Have you ever noticed that your legs become extremely swollen? Or maybe you're one of those, who suffer from abdominal bloating and stiff joints.
In fact, nearly 70% of your body consists of water. It is situated inside the vessels, cells and even between the cells. If circulation of the fluid gets disturbed, excessive water may accumulate in the organism, causing inexplicable weight gain, skin indentations and puffiness.
Medical term for fluid retention is edema. It is used to describe swelling all over the body or in its separate parts (legs, arms or belly).
Edema may occur because of dietary preferences or as a result of underlying health issues. Some of them may be really serious, so it's worth not ignoring symptoms of fluid retention.
Here are the most common causes of uncomfortable swelling in your body:
#1. Heart failure – if your heart becomes too weak to pump blood properly, it starts to build up in the lower limbs, causing peripheral edema. In rare cases liquid may gather in the lungs that leads to breathlessness. Doctors say that pulmonary edema is potentially life-threatening condition, so seek for medical help promptly, if have this symptom.
READ MORE: A squat workout for a summer booty
#2. Kidney problems – your kidneys are responsible for filtering blood and getting rid of excessive fluid. If something goes wrong in these bean-shaped organs, fluid may accumulate not only in your legs, but also on the face.
#3. Lack of physical activity – motions improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. If you follow sedentary lifestyle, blood may stay in the legs and make too much pressure on the capillaries. This usually results in swelling in the ankles and feet. The same problem may occur during the long-lasting flight.
READ MORE: 5 rules of flirting on the job
#4. Severe protein deficiency – if your diet is poor in protein, it may be very difficult for your body to move water from the tissues into the vessels. In people with advanced protein deficiency fluid often accumulates in the abdominal area.
#5. Pregnancy – don't panic, if noticed swelling during pregnancy. It is a natural process, which happens, when enlarged womb puts pressure on the pelvic veins and causes fluid retention in this way.
#6. Vein disorder – chronic vein insufficiency develops, when valves that normally promote one-way blood flow to the heart, become damaged and weak. This allows blood to run back to the legs and accumulate there, causing puffiness and discomfort.
#7. Medications – it was found that certain medicines, like hormone pills, painkillers and beta-blockers, may lead to water retention.
#8. Dysfunction of the lymphatic system – this system specializes in clearing extra fluid from the body tissues. Sometimes lymphatic system may become congested that leads to buildup of fluid within the body.
The BetterMe Team wants you and those close to you to live a healthy, happy life! Your health is a valuable thing; look after your body and your mind so that you can live your life to the fullest – Remember you only get one!
Please share this with your friends and family and let us know what you think in the comments below.