5 Signs Of Fluid Retention

Do you think your body may be storing fluids but you do not know the signs of fluid retention? Here you get 5 signs of fluid retention.

Fluid retention, also called edema, is a pathological or non-pathological condition caused by an excessive accumulation of fluid in your tissues.

• When it is pathological, it usually stems from circulatory problems, congestive heart failure or problems with your kidneys or liver.
• When this is not the case, it is due to a simple dilation of your veins in times when the temperature is higher.

The consequences of fluid retention are:

• Unexplained weight gain
• Swelling in your legs and ankles
• An increase in the size of your abdominal area or a decrease in your need to urinate.

Edema is mostly seen in older adults. However, it has also been diagnosed in adolescents.

The condition is more common in women than men, especially for hormonal or dietary reasons.

It also tends to appear during menopause, pregnancy or when a person has a sedentary lifestyle.

However, fluid retention can be a sign that a person has another disorder, whether it is the heart, kidney, liver or digestive tract.

How to find out if you have fluid retention

1. Your lower extremities are swollen

Your lower extremities are the first part of your body affected by fluid retention, so pay special attention to your legs and feet.

In the beginning, you will feel fatigue and heaviness in your legs due to insufficient drainage.

2. Thicker ankles

Edema makes your ankles look bigger than normal.

From when you wake up until you go to bed, this part of the body increases in size as the day goes on.

3. Leg cramps

Back to your legs, you will also see swelling in them, but sometimes people do not notice it.

One symptom that may reveal that you are storing fluids is having frequent cramps in the area along with weakness.

4. Flatulence in the middle body

Another area that is affected by signs of fluid retention is your stomach. Some people think they keep gaining weight when in fact they are just bloated.

Some go so far as to adopt strict diets where they think the increase in the size of their waist is fat when in fact it is a defect in the excretory system.

5. Swelling in your face

The swelling that comes from edema can also happen in your face. It is usually visible in your cheeks and eyelids, which will increase slightly in size.

Excess fluids make your face look rounder.

Some solutions

If you think you can store liquids, you can do the following:

Drink more water

It may seem counterintuitive, but when your body stores fluids, it’s because it’s dehydrated.

Then give it the water it needs. This way, it will not save it unnecessarily.

Go on a hypocaloric, low sodium diet

When faced with this problem, it is a good idea to reduce your consumption of refined flour and sugar, fat and salt.

• Exercise: It seems that this is a cure for all kinds of problems. The exercise will help you get rid of the extra fluid through sweat and urine, and also get your circulation going. Your exercise routine should last at least 20 minutes a day.
• Drink diuretic tea : Certain plants like dandelion, fennel, parsley and green tea will help you go to the toilet more regularly. You can also add vegetables like carrots and cucumbers to your diet, along with fruits like watermelon and melon.
• Eat foods that have a high potassium content : Cereals, cauliflower, bananas and asparagus can also help you when storing liquids due to their high potassium content.
• Turn down the dehydrating drinks: This is especially alcohol, where the worst is beer and vodka, as well as coffee. As we explained above, your body stores fluids when it thinks it does not have enough water.

• Eat more protein: Chicken, red meat, fish, seafood and legumes are all good options. A lack of protein increases fluid retention.
• Do not wear tight clothing: It is unnecessarily uncomfortable and will cause your body to swell a little more during the day.
• Do not sit down too much: If you work at your desk all day, get away from your seat for at least five minutes every hour. This way, your body will not get into a sedentary stage.
• Stay away from too much heat: Stay away from environments that are too hot, as heat creates dehydration. When this happens, your body stores fluids.