Subscribe for 3x Videos Per Week!
http://www.ThomasDeLauer.com
Water Retention: 3 Foods to Reduce Bloating Thomas DeLauer…

What is a Diuretic? Diuretics are sometimes called ‘water tablets’ and are designed to increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine (termed diuresis) They help get rid of excess fluid by removing sodium and chloride from the body in the urine the sodium and chloride in turn draw excess water from the body. Too much salt can cause extra fluid to build up in your blood vessels, raising your blood pressure. There are different types of prescribed diuretics acting on different levels of a nephron (the smallest unit of kidney) The basic mechanism seen in most of them is that they act on pumps of a nephron, which means that they decrease the absorption of sodium from urine, and thus more water remains in the urine. (1)
Use of Diuretics:
Doctors prescribe diuretics when the body is retaining too much fluid. The following conditions may require the regulation of fluid in the body or result in fluid retention: High blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney dysfunction, edema (tissue swelling, such as in swollen legs and feet) Diuretics lower your blood pressure by flushing salt out of your body, which causes the walls of your blood vessel to relax and widen easier for your blood to flow through. Congestive heart failure keeps your heart from pumping blood effectively throughout your body: this leads to a buildup of fluids in your body, which is called edema. Diuretics help reduce this fluid buildup. Prescription diuretics may cause some side effects. These include fatigue, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, rash, and headaches. (1,2,3)
Natural Diuretics:
Some herbs and dietary supplements have diuretic properties that may be helpful to you and won’t provide any negative side effects.
Asparagus:
It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. Asparagine also benefits our central nervous system by helping with the maintenance of balance or equilibrium – keeps you from being overly calm or nervous. Also essential for the proper functioning and health of our nerves and other cells of the body, It controls their metabolism in the brain.
Dandelion Leaves:
Full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals, such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. Dandelion leaves act as a diuretic, increasing the amount of urine your body makes. The leaves are used to stimulate the appetite and help digestion. Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. In one study (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine) dandelion leaves were ingested by volunteers to investigate whether an increased urinary frequency and volume would result. Volume of urinary output and fluid intake were recorded by subjects. For the entire population, 17 subjects, there was a significant increase (5%) in the frequency of urination in just 5 hours after the first dose. You can find dandelion herbs and roots fresh or dried in a variety of forms, including tinctures, liquid extract, teas, tablets, and capsules (4)
Parsley:
Parsley is one of the best natural diuretics for edema treatment and fluid retention. Parsley increases urine output by acting as an aquaretic, meaning it acts to increase water excretion from the body without affecting electrolytes such as sodium and potassium the way most conventional diuretic drugs do. Parsley’s effect on your body’s electrolytes is largely neutral. Parsley herb extracts have been studied as natural diuretics in combination with another aquaretic, asparagus. In uncontrolled trials, this combination caused significant weight loss in overweight patients and significantly lowered blood pressure in patients with hypertension, without changing other laboratory values or physiological processes (5)

References:
1) The Top 7 Natural Diuretics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health/natu...

2) Diuretics Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesco...

3) Blood Pressure : Diuretics blood pressure medication. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodP...

4) The Diuretic Effect in Human Subjects of an Extract of Taraxacum officinale Folium over a Single Day. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

5) Natural Diuretics: How to Reduce Fluid Retention Safely University Health News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://universityhealthnews.com/daily...