Electrolytes like sodium are responsible for producing electrical signals that control your body functions. For your body to function properly, the balance of these electrolytes in your body fluids must remain constant. If sodium concentration gets too high, your body compensates by retaining fluid.
Physiology
Your kidneys control the amount of fluid and electrolytes in your blood. When sodium concentration decreases, your kidneys expel fluid to maintain proper balance. When sodium concentration increases, your kidneys retain water in an effort to prevent sodium concentration from getting too high.
If you regularly consume too much sodium, your kidneys retain so much water that your blood volume increases, possibly increasing your blood pressure. When your blood contains too much water, the fluid leaks out through blood vessels called capillaries and accumulates in your body tissues, causing swelling, especially in your hands, feet, legs and face. Swelling due to water retention is called edema.
Reduce Sodium Intake
To help prevent fluid retention, reduce your sodium intake to less than 2,400 mg per day. For individuals who are especially sensitive to the effects of sodium or those with medical conditions, reducing intake to less than 2,000 mg per day may be more beneficial. The salt you add during cooking or from the salt shaker at the table are obvious sources of sodium in your diet. Pay attention to the less obvious sources of sodium, such as canned foods, frozen foods, snack foods and condiments like soy sauce and ketchup. Certain beverages, like vegetable juice, may also be high in sodium.
Increase Water Intake
While it may seem counterintuitive, increasing your water intake decreases the amount of water you retain. Drinking more water helps balance out the concentration of sodium in your blood and triggers your kidneys to remove excess fluid and sodium, flushing out your body. As a result, fluid volume decreases and swelling is reduced. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. If your diet contains extra sodium, increase your water intake even more.
Considerations
Water retention may have a serious medical cause, such as kidney disease, liver disease, heart failure or circulatory disorders. If you experience edema that does not go away with reduced salt intake and increased water intake, talk to your doctor about possible underlying medical causes.
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