According to many experts, the typical Western diet provides a grossly
excessive amount of sodium. Snacks, fast-food meals, and packaged food
products are the main culprits; even foods that do not taste salty are
sometimes loaded with sodium. For those who are salt-sensitive, the
consumption of extra sodium can influence their weight by as much as
ten pounds.
"Most people eat more salt than the recommended daily allowance of
2,400 milligrams. In fact, average salt intake is around 20 times as
much as our body requires. Where does the excess salt in our diet come
from? Foods in their natural state contain little salt. Most salt
people consume comes from manufactured foods -- like breakfast
cereals, rice mixes, and processed meat. Twenty to 30 percent of salt
is added during cooking or while eating.
Reports from experts concerned with diet and cardiovascular disease or
diet and chronic diseases find that lower salt consumption is best;
only two out of 70 United States experts who have recently studied the
issue disagree."
Rx Magazine
http://rx.magazine.tripod.com/lw_20010309.htm
"The average person carries around about 3 pounds of fluid as a result
of sodium in their diet. Reducing sodium helps us to weight less!
Experts have calculated that reducing sodium by a half would result in
the average person losing about 3 pounds of fluid. Even if you don't
add salt to your cooking or food, chances are you are still eating too
much. The worst offenders are ready-meals, processed meat products and
savoury snacks."
Anne Collins
http://www.annecollins.com/diet/sodium-fluid-retention.htm
"Salt-sensitive people retain sodium which causes edema (swelling).
Many people carry five to seven extra pounds of water weight because
of excess salt in their bodies. Decreasing salt intake allows the body
to shed the excess water."
The Quiet Hour
http://www.thequiethour.org/images/echoespdf/echoes0702.pdf
"Many average healthy adults experience some water retention and the
accompanying weight gain that occurs. The day to day body weight
fluctuations are commonly caused by the loss and gain in body fluid.
It is possible to retain up to five pounds of water weight retention
and can easily be hidden within the natural fluid that surrounds cells
( extra-cellular fluid ). Heavier people may experience more water
retention especially if their intake of processed, convenient food is
high. For some it can be as much as eight to ten pounds of fluid
retention if weight gain is quick... Weight gains are very often a
combination of fat stores and water retention."
Weight Loss for All
http://www.weightlossforall.com/Frustrated.htm
Here you'll find a helpful guide to the sodium content of many foods,
and advice on reducing dietary sodium:
Anne Collins
http://www.annecollins.com/reduce-sodium-diet.htm
Another good guide to the sodium content of foods:
University of Maine
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4059.htm
If your body has a tendency to retain fluids, it might seem logical to
assume that you should drink less water. However, the opposite is
true: in order to lose the excess fluids you're retaining, you may
need to consume MORE water. Dehydration can cause the body to retain
fluid, which will be released as you increase your water intake. The
goal is to keep lots of fluid flowing through your body. This can be
achieved by increasing your fluid intake while watching your intake of
dietary sodium.
"Contrary to popular belief, drinking water can actually help you shed
excess water weight. When water is in short supply, the body, thinking
there's a shortage, begins hoarding it. This water is stored in extra
cellular spaces. In other words, your skin starts looking soft and
puffy... If water retention is a chronic problem, it may be because
there's too much salt in the diet. The higher the sodium intake, the
more the body tries to retain water (to dilute its concentration).
Either reduce salt intake or drink more water."
BodyBuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/animalpak21.htm
"Restricting your water can promote fat deposits. Your body uses water
as the major component of blood to transport nutrients and wastes. A
lack of water in the system can cause fats and other toxins, that are
normally disposed of, to remain in your body... Trying to solve the
problem of fluid retention by drinking less water only aggravates
matters, because it (retention) occurs even when you drink no water.
If you don't drink more water after salty food, your body pulls water
from your intestines and bowel to dilute the extra sodium. If you
drink more water, you force stored water out of your body through the
kidneys."
Arm Wrestling World Wide
http://www.armpullers.com/nutirtion/water.htm
Here's a good article on sodium reduction for athletes and bodybuilders:
Muscle Fitness Europe
http://www.muscle-fitness-europe.com/347.html
My favorite website with info on the low-sodium lifestyle:
MegaHeart
http://www.megaheart.com
Lots of low-sodium recipes:
Recipezaar
http://www.recipezaar.com/r/17/252/263
Apples for Health
http://www.applesforhealth.com/recipessaltent1.html
About Home Cooking
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blhelp13.htm
Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "sodium" + "weight" + "gain"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=sodium+weight+gain
Google Web Search: "sodium" + "fluid OR fluids OR water" + "pounds"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=sodium+%22fluid+OR+fluids+OR+water%22+pounds
I hope this helps. If anything is unclear, or if a link doesn't work
for you, please request clarification; I'll gladly offer further
assistance before you rate my answer.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 Mar 2004 13:35 PST
Exercise does reduce water retention:
"It is key that water retention is kept to the minimum; especially at
the day of the competition. One of the reasons why you physique may
not appear ripped can be caused by this retention of water, the other
of course is extra fat. However, the issue of water becomes a great
concern to the bodybuilder especially the last few weeks prior to the
show. There are a few ways by which to minimize water retention. One
is to leave out salt from your diet; preferably from the beginning of
your pre-contest diet phase. Exercise and cardiovascular activities is
a great way to shed unwanted water as well."
Free Trainers: Dealing with Water Retention
http://www.freetrainers.com/FT/jsp/CompetitionDietWater.jsp
"Besides increasing the brain's secretion of natural painkilling
endorphins, exercise helps to tonify and relax muscles, improve
circulation, and reduce water retention."
Inner Self: The One-Minute Healer
http://www.innerself.com/Health/ullman_PMS.htm
"Exercise helps your body retain its balance in countless ways, and
your fluid balance is no exception."
Mind and Body: Fluid Retention Facts
http://www.mindandbody.com.au/2002-1/fluid_retention.html
"Regular aerobic exercise, like walking, also increases your
circulation, which helps to minimize bloating and fluid retention."
New Living Magazine: Exercise Helps Hormonal Health
http://www.newliving.com/issues/april_2003/articles/exercisehormonal.html
~pinkfreud
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