If you have a few extra pounds and you cannot eliminate it with any diet, it is possible that this excess weight is not due to fat, but to fluid retention , a very common problem, especially among women. In this article we explain what it is, we tell you how to detect it and, above all, how to combat it. Ready to end fluid retention once and for all?
If you have a few extra pounds and you cannot eliminate it with any diet, it is possible that this excess weight is not due to fat, but to fluid retention , a very common problem, especially among women. In this article we explain what it is, we tell you how to detect it and, above all, how to combat it. Ready to end fluid retention once and for all?
Did you know that around 60% of our weight is made up of water? Water, found inside and outside the cells of the body, is part of our blood and helps transport important nutrients that feed our glands, bones and muscles. But it is also that it facilitates the elimination of toxins. Where then does the problem lie? Why do we retain fluids?
What is fluid retention?
Under normal conditions, our body has a fluid regulation mechanism. Therefore, if we drink a lot of water or other liquid, we do not gain weight, since the kidneys eliminate the excess in the form of urine. But sometimes this balance is upset. We tell you which are the most common causes … and their solutions.
Poor circulation
It results in swollen legs and a feeling of heaviness.
- Why is it worse in summer? The heat dilates the capillaries, further slowing down circulation.
- Beware of the sun. Always use photoprotection and cover your legs.
- Self-massages. With an aloe vera gel, previously stored in the refrigerator, slowly massage your legs from the foot to the thigh with circular and upward movements for 5 minutes.
- Finish with cold water. Take a shower with lukewarm water (never very hot) and finish with jets of very cold water on the legs, starting at the ankles and working up to the thighs.
- Exercises in bed. When you get up or before going to sleep, take advantage of the fact that you are stretched out in bed to perform exercises by lifting your legs as if you were cycling in the air or rotating your ankles, for example.
- Take advantage of the sea. Walking with your legs in the water is ideal. If, in addition, you are stopping and exercising your legs, standing on your toes or leaning on your heels, you will help improve your circulation.
Heat and salty foods
In spring and summer we abuse the salty snack and, in addition, we sweat more due to the heat. All this causes fluid retention. What can we do?
- More diuretic foods. If you hold back on salt at mealtime and fill your plates with foods rich in potassium (celery, banana, asparagus), your body will be forced to "release" fluid.
- Hydrate yourself The more fluid your body has, the less it needs to retain it. Drink water, isotonic drinks, slushies, juices …
Too much sugar
When we consume too many starches and sugars (flours, refined cereals, industrial pastries, etc.), the body ends up converting them into fat and stores them. In that process, liquids are also retained.
- More comprehensive. The more whole or integral the food, the less chance that your body stores it as fat and retain fluids.
- Choose well. Choose foods with a low glycemic index (cherries, plums, lentils, wild rice). Take a look at these foods that have more sugar than you think.
Habits that make it worse
Sedentary lifestyle, standing for long hours, constipation or poor sleep also cause retention, because they slow down circulation and reduce oxygenation to the body.
- Move on! It is best to walk, especially in case of varicose veins. If you spend a lot of time sitting for work, at least get up once an hour and wiggle your toes from time to time.
- Your posture when sleeping. People who sleep eight hours a night and nap (20 min) wake up with fewer symptoms. But keep in mind that sleeping on your stomach hinders the proper circulation of fluids.
- Relax your feet. If retention builds up in the extremities, lie down and elevate your feet for at least an hour in the evening or before going to sleep.
- Visits to the bathroom. Try to go to the bathroom regularly. The accumulation of waste substances in the intestine due to constipation causes gas, a sensation of retention and bloating in the abdominal area.
How do I know that I have retention
- Fatigue. If no matter how much you rest, you feel fatigued, it may be a sign of fluid retention.
- Heaviness. If when walking you have a feeling of heaviness in your legs, it may be due to poor circulation of blood fluids in the vessels (lymphatic capillaries and veins).
- Cramps In some cases they are a warning that edema (fluid accumulation) can occur.
- Kilos of more. If your diet is balanced, it may be due to excess fluids. Additionally, retention can lead to cellulite.
- Loss of form. If your hands, ankles, etc., lose their natural shape due to swelling, you are likely to retain fluids.
Cabin treatments
Don't miss it: you can also combat fluid retention with various treatments in the cabin. We tell you which are the best!
- Endermologie. Also known by the acronym LPG, it promotes the elimination of toxins. It is a device that intensively massages the area affected by retention by means of rollers and suction of the skin (technique with vacuum effect).
- Lymphatic drainage. It is a manual technique that consists of very smooth, slow and repetitive movements to promote lymph circulation. In this way, the elimination of waste and excess stagnant fluids in the body is favored.
- Pressotherapy. It is a method widely used in physiotherapy and aesthetic medicine. It is carried out by introducing the legs in a kind of inflatable boots, to which air is blown under correctly dosed pressure. This pressure is what favors the drainage of the fluids. At the end of the session, the feeling of lightness in the legs is immediate.
