How Do You Get Your Body to Stop Retaining Fluid? Solutions for Edema

October 1, 2025 •

5 min read

Over 60% of the human body is water, and while fluid balance is crucial, imbalances can cause uncomfortable swelling and puffiness known as edema. When this happens, many people wonder, how do you get your body to stop retaining fluid? The answer lies in a combination of lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and, in some cases, medical intervention.

Quick Summary

This comprehensive guide explores the primary causes of fluid retention and outlines effective lifestyle changes, such as modifying diet and increasing activity. It also covers medical options and complementary therapies for managing persistent edema and offers practical steps to reduce swelling.

Key Points

Reduce Sodium Intake: Limiting salt, especially from processed foods, is a primary strategy for preventing and reducing fluid retention.
Prioritize Physical Activity: Regular exercise, even gentle movement, improves circulation and lymphatic drainage, helping to move pooled fluid.
Stay Adequately Hydrated: Paradoxically, drinking more water can prevent your body from retaining fluid by signaling proper hydration and assisting kidney function.
Use Gravity to Your Advantage: Elevating swollen feet and legs above heart level several times a day can effectively drain excess fluid from the extremities.
Wear Compression Garments: Compression socks or stockings apply gentle pressure to encourage circulation and prevent fluid buildup in the lower limbs.
Seek Medical Guidance: If swelling is persistent, severe, or accompanied by other symptoms like shortness of breath, a doctor's evaluation is necessary to rule out serious underlying causes.

Understanding Fluid Retention (Edema)

Fluid retention, or edema, occurs when excess fluid builds up in the body's tissues, leading to swelling, puffiness, and tight or shiny-looking skin. It is most commonly noticed in the feet, ankles, and legs, but can affect any part of the body. In many cases, mild edema is temporary and resolves on its own, but it can also be a sign of a more serious underlying health issue.

Common causes of fluid retention include:

Excessive Sodium Intake: The body needs to maintain a delicate balance of sodium and water. Consuming too much salt, often from processed and packaged foods, causes the body to hold onto extra water to dilute the sodium concentration.
Prolonged Inactivity: Sitting or standing in one position for too long, like during a long flight or desk job, can cause fluid to pool in the lower extremities due to gravity.
Hormonal Changes: Fluctuations in hormones, such as during menstruation or pregnancy, are a common cause of temporary fluid retention.
Certain Medications: Some medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, and certain blood pressure medicines, can have fluid retention as a side effect.
Underlying Medical Conditions: More serious causes include heart, kidney, or liver disease, which can impair the body's ability to regulate fluid balance effectively.

Lifestyle Strategies for Managing Fluid Retention

For mild to moderate fluid retention, several lifestyle and dietary changes can be highly effective at getting your body to stop retaining fluid naturally.

Dietary Adjustments

Changing your diet is one of the most powerful tools for managing edema. Focusing on whole, unprocessed foods and managing your mineral intake is key.

Reduce Sodium Intake: The most impactful change is to limit salt. This means avoiding high-sodium culprits like fast food, canned soups, processed meats, and salty snacks. Flavor your food with herbs and spices instead of salt. Aim for no more than 2,000 to 2,300 mg of sodium per day, or less if recommended by a doctor.
Increase Potassium and Magnesium: These minerals help balance sodium levels and promote urine production.
- Potassium-rich foods include bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
- Magnesium-rich sources are leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water may seem counterintuitive, but dehydration causes the body to hold onto every last drop of fluid as a survival mechanism. By drinking plenty of water, you support kidney function and signal your body that it can release excess fluid.

Importance of Physical Activity

Moving your body is crucial for improving circulation and helping the lymphatic system—which drains fluid from tissues—do its job.

Regular Exercise: Activities like walking, swimming, or cycling get your heart pumping and help your body sweat out excess fluid. Aim for a brisk walk of 20-30 minutes daily.
Gentle Movements: If you are unable to do vigorous exercise, simple movements are still beneficial. Ankle pumps, calf raises, or marching in place can help improve circulation in your legs and feet.
Avoid Prolonged Stillness: Take frequent breaks to stand up, stretch, and move around if you sit or stand for long periods.

Elevating Swollen Limbs

Using gravity to your advantage is a simple and effective technique for reducing swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles.

