Fighting fluid retention

shorerider

LONG POST--sorry but I know many have been through this and thought what I am learning might help some.

Good news-I lost 1 pound since yesterday

Bad news--I still appear to be retaining fluid--perhaps up to 2 or more pounds of it.

Since I jumped on the scale yesterday and showed over a 3 pound gain in 3 days, I have been doing research online about fluid retention. I've learned a lot!

Based on what I've learned, I'm cutting back on my water consumption for a couple days, cutting out caffeine for few days, buying some bananas today and make a nice big banana smoothie!! and if that doesn't work, I'm buying some "water pills" as a last resort.

---

One thing I learned is that you don't always know by "looks" if you're retaining fluids.

I didn't think I was because my ankles weren't "puffy." But that is just one symptom.

Others include swollen calves, shins, hands, a "heaviness in your stomach" or simply clothes that all of a sudden are tight (that last was what I experienced but I attributed it to new clothes having been washed for the first time).

I also learned there are many causes of occasional fluid retention. If it becomes a constant thing though, you should go to a doctor, as it could be heart related.

Reasons for occasional retention include:

--PMS (different ballgame here--see additional information below)
--long travel (part of my cause I believe)
--too much sodium (possible cause of mine since I had to eat out for few days)
--too much caffeine (although a diuretic, coffee/tea can cause fluid retention in some)
--assorted other causes including 'it simply happens sometimes'

I reviewed what I did while I was out of town to try to find reasons for fluid retention. Here's what changed in my schedule:

--exercise: I always ride my bike at home but while staying at the hotel, I used the treadmill and put in 45 minutes each day for 3 days. As one result, I developed huge blisters on my Achilles tendons.

--food: had to eat total of 5 meals out, so sodium intake probably tripled at least. I normally keep sodium under 1600 a day--I know I took in more than that with restaurant food

--coffee: I have gotten my consumption down to 1 cup a day but while out of town, I drank LOTS. An average of 4 cups a day and on the trip home, I drank about 8 cups!

--water: I only drank water (about 80-132 ozs a day), unsweet tea (32 ozs a day average), and 1 cup of coffee a day. But while out of town, I was afraid I would retain fluid, so I actually INCREASED my water consumption. Bad move, as I discuss below.

================================================

What to do when retaining fluid--

--if not drinking enough water, increase intake. You need at least 64 ozs a day. If not drinking that, increase consumption.

--HOWEVER!! Too much water can be bad when retaining fluids (this surprised me). If retaining fluid, most recommend limiting fluid intake to 2 liters a day. Because if you're retaining fluids, you need to give your kidneys time to move it through your system without overwhelming them.

--Lay off the Caffeine: Caffeine can be diuretic but again, this might not be what your body needs right now. AND, many people find an opposite effect if already retaining fluid. Try dropping caffeine for couple days to see if it helps.

--Eat Bananas! Contain potassium and a natural diuretic. Also helps replace some of what will be flushed out of your system when you finally eliminate the fluid

--Lemon Juice--some swear by it. 1 cup a day, avoid drinking more. Drink it straight. Use straw to get it past your teeth as it can weaken enamel (did I say this one might not be the best remedy??)

--Lay off the sodium! The main culprit! Drop as much sodium from your diet as possible for few days.

--Exercise: will help fluids move through your system and get things "moving"

---

I didn't attribute mine to PMS, as "that" is still 2 weeks away at least BUT I learned that as you near menopause PMS can worsen (wonderful news, right? ), so this could very well be PMS.

That being the case, there's different things to try not just for fluid retention but for PMS in general--

If fluid retention is related to PMS, then diuretics probably won't help. Here's some tips that might help though:

--Avoid salt and salty foods. PMS causes bloating and water retention. Salt can cause bloating and water retention. Ergo, salt can make those problems of PMS worse.

