How to Relieve Water Retention Naturally

Do you suffer from water retention? You may be tempted to run out and buy a diuretic. But before you do, there are a few things to take care of. First, you should go to the doctor to make sure that your water retention isn't from a serious health problem, such as high blood pressure. After you do that, there are some natural remedies for water retention that you should consider before taking the plunge and using other diuretics.

Why use natural remedies?

Diuretics in general strip the body of not only water, but also vital minerals. In particular, they tend to through off your electrolyte balance which increases the need for minerals like potassium. The right herbal remedy will not only get the extra water out of your body but will also help replace the last minerals.

But First, Drink Water

Our bodies are made primarily of water. That is why if we deprive our bodies of this precious liquid, it goes through great lengths to help keep water in your system. No matter why you're retaining water, you can help get things moving again by drinking at least eight cups of water each day. However, if your water retention is pretty extreme then you'll want to drink a little more than that.

Get Rid of Salt

This is another important part of dealing with water retention. Excess salt causes your body to retain water. Even if your water retention isn't caused by this, excess sodium will definitely worsen the condition. Do your body a favor and try to ignore the salt shaker.

Drink Dandelion Tea for Water Retention

Dandelion tea is the king of all water retention remedies in the herbal kingdom. The plant not only removes excess water from your cells, it also replaces lost potassium. In order to really get the benefits of this tea, you should drink about three cups a day. To prepare the tea pour one cup of water over a tea bag or 1 teaspoon of the dried herb and let it steep for ten minutes. You can sweeten it with honey if you like.

Other Herbs for Water Retention

There are other herbs you can try to use for water retention. These include horsetail, alfalfa, and corn silk. Yes, corn silk is an herbal remedy! Just remove the silk from an ear of organic corn and let it dry. Prepare it as a tea as described above. All of these herbs can be used as a tea. It is important to find what is right for you. Just remember that with any herbal medicine you should check on the side effects and your doctor to make sure it's okay for you to take.

If it isn't related to a serious health problem, these natural remedies for water retention could help get the excess water out of your system in a few days.