Holding water - suggestions of cause or solution?

nxd10

I am traveling and am holding a lot of water. I'm not so much worried about my weight, but my health, and am looking for suggestions - I assume it is diet related. It is certainly not a health threat, just obvious to me, and I would like to solve the problem before it becomes problematic. It's not just my feet that are swollen, but also my abdomen and breasts. My rings are okay. It's the kind of minor, but not problematic, swelling you can get when it's hot and you're pregnant. (I'm turning 55 Monday, so that is definitely not the problem.)

It started two days before I left (during the North American cold snap) when I ate some Indian pickle with massive salt. I gained 5 pounds and it was definitely all water. Then I got on a plane for 14 hours - which also causes water retention.

Since I've been here, I have been putting my feet up and walking at least 5 miles a day. I have been drinking lots of fluids, but I don't think too many. I thought my sodium would be high from eating out, but MFP says it's fine, and it's not even abnormally high for me.

It's been four days since the plane and six days since the original problem. It seems like my body should have settled itself. I've only had this once since beginning logging.

Do things other than sodium trigger water retention? No bath here, so can't use my usual trick of very hot bath and drinking very cold water.

SaintGiff

Asparagus is a great natural diuretic. Short of that it's just drinking tons of water. I know that sounds counter-intuitive but if you drink enough water your body will no longer retain it.

lau444

Lots of water and potassium-rich foods. Potassium regulates sodium in the bloodstream. And of course, keeping your sodium in check.

Safe travels!

ndj1979

drink a lot of water to the point where you are peeing like every thirty minutes…I had a similar problem about six months ago and did this and I dropped about five pounds in water weight in a week….

JessyJepson

I asked one of my biology professors that question a few years ago.

I asked if it was safe to take water pills to help shed the extra water, because I had in the past... He said that was a very dangerous and pretty much lazy way to shed the water weight. He also said it was most likely the cause of me starting to hold extra water!?

He told me the only way to get the water weight off safely without risking hurting my kidneys and liver was to drink more water, pay attention to the foods I am eating (sodium content) and sweat doing some type of exercise for at least 45--but 60 minutes would be better everyday, until you get the water moving through and out of your system normally again. After you start feeling lighter 30 minutes of sweating per day would help keep your body working properly.

It worked for me!
Good luck to you, I remember how uncomfortable it was to feel that way.

BigAl_2

Lemon water will help with bloat and retention even faster since lemon is a natural diuretic as well.

eating4me

Being an RN makes me question whether you have any cardiac problems/history? Any shortness of breath on exertion? Just a few things to check into, since the edema seems to be pretty significant. (Not trying to scare you, but just concerned, and didn't want to just disregard the possibility.)

themedalist

Lots of water and potassium-rich foods. Potassium regulates sodium in the bloodstream. And of course, keeping your sodium in check.

Safe travels!

This! Potassium is very helpful i keeping sodium in check.

nxd10

Being an RN makes me question whether you have any cardiac problems/history? Any shortness of breath on exertion? Just a few things to check into, since the edema seems to be pretty significant. (Not trying to scare you, but just concerned, and didn't want to just disregard the possibility.)

Very good question, but I have very low blood pressure, no heart problems, and no other symptoms except bloating.

I talked to several friends from here. ALL have assured me that going from -20F in OH to 95F in South America will cause exactly the problems I'm having.

Thanks to everyone for their good advice. I am continuing my walking and drinking lots of fluids. I am upping my vegetables - they have wonderful fruit here, but I haven't seen anything green and high in potassium since I've been here. I have been watching my sodium and will continue to. And hopefully it will go away before I take that long flight home next Thursday.

meshashesha2012

could very well be the climate, especially one you arent used to.

i went to a desert climate for th first time in my life in august and i was retaining water like crazy more than i ever have and i'm actually taking medical diuretics! i was drinking tons of water (i usually drink 1 gallon of water a day plus other stuff like tea and diet soda and i was drinking even more water in palm springs) yet i had horrible retention.

i was miserable.i pretty much came to the conclusion that my body doesnt like hot and dry climates :laugh: i do really well in hot and humid, but hot and dry is just so foreign to me

TonyStark30

I went to Jamaica a couple of Winters ago and I carried water the whole time, its like as soon as I got there I puffed up after the first meal! I just continued training, didn't eat badly but at the same time i didn't really count my calories as I was just not myself and couldn't actually see what was going on fat loss wise, and got back to it when I came back.

arrseegee

Have you recently changed the type of or starting using oral contraceptives? These can also cause water retention.