Aimee's Adventures
Message Board!!!
okay, so i know that salt retains water and makes you look heavier than in reality, BUT, my question is this: is there some kind of opposite to salt that will sort of suck all of that retained water out? I'm going to this big party, and i LOVE salt, so i just want to know if there's anything you guys know of.
Thanks.
Hi Polly,
Well, I don't know if it's necessiarly recommended, but sometimes when I feel really bloated from the salt retention, I'll take a water pill or two to help pull all the excess water out and I drink tons of water too. In fact, I'll double up on my normal water consumption. Also, I have a friend who will drink a glass of warm water and add a slice of lemon to it. She'll do that the night before her weigh-in if she thinks she's had too much water. She says it acts like a natural diheretic (sp).
I don't know if there's anything "magical" out there, but maybe this will help. Good luck!
Jennifer
WW says you can use up to 1/2 of your water in flavored drinks that are uncaffeinated since they claim caffeine acts as a diuretic...so maybe load up on the Starbucks - I really dont know if this works and you might get really jittery - probably not a good idea.
Flush your body out with WATER...
Asparagus is also a natural diaretic...
In fact I had that bloaty feeling this morning when I went to the scale for my weekly weigh in and yes the scale was up .4
I've been drinking more green tea than water, this past week, but the green teas I use I make sure has no sodium in it....
Trader Joes puts out a good one....
I swear sometimes the more I drink the more bloated I feel! But I know it's all good for you. If caffeine works as a diuretic I should never feel bloated! I find that the more fiber I eat makes me feel bloated and I know it's good for you. Some days you just can't win with the bloating - especially being a woman.
Dear All,
I am a very experienced pharmacology educator. I have won the 2002 National Pharmacy Educator of the Year Award. I do not claim to know it all, but I tell you this to qualify the following statements:
Orange Juice is the BEST natural opposite to sodium intake that you can take to counter the bloat, as a natural diuretic (IF you can have the acid, potassium and sugar). Do not get the one with calcium added for the full effect of a natural diuretic. Pulp is better than from concentrate no pulp. Fresh with pulp is best. Pulp is a fiber and helps with flushing the colon as well.
Next to that is Asparagus and/or its juice. Asparagus has high fiber also.
After this any other high citrus fruit such as lemon, lime, grapefruit juice, tangello etc (tangerine has the least diuretic effect).
Orange has high potassium by comparison. When we loose water we usually also loose potassium, which is WHY orange juice is the BEST choice so that you do not loose too much K= (potassium). But you can eat 1/2 banana to make up the difference.
Water itself is also a natural diuretic. The more you drink the paler your urine should become. Dark golden, amber or dark yellow urine means you need more water and your kidneys are trying to get rid of high toxins. coffee can add to this color because of the 'toxins' in addition to caffeine. This is why you need to add more water when you drink coffee, colas and other caffeinated drinks.
There are many other natural diuretics. I won't get into all of them unless some one asks, because they cannot have the ones mentioned.
Caffiene in coffee is a natural diuretic, where as the xanthine in tea is not as strong as a diuretic.
The problem with coffee is that
a. too much can over stimulate you
b. it can be addicting
c. too much can cause high blood pressure or aggravate it
d. diabetics should not have it, because it is a vasoconstrictor
e. needs more water to flush it out because of the overworking the kidneys due to the toxins.
f. can keep y9ou from sleeping
Decaf coffee would not work well as a diuretic per se. However the more fluids you drink the more you urinate. But a diuretic takes out more than what you put in. Most liquids do not do this. You drink a lot of tea, but you may not be urinating out the same amount of fluid, close but not the same. A diuretic would help you to urinate out more than what goes in.
That is the difference between drinking a lot of fluid that comes out and drinking fluid that is a diuretic.
So ORANGE juice is the best bet.
NOW we get to points. IF you like asparagus then that would be a stronger diuretic than lemon juice. But for points I would use the lemon juice in an herbal tea.
There are also detox herbal teas such as 'Traditional Peach Detox' Tea. Taste is okay, but READ the label as there will be a maximum usage so that you do not over do it.
Overdo it?? What does she mean? You CAN become dehydrated, if you take too much of a diuretic whether it is natural or not.
Diuretic pills or water pills are NOT acceptable to take UNLESS you have been prescribed the exact diuretic and if you take them AS DIRECTED!
Some diuretic pills are taken daily due to constant high blood pressure. Others are to be taken when the BP is high. So one has to measure it.
IF this is how you take your diuretics, then it is UNSAFE for you to take the diuretic when the bp is not up.
Constipation is a sign of dehydration. In this case more fluid and a fiber is needed or a mild laxative or stool softener, NOT a diuretic which will take out more water and leave one even MORE constipated. Severe Constipation can lead to high blood pressure and or bowel obstruction. The later may require surgery or can cause death. Using a diuretic when not indicated can also lower your blood pressure too much, making one dizzy lightheaded. Driving in this condition may lead to accidents. Therefore using a water pill or diuretic at times that it is not prescribed for you is or can be dangerous.
Having said all of this; part of the reason I begin my day with ruby read grapefruit juice (40 Calorie light by Ocean SPray) is for the natural, but mild, diuretic property.
NOW did you know that natural and man flavored licorice can cause high blood pressure???? Yep it will help you to retain your water!!!! So it is good to have in the dessert! But not good when you want to weigh in or have high BP or diabetes!! This includes the very flavorful Egyptian Licorice Teas on the Market.
Hope this helps you out!
My vote: in a sudden strong need: ORANGE juice
In a need for moderate but no points available: Lemon Juice (2 tablespoonsful).
Since I do not like asparagus I do not use it. But this would be not as strong as OJ but stronger than LJ. It does not have the potassium in it.
However you can eat a bananna if you take the LJ or he asparagus.
Respectfully,
JeanCat
Thanks, Jeancat...great information....
Patty
You are all most welcome!
JeanCat
Very, very informative! As for the licorice, I have to admit, it was not OP but I had Good n'Plenty's at a Broadway show Sat. so maybe that helped to contribute negatively on the scale for me. I also have HP and take medication for it (mine is hereditary and at a young age). I didn't know about the orange juice either. Thanks again!
Dear Jenni,
If you are on medicaton for HP the orange juice may not affect you much or it could lower your bp more. Meaning that your HP may be so high (without meds) that the diuretic effect of OJ may not be much for you. On the other hand if you arelonly slightly high bp (without meds)
But the effect could push your meds along to lower your HP even more. It is something that is individualistic and drug dependant as well.
Side note: One should not go of of their meds without doctors orders. One should never substitute natural diuretics for medications. They are not as strong.
I just want to mention this just in case.
Glad to know that I helped you with the licorice thing. Also you may want to know that celery also is not good for HP. It has much natural salt/sodium and
other things that contribute to HTN.
JeanCat
JeanCat,
I'm on meds for the HP and have been for several years now. I wasn't able to control it w/o meds. My brother started with HP at 28, then me and my mother who's older than all of us was the last to start taking meds in her 60's. No one else that we know of in the family has it. Just one of those things. I'm lucky enough mine has been controlled thus far with meds; food and drink hasn't effected me yet but I'm sure as I get older it will.
Jennifer
