Alcohol

Drinking water does not cause fluid retention. In fact, drinking more water, not less, can actually help to correct the problem. However, drinking alcohol can cause you to retain water. But unless you chronically abuse alcohol, water weight gain is usually only temporary. Unfortunately, alcoholism can lead to impaired liver function, which causes excess fluid to build up in the feet, ankles and legs.

Dehydration

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to dehydration, and therefore, problems with water retention. People who drink heavily often need to urinate more frequently or may perspire more than usual. They also tend to drink less water and fewer other fluids. Urination and sweating both increase the amount of fluid your body loses, especially if you don't replace the fluids. When the body is dehydrated, it tends to retain water to make up for the loss. A major health concern is that when you don't keep your body well hydrated with fluids, the organs have to work harder.Drinking too much caffeine can also cause dehydration problems. However, caffeine has a diuretic effect only when you consume large quantities of it. Still you may find yourself running to the bathroom more often if you drink between four and seven cups of coffee in a day to help counteract the effects of an alcohol hangover.

Inadequate Caloric Intake

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that it is not uncommon for alcoholics to suffer from malnutrition and related nutritional deficiencies that can eventually damage the liver. Alcoholics often consume less than the recommended daily amount of calcium, iron, B vitamins, fats, carbohydrates and protein. Eating a low calorie diet over an extended period of time can cause water retention. If you consume fewer than 1,200 calories a day, you may not be getting enough protein. Protein draws excess water out of the body's tissues. Symptoms of protein deficiency may include puffiness and a bloated abdomen.

Liver Disease

Alcohol can be extremely harmful to the liver. In fact, the NIAAA reports that liver cirrhosis and other liver diseases are among the leading causes of alcohol-related deaths. Liver cirrhosis is one cause of hypervolemic hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is an electrolyte imbalance in the body that causes an increase in the water content of cells. Liver disease can be responsible for fluids accumulating in the body. Not drinking alcohol, eating a well balanced diet and taking dietary supplements can sometimes help in the treatment of liver disease.

What causes idiopathic oedema?

The underlying cause seems to be due to fluid leaking out of the small blood vessels into the tissues. Why this occurs in some people is not clear. It is usually worse after you have been standing for long periods, as there is increased pressure in your veins when standing compared to lying down. Going on long journeys or sitting still for long periods of time can also worsen the swelling.

One possible cause is the retention of salt. When the body retains salt it also holds on to fluid and thereby may cause some oedema.

A possible cause of fluid retention often overlooked by people and difficult to diagnose is due to binge eating alternating with strict dieting. This can cause intermittent fluid retention.

What are the symptoms?

Mild swelling of the feet, hands, abdomen, breasts and face may occur. This is worse at the end of the day and may disappear after a night's rest. Rings may need to be taken off and looser clothes may need to be worn in the evening.

Many people with idiopathic oedema find that they weigh about two kilograms (four pounds) more in the evening compared to the morning. You should use the same scales to weigh yourself, after you have been to the toilet, morning and evening.

What are the treatments?

Idiopathic oedema is not an easy condition to treat and cannot often be cured. Many people are reassured that their fluid retention is not due to a serious medical condition. Learning to live with it and changing into loose clothes in the evening are all that is required for most people.

However, the following tips may be helpful:

Avoid prolonged standing

This may not always be easy, especially if you are in a job which requires you to stand for long periods of time. Wearing support stockings or tights will often help to reduce swelling of ankles and legs. There are now many different types and sizes, meaning they are fairly comfortable to wear.

Weight loss

Many people with fluid retention are overweight and losing weight can make a big difference to improve the oedema. A gradual weight loss (rather than fasting and bingeing) is recommended.

Drink Plenty of Water to Eliminate Water Retention

Logically it seems to contradict the idea. If you already have excessive water in your body, why should you drink more water? There are at least two reasons for this.

Why drink more water to counter water retention?

When your body gets dehydrated due to lack of water, it starts reserving whatever water is available so that it can reuse it later. If you thought, cutting back on water will make you look slim, you were wrong. You will, instead, suffer from bloating and your body will swell due to water retention.
Water aids your liver in converting fat into energy which you can use. But when you don’t drink enough water, your kidney cannot eliminate concentrated fluid and takes help from liver which becomes overworked. The liver doesn’t then do its primary work of converting your body fat into energy. It holds onto the extra fat that it would have burned off if enough water was supplied it and to kidney. Thus, water retention also makes you bloated and fat.

