HEALTH SPECIAL .....................Beat the bloat

Beat the bloat

Sudden weight gain, ballooned-out body, puffed-up legs, ankles, feet, hands, eyes and face… suffering from these water-retention signs? There could be serious causes for waterlogged tissues or something as simple as wrong eating habits. Nutritionist Kavita Devgan lists common ones and provides solutions

Reason 1 Unhealthy eating, junk food and irregular food habits can lead to toxicity and land you with a waterlogged body. Sort it out: Besides checking your diet, also have these natural diuretics: l Drink upto three cups of parsley tea a day. Brew two teaspoons of dried parsley leaves per cup of boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. l Drink lemon juice mixed in water, tomato juice and grapefruit juice. l Eat celery, lettuce, carrots, onion, asparagus, tomato and cucumber. l Make your cuppa green; polyphenols and potent plant antioxidants present in green tea not only bestow immune-boosting effects, but also help cut the bloat by effectively flushing out the toxins. l A few of cups of tea with saunf (fennel seeds) improves the functioning of kidneys, liver and spleen. Get your lymphatic system up and running again. Reason 2 Inadequate protein in diet. Sort it out: For a carb-protein balance: l Combine protein with complex carbohydrates at every meal or snack–fish with rice, muesli with yoghurt, wholewheat toast with egg, etc. l Make sure you have good sources of lean protein in at least two meals, every day. Options: lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, yoghurt, legumes, lentils, tofu and soya nuggets. Reason 3 Unhealthy gut? A bloated belly could also be a sign of improper digestion. Sort it out: with these simple steps: l Chew your food thoroughly. l Top up the good bacteria in your intestines by increasing intake of yoghurt, fermented products like idlis, buttermilk and probiotic products (milk, ice creams, yoghurt, etc). l Score probiotics (fibre that the good bacteria feed on) present in greens, oats, onions, bananas, legumes. Reason 4 Sodium-potassium imbalance is another common cause that can result from going overboard on popcorn or spicy chats (basically ‘ODing’ on salt). Sort it out: by reducing intake of salty foods and having potassium -rich foods. l Have a banana (loaded with potassium, so are most fruits) or two or beans, potato, sweet potato and watermelon. l Munch on prunes and carrots. l Sip coconut water. Reason 5 Deficiency of certain vital nutrients in the diet like vitamin A and C (that strengthen the capillary walls) and B and D (that impact the body’s use of hormones) as well as calcium and magnesium (important in maintaining the body’s fluid balance) can also lead to water retention. Sort it out: with sufficient fruits and vegetables; they are good sources of vitamin A and C. Get magnesium from amla, berries, citrus fruits, apples, bananas, dark-green leafy veggies, carrots, pumpkin... l For Vitamin B, have dairy products (also for calcium), fish and green veggies. For the lactose-intolerant alternatives are: soy milk and sesame seeds. l Vitamin D is simple–spend 30 minutes in direct sunlight, everyday without fail. Kavita Devgan Dnasunday14JUN15