Americans typically consume far too much sodium, a habit linked to water retention and bloating, high blood pressure and other health effects. To remain within healthy levels, you should take in no more than 1,500 mg of sodium each day, according to the American Heart Association. Home treatment of sodium bloat is generally effective at controlling symptoms, but severe fluid retention requires medical evaluation to rule out potentially serious causes, such as kidney or heart disease.
Step 1
Eliminate processed and canned foods from your diet, as these typically contain very high amounts of sodium. Bacon, salami, dried meat, smoked fish, corned beef and bologna should be saved for special occasions only. Instead, choose fresh fish and lean meats.
Step 2
Season foods when eating and cooking with pepper, spices and herbs instead of salt. Although it may take a while for your taste buds to adjust to the new flavors, limiting the amount of salt you use will significantly reduce sodium bloat.
Step 3
Eat fresh or frozen vegetables, as these are lower in sodium than canned versions, and buy reduced-sodium versions of vegetables and snacks whenever possible.
Step 4
Limit your use of condiments, such as soy sauce, salad dressing, barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce, as these are usually very high in sodium.
Step 5
Leave your saltshaker in your kitchen cabinet to prevent using it automatically when eating meals. If your food truly requires a little added salt, get up from the dining table to salt your food and then return the shaker to the kitchen cabinet.
Step 6
Prop your legs up on pillows when lying down in bed or on the couch. This encourages excess fluid to drain from your legs, a common place for fluid retention caused by excessive sodium consumption.
Step 7
Engage in regular activity and wear compression hose to improve circulation in your legs and body. Improving blood circulation helps reducing bloating.
Step 8
Lose weight if you are obese or overweight. In addition to increasing heart strain and blood pressure, being overweight impairs circulation and makes it necessary for your heart to work harder and faster to move blood throughout your body. Losing weight improves heart function and reduces sodium bloat.
Tips and Warnings
- Fluid retention from too much sodium usually affects the legs, but bloating can occur anywhere in the body.
Things You'll Need
- Compression hose
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Reduce Salt and Sodium in Your Diet
- American Heart Association: Shaking the Salt Habit
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Foods High in Sodium
- Colorado State University; Sodium in the Diet; J. Anderson, L. Young, S. Prior
- Better Health Channel: Fluid Retention
- American Heart Association; Population-Wide Reduction in Salt Consumption Recommended; January 2011
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