Water retention affects both Women and Men

Water retention is the tendency to retain liquids in the body. These excess fluids generally accumulate in the interstitial spaces (those between cell and cell) and in some areas predisposed to the accumulation of fat such as abdomen, thighs and buttocks.

One of the main signs with which water retention occurs is the classic 'swelling' caused by the accumulation of excess fluids in the tissues.

Let's see some of the factors that can lead to the stagnation of fluids in our body and how we can try to reduce the occurrence of this problem and improve our health.

What causes water retention?

1. Stress – when we are stressed we produce a hormone called cortisol.
   Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, which means that it "borrows" important substances from muscles to favour rapid flight in times of imminent danger. Excessive production of this hormone may reduce lean mass, but it also increases the presence of fat and water retention in the body (fat and liquids are necessary in times of famine to prevent the body from dying).
   
   
   
2. An excessively restrictive diet – Adopting such a diet may trick your body into believing you are in a situation of famine. A scientific study has proven that an excessively restrictive diet increases cortisol production levels, which as previously mentioned may result in water retention and increased fat mass.
   
   
3. Excessively strenuous training – Our body cannot permanently run in "work mode". Many believe that training should be always be full steam ahead, but that's not true: if you observe sports teams, they alternate days of intense training with recovery sessions.
   Our body always strives towards a balance referred to as homoeostasis.
   It is best to avoid excessively strenuous and lengthy training sessions so as not to increase stress levels which in turn could lead to excessive cortisol production.
   
   
4. The sodium potassium pump – Cellular osmosis driven by water is necessary for managing the exchange of nutrients at cellular level. A correct sodium-potassium ratio is necessary for the body to avoid extra-cellular water retention. Not only does water retention cause bloating, it can also contribute towards slowing down cellular metabolism, thus slowing down your basal metabolism.
   
   
5. Not drinking enough water – Not drinking enough water causes dehydration. During the early stages of dehydration, the body withholds liquids present in the body to avoid death. In extreme cases, water is reabsorbed from urine, making it very dense, bright coloured and strong-smelling. Therefore it is important to drink a lot of water, so that our body can get rid of old reserves.

Advice for reducing water retention?

1. Relax– Try switching your mobile phone off every now and then and getting at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.
   
   
2. Don't eat too much salt and try integrating a correct amount of potassium. A good mineral salt supplement can help.
   
   
3. Don't go on an excessively restrictive diet – You need a varied diet, rich in carbohydrates with a low glycemic index and fibre. Pasta should certainly not be a forbidden food!
   
   
4. Drink more water - It is recommended that you drink at least a litre and a half of water per day. Herbal teas and vegetables can also help keep you hydrated.
   
   
5. Alternate intensity when training – If you always do cardio sessions, try adding variation to your routine and alternate with toning sessions and/or stretching sessions and every third day give yourself a break from training altogether.
   
   
6. USE BEGOOD® – It has been clinically tested that Dermofibra®, used for BeGood garments, helps reduce water retention, thanks to far infrared rays activated by body heat. These rays help break up molecular adhesion between water particles, thus favouring the draining of excess liquids.
   Wear a BeGood garment and you'll notice how within 90 minutes you'll be heading to the bathroom more frequently for a wee. BeGood is an excellent ally in the fight against water retention; what's more, these garments are gorgeous to wear.