Retention Prevention
- Elizabeth Davis
- Jul 31, 2018
- 2 min read
Retention Prevention: What am I talking about here? I am talking about dreaded 'ole water retention. All of us experience some degree of this every month. It's uncomfortable and many of us, myself included, feel a level of insecurity when we start retaining.
What causes this? I will answer these questions today.
What can we do to prevent water retention? I will touch on this as well.
What are the symptoms? ...Here we go!
1. Symptoms of Water Retention
First of all, the first sign of water retention is feeling like we have a tire around our waist (feeling bloated or fat).
Extreme weight fluctuations: If your weight increases dramatically for no reason it could be a related to water retention.
Aching joints
Swelling in other areas like feet, hands, and ankles.
Bloating in the stomach.
Puffiness in the face.
2. Causes of Water Retention
Hot weather can cause water retention.
A woman's menstrual cycle can also contribute to water retention as least once or even twice a month.
Certain medications
Having a diet high in sodium will make you retain water.
Pregnancy
Standing for long periods of time.
Flying on an airplane can also cause to water retention.
3. Retention Prevention
One sure fire way to minimize water retention is to decrease your salt (sodium) intake.
This one sounds contradictory, but drink PLENTY of water! Hydration is key.
Exercise on a CONSISTENT and REGULAR basis.
Eating foods high in magnesium and potassium will also help!
Bananas, Avocados, Leafy Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes...to name a few.
Limit your intake of beverages that will dehydrate you (alcohol, coffee, tea, etc).
Increase your protein intake.
Consider taking a B6 vitamin supplement.
Wear compression socks.
Try to avoid eating refined carbohydrates.
Drinking Dandelion tea can help decrease retention.
If you have tried all of these suggestions and nothing seems to work, consult your doctor. There is a chance that you could have a more serious issue that needs to be addressed. If you have any questions, as always, please don't hesitate. I'm here to help!
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