Deterimine the Amount of water You Need Daily

***Tips for drinking more water for elimination of water retention

Drink water whenever you feel thirsty. Don’t postpone this for other works. Always keep water in your reach. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.
Drink at least 6-8 glasses of filtered water every day whether you are thirsty or not. Sometimes, we do not recognize the thirst signal and mistake it for hunger.
Watch your urine. If it is yellow and thick or you do not urinate much during the day, your body is in need of water. Your urine should be clear.
If you feel weakness, dizziness, cramping, headaches and dry mouth without any explainable reason, it might be dehydration. Drink water.

However, if you have liver problems, you should talk to your doctor before increasing the intake of water. Consumption of large amounts of water to treat fluid retention may aggravate chronic liver problems.

Reduce Salt Intake to Treat Water Retention.

Salt is a major cause for retention of water in your body. When you eat foods high in salt, you may feel puffy and bloated. Here is the reason why salt leads to bloating and water retention.
How salt retains water in body?

High salt intake leads to retention of sodium and thereby water in your body. This expands extra cellular volume in the body. Said simply, when you eat salt, your body tries to dilute it by holding water around your cells and in this process supplies more water to your bloodstream. This not only increases water weight in your body but also leads to other complications. As your heart has to deal with extra fluid in the blood vessels, it may increase your blood pressure which in turn may increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Also, when you eat more salt, your body flushes out more calcium through urine which may lead to osteoporosis and reduced bone density. So, it is wise to lower the intake of salt not only to cure water retention but also to keep other health complications at bay.

Tips to reduce salt intake for elimination of water retention.

Cook food at home most of the time. Hotels and restaurants are loaded with sodium.
Use lesser amount of salt while cooking food at home.
Remove salt shaker from your dining table. Don’t add salt while eating food. Instead, you may use other herbs and spices for flavor.
Avoid canned foods including canned veggies, soups, sauces etc. as they use more salt as preservatives and also to make the foods flavorful.
Avoid having processed foods like potato chips, salted peanuts as well as junk foods.
Women should especially reduce taking salt prior to their menstrual cycle every month. Hormonal change during this period leads to greater water retention in the body of a woman.

In normal situation, the recommend level of salt in diet is a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium per day. People with heart disease and high blood pressure should have less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. However, when you need to eliminate water retention, you need to reduce your salt even less than these recommended levels.

Suggestion: Sugar too indirectly helps in water retention. It increases general insulin level in your body, which in turn decreases your body’s ability to flush off sodium or salt. Therefore, sugar intake should also be reduced along with salt consumption. Suger can be reduced with a high fiber diet

Eliminate Water Retention Naturally with Diuretic Foods

Diuretic foods help your body release more urine. When you urinate frequently, your body not only releases extra water but also flush off the toxins and lower your blood pressure by resuming water-sodium balance. While there are over-the-counter diuretic pills available in the market but they have short term effect. You start retaining water as soon as you stop taking them. On the other hand, natural foods with diuretic properties have lasting effect, may be because you don’t need to stop having them. You can always have one or the other diuretic foods on daily basis. However, if you are already on diuretic or anti-diuretic medication, consult your doctor before including diuretic food in your diet.
List of diuretic foods to help eliminate water retention

Grapes
Watermelon
Leafy greens
Lemon
Pineapple
Tomatoes
Asparagus
Onion
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumber
Lettuce
Eggplant (

However, urinating often means your body also releases potassium along with water and toxins. So, you need to have foods rich in potassium to maintain your potassium levels.

Potassium Rich Foods for Eliminating Water Retention

Lack of potassium is also one of the causes for water retention in body. It is an important mineral which is needed for proper functioning of body cells, tissues and organs. Potassium is an electrolyte which along with sodium maintains normal water balance in body. Potassium also helps stimulate the kidneys so that they may flush off waste along with excessive salt out of the body. Potassium deficiency may lead to water retention causing edema, swelling, and weight gain. So have foods rich in potassium too. Most of the fruits are rich in potassium as also certain vegetables.
List of potassium rich fruits and other foods for water retention

Banana
Raisins
Apricot
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Orange
Spinach
Sunflower seeds
Melons

Garlic Remedy for Water Retention

Garlic is one herb that we use extensively in our cooking and that’s good. Garlic along with all its medicinal values is also an excellent diuretic. It releases water as well as toxin out of your body. Not only this, garlic also beaks down body fat thus helping you lose weight. If you don’t use garlic in your dishes, start adding it as a cure for your water retention.