WATER RETENTION, HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF EATING

Water retention is a widespread phenomenon that affects a large number of people, but particles in women and it is believed that 30% of Italian women suffering from this disorder (or believed to suffer).

Very often this phenomenon is confused with the simple overweight, caused by an excess of body fat, so you are strongly advised to consult a specialist for assessment of their health and body composition.

A useful indication, is to control their body weight daily, and when this is subjected to small variations in the space of 24/48 of 1-2Kg, these are probably related to liquids and not to fat.

These liquids generally tend to settle in areas susceptible to the accumulation of fat, such as the abdomen, buttocks and hips, forming a edematous area, ie an abnormal swelling of the affected part, which can promote an impaired venous and lymphatic circulation, thus contributing to other localized phenomena (such as cellulitis).

But what has caused this retention?

Probably the hormonal component is of great interest, which is why this phenomenon is expressed more in women than in men, but the lifestyle and eating habits are also the fundamental components.

An excess of sodium in the diet and lack of daily exercise, are predisposing factors that can be overcome with a few tricks. In the case of sodium, the first advice is to reduce it, and including foods that contain more potassium, this mineral helps counteract the effects of sodium promoting a diuresis of this element and consequently the loss of excess fluids.

To reduce sodium intake, just follow the simple rules, such as:

do not salt the food

use a little salt during cooking

limit the consumption of processed foods, pre-cooked food and ready meals (most often the added salt is used to make the product more tasty)

enhance the flavor of food with spices, lemon juice or vinegar traditional / balsamic

As for foods rich in potassium and low in sodium, here are some examples:

mushrooms

apricots

peas

prunes

potatoes

beans (not canned)

lentils (not canned)

mile

Quinoa

dry nuts

chickpeas

broccoli

raisins

red and white meat

curry

A single recommendation is to not overdo the sodium reduction, as an indispensable element for our body.

An interesting recipe that I would like to offer, it contains some of these foods is the flan of millet and quinoa:

Cook millet (about 250g) and quinoa (about 100g) together in about half a liter of vegetable broth preferably prepared at home. Cook until complete absorption of the broth and let it sit, so as to swell the grain.

Boil the beets, drain and puree in a pan with a little oil, a clove of garlic and a pinch of pepper.

Mix the quinoa and millet, with eggs (about 2) a pinch of curry) and fill small ramekins lightly oiled. Season with 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil the surface of each pudding and brown in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes. Overthrow each flan onto a serving plate and decorate with warm beets, a tablespoon of light cream cheese and serve.

Besides the foods mentioned above, you can use natural supplements that are effective in helping the body eliminate excess fluid, but we'll talk about in a future article.

Enjoy your meal! 

Andrea Busalacchi