Water Retention

Setting aside the diseases which can cause really gross water retention (these are mostly diseases of the heart, kidneys and liver), it is quite common  to retain up to 10 lbs of water weight. (That means excessive or abnormal water retention, not the water that needs to be in your body to prevent dehydration.) Occasionally [...]

Diuretics are the best medicines to treat water retention caused by heart, liver or kidney problems. They are not very effective for water retention caused by other types of water retention, including

chronic venous insufficiency
premenstrual water retention
idiopathic edema

By causing dehydration they can actually make these problems worse.
Before buying diuretics (even natural herbal diuretics) get your doctor [...]

Some types of water retention occur when water and protein leak from your blood into your tissues. The protein may stay in the tissues, where it becomes a focus for attracting water retention.
If you take diuretics, your kidneys will work harder, and will extract more water from your blood. Some water may leave your tissues, [...]

A water diet means that you eat nothing and drink only water. That might temporarily get rid of water retention in some people but it would not have a lasting effect.
It is true that if you become dehydrated because you don’t drink enough water, your body could learn to hold on to water.  This can [...]

Some well-known causes of water retention include heart or kidney problems. These are due to a reduced ability of the heart or kidneys to do their job, and can cause severe swelling of the legs and ankles.
Weak circulation in the leg veins is probably the most common cause of water retention in legs and ankles. [...]