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Can you recommend a good natural diuretic?
There are many foods and herbs that are natural diuretics including cranberries, celery, dandelion, ginger, and juniper. In theory, these natural diuretics may help relieve water retention by making you urinate more. But there is little if any scientific evidence of their diuretic effects, so you may not find them effective. And if you're aiming for long-term weight loss, natural diuretics probably won't help. However, you need to be careful if you are taking any prescription medications as there may be possible side effects or interactions which may affect the way a drug works in the body. Be sure to talk to your doctor.
You may be able to better manage water retention—especially if it's related to menstruation—through some simple lifestyle changes, such as:
1. Cut down on processed, packaged, fast food, and restaurant food. If you're not making it, you don't know how much processed salt is in it. If you buy packaged foods, be sure to read the sodium content.
2. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables — especially those naturally rich in water, such as watermelon, onion, celery and cucumbers — can make you urinate more frequently, reducing water retention.
3. Drink more water. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water daily.
If you're hoping to lose water weight as part of a weight-loss goal, focus instead on eating a healthier diet and getting plenty of exercise and activity.
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