How to Reduce Water Retention With a Diet

Water retention, also referred to as edema, can make you feel bloated, heavy and uncomfortable. Water retention is experienced by men and women alike and is also one of the common symptoms of thyroid disease, premenstrual syndrome, and kidney or liver conditions. If you find yourself retaining water, you might need to make changes in your diet and lifestyle to help alleviate your symptoms. Reducing salt and taking in lots of fluids are two of the best ways to stop water retention.

Instructions

• 1

  Reduce your sodium intake. The more sodium you take into your body, the more water you will store. Do not consume more than 1000 milligrams of sodium every day to reduce water retention.

• 2

  Eat fruits that are rich in potassium. Bananas and melons are ideal because they have lots of potassium, which will help balance out the sodium levels in your body.

• 3

  Drink at least eight glasses of water daily. It might seem strange to put more fluid into a body that is retaining water, but the more hydrated your body is, the less water you will retain.

• 4

  Include diuretic vegetables into your daily diet, such as tomatoes, peppers, carrots and cucumber. These are also rich in potassium and will help counteract the effects of sodium.