Treat Fluid Retention

Fluid retention occurs when your body stores an unnecessary amount of water. Retention can feel uncomfortable and can cause your body to look puffy or bloated, especially around the face, hands, abdomen, breasts, and feet. There are multiple ways to treat fluid retention: some of these involve dietary or lifestyle changes, while others are medical in nature. If you’re taking a medication which causes you to retain fluid, speak with your doctor about reducing this side effect.

Steps

Decreasing Your Fluid Retention

1. Walk and move around through the day. For individuals who lead a largely sedentary lifestyle, or anyone who works at a job which requires them to remain seated for multiple hours, gravity can draw fluids into the lower extremities of your body. This can lead to water retention in your feet, ankles, and legs. Avoid this by walking frequently throughout the day. Keep your blood circulating, and your lower extremities will not retain water.
   • This also occurs during long plane rides, during which passengers remain immobile for many hours.
   • If you’re on an international flight, plan to stand up and stretch or walk around at least a few times.
2. Elevate and compress swollen extremities. If you’re concerned that you may be retaining water in your feet, ankles, and lower legs, you can elevate the swollen parts of your body. This will let gravity drain some of the retained fluid from your feet and allow fluid to distribute through your body.
   • For example, if your feet are swollen in the evening, recline on a sofa or bed with your feet on a pillow.
3. Wear compression socks or tights. If you find that your feet and ankles regularly retain fluid while you are sitting down or standing—for example, at work—you can purchase a pair of compression support socks or tights. These exert pressure on your feet and lower legs, and don’t allow fluid to build up in these areas.
   • Support socks or tights are relatively common. You should be able to purchase a pair at your local drug store.
4. Massage areas of the body which retain fluid. If you note areas of your body retaining fluid, gently massage and rub the swollen tissue. This will help force retained fluids out of your soft tissue. You can begin by firmly sliding your fingers firmly up and down along the afflicted area.
   • This massage will also stimulate your circulation, so that capillaries in your extremities will draw fluid away from areas which are currently retaining water.
5. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. While it can seem paradoxical, drinking enough water is key to avoiding fluid retention. Your body will become accustomed to receiving enough water, and will not retain much water in your body’s soft tissue. If you do not drink sufficient water, your body will begin to retain fluids in order to conserve what little water it has.
   • Plan to drink 2 liters (2 quarts) of water each day. If you usually drink less water than this, increase your daily water consumption. Start by drinking a full glass of water with each meal.
6. Consume vitamins that aid in reducing fluid retention. Various vitamins will prevent your body from retaining excess fluids. You can either consume these vitamins by swallowing capsules or by selecting food sources known to be high in the relevant vitamins. In particular, increase your consumption of:
   • Vitamin B6. This is known to reduce the effects of fluid retention, especially in mild cases such as fluid retention due to premenstrual syndrome. Large quantities of vitamin B6 can be found in foods such as red meat, salmon, tuna, bananas and brown rice.
   • Vitamin B5, vitamin B1 and vitamin D. These vitamins will reduce water retention. They can be found in foods such as fresh fruits and low-fat dairy.
7. Avoid drinks that will dehydrate the body. Beverages which remove liquid from your body will prompt your body to begin retaining water in order to avoid serious dehydration. Drinks such as tea, coffee, and alcohol, if consumed in moderate to substantial quantities, can cause dehydration and increase water retention. Although caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, consuming these beverages will only dehydrate you and worsen fluid retention.
   • Switch to fruit and herbal tea and coffee varieties, such as peppermint tea, lemon tea and dandelion coffee.
   • In place of alcohol, try non-alcoholic counterparts, such as non-alcoholic beer or non-alcoholic ciders.

Altering Your Diet to Limit Fluid Retention

1. Decrease your sodium intake. An excessive amount of salt in the body will absorb water and cause you to retain water. Consequently, to avoid water retention, moderate the amount of sodium you eat on a daily basis. Many processed foods are high in sodium, and will cause you to exceed your daily recommended sodium intake. These include chips, crackers, lunch meats, canned foods, and some soft drinks.
   • When possible, eat non-processed whole foods to reduce sodium consumption.
   • When you’re shopping, make sure to look at the nutritional labels on food you purchase.
2. Increase your potassium consumption. Potassium can help you lose retained fluids by increasing your urine production and by decreasing the sodium levels in your body. It’s important to strike a healthy balance between sodium-rich and potassium-rich foods; most people eat excessive sodium and insufficient potassium. To increase your potassium, eat foods including:
   • Bananas
   • Avocados
   • Tomatoes
3. Eat more foods with magnesium. Magnesium is an important mineral, and one that can help your body process and expel retained fluids. Similarly to potassium, magnesium can balance your sodium levels. The mineral is especially effective for women who suffer from water retention before they begin menstruation. Plan to consume at least 200 mg of magnesium daily. Foods high in magnesium include:
   • Nuts and whole grains
   • Dark chocolate
   • Green, leafy vegetables

Addressing Medical Concerns Surrounding Fluid Retention

1. Investigate hormones as a potential cause. For women, it’s not uncommon to experience some water retention in the days leading up to your period, due to hormonal shifts within the body. Birth-control medication can also cause fluid retention. So can any other type of medical hormonal treatment, including hormone replacement therapy.
   • If you’re experiencing fluid retention leading up to your period, the retention will likely end shortly after your cycle has concluded.
   • However, if the retention is uncomfortable or persistent, a doctor may prescribe you a diuretic. This pill will increase water processing through your body and let you pee out the fluid that you’ve retained.
2. Ask your doctor about side effects of medication. If your diet is healthy and you do not lead a sedentary lifestyle, your fluid retention could be a side effect of one or more medications you’re currently taking. If your body continues to retain fluid for more than a few days, schedule an appointment and speak with your doctor regarding ways to reduce fluid retention as a medication side effect. Medications most likely to cause water retention include:
   • Antidepressants
   • Chemo therapy medicine
   • Some pain relievers
   • High blood pressure medications
3. Ask your doctor if you could be experiencing heart failure or kidney failure. Both of these serious medical conditions can cause the body to retain fluid. In these cases, fluid retention is sudden and severe: you’ll notice a palpable, rapid change and a large amount of fluid being retained, especially in the lower portion of your body.
   • If you’re concerned about heart failure or kidney disease, contact your doctor as soon as possible. These are potentially life-threatening conditions, and the sooner a doctor can diagnose heart failure or kidney disease, the more effectively they can be treated.

Tips

• Dandelion is a natural diuretic that, when taken in tablets or in tea, can reduce water retention in the body. You should be able to find dandelion tea or dandelion extract at your local health food store.
• If you experience frequent retention in your feet and legs, you can sleep with your feet elevated higher than your heart. Just place pillows under your legs to make them higher than your heart when you lie down.

Warnings

• Do not consume large amounts of water to treat fluid retention if you have chronic liver problems. Consult your doctor if you have liver problems, or believe you may have liver problems and are experiencing fluid retention in your abdomen or other parts of the body. Water consumption can have a negative effect on organs trying to process excess fluid in the body already.

Sources and Citations

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