Contents
Edema worries many people. Often they are even confused with excess fat and try to remove water by dieting, fasting days and exercise. This approach not only does not work, but also exacerbates the problem. Let’s look at the causes of fluid retention and how to remove it.
What is puffiness?
In medicine, edema is called excessive accumulation of fluid in the body. Our body consists of 70% water, of which 2/3 is inside the cells of the body. In the space between the cells, there is also water-1/3 of the total amount. When the amount of water in the intercellular space increases, edema appears.
Edema can be general and local. The general one can be seen by the weight fluctuations. For example, in the morning you have one weight, and in the evening you become two kilograms heavier (calorizer). Local is associated with specific diseases, such as Quincke’s edema, edema in diseases of the veins of the legs or lymphatic vessels.
The most common cause of edema
There are many reasons for fluid retention. We will consider them below, and now we will highlight the main one-the violation of water-salt metabolism. Water-salt metabolism is the intake and excretion of water and mineral salts from the body. Excessive or insufficient water intake, excessive or insufficient salt intake cause edema.
Excessive water consumption is extremely rare. On average, a healthy person needs to drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day. Most people don’t drink as much, replacing water with sweet tea, coffee, and other beverages. However, water and drinks are not the same thing. They act differently on the cells of the body. Excess water becomes when the function of the excretory system is disrupted by acute or chronic kidney diseases.
Salty food retains water in the body, so it is recommended to exclude salinity from a healthy diet. Lack of salt also causes fluid retention. If there is little salt inside the cell, then the water will not stay in it and will go out into the intercellular space, forming edema.
Signs of violation of water-salt metabolism:
- Weight fluctuations during the day in the range of 1-2 kg;
- Large body volumes with a small weight;
- Sagging skin;
- Traces on the skin from bedding or clothing.
To establish a water-salt exchange, you need to drink enough water and consume enough salt – do not give up on it and do not overdo it. If you drink the same amount of water every day and consume enough salt, then after 2-3 months, the quality of your body will noticeably improve.
Other causes of edema
Not only violations of water-salt metabolism causes fluid retention. It often accompanies cardiovascular diseases, hormonal disorders, diabetes, kidney and lymphatic vascular diseases, chronic stress, and a sedentary lifestyle.
- Fluid retention occurs at high and low pressure. To remove fluid from the body, it is necessary to normalize the pressure.
- Disorders in the work of thyroid hormones and sex hormones always accompany edema. To get rid of them, it is necessary to normalize the lost hormone levels.
- Diabetes mellitus and the abuse of carbohydrate foods raise the level of sugar in the blood, which affects the work of internal organs, including the work of the excretory system. There are dietary requirements for diabetics, but if you’re not sick, make sure you don’t overeat carbohydrates. Avoid simple carbohydrates and control your intake of complex carbohydrates. In a month, you will see how your body will change.
- Kidney diseases disrupt the excretory system. To get rid of excess water, it is necessary to cure the disease.
- Violation of the lymph flow always causes stagnation of water, and it provokes various inflammatory diseases, so treat the diseases and the excess fluid will go away.
- Chronic stress causes an increase in cortisol, and cortisol retains fluid in the body. Control the stress level – the swelling will go away.
- With low physical activity, the work of a number of body systems is disrupted, which can also cause fluid stagnation.
Rules for getting rid of edema
First, you need to change the diet and normalize the drinking regime. All the cells of the body are made up of protein, it must be eaten in sufficient quantities. Fat is necessary for the hormonal system, so even during active weight loss, fat should not be reduced too much. Carbohydrates should be eaten in moderation, minimizing the consumption of sugar and sugar-containing products, including honey, dried fruits, fruits.
Water is necessary for the body to function normally. Drink the same amount of water daily. Control your salt intake – salt your food, but avoid salty foods (salted fish, homemade pickles, cheese, sausages, snacks).
Move more-start training and increase your non-training activity. High mobility improves blood circulation, helps to reduce weight and avoid congestion in the tissues.
Get tested and treat chronic diseases. Do not expect an exacerbation and remember that the best treatment is prevention.
Most people are looking for quick methods to get rid of edema. But everything fast gives a short-term result and does not eliminate the cause. All of the above recommendations require time, regular implementation, and sometimes material costs for examination and treatment (calorizator). But unlike massages, fasting days, saunas, and water treatments, they eliminate the cause. You will only have to maintain the result and pay attention to your health.