Weight Loss Diuretics: Is The Game Worth It?

Diet pills—especially diuretics—may be one of the most tempting ways to say goodbye to being overweight. How nice would it be to swallow a wise man's pill full of active substances, and watch calmly as the scale needles wriggle down, the flanks that winter gets melted! . . a pity, but in reality everything is far from so pleasant.

How diuretics work for weight loss

As the old joke goes, we're all a bit like cucumbers because we're 90% water. Laughing is laughing, and that's true to a certain extent: 65-70% of our bodies are indeed liquid, if not 90%. And it's not just obvious blood, sweat and saliva! Every cell in the body contains water, without which it cannot exist, divide and develop properly.

However, sometimes there is a failure of the metabolic process, there is too much water in the body, we have swelling, high blood pressure and interruption of the heart's work, during which the load on the heart increases. In this case, diuretics – diuretics – were invented. they are:

• Remove excess fluid from tissue, helping it to be converted into urine;
• Blocks those kidney systems that are responsible for the reabsorption (reabsorption) of urine water.

As a result, there is a lot of fluid "outflow" from the body, which can affect the scale reading. Sometimes very impressive!

Now about the unpleasant things.Taking a diuretic in no way affects the body's fat reserves, it doesn't burn, break down, or remove them.No matter how impressive your plumb line repair is, remember it's just water, and it will recover quickly if you stop taking your medicine.

However, we would not completely deny the benefits of diuretics in fighting overweight.

1. They have a cleansing action that removes decay products from the body. This has beneficial effects on both health and one's appearance.It's important not to overdo it here, because a diuretic with the same calories will absorb the necessary, leaving you free of salts and minerals (especially calcium) after removing the unnecessary.
2. Diuretics can provide great psychological support for dieters: Sometimes it's useful to see how the extra pounds melt before your eyes.

However, all this will only work if the drug is prescribed for a medical indication (edema, stress) or by a doctor for preventive purposes. Back it up with a simple diet and a jog in the park, and the overweight problem will surface in a few days. But doctors categorically do not recommend using diuretics solely for the purpose of fighting overweight. In this case, unauthorized use of the drug does more harm than good.

Diuretics should not be taken as diet pills. These are mainly drugs designed to help people with problems of the genitourinary, cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Weight loss is just a raw side effect.

Types of diuretics

There are two ways to remove excess fluid from the body: taking synthetic drugs or using "natural" diuretics. The first option is more efficient, the second is more secure.

drug

Medicinal diuretics can be divided into three categories.

The first and most powerfulIt is a loop medicine, so named because it acts on the gengle loop in the kidney. They relax vascular smooth muscle, accelerate renal blood flow, increase filtration, reduce the volume of interstitial fluid, and remove magnesium, potassium, chloride, and sodium salts from the body. Cyclic drugs act quickly, are effective, are used in peak situations - for example, in hypertensive crisis or pulmonary edema - and. . . have the most extensive list of side effects.

careful! These are the most powerful diuretics. Prescribing yourself a loop diuretic without consulting your doctor means putting your health at risk.

Second Group- tazidnye drugs - less effective. Their "attention" is shifted to the renal tubules, so salts and fluids are also removed from the body, but with less force. Tazidnye medicine is used to treat edema, stress, glaucoma.

Tazide diuretics are sometimes used in combination with loop diuretics.

The third group, a diuretic drug with potassium-sparing effect, the mildest effect on the body and the least contraindications. They reduce stress and fight swelling, but at the same time prevent potassium loss.

Although mild in action, it can cause you a lot of problems if you decide to take potassium-sparing drugs casually.

natural diuretics

Self-administration of certain drugs is always fraught with adverse consequences. But natural diuretics do not pose this danger. Of course, they are very mild in action compared to tablets, but they still have the desired effect of prompting the kidneys to expel fluid from the body in an enhanced manner. What are these products?

Fruits, Vegetables and Berries

1. It's no secret why you shouldn't eat watermelon at night -- there's no end to the toilet. And all because of its juicy pulp, which in our case was perfect for the action of a natural diuretic!It's true that it's also fraught with danger, because it contains a lot of glucose, so you shouldn't eat fragrant fruit either.Everything should be in moderation.
2. But with cranberries, you can go bolder. Its acid juice not only acts as a diuretic, but also has antibacterial properties that keep potassium in the body and heal the organs of the urinary system.
3. Lemons behave in a similar way. Squeeze half a fruit into a glass of water to stimulate fluid excretion, lower blood pressure and protect the urinary tract from infection.
4. We already talked about cucumbers at the beginning of the article. It - the first - is full of water, so it puts the kidneys on alert. The second - contains sulfur and silicon, which help to remove uric acid from the body.

