Causes of Water Retention

	Causes of Water Retention
The Waterfall Diet Other Treatments Home	The changes within your body which lead to water retention are intimately linked to what you eat. They can be set off by any of the following Regularly eating too much salt and/or sugar Not eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables High levels of wastes or toxins in your body Taking certain commonly-prescribed medications Long-term use of very low-calorie diets, which tend to be deficient in protein and other nutrients Food intolerances (similar to allergies) Lack of exercise
	Salt and Sugar
	Salt affects your kidneys and blood pressure. The sodium in salt makes your kidneys hold on to water instead of excreting it. Eating too much sugar raises levels of the hormone insulin. High insulin levels make it hard for you to excrete sodium, so people who indulge a sweet tooth can also be prone to water retention.
	Fruit and vegetables
	Certain fruits and vegetables contain special ingredients which help to prevent your blood vessels from leaking fluid into your tissue spaces. To treat or prevent water retention, it is vital to include them in your diet. There are also herbal products which have a similar strengthening effect. These herbs are not the same as the herbal diuretics which make your kidneys work harder.
	Wastes and toxins
	Cellulite is a form of fat complexed with retained water. Sometimes it holds so much water that it is painful to the touch. Metabolic wastes and toxins such as pesticides which the body cannot easily release tend to be stored in this fat and water. The only way to get rid of them is to use foods and herbs which support your body's detox mechanisms.
	Prescribed medicines
	Water retention is a little-known side effect of some of the most commonly prescribed medicines. They make you retain water because they affect your body's handling of sodium and insulin. The contraceptive pill is a well-known example.
	Low-Calorie Diets
	If you have water retention you are very likely to be overweight. But overweight people tend to go on a low-calorie diet. A low-calorie diet will unfortunately not get rid of water retention - it can actually make it worse, especially if you eat less than 1,200 Calories a day for months or years. One of the most important nutrients to prevent water retention is protein. Protein is in short supply in very low-calorie diets. The most suitable diet for people with water retention is the Waterfall Diet.
	Food Intolerances
	Overloading the stomach, drinking alcohol, taking medications and antibiotics, consuming too much sugar, not getting enough dietary fibre - all these modern-day habits can affect your digestive ability. Undigested particles can get into your blood system and stimulate your immune cells to produce histamine. This histamine is a very big cause of water retention.
	Lack of exercise
	People who spend a lot of time immobile, e.g. those in hospital beds, wheelchairs, or on long-haul flights, even "couch potatoes" can develop water retention because without regular movement to help it, your lymphatic system cannot drain excess fluid out of your tissue spaces.
	You can read more about the causes of water retention and how to treat them in The Waterfall Diet by Linda Lazarides. Drinking less fluid will not cure water retention, and could make it worse.