Legs sore and heavy. She bags under her eyes. Her fingers so swollen they can’t get a ring on or off. There are many typical signs of water retention. And as common as they are, they shouldn’t be underestimated because they could be symptomatic of a blood circulation disorder. Of this (and more) writes the journalist and food influencer Angelica Amodei in “Health in the glass – Natural and tasty remedies to hydrate, drain, lose weight and take care of yourself” (Sonzogno). A book that also wants to be “a journey inside our body – from the intestine to the liver, from the cardiovascular system to the skin – in search of the perfect organism. Which is also achieved thanks to proper hydrationindispensable for the psycho-physical balance».
Supported by the advice of nutritionists and phytotherapists, the wellness expert suggests what to drink during the day: from draining herbal teas to vegetable extracts in synergy with superfoods, from anti-aging waters to exotic smoothies, as well as of course water. «There is no ailment, small or large, that is not soothed by the healthy liquids we ingest. Or that we should ingest. Water retention is one of them.”
Water retention: what is it?
Many of us suffer from it, at all ages. The reasons are explained by Amodei. “The veins in the legs have the important task of carrying blood back to the heart. A very complex undertaking given that, in order to do so, collide with gravity. Not a trivial matter, indeed. Which is why they must have elastic walls and well-functioning venous valves. If this does not happen, the blood tends to go downwards forming stagnations which can give rise to varicose veins, i.e. dilated and irregularly shaped veins, often visible under the skin. And to water retention ».
Second Stefano Ciatti, phlebologist and professor at the International School of Aesthetic Medicine in Rome who has been dealing with the treatment and prevention of vein and capillary diseases for years, «if the veins become less elastic, the blood that circulates cannot go back up correctly from the feet. As a result, it ends up flowing back down and causing excessive loading. In the heat, all this worsens due to vasodilation: the heat draws blood into the capillaries of the skin and increases venous overload. This is how telangiectasias, or the enlargement of blood vessels, and varicose veins are formed ». And this is how you also encounter heaviness and swelling. A disorder that affects women in 85 percent of cases. And the explanation is physiological: we women are very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. Then a lot depends on age: over the years, fragile veins and capillaries become thinner and deformed, breaking more easily.
Attention to lifestyle
If you experience heaviness in your legs, muscle soreness, swollen ankles, itching and tingling all the time, stop for a moment and review your lifestyle: from the diet (varied, as natural and balanced as possible) to movement (at least thirty minutes a day, even just a walk), from smoking to alcohol – the latter to be banned – there could be something to change.
«Nothing transcendental: a few tricks are enough to recover – explains Amodei in his book -. On the food front, for example, it would be very useful to give preference a diet rich in vitamins and bioflavonoids with antioxidant action: they help to safeguard the integrity of blood vessels. Then, do supply of vitamin E: you can find it in whole grains, dried fruit, wheat germ, egg yolk, broad leaf vegetables. Hire too vitamin A: unseasoned dairy products, white meat, eggs and liver are rich in it. Fill up on vitamin C: oranges, lemons, tangerines, strawberries, kiwis, currants, pineapples, blackberries, peppers. Try to eat blueberries regularly too: the vasoprotective action of anthocyanosides keeps veins and capillaries healthy».
“Then don’t forget to bring foods that contain unsaturated fatty acids to the table,” advises Dr. Ciatti. «From these important molecules are formed such as omega 3 and omega 9. Excellent are fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), vegetable oils (in addition to our extra virgin olive oil, walnut, rapeseed, soy and sunflower seed oils are also good) and dried fruit (almonds, nuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts).’
The Importance of Hydration: What to Drink and Eat (and What Not)
Also remember to drink: it seems a paradox, but drinking helps reduce water retention because good water – there are over 250 types on the market, it won’t be difficult to find the one that best suits your needs – favors the elimination of excess liquids and prevents fatigue of other organs. «More: attention to correct intestinal function», continues the expert. «An irregular bowel can damage the veins because abdominal swelling creates an increase in pressure in the stomach and slows down circulation. Also in this case, hydration is an excellent remedy: an adequate supply of liquids and fibers facilitates intestinal motility ».
The basic rule is that an adult in physiology takes from 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day. In case of retention at least 2. Then «the advice of eat lots of fruit or, in general, foods rich in fibre: vegetables, legumes, dried fruit» specifies Ciatti who adds: «Manganese and cobalt are effective among the trace elements useful for calming the feeling of heaviness in the legs. They are mostly found in soybeans, chestnuts, black currants, beets, ginger and cereals. To be avoided, on the other hand, are potatoes, starches, chocolate: they have an astringent effect. On the other hand, spices with a very strong taste such as red pepper, paprika, black pepper and mustard stimulate inflammation of the walls of the veins and the consequent dilation».
In case of swelling and retention, help also comes from herbal medicine. In particular from plants such as birch, centella, butcher’s broom, horse chestnut, blueberry, red vine and sweet clover. Taken in the form of herbal teas, they promote microcirculation and, consequently, help reduce water retention. How to prepare them? Here are three suggestions from Angelica Amodei’s best-selling book. And set up with the advice of Antonio Colasantidoctor-pharmacist, expert in phytotherapy and homeopathy.