Drain the body: What drains the body?

Natural diuretics are foods that help treat water retention. They are meant to drain the body. This way, excess water in the body, which makes us look fuller than we actually are, can be reduced naturally. Not to mention the health consequences... Some refer to this as detoxification, but what is actually meant is drainage.

Why use natural diuretics?

Although our body is made up of 70 percent water, sometimes too much water has accumulated, so natural diuretics can help. Such water retention, edema becomes noticeable in the form of swollen extremities, such as hands, feet, arms, and legs. They occur when water accumulates and pools in the body. Edema is not only unsightly—especially in summer—but can also cause pain. In this case, it may be worthwhile to drain the body. This is especially gentle with natural diuretics.

Naturally drain the body: When is it worthwhile?

More and more people struggle with water retention in everyday life, especially in the lower body. This is usually caused not only by a sedentary office lifestyle but also by too little exercise combined with an unhealthy diet. Women are particularly often affected by water retention, which can be attributed to the following factors:

• hormonal fluctuations, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• hormonal water retention towards the end of pregnancy
• prolonged sitting & lack of exercise
• Heat, because it slows down blood flow
• Poor diet, with too much salt and sugar (both bind water)

If you want to naturally drain your body, please first seek medical advice and clarify the cause of your edema. There may be serious illnesses behind it that require treatment. So only naturally drain your body after your doctor has given you permission.

As a rule of thumb, natural drainage should only be done when the edema is temporary, such as when it occurs due to the menstrual cycle or heat. Otherwise, water retention is often caused by heart or kidney weakness, which is why a clarifying conversation with a doctor is important.

Drainage: 12 Foods That Help Remove Excess Water from the Body

We now present 12 natural home remedies with which you can drain your body. The practical thing is that these home remedies are very gentle in their effect. Often they simply work by being diuretic, i.e., stimulating urine production. Such remedies are called aquaretics.

• Water: The number one natural diuretic is water. It boosts metabolism and kidney function, so tissue fluid is exchanged and excreted. 
• Cucumber: Its high water content can stimulate drainage, similar to drinking water. 
• Melon: Like cucumber, the high water content along with healthy ingredients helps.
• Tomatoes: Similar to the watery fruits and vegetables above, tomatoes help through their high water content. Pumpkins, asparagus, and zucchini can also drain water in a similar way.
• Red berries: Not only the high water content but especially the flavonoids (plant pigments) can drain water. They thin the blood, making it easier to remove excess fluid. 
• Strawberries: Similar to red berries, although strawberries may not be as rich in flavonoids. 
• Blueberries: Especially high-quality blueberries can be good natural diuretics.
• Celery: Besides having a fairly high water content, celery contains a lot of potassium. This helps flush toxins from tissues.
• Teas: Teas can drain water because they contain water themselves and also high-quality secondary plant compounds. So feel free to try your favorite green tea!
• Low-carb foods: Carbohydrates are stored by the body as glycogen. Glycogen can bind a lot of water; one gram of glycogen binds about three grams of water. 
• Nettle: Processed into a tea, nettle can help get rid of excess water.
• Parsley: Boiled into a tea, parsley serves as a natural diuretic. 

Home remedies to drain the body

In addition to these foods for natural drainage, there are other home remedies to eliminate edema. First and foremost, you should avoid foods high in sugar and salt as well as alcoholic beverages. Sugar and salt bind water, which can promote edema formation. Although alcohol stimulates water excretion, for this very reason the body starts to store more water, which can favor edema.

Probably better than any food is exercise and sports. This gets the circulation going and gives the body a chance to regenerate. Especially for edema in the lower body, jogging and cycling can help very well. Besides such workouts, simply rocking on your toes while sitting can also help reduce the formation of edema.

Special methods of fluid drainage

Besides diet and exercise, you can further promote drainage through targeted methods. If fluid buildup already causes pain and has become quite severe, lymphatic drainage may be necessary. This involves gently stimulating the lymphatic vessels, which are responsible for transporting tissue fluid away. This method must be performed by professionals.

Foot reflexology massages can also stimulate the lymphatic system and promote drainage.

Fascia rollers can support the drainage of certain body parts. When you roll out muscles or fascia with them, you squeeze fluid out, which you can imagine a bit like a sponge. So, fascia rollers stimulate the return flow of tissue fluid.

Unnatural fluid drainage: Too much of a good thing

You may know from sports that athletes have to weigh in to be assigned to a weight class. Before weighing, most athletes professionally drain fluids, losing kilograms of fluid within a few days. This is achieved, for example, through sweat suits, excessive sauna sessions, or a specific salt content in the diet.

We can only advise against such treatments, as they must be done under medical supervision and are not healthy in any way. Many bodybuilders have stopped their sport because they no longer wanted to put their bodies through the strain of draining fluids at the end of a strict competition diet.

Draining the body with diuretics: When power is needed

When edema occurs due to illness, sometimes a doctor needs to intervene. Then, it’s no longer the gentle aquaretics that are needed, but the powerful diuretics. These are medications that pharmacologically stimulate water excretion and urine production. You should only use diuretics on a doctor’s recommendation.

Natural diuretics: Frequently asked questions

How do I dehydrate my body?

In short, the following options are available for natural dehydration:

• Aquaretics (natural diuretics)
• Avoid salt, alcohol, and sugar
• Exercise (especially jogging and cycling)
• Reduced carbohydrate intake

What dehydrates the body quickly?

Rapid dehydration should only be desired in case of illness, as quickly eliminating edema can otherwise be unhealthy. For the fastest dehydration possible, you can simply combine dehydration methods. So exercise, avoid alcohol and sugar, reduce carbohydrate intake, and consume aquaretics.

What dehydrates the body best?

Diuretics are most effective when the body needs to be dehydrated. That’s why diuretics are reserved for doctors who need to assist with illnesses.

Does asparagus dehydrate the body?

Yes, asparagus can have a mild diuretic effect on the body.

Does pineapple dehydrate the body?

Yes, pineapple has a mild diuretic effect on the body. This is also due to the bromelain it contains.

Does beer dehydrate the body?

Beer has a slight diuretic effect, but the alcohol can actually interfere with dehydration.

Does green tea dehydrate the body?

Yes, green tea can also have a mild diuretic effect.

Does ginger dehydrate the body?

Ginger currently has a very mild diuretic effect on the body.

Does yogurt dehydrate the body?

No, there is no evidence that yogurt has a diuretic effect on the body.

Does coffee dehydrate the body?

The idea that coffee is diuretic is unfortunately a myth.

Does rice dehydrate the body?

Rice actually has no diuretic effect on the human body.

Does tea dehydrate the body?

Yes, tea can have a diuretic effect. Mate tea or nettle are especially popular.