In medicine the term "water retention" is used to indicate the tendency to retain fluids in the body. The stagnation of these fluids is generally superior in the areas predisposed to the accumulation of fat (abdomen, thighs and buttocks).
The main sign of water retention is edema, a condition in which the accumulation of fluid in the tissues causes an abnormal swelling. Because of the altered venous and lymphatic circulation together with these liquids, numerous toxins also stagnate which alter a cellular metabolism already compromised by the reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients.
How to identify the presence of water retention?
To verify the actual presence of the disorder there are many more or less reliable tests. If for example you do not have the possibility to carry out the examination of the specific weight of the urine, it is sufficient to press the thumb firmly on the front of the thigh for a couple of seconds. If after removing the finger the imprint remains visible we are in all probability in the presence of water retention.
Cures and Remedies
The treatment of water retention is based on the correction of the causes that gave rise to the disorder. As we have seen in the introductory part, in the absence of important pathologies, the major responsible for water retention is lifestyle. Some unhealthy habits contribute to aggravate the situation (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overweight, predisposition for salty foods, abuse of drugs and coffee, clothes that are too tight, heels too high and remain standing for a long time without moving).
In the latter case it is advisable to get up from time to time on the tips of the feet in order to stimulate circulation and venous return.
Together with the correction of all the above risk factors it may be useful to place a pillow under the mattress in order to lift it from the foot side.
Physical activity
However, the best weapon to combat water retention is physical activity. The movement, as long as it is performed regularly and with rationality, contributes, in fact, to reactivate and strengthen the microcirculation. The most suitable exercise in these cases is a healthy and peaceful walk. Running, aerobics, spinning, weight lifting, and more generally sports involving frequent impacts with the ground (volleyball, tennis, jogging, running) are contraindicated.
A valid alternative is represented by swimming and by bicycle (the traditional one is not very useful, it is better to use the "recline" model with the legs pedaling horizontally rather than vertically). Also proprioceptive and ankle mobilization exercises are indicated in case of water retention caused by venous insufficiency.
At the end of the session, stretching combined with respiratory control exercises performed with the legs up high, favors venous return and elimination of the toxins produced.
Diet
Food and Water Retention
A diet high in slag (dietary fiber) increases intestinal motility and removes the danger of constipation, a disorder that hinders venous outflow in the abdomen.
It is therefore important to consume a lot of fruit and vegetables and in particular that rich in ascorbic acid, a vitamin that protects the blood capillaries. The foods richest in this substance, better known as vitamin C, are: some fresh fruits (those sour, citrus, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, cherries, etc.), some fresh vegetables (lettuce, radicchio, spinach, broccoli, etc. .), some fresh vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers) and tubers (potatoes especially if new).
One day a week, especially if following a large Sunday binge, a detoxifying diet is recommended, particularly rich in liquids (teas, herbal teas, fruit juices) and vegetables. On this day the meat will be replaced with fish, more digestible because it is less rich in connective tissue. During these 24 hours, fats will also be abolished with the exception of olive oil and seed oils. A good sweat in the gym, perhaps accompanied by a sauna or a relaxing Turkish bath, will further stimulate the drainage of liquids and the elimination of toxins.
Water and Drinks
Water must become a faithful companion and as such must always be carried with it. Correct hydration is in fact one of the simplest and most effective solutions to combat water retention. We must therefore strive to consume at least a couple of liters of water a day. In general, it is a good rule to increase the doses when the color of the urine is too dark and / or of a bad smell (for example in the summer period or more generally when you do sport and you sweat a lot).
Probably at the beginning, especially if you are used to drinking a little, the increased water intake will stimulate diuresis, a bit like what happens when water slips from a withered flowerpot that is watered after a long period of time. However, by drinking frequently and in small quantities the body will learn to absorb a greater quantity of water a little as would happen with the arid soil mentioned in the previous example.
NATURAL REMEDIES: fucus, pilosella, centella asiatica, blueberry, herbal tea, butcher's broom, horse-chestnut, artichoke.
Draining herbal tea on Amazon
Indicated in case of water retention, cellulite, kidney stones, gout, renella, high uric acids, the birch infusion has a draining action. To the pleasure of sipping a hot drink, to be taken along during the day, natural help is added to influence the well-being of the organism, precious for its detoxifying effect and lightness. The draining herbal tea is made using the dry officinal plant cut at the Spree laboratories in the Lessini Mountains in Verona. It is recommended to leave 1 tablespoon of herbal tea of birch leaves in a cup of boiling water for a minimum of 10 minutes, then filter and drink 2-3 cups a day. For an optimal result we recommend taking 2 consecutive packs of the product, equal to 200 grams.
Available online
Alternatively, a herbal tea with a sweet taste of wild berries is available. Thanks to the mix of natural antioxidants and flavonoids, in fact, the plants become health allies, helping the weight loss diet. Pilosella, Spirea, Equiseto, Ortosiphon, Verga d'Oro, Dandelion Root, Liquorice, Peppermint, Curcuma, Erica, Hibiscus, Elderberry, Grapes, Black Currant, Blueberries, are the ingredients for a draining herbal tea able to deflate and counteract cellulite. Purifying and fat burning, the infusion helps reduce water retention and fight cellulite through a thermogenic effect. Furthermore, the turmeric contained in the herbal tea, due to the numerous antioxidant properties, stimulates the metabolism and acts as a fat burning abdomen, helping those who wish to lose weight.
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The salt and sodium it contains are some of the main allies of cellulite. This mineral is, in fact, one of the many factors that can increase the body's water retention. In a woman suffering from cellulite this disorder is already accentuated due to the impaired functionality of the venous and lymphatic system.
For this reason it is important to take with the diet foods with diuretic properties avoiding those that, like salt, promote water retention.
Limiting your sodium intake to food is all in all easy, just take a few simple steps:
- Do not salt the dishes;
- Use a little salt during cooking (when preparing pasta, for example, add salt to cooking when finished; in this way the amount of salt absorbed by the pasta is considerably reduced);
- Limit the consumption of foods stored in salt or processed (sausages, cheeses, chips, etc.);
- Limit the consumption of packaged foods;
- Enhancing the flavor of foods with spices, lemon or traditional / balsamic vinegar;
- If the fruit is appreciated it can be consumed instead of salty snacks as a snack.
Recommended foods to take a lot of potassium and little sodium
The following table shows some foods recommended to take a lot of potassium and very little sodium, thus favoring the drainage of liquids.
| Food (per 100 grams) | Potassium mg / 100g | Sodium mg / 100g |
| Dried mushrooms apricots White beans peas Raisins almonds Dried plums Sunflower seeds Dried dates Potatoes broccoli Fresh mushrooms oatmeal Red meat Turkey Rice apples onions | 5370 1370 1300 930 860 835 824 725 649 411 373 367 360 340 333 150 44 135 | 32 11 3 26 53 20 8 2 18 3 14 3 5 51 46 10 3 9 |
Please note
However, it must be remembered that sodium is an essential mineral for the body and excessive deficiency, even if difficult to achieve with normal nutrition, could have important side effects (nausea, muscle cramps, fatigue, mental apathy).
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