Thread: Drink more to beat fluid retention

I have noticed that people retain fluid and ask how to get rid of it.....so here is the answer.
Hope this helps
Ruthy xxx

Recent estimates suggest that as many as 75% of us aren’t drinking enough water: Read on and discover the health benefits of water and why we should all be drinking more.

A great aid to losing weight

Water is quite possibly Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Most of us take water for granted but it may be the only true “magic potion” for permanent weight loss.

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolise stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can reduce fat deposits.

This is because the kidneys can’t function properly without enough water. When they don’t work properly some of their load is dumped onto the liver.

One of the livers main functions is to metabolise stored fat into usable energy for the body. If the liver has to do some of the kidney’s work it can’t work at full throttle. As a result it metabolises less fat and more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

A recent study held in Washington DC found that one glass of water minimised midnight hunger pains in 100% of the dieters studied.

Why We Need Water

Our bodies are estimated to be about 60 to 70% water. Blood is mostly water, and our muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Water is needed to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all our organs. Water also transports oxygen to our cells, removes waste, and protects our joints and organs.

Lubing the Joints

Water makes up a large part of the fluid that lubricates and cushions your joints and muscles. Drinking water before, during, and after exercise can also help reduce muscle pains and weakness.

Dehydration Danger

We lose water through urination, respiration, and by sweating. If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary. Diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol cause us to lose water by tricking our bodies into thinking we have more water than we need. Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles, lower back pain, headaches, and constipation. A strong odour to your urine, along with a yellow or amber colour indicates that you are not getting enough water.

Common signs of dehydration

Thirst is not the only symptom.

Others include:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Muscle and joint pains
• Dry, flushed skin

Fluid Retention

When the body gets less water it perceives it as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extra cellular spaces, (outside the cells) and shows up as swollen feet, hands and legs. Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. Diuretics offer a temporary solution to water retention, they force our stored water along with some essential nutrients. The body again perceives a threat and will replace any of the lost water as quickly as possible. It can be a vicious circle.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what is needs, plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released. However, if you have a constant problem with water retention excess salt may be to blame. The body is only able to tolerate sodium in certain concentration. The more salt you eat the4 more water your body retains to dilute it. Getting rid of unneeded salt is easy, just drink more water; as the water goes through the kidneys it takes away the excess sodium.

Fighting disease and infections

Water can prevent kidney stones and reduce your chances of getting bladder, kidney and urinary tract infection. Recent research at Loma Linda University in California studied more than 20,000 healthy men and women and found that people who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease than those who drank fewer than two glasses a day.

A healthy skin

Drinking water moisturises your skin. Water is essential to maintaining elasticity and suppleness and helps prevent dryness. It also helps to prevent sagging skin that is often associated with losing weight as shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps the skin and leaves it healthy and resilient.

Keeping regular

Water helps prevent constipation. When the body gets too little water is siphons what it needs from internal sources. The bowel is the primary source and this results in constipation. When a person drinks enough water normal bowel function should return.

How much is enough?

The amount of water your body needs will depend on your weight. The overweight person needs more water than the thin person. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism it follows that an overweight person needs to drink more. On average a person should drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day. That is about 4 points or 2 litres. The over weight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight they are carrying. The amount that you drink should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry. Cold water is absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water.

Thanks for that, it is so easy to forget to drink the proper amount of water!!

x

I drink more water when I am at work but I frequently forget to drink enough. I will try to increase my intake as it looks like I'm missing a trick here!

Well i have posted it but havent taken any advice,.... ive had 3 glasses of diet coke, im going to down a pint of water....im starting to feel guilty lol
Ruthyxxx

I usually drink flavoured sparkling water but I never touch water on a WI day as I find I retain it whereas Die Coke goes straight through. Maybe it's just part of my 'Slimmers neurosis' but that's how I do it!

I honestly havent found drinking water has helped me at all. Well I do feel less bloated not drinking the horrendous amounts of diet coke I used to lol I now drink around 3l a day of sugar free grapefruit squash plus coffee etc and it hasnt made a bit of difference to my weigh ins