Tuesday 6 May 2014

Ward off the Water Weight

You might have heard people complain about the extra layered fat, irrespective of the number of hours they put to work out. Well, that ‘accumulated fat’ or the ‘muscle-masking mess’ is what is termed as ‘Water Retention’ or ‘Fluid Retention’.

Water Retention, also known as Edema, is an abnormal build up of fluid in the body. Most commonly seen in pregnant women and older adults, in this condition the ankles, feet, and legs get bloated up. Water Retention is broadly categorised into two main causes: General and Pathological.

While General causes involve: gravity, pregnancy, menstrual cycle, burns, and dietary factors, Pathological causes include conditions like heart diseases, kidney failure, and allergic reactions that have been associated with water retention in arms and legs. Such factors of water retention result in the accumulation of fluids in spaces between cells and tissues by changing the process that normally clears the extra fluid. Pregnant women, who are mostly affected by this, undergo a wide variety of changes in the body and the hormonal levels. The different also seasons have a great impact on water retention, especially summers. Summers are when you sweat a lot, don’t consume enough water, and are copped up in air conditioned rooms, all of which can lead to water retention. However, water retention, without any underlying diseases, can be easily treated with home remedies.

You can try these at home:
  • Place a pillow below the legs while lying down. It helps revive the bloodstream from these areas 
  • Limit your intake of salt, as it is quite beneficial 
  • Drink lots of water and cut down on natural dehydrators such as tea and coffee 
  • Exercise regularly and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. It will supply the required nutrients that improve blood circulation and also prevent water retention. 

Thus, depending on how deeply it is affected, one has to undergo appropriate, prompt diagnosis and treatment of the underlying condition that will resolve the water retention in the body.

After all, it’s better late than never.

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