Position Above the Heart: When resting, use pillows to elevate the swollen area above the level of your heart. Do this several times a day for at least 15-20 minutes.
Legs Up the Wall: A yoga pose called 'viparita karani' involves lying on your back and resting your legs against a wall, which can help drain fluid from your lower extremities.

Compression Therapy

Compression garments apply gentle pressure to the limbs, preventing fluid from pooling and encouraging its movement back toward the heart.

Compression Socks or Stockings: These are particularly useful for peripheral edema in the lower legs and ankles. They come in various levels of compression and can be found at most drugstores. A doctor can help you determine the right level of compression for your needs.

Medical and Supplemental Approaches

If lifestyle changes are not sufficient or if fluid retention is a symptom of a serious medical condition, a healthcare professional may recommend other treatments.

Diuretics ("Water Pills"): For persistent edema, a doctor may prescribe a diuretic to help the kidneys excrete excess salt and water. This is often used for conditions like heart failure or kidney disease and should only be taken under a doctor's supervision due to potential side effects.
Treating the Underlying Cause: In many cases, addressing the root cause is the most effective solution. This might involve managing heart or liver disease, adjusting medications, or treating an infection.
Supplements: Certain vitamin and mineral supplements, like magnesium and vitamin B6, may help with fluid balance, especially in women experiencing premenstrual swelling. However, always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement.

Lifestyle vs. Medical Treatments: A Comparison


Feature	Lifestyle Adjustments (Diet, Exercise)	Medical Treatments (Diuretics)
Effectiveness	Highly effective for mild, temporary, and prevention of edema.	Highly effective for moderate to severe edema or when underlying conditions are present.
Application	Broad, long-term approach; involves daily habits.	Targeted, symptom-focused approach; often used for more persistent cases.
Risks	Minimal risks; generally promotes overall health.	Can have side effects (e.g., dehydration, electrolyte imbalance) and requires professional supervision.
Supervision	Generally safe to implement on your own.	Always requires a doctor's prescription and monitoring to ensure safety.
Duration	Ongoing practice for prevention and management.	Can be short-term for temporary issues or long-term for chronic conditions, under medical care.

Conclusion

Understanding how do you get your body to stop retaining fluid involves a multi-faceted approach that prioritizes diet, activity, and proper hydration. For many, reducing sodium, staying active, and elevating swollen limbs will alleviate mild symptoms. For persistent or severe fluid retention, it's essential to seek a doctor's advice to rule out underlying conditions and determine the most appropriate course of action. By combining smart lifestyle choices with professional guidance when needed, you can effectively manage edema and improve your overall well-being.

Managing sodium and fluid intake to improve heart failure outcomes | Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Frequently Asked Questions

The initial signs of fluid retention, or edema, often include swelling or puffiness in the feet, ankles, and legs. You may also notice that your skin looks stretched or shiny, your joints feel stiff, or your socks leave a noticeable indentation on your skin.

Yes, dehydration can actually cause your body to retain fluid. When you don't drink enough water, your body holds onto its existing fluid stores as a protective measure, which can lead to swelling. Staying well-hydrated helps your body maintain a healthy fluid balance.

To reduce water retention, it is best to limit foods high in sodium and refined carbohydrates. Common culprits include processed and packaged foods, frozen meals, deli meats, salty snacks, and sugary drinks. Focusing on fresh, whole foods is a better strategy.

Potassium is an electrolyte that works with sodium to regulate the body's fluid balance. A diet rich in potassium can help counteract the effects of high sodium intake and promote the excretion of excess fluid through increased urine production.

You should see a doctor if your fluid retention is persistent, severe, or accompanied by other worrying symptoms. Immediate medical attention is necessary if swelling occurs suddenly in one leg, or if you experience shortness of breath, chest pain, or irregular heartbeat, as these can indicate a more serious condition.

Yes, gentle aerobic exercises are particularly helpful. Activities like walking, swimming, or cycling can boost circulation. If you're stationary, simple movements like ankle rotations, calf raises, and knee extensions are effective for promoting fluid movement in the lower limbs.

Compression socks and stockings are designed to apply gentle, continuous pressure to your legs and feet. This pressure helps prevent fluid from pooling in the lower extremities and encourages it to move back up towards the heart, supporting healthy circulation.