-Avoid excessive alcohol. Premenstrually, alcohol can cause increased breast tenderness. Also, alcohol can lower blood sugar, which may make typical PMS mood symptoms worse. If you cannot totally avoid alcohol premenstrually, at least try not to drink to excess.

-Avoid caffeine. Some research suggests that the effects of caffeine are magnified premenstrually, leading to greater breast tenderness, more nervousness, and potentially more irritability. Instead of coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks, try herbal teas and other decaffeinated beverages.

-Drink chamomile tea. Premenstrually, chamomile tea may be particularly helpful because it contains properties that relieve muscle spasms, and may therefore help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. In addition, chamomile seems to reduce tension that may lead to anxiety and irritability.[http://health.yahoo.com/experts/joybauernutrition/14076/foods-that-fight-pms/]

. Eat small, frequent meals. It's important to keep your blood sugar stable to alleviate peaks and valleys in your energy level, says nurse Irene Jackson, who teaches classes in PMS management at the Grace Hospital Women's Health Centre in Calgary. Follow Canada's food guide, and eat something every three hours -- preferably a complex carbohydrate snack. A bran muffin and a glass of orange juice will beat a chocolate bar any time. "Some women find their cravings for sugar and salt will be reduced if they keep their blood sugar stable," says Jackson. [http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/1998/10/living_01.html]

================================================

LOTS more information about fluid retention on the web. The best tool in any diet is to EDUCATE YOURSELF! So jump on the 'net and learn, too!

shorerider

LONG POST--sorry but I know many have been through this and thought what I am learning might help some.

Good news-I lost 1 pound since yesterday

Bad news--I still appear to be retaining fluid--perhaps up to 2 or more pounds of it.

Since I jumped on the scale yesterday and showed over a 3 pound gain in 3 days, I have been doing research online about fluid retention. I've learned a lot!

Based on what I've learned, I'm cutting back on my water consumption for a couple days, cutting out caffeine for few days, buying some bananas today and make a nice big banana smoothie!! and if that doesn't work, I'm buying some "water pills" as a last resort.

---

One thing I learned is that you don't always know by "looks" if you're retaining fluids.

I didn't think I was because my ankles weren't "puffy." But that is just one symptom.

Others include swollen calves, shins, hands, a "heaviness in your stomach" or simply clothes that all of a sudden are tight (that last was what I experienced but I attributed it to new clothes having been washed for the first time).

I also learned there are many causes of occasional fluid retention. If it becomes a constant thing though, you should go to a doctor, as it could be heart related.

Reasons for occasional retention include:

--PMS (different ballgame here--see additional information below)
--long travel (part of my cause I believe)
--too much sodium (possible cause of mine since I had to eat out for few days)
--too much caffeine (although a diuretic, coffee/tea can cause fluid retention in some)
--assorted other causes including 'it simply happens sometimes'

I reviewed what I did while I was out of town to try to find reasons for fluid retention. Here's what changed in my schedule:

--exercise: I always ride my bike at home but while staying at the hotel, I used the treadmill and put in 45 minutes each day for 3 days. As one result, I developed huge blisters on my Achilles tendons.

--food: had to eat total of 5 meals out, so sodium intake probably tripled at least. I normally keep sodium under 1600 a day--I know I took in more than that with restaurant food

--coffee: I have gotten my consumption down to 1 cup a day but while out of town, I drank LOTS. An average of 4 cups a day and on the trip home, I drank about 8 cups!

--water: I only drank water (about 80-132 ozs a day), unsweet tea (32 ozs a day average), and 1 cup of coffee a day. But while out of town, I was afraid I would retain fluid, so I actually INCREASED my water consumption. Bad move, as I discuss below.

================================================

What to do when retaining fluid--

--if not drinking enough water, increase intake. You need at least 64 ozs a day. If not drinking that, increase consumption.

--HOWEVER!! Too much water can be bad when retaining fluids (this surprised me). If retaining fluid, most recommend limiting fluid intake to 2 liters a day. Because if you're retaining fluids, you need to give your kidneys time to move it through your system without overwhelming them.

