8 Ways to Reduce Water Retention in Perimenopause

The beginning of perimenopause is a time when the hormone, estrogen, is wild and fluctuating causing us all sorts of mad and wild chaos (aka symptoms).

One symptom that high estrogen in particular can cause is water retention.

Signs of water retention are things like

• Swelling in your hands or feet
• Swelling around your tummy (or even all throughout your body)
• A generalised painful/uncomfortable bloated feeling.

Does that sound familiar?  We've got you!

Here are 8 ways to reduce water retention in perimenopause.

1. Increase your Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most prevalent element in our bodies, it is involved in more than 300 essential metabolic reactions including the regulation of fluid balance.    

Magnesium is absolutely your friend in Peri for so many reasons - to get some, go here.

Read here why you should be taking magnesium as you go through perimenopause.

2. Drink Enough Water

It might seem counterintuitive but drinking more water actually helps with water retention!

Drinking water keeps us hydrated helping our bodies naturally get rid of the water our bodies simply don’t need.

When your body is not hydrated, it tends to hang on to water and cause water retention. 

You need to be drinking approximately 2 litres of water (about 8 glasses) a day.

Staying hydrated also helps to flush out toxins that you definitely don't need in your life (especially in perimenopause). 

Having enough water supports our bodies to perform vital chemical reactions that maintain good brain health and cognition, sustaining an overall healthy life. 

3. Increase how much fibre you eat 

Fibre is great for tackling water retention.  Eating enough fibre will help remove excess body water, as fibre absorbs a large amount of water as it passes through your intestines.

4. Balance your hormones 

Because high estrogen can cause water retention, taking an approach of balancing out hormones can improve water retention.

Read more here on how to balance your hormones naturally here. 

5. Herbal teas

We love our herbal teas here at SheBANG! They're a great way to stay hydrated but of course different herbs do different things and some can act as powerful diuretics (which helps your body get rid of excess water by weeing more).

The following herbal teas act as a natural diuretics:

• Parsley tea
• Dandelion tea
• Horsetail tea
• Hibiscus tea
• Fennel tea
• Green tea.

If you love the ritual of a daily cuppa, try our Peri Chai Latte which is loaded with magnesium glycinate, collagen peptides and turmeric that help reduce perimenopause symptoms.

6. Decrease salt consumption

A diet high in salt can promote fluid retention. Our bodies try to maintain a sodium/water concentration outside cell walls that's approximately the same as sea water.

When we eat too much salt, the body retains extra sodium which increases the amount of fluid in the body, outside of the cells leading to water retention.

7. Eat more potassium-rich foods

Potassium-rich foods can increase urine production and decrease sodium levels, thereby reducing fluid retention.

Some examples of potassium-rich foods: 

• Beans and lentils
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Avocados
• Bananas.
  

8. Movement

Inactivity for very long periods of time increases the chances of fluid retention in the body. Sitting or standing for too long can cause the tissue to hold water and cause swelling and pain in the affected areas.

Physical activity stimulates blood flow and improves circulation, which in turn reduces the buildup of fluid throughout the body.

Find out about the huge number of ways exercise can help you with your peri symptoms, here.