Causes of Water Retention
Water retention is said to have serious effects which are caused due to the reduced ability of the heart or kidneys to do their job. Heart and kidney problems are some of the problems included in the causes of water retention. Water retention can have some grave consequences like swelling of legs and ankles.
When water retention takes place in the legs and the ankles, most of the times the reason is weak circulation of blood in leg veins. This is said to occur during pregnancy and often causes swelling. For older people, it is seen to even end up in vericose veins.
One type of water retention referred to as lymphoedema (lymphedema) is said to be caused by the blockage or congestion of the lymphatic system. This type of water retention however usually takes place after some types of surgery since people tend to remain immobile during the entire procedure. People in hospital beds, wheelchairs, or on long-haul flights, even ‘couch potatoes’, are often seen to develop water retention, as the lymphatic system fails to drain excess fluid out of your tissues if you do not undergo regular exercise of any kind.
Any kind of changes in the menstrual cycle are said to cause a very common type of water retention known as premenstrual water retention.
Salt
People who consume a lot of salty food are at a great risk of developing water retention. Too much presence of sodium, the main component of salt, is said to make the body to dilute it along with water. However, if you happen to lessen the amount of salt you usually consume, it will help you release a little water retention but that too not more than about 2 lbs in weight.
Hormones and Medicines
Insulin, required to process sugar; cortisone, produced when under stress; and the female hormones estrogen and progesterone are some of the hormones which when present in high levels often make the body hold on water. These hormones are said to have an effect on the sodium levels in the body and all the hormones which are responsible for the proper functioning of the kidneys.
Wastes and Toxins
The cellulite often present in a woman’s body in the form of fat is said to hold so much water sometimes that it ends up becoming swollen and very painful to touch. This fat is said to contain all the metabolic wastes ad toxins such as pesticides, which the body cannot easily release.
Low-Calorie Diets
People who have water retention are seen to be somewhat overweight. Furthermore, such people often tend to go on a low-calorie diet, which is said to augment the risk of water retention and make it worse. This is most likely to happen if you consume less than 1,200 calories a day for months or years.
Histamine
Histamine, which is said to widen the joints between the cells lining the smallest blood vessels, is said to cause water retention, leading to bloating and tummy swelling.
