What Is A Safe Way To Eliminate Excess Water From The Body?

At birth, 80 percent of an infant's weight comes from water. An adult's weight is roughly 70 percent water weight. Water is the most important element in our diet, assisting in digestion and absorption of food, helping to keep muscles toned and skin youthful, and providing myriad other functions. At times, your may hold on to excess water, and there are safe ways to help eliminate extra water weight.

Decease Sodium Intake

Water retention could be caused by excessive sodium intake. An increase in sodium shifts the cellular balance, resulting in the body pumping more water into the cells due to osmosis, thus retaining water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of sodium intake comes from added salt. Most people are conscience about the salt shaker, but high amounts of salt also lurk in processed foods, such as frozen dinners, soups, deli meats and cheese.

Take a Diuretic

Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to help your get rid of excess water, but there are many natural diuretics. For example, the French use leeks to help jump-start weight loss, according to Mireille Guiliano, author of the book "French Women Don't Get Fat." Caffeine is a very common diuretic; drinking coffee, green tea and dandelion leaf tea are some safe bets for water loss. Other naturally diuretic food and herbs are celery, onion, garlic, eggplant, asparagus, watermelon, apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice, fennel, juniper berries, nettle, parsley, hawthorn and corn silk.

Drink Water

Skimping on water, which dehydrates your body, cam actually cause it to hold onto water so bodily functions can run properly. The Institute of Medicine recommends men get 3.7 liters of water a day and women to consume about 2.7 liters of water daily, which includes water found in food and beverages.

Avoid Sugary Foods

Your body stores carbohydrates in your muscles and liver in a form called glycogen. Low-carbohydrate diets deplete glycogen stores, and depleting glycogen stores results in water loss. For every gram of carbohydrate stored in muscle, the body stores 3 to 4 g of water, according to study published in the July 1992 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Avoid simple sugars, which are easily broken down and stored, and focus on complex carbohydrate intake.

Work Up a Sweat

Working out causes your body to sweat, which releases excess water and sodium. This is why sweat tastes salty. Sweating is your body's air-conditioning. Moisture is wicked away through evaporation, thus cooling your body. Avoid exercising in humid environments; your body will retain water because the air is saturated with moisture, so sweat can't evaporate.