Edema tends to occur when excess fluids in the body get stored inappropriately in the tissues. Water regularly keeps on leaking into the body tissues from the blood through the lymphatic system; which refers to a network of tubes throughout the body whose function is to drain the fluid as well as other extraneous waste material from tissues and return it back to the bloodstream. When this excess water is not removed from the body tissues by this lymphatic system, it gets retained in the tissue which leads to swelling, a condition which is medically termed as edema. There can be various water retention causes.
These include too much intake of salt in the diet. Even an occasional intake, may lead to brief episodes of water retention. This can be rectified by lowering the sodium content in the diet. Don’t reduce sodium intake completely, but use it in small amounts, which can be done by avoiding processed foods. Salt helps to retain water in the body naturally, which is then stored for later use. Since it is a vital element in the diet, it should never be overused.
Eating too much of sugar raises the levels of the hormone insulin. Excessive consumption of sweets can also lead to water retention. This is because elevated insulin makes the excretion of sodium harder.
Other water retention causes include prolonged standing. This leads to accumulation of excess fluids in the tissues of the lower leg. Other water retention causes include sunburn, which may lead to water retention as well as blistering. It is better to protect the skin from sunburn in any case, as sun damage to the skin is usually linked to high skin cancer rates. Burns are water retention causes due to the secretion of toxins at a high rate. This overloads the kidneys which causes the body to store water in the other areas of the body. Severe edema is due to extensive burns.