Liquid retention is one of the main reasons for weight gain. Feeling bloated is the main symptom that indicates that you may be suffering from water retention. And, if you have bumps on different parts of the body such as your face, hands, ankles, legs and feet, you probably suffer from this condition.
It can occur in all people and very often affects pregnant women. According to research by the University of Maryland Medical Center, the main causes of water retention are hormonal changes, pregnancy, menopause, and the body’s reaction to humid weather.
As we get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to digest food, since our stomach does not produce as much acid as it used to. Thus, a large amount of undigested food passes into the intestine where it can cause damage, such as inflammation and irritation in the intestinal wall.
Consequently, the wall of the intestine becomes thin and permeable, allowing undigested waste from food to enter the bloodstream. The immune system reacts to this invasion, which can cause allergic symptoms, such as water retention.
This retention can also be caused by other factors such as poor kidney function, liver disease, food allergies, hypothyroidism, excessive consumption of industrialized foods, a poor diet, etc.
Natural medicine understands that the main culprit of inflammation are dairy products, sugar and fizzy drinks, like soda. So, simply eliminating them can decrease the amount of fluid in the body and make you lose weight.
If you’re trying to get rid of or avoid fluid retention and maintain a healthy metabolism, you need to eat fresh food and limit your daily salt intake. Therefore, you need to get rid of processed foods, which are always high in sodium, and adapt to a diet consisting of grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts.
To help reduce swelling and fluid retention, try this recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 handful of parsley;
- 1 medium carrot;
- 2 lemons;
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed;
- A little water (enough to help mix everything up).
Instructions
- Squeeze the two lemons and add the juice to the blender.
- Chop the carrots and throw them into the blender with the lemon juice.
- Add the parsley, flaxseed, and water.
- Mix everything in the blender.
- Drink it immediately, without any sugar or artificial sweetener.
