6-8 glasses of water is considered a daily norm for the maintenance of bodily health. But a person can consider it differently as such an intake is fraught with frequent visits to the restrooms. Actually, as we grow older, we develop a habit of doing without water sometimes during the whole day. At first we feel fine like this, but further on, however, such neglect leads to certain complications and health problems. Out body for the most part consists of water and therefore it needs the spent supplies being restored.

We have 92% of water as a part of blood, bones have 22% of water, 75% is in the brain and the muscles. So, whether you like it or not 65-75% of our organism is water. Every cell has water in it. Toxic substances are washed away from the kidneys with the help of water; blood pressure is controlled; eyes, mouth and nasal passages are moistened; the whole body is either cooled or protected depending on what it needs; sweat, tears, and saliva cannot be produced without water. It also helps to lubricate joints and acts as a shock absorber that buffer the organs of the body.

But it is not simply that because the blood volume, which is responsible for the energy level, is supported by water intake. Your concentration and reaction time improve. The calories are burned more effectively. Excess of sodium is also eliminated with the help of water. Moreover, your skin becomes better, smoother, and less wrinkled.

Therefore do not let yourself be dehydrated. Your organism needs water and a lot. Use fresh pure water. This is a best way out. Tea, coffee, sodas are ok but they use more bodily water to process than thy actually provide and therefore causing dehydration.  If you want to look beautiful, choose water.

Water weight represents an additional amount of weight that appears due to water retention. That is why people sometimes feel sort of swelled and their toes, fingers, wrists, and ankles experience in tumescence. But, actually, this problem is easily helped.

The remedy is simple – water. If you want to get rid of water weight drink water. Drink more water than you usually do. Hereby you will let your organism aware that there is no need to keep the water stored as dehydration is unlikely. Eight glasses of water a day will make what your diets are unable to do. Another recommendation is to drink long before you feel thirst.

You can drink tea, juice and etc. but keep in mind that there is nothing to be compared with water. If you get tired of pure water try options like flavored one or water with lime or lemon. The only things that should be either way refrained from are sodas. Surely, you do not need any unneeded sugars, carbohydrates and stuff the like into you organism.

Another useful recommendation is to reduce your salt intake. Salt contains sodium and is responsible for the fact that your body stores water and you gain weight increasingly. Therefore abstain from all the foods that can increase your sodium intake. This directly refers to chips, meats of certain kind, and definitely snack foods.

Moreover, start moving more frequently. No-salt-and-more-water program will not be effective on its own without physical activity. Make some simple workouts your daily routine; start jogging or swimming – this will make a great change. Not only you will lose water weight, but the one caused by the excess of fat, too.

The most important thing is to keep going if you started. Be persistent and patient and the results will not be disappointing.

Swollen ankles are a normal experience for almost every person. But, although, the condition usually looks the same, it frequently has different reasons. Here are enumerated some of them.

• Swollen ankles are the most frequent case after sitting for too long (i.e. in a long flights or bus-tours) and also standing for too long. In the former case the muscles are not enabled into any action and therefore do not pump blood to the heart; in the latter case gravitation makes fluid stay in the lower part of the legs, which makes them swell.
• Premenstrual syndrome or pregnancy can also cause water retention. Excess of fluid in the organism is evoked by the hormonal change and also due to hypertension as well. Another possible reason in such a condition is the activity of estrogen contained in birth control pills.
• Chronic venous insufficiency can lead to water retention. This happens when vein valves get weakened and are unable to pump blood to the heart, which initiates retention.
• Medication administration triggers edema as well. Especially this refers to the following drugs: antidepressants, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hypertension and diabetes medicines.
• Heart, kidney and liver diseases, ankle and rheumatoid arthritis, also cardiomyopathy and gout can be a reason of fluid retention in the organism.
• Any type of injury to the ankle or shin bone is able to lead to edema, and, possibly, infection afterwards.
• Insufficient activity, lack of exercise is a definite reason of fluid retention. The body needs workouts in order that all its parts work properly and do not become stuck. When you train you help leg veins t pump blood back to the heart and prevent water retention.
• Excess of sodium intake and insufficient intake of proteins can cause the condition as well. Protein deficiency will lead to attraction of water from the tissues back, which in turn, will evoke water retention.

In order to treat the condition rightly it is essential to find out the real reason that triggers it. A proper diagnosis will help to prescribe the necessary therapy and medications. But you can also take some measures. First of all, your salt intake should be reduced as excess of it will definitely do no good and is most probably fraught with water retention. You may also be prescribed to administer some diuretics; but be very careful with them. Try more exercises and make some changes to your diet. Workouts will strengthen the muscles and prevent the accumulation of fluid and a healthy diet is good in any way.

