Find out how water retention tablets can be an effective remedy against fluid-retention symptoms.
If you feel sluggish and bloated, and your clothes feel tighter than normal, the chances are it’s probably just water weight. Although irritating, water retention is extremely common.
Caused when the body stores excess water instead of eliminating it through urine and sweat, some common symptoms include abdominal bloating, swollen feet, ankles and hands, stiff, achy joints and unexplained fluctuations in weight.
What causes water retention?
There are many driving factors that can cause uncomfortable fluid retention, from hormonal changes in the two weeks leading up to menstruation to a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain. Certain medications and dietary deficiencies in specific nutrients, such as protein and B vitamins, can all play a significant role in water retention, too.
What causes water retention in the summer?
There are also some immediate dietary and lifestyle factors at play. You may notice that you feel particularly heavy and bloated during the summer months, and this is because the body is less efficient at removing excess fluid from tissues during hot weather.
Too much sodium is another possible symptom of water retention. The body needs to keep its sodium-to-water ratio balanced to carry out everyday functions, and it will naturally hold onto water if too much salty food is consumed. This is the reason why you may feel swollen after having a salty takeaway, ready meal or any other food that is high in sodium.
It’s also common to feel puffy and bloated after a flight, because changes in cabin pressure and sitting for an extended period can cause your body to hold onto water.
There are some practical steps you can take to help resolve many of the possible symptoms of water retention. For example, if you’re taking a flight, try to move around the cabin as often as you can, and do simple exercises when you’re sitting such as ankle and wrist circles and stretches, which will keep your blood circulating properly. Here are some more tips…
How to get rid of water retention
Try these steps to eliminate possible symptoms of water retention:
1. Drink more water
One of the best ways to beat water weight is to drink more water. It might sound counterintuitive, but a well-hydrated body means you’ll be better able to effectively pass out excess water and waste, and be less likely to retain water weight.Aim to sip two litres of water and herbal teas throughout the day. Carrying a large reusable bottle around with you will allow you to keep tabs on how much you’re drinking.
2. Flavour foods naturally
Nobody likes bland, tasteless food but using the salt shaker isn’t the only way to add flavour. Fragrant herbs and culinary spices such as basil, parsley, dill, turmeric, cinnamon and cumin all have powerful health benefits and even just a pinch or two will help jazz up a meal.As a general rule add herbs and spices towards the end of cooking your meal in order to retain more of their health properties.
3. Eat water-rich foods
Fruit and veggies like cucumber, celery, watermelon, lemons, grapes and pineapple have a high water content, so make sure to add them to your weekly shopping list; they’re also crammed with vitamins and minerals to support overall wellbeing, so win win.
4. Avoid unsuspecting offenders
There are some less obvious offenders that could be contributing to water weight. Canned food is often high in sodium so always read food labels when you’re in the supermarket to make sure you’re not consuming more than the recommended 6g intake per day.Drinking fizzy drinks will also lead to water retention, but it’s not just cola and other sugary drinks that you need to avoid. Carbonated water can also lead to water retention so stick to still water with a wedge of lemon or mint sprigs if you want an extra flavour hit.
5. Take a water retention tablet
Along with practical dietary steps, water retention tablets can be a helpful remedy to remove water weight. There are two types of water retention tablets – prescription and herbal.
Prescription water retention tablets can cause unpleasant side effects such as headaches, lightheadedness and low blood pressure. In the long run they can also cause an imbalance in certain minerals such as sodium and potassium, which leads to muscle weakness, fatigue and cramping.Herbal water tablet formulas are preferable at treating mild water retention. Based on traditional use, herbal water tablets trigger the body to eliminate water weight safely and can offer fast relief.
How quickly do water retention tablets work?
Just how quickly they work depends on the individual – some people may experience immediate relief while others may find that it takes a few days before bloating and other uncomfortable symptoms associated with water weight subside.
Herbal medicine for water retention
One of the best herbs to get rid of water retention is dandelion. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine found that dandelion increased urine frequency and volume in participants who took the herb in supplement form. Other potent diuretic herbs include uva ursi leaf and buchu leaf. You can find out more about the different types of water retention tablets here.
These each act as a natural diuretic and when combined they work as a powerful formula that can help to relieve water retention symptoms. HRI Water Balance is a specifically created blend of dandelion, uva ursi and buchu leaf to help sufferers in losing water weight. Just take two tablets twice a day, after meals, to help reduce bloating and restore wellness. And just like that, you’ll be able to continue with your daily activities, symptom free.