5. Juicy celery steamed with cucumber provides fluid to our body cells and starts water metabolism. It's often added to vitamin shakes or crunched on fresh stems as a snack.
6. You may have heard about the laxative effects of beetroot salad. But few people know that it is also a good diuretic and a bunch of antioxidants. Arm yourself with a grater!
7. Cabbage maintains its diuretic properties even when added to soup. But it's best eaten raw: in this case, you're giving your heart an extra boost and serving your stomach.
8. Equally useful and raw carrots. Diuretic effect - times; good for vision - two; restores gut flora - three; ability to regulate carbohydrate metabolism - four; It can be a long list, but it's best to just add carrot dishes to your menu and enjoy delicious weight loss.

In addition to these products, melon, pumpkin, pear, strawberry, viburnum, blackberry, gooseberry, bilberry, lettuce, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, spinach, onion, and garlic have mild diuretic properties.

Another advantage of fruits and vegetables over pills is that while some beneficial substances are removed from the body due to their diuretic effect, they more than make up for the losses due to their high vitamin and mineral content.

Herbs and Spices

1. Since ancient times, green tea has been a source of youth and health, and a good remedy for edema. Make sure the package containing this precious drink is sure to find its place on your kitchen cabinet shelf. It is recommended to drink 1 to 3 cups of green tea a day.
2. Ginger removes excess fluid and toxins. Use as follows: 1 tablespoon. l. Pour the grated ginger root into 1 liter of boiling water, brew in a thermos for 2-3 hours, then add honey and sometimes milk and drink it like regular tea. However, the burning root can irritate the mucous membranes, so use it very, very moderately - no more than 1 tablespoon. l. Ginger slices every day. The duration of the course depends on how you feel, but it is best not to exceed 2 weeks. If you have digestive issues, it's best to avoid spices altogether.
3. Parsley stimulates urination, improves digestion, and provides the body with antioxidants. It also whitens teeth and freshens breath, so feel free to add it to dishes while cooking. Or do this: 1-2 tablespoons. l. Chopped parsley, pour in 500ml boiling water, cook until completely cooled, strain and drink broth during the day - 3/4 cup 20 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.
4. Dill is known in folk medicine as a strong carminative and diuretic. Brew it the same way as parsley, or do this: 1 tsp. Dill seeds pour into 1 cup of boiling water, cool and drink, 2 tablespoons. l. Before each meal. The full course is 2 weeks.
5. Nettle, like ginger, not only removes excess fluid from the body, but also removes harmful substances. It works best when taken in equal amounts with oregano and birch leaves. 3 Art. l. Collect, pour 500 ml of boiling water, let stand for 1 hour, and drink 4-5 doses during the day. The course of treatment is one week to 1-1. 5 months.

A refreshing morning drink, coffee, literally dehydrates the body and removes fluids from it. If you're afraid of stress, try the usual. . . oatmeal. Oddly enough, she also acts as a mild diuretic. But instead, salt, sugar, and protein-rich foods will do everything possible to keep you from losing a drop of water. Limit your intake of these foods.

Dietary supplements are a compromise between a pharmacy and a naturopath. In fact, as a product of the pharmaceutical industry, they contain extracts of plant components, so they are considered less dangerous than other diuretics. This doesn't save you from having to read the instructions in detail!

Contraindications and side effects

There are some contraindications to diuretics that should be considered before shopping at the pharmacy:

• dehydration;
• a jump in blood pressure;
• vision and hearing loss;
• Dizziness and headache, tinnitus;
• weakness, and in some cases loss of consciousness;
• Malfunction of the vestibular organs responsible for the sense of balance;
• Disorders of cardiac activity due to electrolyte loss;
• Rashes and increased sensitivity to sunlight;
• excretion of vitamins and minerals from the body;
• nausea, indigestion, loss of appetite;
• Gout is caused by elevated uric acid levels.

No one should take diuretics without consulting a doctor. But people with diabetes, tuberculosis, gout, kidney and liver disease should be especially careful. A separate category is pregnant women. Expectant mothers can use diuretics strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

How to take diuretics at home to lose weight?

1. First rule: consult a doctor. Only an expert can foresee all the flaws in your decisions and prevent possible complications.Don't forget to notify your doctor if you are taking any other medicines - this will determine their compatibility with diuretics.
2. Drink 6-8 glasses of clean water every day. Otherwise, you run the risk of dehydration.
3. Eat as little salt and sugar as possible to retain fluids in your body. But don't deny yourself the natural diuretics: fruits, vegetables, and seasonings.
4. Every morning, at the same time after going to the toilet, use the scale to observe weight fluctuations.
5. If you feel unwell, stop using diuretics to lose weight immediately and switch your efforts to an exercise diet.

user comment

"Honestly: There were a few times, on the eve of the holidays, when I had to put on a tight dress to get rid of excess water in my body, and I resorted to a loop diuretic. But I knew it was a one-time action, and I wasn't going to keep taking these pills. In general, dear girls, in order to lose weight, diuretics are either not used at all or are used very, very sparingly!