Water Retention

Diet and regular exercise can help reduce water retention

A problem that many of us suffer from, at some time. I find it is often brought on by the build up of lactic acid in the body. There is not room to go into the various medical conditions which can cause water retention. So I am just going to give you a few tips to help reduce the general problem. In the future, we can look at water retention in greater detail.

The following are the tips that I give to my patients so that they can help themselves through adding various things to their diet. As well as the drinks and recipes below, taking part in regular exercise will help reduce water retention. Start slowly with light cardio and gradually increase and make sure you drink plenty of water throughout your personal fitness training programme. Please consult a personal trainer or fitness expert if you are unsure of what exercise to begin.

There are two excellent drinks which I recommend to help water retention.

1. Use aniseed or fennel together with fresh ginger and lemon.

Start by using just a small amount of each (eg. 2 slices of lemon / 2 of ginger), put in a teapot or large mug, and then pour boiling water over it. Leave it to stand, thus allowing the ingredients to infuse. I often start the day with this. You can play with the ingredients to suit your taste.

1. In boiling water, mix some cider vinegar with a little honey.

Salad

Use raw spinach, asparagus, celery and watercress dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Soup

Use vegetable or chicken stock together with fennel, watercress and white cabbage to make a tasty soup.

As always, I ask my clients to take some chlorella or spirulina with a little oil in apple or pear juice, mid morning and mid afternoon.

Remember that because you have some water retention, this does not mean you should not be drinking your water.

Next week, I shall be dealing with wind, a common problem and one that people don't like to talk about. However, here, we have no such reservations and hope to help you get rid of this problem.

BREAKFAST

Stewed apple or pear with a little goat's yoghurt.

LUNCH

Spinach and Fennel Soup

Serves 4

If you suffered from diarrhoea or IBS, go easy on the onions and oil in this recipe. Instead, try softening the celery in a little stock.

2tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1.2 litres (2pt) fresh vegetable stock
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and very thinly sliced
300 g (10 oz) baby spinach leaves
2 tbsp freshly chopped dill
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Natural goat's or sheep's yoghurt to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion and celery for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

Pour in the stock and bring to boil. Add the fennel, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the spinach, bring to the boil, remove from the heat, cover and stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and send for a few seconds until smooth. Return to the saucepan, add the dill and lemon juice and adjust the seasoning. Heat through gently for 2-3 minutes until hot. Serve ladled into warm soup bowls, and top with yoghurt if preferred.

SUPPER

Baked Lamb with Fennel

Serves 4

If you tend towards diarrhoea or IBS, use onion and olive sparingly, and have only a small portion of lamb until your digestion has completely settled.

1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into thick wedges
4 x 100 g (4 oz) lean boneless organic lamb steaks, trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Lay the red onion and fennel in the base of a casserole dish, and top with the lamb steaks. Mix the remaining ingredients together, except the parsley, and pour over the lamb and vegetables. Cover and stand for 30 minutes. Gently mix the vegetables and lamb together, then cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 10 minutes until lightly brown and tender. Serve the lamb and fennel sprinkled with parsley and accompanied by freshly cooked green vegetables.

If you wish to contact gudrun please visit www.gudrunjonsson.com

Nutrion Archive Index

Walking back to happiness	The Rise of Obesity in our Children
To Sunbathe or not to Sunbathe?	What are we like?
Just don't mention the alcohol	Coping with cellulite
It's Not Like the Good Old Days	Why wheat can be a problem
Giving up Smoking	Vegan Nutrition
Alcohol and Nutritional damage	Vitamin Supplements
Breakfast	Headaches
The truth about vitamin C	Eating For a Healthy Pregnancy
Spring clean your skin	Insomnia
Is a low-fat diet good for you?	Supporting the Liver
Nutrition in Focus	Insulin Resistance
Syndrome X	Detox Treatment
Colds and flu	Super Foods for Fitness
Gout	Headache
Haemorrhoids	Pre pregnancy
Post Pregnancy	Acne From Hell 3
Acne From Hell 2	Acne From Hell 1
Case 3-3. Age 27 Female	Case 3-2. Age 27 Female
Case 3-1. Age 27 Female	Case 2. Male 30yrs
Case 1. Schoolgirl aged 15 yrs	Spring Clean
Summer/Spring Clean	Low Blood Sugar
Irritated Bowel Syndrome	Diarrhoea
Constipation	Wind
Water Retention	Berber Argan Oil
Digest and Absorb	Food Pyramid