With the heatit is not uncommon for some people to face the water retention. This is characterized by a feeling of swelling, pain, itching or even a feeling of heat, on the affected areas. On the social network Instagram, dietician Annabel Le Cardinal, also known under the pseudonym @anna_nutri_perf, shared advice on how to limit them in case of heat.
The dietician is used to sharing health care tips with her community of over 8,900 people. Recently, she shared tips to avoid l’effet yo-yoThis time, she explains the causes and what can be done to limit water retention in hot weather.
What can cause water retention in hot weather?
“Why do we retain water when it’s hot?” asks the dietician in the introduction to her video. Before explaining that the causes of water retention are multiple and can vary from one person to another. “Among them, we will note the phenomenon of vasodilation, the blood vessels dilate and make them more porous. This also promotes the outflow of water from the vessels and prevents its reabsorption in the tissues”, continues Annabel Le Cardinal.
Another cause is prolonged immobility, whether sitting or standing. Similarly,high salt diet and/or poor in proteins can play a role. Finally, the dietician specifies that a “hormonal imbalance, particularly with the onset of menstruation or menopause” may cause water retention.
Hydration, diet… A dietician’s advice to limit water retention when it’s hot
What can be done to limit water retention? First of all, it is important to “limit consumption de sodium”. As a reminder, Anses specifies that “The main dietary sources of sodium are table salt, condiments and sauces, and cold cuts and cheese”.
On the contrary, the dietician recommends:increase potassium intakewhich is found in fruits and vegetables).
Another reflex highlighted, the fact of drink at least 1 to 1.5 liters of water per day. This “helps maintain water balance and paradoxically reduce water retention,” the dietician emphasizes. Finally, “Exercise helps stimulate circulation and reduce edema”.
Heat and physical activity: how to stay hydrated?
As part of a physical activityAnnabel Le Cardinal advises drinking “125ml to 200ml every 15 to 20 min” which corresponds to, on average, 500 to 750ml per hour of effort. Also, she advises to “hydrate well before departure without creating an overload”.
To remember to drink regularly, you can use the bike computer or set a reminder on your watch.
To monitor hydration levels, she recommends using the double weighing method. This involves:
- weigh yourself before physical exercise;
- weigh yourself after training;
- subtract the weight after exercise from the weight before exercise;
- multiply this difference by a coefficient of 1.5;
- subtract the amount of drink consumed during exercise.
Sources :
- Annabel Le Cardinal – @anna_nutri_perf – Instagram
- Everything you need to know about salt (or sodium chloride) consumption – French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety – Anses
