You may have recently realized that your feet won’t fit into your favorite pair of shoes. Maybe you’ve noticed that your wedding ring is not as comfortable as it should. It’s probably digging into your finger. These are symptoms that your body is swelling, and this often occurs when fluids accumulate in the body. But what causes fluids to accumulate in the body? Here’s a list of the common reasons for fluid accumulation and how to handle them.
1. Salt
With regards to the consumption of salt, the recommended amount is 5 g (0.17 oz) per day, equivalent to one teaspoon. Your body starts accumulating fluid when you get more than the recommended quota of salt. You must, therefore, limit your salt intake. Use herbs and spices instead of salt if your food seems insipid.
2. Allergy
Itching and redness are symptoms of an allergy, especially when accompanied by swelling. If the swelling develops rapidly and touches the face and neck areas, urgent medical care is required. But if it’s small, antihistamines can help relieve the swelling.
3. Hormones
Hormonal failure is known to cause fluid accumulation in the body. Swollen legs, weight gain, and abdominal distension are symptoms of hormonal edema.
Visiting your gynecologist or endocrinologist should be the first step, after which he/she will select the treatment. However, you can help balance your hormones naturally by changing your diet. Start by reducing salty, spicy, and sweet foods from your diet and including protein-rich foods instead.
4. Kidney disease
Changes in urine color and lower back pain are signs of kidney disease. Apart from these symptoms, noticeable swelling on the face that occurs mainly in the morning signifies kidney issues.
Since sleeping on your stomach is linked to swelling on the face, you should sleep on your back. You also need to follow a diet and visit a nephrologist.
5. Heart diseases
Swelling that occurs in the abdomen and legs can signify heart diseases, particularly if accompanied by fatigue, dyspnea, or chest pain. Treating cardiac edema at home is not recommended, hence the need to consult a cardiologist.
6. Medication
Taking birth control pills, antipyretics, analgesics, and several other types of medications can result in swelling. If that is the case, you need to consult a doctor. Replacing the medicine in question with an analog that is not linked to similar side effects might be possible.
7. Lifestyle
Standing or sitting for extended periods every day increases the risk of leg edema. If your job requires you to spend a lot of time standing or sitting, make sure you take regular breaks. Gentle massages, sit-stand schedules and workstations, stretching exercises, and wearing proper-fitting shoes are also recommended.
8. Dehydration
At the onset of dehydration, our bodies begin to retain water. Because water retention means the accumulation of liquid, your lower belly, ankles, and wrists may become swollen. Take at least 1.2 liters of water every day. You also need to avoid alcohol, coffee, and carbonated drinks.
Conclusion
Swelling doesn’t always signify a pathological condition. In fact, swelling occurs even in healthy people, especially during the hot summer months. In such cases, eating salty foods, taking lots of liquid, and wearing uncomfortable shoes are the most common reasons.
