Is fluid retention contributing to your weight?

Although excess body fat is responsible for long-term obesity, fluid retention – also referred to as oedema or edema – can potentially lead to unwanted weight gain as the body fails to adequately control its water balance. If you can answer ‘yes’ to three or more of the following questions, fluid retention may well be the culprit contributing to your weight:

• Are you prone to allergies?
• When pressed, does your abdomen feel waterlogged and bloated?
• Do you ever suffer from swollen ankles?
• Do you have dry skin or dandruff?
• Are you prone to breast tenderness? The breast tenderness experienced by many post period is the result of water retention
• Do your arms feel puffy as opposed to feeling like fat and/or muscle?
• Are you prone to experiencing sudden weight fluctuations?
• Do your fingers ever swell to the point of making rings difficult to remove?

Despite a food allergy being the most common cause of fluid retention, other factors such as decreased kidney function – swollen ankles after drinking a large amount of fluid is a sure indication of inadequate kidney function – a fat deficiency and an excessive sugar intake can all lead to fluid retention and in effect, weight gain.

If you think that your body may be susceptible to retaining too much water – this has no connection to the amount of fluid you drink on a daily basis and is purely due to your body’s inability to control its water balance – a few basic diet changes – all of which I can assist with – and a trip to see your GP will allow you to establish the root cause responsible for your individual condition.