6 Tips on How to Reduce Water Retention – LifeSavvy

Water retention is a natural symptom that everyone experiences from time to time. Still, it can be very frustrating and uncomfortable, lose confidence, mistakenly believe you need to lose weight, and even lead to eating disorders.

Women tend to experience more water retention than men due to their menstrual cycles and hormones, but while it’s a natural occurrence, there are ways to reduce the symptom and help flush excess water from your system.

Causes of water retention

There are many factors that can cause water retention. Some of the most common are:

• Changes in hormones and pregnancy
• Sedentary lifestyle
• capillary damage
• Other known health conditions such as kidney damage or heart health
• Certain medications
• Eating too much sodium
• Diseases of the lymphatic system
• Flying in an airplane

Although some of these causes are more serious than others and require medical attention, the regular daily water retention we deal with due to our periods and being in front of our computer all day can be addressed with home remedies and lifestyle changes.

move your body

Perhaps the most obvious tip of all, but moving your body will help flush the excess water out of your system. A simple stroll around the neighborhood will boost your circulatory system and help flush out toxins and water retention. You don’t need to do strenuous exercise, a simple walk will do.

If you have to sit for a long time at work, get up from time to time and stretch your legs. This will help stimulate your lymphatic system and therefore the flow of retained water.

Eat less salt

Excess sodium is a major contributor to increased water retention, so clean up your diet and try to be more mindful of your overall sodium intake. Restaurants and many processed products often contain far more sodium than you realize, which is why your body responds by retaining water in your joints and limbs.

First, opt for low-sodium alternatives to your usual staples like chicken broth and soy sauce, reduce the salt in your food overall, and exercise caution at restaurant meals. They always tend to oversalt everything.

drink more water

Hydration is important for so many different reasons, and reducing water retention is one of them. Drinking water helps increase your urge to urinate, which leads to a reduction in water retention. Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially during the warmer months, after exercise, after salty meals, and during air travel.

Such a simple tip we all have to follow anyway, but one of the best out there to help you reduce those uncomfortable symptoms of bloating and joint swelling.

Increase your magnesium intake

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals to add to your daily supplement routine as it is involved in over 300 processes in the human body. It plays a huge role in everything from protein synthesis and DNA function to reducing water intake and promoting the breakdown of lactic acid in your muscles.

The recommended daily allowance of magnesium is around 350-400 milligrams, but depending on your activity level and lifestyle, you may need much more. Unfortunately, due to poor diet and soil depletion, many people are deficient in magnesium without even knowing it. For this reason, taking a quality supplement can really help not only reduce uncomfortable symptoms like water retention, but also support overall health and well-being.

Increase your potassium intake

Potassium, another important mineral that regulates water balance in your body, is much easier to get from food than from a supplement. That being said, you can always get a potassium supplement and increase your intake that way.

Foods high in potassium include sweet potatoes, pumpkins, bananas, avocados, and tomatoes. Make a mental note to get more of these foods next time you go shopping and increase your daily consumption.

Try horsetail and dandelion supplements

If none of the above tips seem to work and your doctor doesn’t think there’s anything more serious underlying your symptoms, ask about adding dandelion or horsetail to your diet. Known as diuretics, these two powerful herbs can help reduce water retention by promoting urine production.

Also, some people swear by boiling parsley and drinking water (aka parsley tea). Whatever the case, always consult your doctor before attempting any of the natural remedies yourself.

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Water retention can be for many reasons, and in addition to all the tips above, stretching also helps. Add these exercises to your bedtime routine when your legs feel heavy and wake up refreshed.