--Lay off the Caffeine: Caffeine can be diuretic but again, this might not be what your body needs right now. AND, many people find an opposite effect if already retaining fluid. Try dropping caffeine for couple days to see if it helps.

--Eat Bananas! Contain potassium and a natural diuretic. Also helps replace some of what will be flushed out of your system when you finally eliminate the fluid

--Lemon Juice--some swear by it. 1 cup a day, avoid drinking more. Drink it straight. Use straw to get it past your teeth as it can weaken enamel (did I say this one might not be the best remedy??)

--Lay off the sodium! The main culprit! Drop as much sodium from your diet as possible for few days.

--Exercise: will help fluids move through your system and get things "moving"

---

I didn't attribute mine to PMS, as "that" is still 2 weeks away at least BUT I learned that as you near menopause PMS can worsen (wonderful news, right? ), so this could very well be PMS.

That being the case, there's different things to try not just for fluid retention but for PMS in general--

If fluid retention is related to PMS, then diuretics probably won't help. Here's some tips that might help though:

--Avoid salt and salty foods. PMS causes bloating and water retention. Salt can cause bloating and water retention. Ergo, salt can make those problems of PMS worse.

-Avoid excessive alcohol. Premenstrually, alcohol can cause increased breast tenderness. Also, alcohol can lower blood sugar, which may make typical PMS mood symptoms worse. If you cannot totally avoid alcohol premenstrually, at least try not to drink to excess.

-Avoid caffeine. Some research suggests that the effects of caffeine are magnified premenstrually, leading to greater breast tenderness, more nervousness, and potentially more irritability. Instead of coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks, try herbal teas and other decaffeinated beverages.

-Drink chamomile tea. Premenstrually, chamomile tea may be particularly helpful because it contains properties that relieve muscle spasms, and may therefore help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. In addition, chamomile seems to reduce tension that may lead to anxiety and irritability.[http://health.yahoo.com/experts/joybauernutrition/14076/foods-that-fight-pms/]

. Eat small, frequent meals. It's important to keep your blood sugar stable to alleviate peaks and valleys in your energy level, says nurse Irene Jackson, who teaches classes in PMS management at the Grace Hospital Women's Health Centre in Calgary. Follow Canada's food guide, and eat something every three hours -- preferably a complex carbohydrate snack. A bran muffin and a glass of orange juice will beat a chocolate bar any time. "Some women find their cravings for sugar and salt will be reduced if they keep their blood sugar stable," says Jackson. [http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/1998/10/living_01.html]

================================================

LOTS more information about fluid retention on the web. The best tool in any diet is to EDUCATE YOURSELF! So jump on the 'net and learn, too!

BlazinEmerald

Thanks for this. I have been thinkin alot about going and getting the water pills. I ALWAYS retain water, some days worse than other, some days my feet feel like they may burst from the pressure. I have been this way since young so I know its just " one of those things" with me. Things that increase my swelling : Heat(whe its hot out , you better believe my hands and feet are gonna balloon), Standing for long periods of time on a hard surface(concrete, wood, or tile flooring), and sitting for long periods of time all tend to increase my swelling.

Also, I have a weird bladder that contributers to my retention. Most people's bladder holds about 500 ml, when you "empty" your bladder, it emptys to nothing. When I empty my bladder I still have 300 ml left in mine. My bladder never fully emptys... ever. There is no blockage and no other medical reason that can be found... it's just weird.

All that being said , and alot of TMI later , think Im gonna look into the water pills

cwilson715

Hey ya'll can try doing apple cider vinger get it with the mother or from the mother. I like 1tsp with water and make it like a shot. It's vinger so its not great. But do it 3 times a day, some say to do it 30 minutes before a meal. It's suppose to be like the fountian of youth. Look it up.


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cwilson715

Oh ya and be very careful with bananas they can make you constipated. I use to be a weight loss consultant.