Natural diuretics

Natural diuretics are foods that serve to treat water retention. This way, excess water in the body, which makes us look fuller than we actually are, can be reduced in a completely natural way. Not to mention the health consequences…

 

Although our body consists of 70 percent water – sometimes simply too much 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.

 

More and more people struggle with water retention (in the lower body). The basis for this is usually a combination of sitting for hours at work and too little movement. Water retention mainly affects women, as many causes are related to women's health issues:

-          hormonal fluctuations, primarily as premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

-          at the end of pregnancy, also hormonally caused

-          sitting too long and lack of exercise

-          Heat, which causes veins to dilate and blood to flow more slowly

-          Poor diet, where foods like salt and sugar bind water

However, before using natural diuretics, you should definitely have the cause medically checked. Because swollen hands, feet, and legs can also indicate serious illnesses. If no diseases underlie your water retention, you can usually avoid tablets and turn to natural remedies for drainage.

You should only drain the body with natural remedies if the edema is temporary. If the deposits occur due to the menstrual cycle or are likely caused by extreme heat, natural diuretics can achieve good results.

On the other hand, water retention can be caused by heart or kidney failure. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to see a doctor to clarify the causes of edema.

 

The good thing about natural diuretics is their gentle effect: they simply activate the body’s own processes. Pineapple, as a natural diuretic, for example, has a diuretic effect. Each diuretic has its own way of draining edema in detail.

 

Natural diuretics help release water accumulated in the body. For water retention caused by poor diet, a change in diet is recommended by avoiding salt and sugar. Excessive alcohol consumption can also be problematic because alcohol causes the body to want to retain water. However, the frequent trips to the bathroom actually achieve the opposite.

The natural diuretic of first choice is water. It sounds paradoxical, but water stimulates metabolism and kidney function, causing more tissue fluid to be excreted.

Other natural diuretics are certain foods. These include those with a high water content as well as those that naturally promote drainage in the body.

Cucumber and melon, for example, are among the foods that contain a lot of water. That’s why they are not only refreshing in summer but also act as natural diuretics. Tomatoes, pumpkin, asparagus, and zucchini also belong in this group.

Some foods initiate drainage through their ingredients. Red berries, strawberries, currants, grapes, and blueberries, for example, are full of flavonoids that make the blood more watery. This makes them ideal natural diuretics. The high amount of potassium found in celery also flushes toxins out of the tissue. Natural diuretics also include foods with magnesium or vitamin B6.

Likewise, teas can support drainage. Typical natural diuretics of this kind are nettle and parsley.

In general, you can pay attention to consuming fewer carbohydrates. These are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen and bind a lot of water. One gram of glycogen can bind about three grams of water.

The idea that coffee has a diuretic effect belongs in the category of myths.

Basically, you need aquaretics. Aquaretics are herbal preparations that are supposed to help the body eliminate water, such as the natural diuretics mentioned above. Diuretics are medications that directly promote the flushing out of water. Aquaretics are therefore excellent for long-term use in swelling that is not caused by disease. Diuretics, on the other hand, are used in diseases where rapid and acute drainage is desired.

Aquaretics are:

Water

Natural foods with a high water content (e.g., cucumbers and melons)

Diuretic foods like red berries, currants, or blueberries

Teas

 

The lower body is quite often affected by swelling. If you notice water retention in your legs, exercise and movement can be a good first choice. Usually, a simple walk is enough, which you can do regularly if swelling occurs frequently. Jogging and cycling can also help against water retention and support natural diuretics.

If you notice swelling more often, you should make sure to move more in everyday life. This does not mean exercise sessions. It is enough, for example, to get up from your desk more often and walk around your home. Even rocking on your toes while sitting already promotes the return flow of fluid from the legs. These movement-related measures combined with natural diuretics can take you far.

 

In addition to diet and exercise, you can further promote water loss through targeted methods. If the water retention 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. This method must be performed by professionals.

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

Fascia rollers can support the water loss of certain body parts. When rolling out muscles or fascia, fluid is squeezed out, which can be imagined a bit like a sponge. They thus stimulate the return flow of tissue fluid again through fascia rolling.

 

Anyone who has seen bodybuilders on stage or fighters during weigh-ins has seen massively dehydrated and water-depleted athletes. Before many competitions, it is traditional to dehydrate. The goal is either to lose as much weight as possible or to look as good as possible.

The water loss then takes place, for example, through plastic sweat suits worn during sports. Many sauna sessions and a lot of exercise are also part of it. Often, athletes change their diet, for example regarding salt content, to maximize water loss. 

The practical thing is that such water loss is only temporary. Several kilograms of water lost by the athlete can be regained within a few days.

 

If your water retention is caused by an illness, natural diuretics may no longer help. In that case, pharmaceutical preparations called diuretics must be used. They have been proven to increase urine production and excretion, forcing your body to draw water reserves even from the last edema.

 

Especially foods with a high water content can have a diuretic effect. These include:

• Cucumbers
• Melons
• Pineapple
• Strawberries
• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Avocados
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Raspberries
• Pears

Teas are especially popular for diuresis. These include teas made from birch leaves, juniper, goldenrod, dandelion, ginger, and parsley. You can also rely on green tea. Some brew pineapple tea because the bromelain in pineapple can have a diuretic effect.

As long as you only consume natural foods for diuresis and drink enough water, there are no risks or side effects when using natural diuretics. Diuretic methods only become unhealthy when professional methods used by athletes are adopted.

Since we only suggest methods with aquaretics here, the duration varies for each person. Depending on the level of water retention, edema can disappear after just one day. Diuretics can reliably eliminate most edema within about a week.

Natural diuretics are primarily conventional foods. However, to ensure that diuresis does not lead to consequences related to pre-existing conditions or the like, it is best to consult a doctor before trying diuretics.