Mind that a constant condition is a reason to become worried and should not be neglected. If you suffer from water retention for a long time and do not see the obvious reason go and check with the physician. Other symptoms that should be reported to a doctor: decreased urine output, fever and feet that are warm to touch. Do not waste your time as this can be fraught with some serious complications.

These medications differ in the way of administration; depending on the condition they are taken orally or given intravenously. Sometimes for the better efficiency the diuretics can be given in complex with another agent provided a specific water pill alone fails to help. This refers to thiazide type diuretics, i.e. HydroDIURIL, or a resembling diuretic metolazone. As a result of such interaction a better response can be received and a condition is improved faster.

Potassium loss is infrequent in people taking diuretics and such a therapy can end up with depletion of body potassium. This condition refers to patients on therapy with loop and thiazide diuretics, as well as metolazone. It is strongly recommended to include into daily allowance of these people some potassium supplements or foods containing this element, i.e. bananas, orange juice, tomatoes, and potatoes. Sometimes it is useful to take a potassium-sparing diuretic which will not evoke the potassium loss. They are spironolactone, triamterene, amiloride, and acetazolamide.

Contrariwise, potassium supplements and foods are contraindicated to patients with kidney problems as kidneys themselves are tend to hold excess of potassium.

Considering the advantages one can’t but mention the medicine’s ability to reduce the risks of heart attacks and strokes. Water pills refer to anti-hypertensive agents and so far the best in this field. Diuretics also prevent blood clotting and bone fractures in senior people.

There are several types of diuretics to be distinguished.

First are thiazides like Esidrix, Hygroton or Lozol. These ones are the most frequently prescribed for the conditions of hypertension.

Another group is called loop diuretics (i.e. Bumex, Lasix, and Edecrin). They not only work faster than the previous but they also lessen the level of sodium in the kidneys. If you are on the therapy with this type of diuretic do not forget to get enough liquid in order not to become dehydrated and keep an eye on your potassium levels.

Finally, there are potassium sparing agents like Midamor, Aldactone and Dyrenium. They are also intended for high blood pressure treatment.

As any other medication diuretics have their ill-effects. In this list are depression, feeling of exhaustion and irritation, low sex drive, etc. The continuous administration of the drug can lead to arrhythmias if you do not watch your potassium levels carefully. In order to avoid this you may need to take some potassium supplement alongside with a diuretic.

All in all diuretics are a good and effective means of hypertension treatment and the only thing is to find a proper one and be careful with administration of any drugs.

Fluid retention (edema) means that excessive amount of fluid is gathered between the cells in the soft tissue of the body. The parts of the body that suffer most from this condition are feet, ankles, and legs but other parts can as well be affected.

This condition is considered a norm if it is evoked by PMS and hormone fluctuations, also by menstruation, state of pregnancy and menopause can as well be accompanied by fluid retention. But there are other cases when edema is evoked by a serious illness or serves as a symptom of it. This refers to kidney or liver disease, thyroid malfunction, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. If the first listed are not the reasons of your swellings there is a point to undergo a check up and find it out. It is not advised to start self-treatment without proper knowledge of the underlying causes.

When you learn the reasons it is likely that you will need diuretics to improve the condition. They can be medications but there is also a wide range of natural diuretics that are absolutely harmless and not fraught with side effects. Remember also that any kind of diuretic drains your body and the lack of necessary minerals and vitamins should be obligatory compensated. That is why various supplements are also prescribed for those with fluid retention. Bear in mind also that diuretics are no real help in weight loss. The lost kilograms will come back as soon as you stop taking a diuretic.

Provided you decided to take natural diuretics then the following information may be of use.

Some foods do retain water in the body and therefore try to measure their consumption or exclude them completely from your daily allowance. This refers to alcohol, proteins, sugar, salt, processed foods, and complex carbohydrates.

It is recommended to include in your allowance small amounts of the following foods as they serve as good natural diuretics: artichoke, asparagus, cranberry juice, green tea, watermelon, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, bananas, cumber, and some others. They will be of particular help if your fluid retention is conditioned by hormonal fluctuation or minor trauma. Do not forget about such products as garlic, horseradish, onions and parsley. They are rich in useful elements and can make wonders.

You can as well try some herbal teas. Linden, stinging nettle, juniper, yarrow, dandelion, hawthorn, and others are very good in cleaning organism and are rich in vitamins and other stuff. The latter two are especially effective.

Whatever treatment you will prefer keep in mind that you should know your exact diagnosis before that and only according to it you should select medications.