General causes of water retention are excess
of water intake, regular intake of cold or chilled water, intake of chilled
drinks or juices, and excess of alkaline foods . Chemical salt available in the
market is an important factor in water retention. Other general causes are
water intake while eating food, Irregular eating pattern, lack of night sleep,
prolonged stress and various medicines esp. hormones.
Water retention is part of the premenstrual
syndrome. During this time, hormonal fluctuations can cause havoc in a woman’s
body. In some women the monthly rise in estrogen raises the hormone
aldosterone. Aldosterone, in turn, causes the kidneys to retain fluids and the
woman to suddenly gain a few water-filled pounds.
While PMS is the major cause of water
retention in women, water retention for both men and women can also be related
to kidney problems, both serious (kidney disease) and common causes. Heart ,
liver, or thyroid malfunctions can also play a role in water retention. Thanks
to the effects of gravity, retained water tends to accumulate in the feet,
ankles, and legs, although no area of the body is immune. Other water prone
areas are chin and eye esp. upper lids.
Symptoms of water
retention:
These
symptoms vary from person to person depending upon age, presence of other
disease, gender, duration of water retention and level of
water retention. I have seen two worst cases of water retention, one with sixty
glasses of water and other with forty glasses of water. First one died due to
heart and kidney failure, fate of the second one is unknown.
·
Swollen, bloated or puffy body.
·
Difficulty in losing weight.
·
Disproportionate body especially lower body.
·
Lose and toneless skin.
·
Saggy muscles.
·
Tendency for muscle and joint pains.
·
Mental and physical fatigue especially early morning.
·
Drowsiness.
·
Dizziness or loss of balance control.
·
Uncontrolled blood pressure.
·
Tendency for heart enlargement.
·
Hormonal imbalances.
·
Mood swings.
·
Various allergies (flu, asthma, eczema, arthritis etc).
·
High level of grief, sadness, feeling of detachment for the worldly life.
Bloating:
Bloating is the result of wind and water
retention. Certain bodies have a tendency for retaining water and other types
retain wind more.
Treatment:
·
Be careful about food intake and dietary habits.
·
Water intake should be carefully regulated.
·
Temperature of water and drinks should be close to the body temperature.
·
For relieving water retention peanuts, raisins, black tea, coffee, dark
chocolate, cloves, soups and high proteins can be used.