If you have or are at risk for developing congestive heart failure, you may be placed on a fluid-restricted diet. While this can be tedious, it helps prevent the heart from working harder than it has to until the condition subsides. When it comes to tracking fluid intake, be sure to include less obvious sources such as ice, broth and frozen treats.
What is Heart Failure?
Heart failure occurs when your heart is unable to pump enough to keep up with your body's need for oxygen-rich blood. Heart failure is not the same as a heart attack. During congestive heart failure, heart tissue does not die. The heart continues to beat; however, it may do so abnormally. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the heart may fail to fully relax or fill normally between beats. People at high risk for heart failure include those who are obese, have high blood pressure or have diabetes. Older adults are also more prone to developing the condition.
How Fluid Affects the Heart
When your heart is failing, your body retains fluid because your heart is not moving fluid around as efficiently as it should. Some fluid-related symptoms of heart failure include excessive swelling in the legs and feet, as well as unexplained weight gain. During heart failure, taking in excess fluids can makes your heart work harder to pump that fluid around your body. This can increase the difficulty of breathing, causing shortness of breath as well as extreme fatigue. For this reason, people who are experiencing congestive heart failure or those who are especially prone to it may be placed on a fluid-restricted diet.
Monitoring Fluid Intake
The Midwest Heart Specialists advise their cardiac care patients to limit their fluid intake to around six to eight cups a day, which is about two quarts. However, the Cleveland Clinic's recommended daily guideline is closer to two liters. Recommendations vary, and your doctor will give you a personalized guideline. To avoid exceeding the restrictive amount, Midwest Heart Specialists suggests filling a single container with the entire recommended daily allowance of fluid. You can either drink from this, or remove fluid from it as you drink other beverages. In addition, they recommend using hard sugar-free candy or sugarless gum to avoid associated symptoms such as dry mouth.
Other Considerations
Fluid includes not only water, but juice, coffee, broth and more. If you have a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, you must subtract that amount from your daily allowance. In addition, Midwest Heart Specialists point out that foods that become fluids at room temperature should also be considered in the daily allowance. This includes frozen treats such as popsicles or ice cream. And don't forget broths: soups must also be considered when it comes to tallying daily fluid intake.
