Category:Diuretic

Diuretics help your body get rid of salt and water mainly by stimulating your kidneys to release sodium into your urine. Water is then pulled from your blood to concentrate the sodium levels. That produces more urine and decreases the amount of fluid flowing through your blood vessels, providing relief from water retention if you're suffering from edema, high blood pressure, and other conditions where chronic water retention presents an issue.

But it’s not just chronic conditions that can be helped by diuretics. They can help relieve bloating after a salty meal or from monthly hormonal fluctuations.

Over-the-counter diuretics are available in pill form, but there are a couple of reasons you might want to avoid them. While generally safe for occasional use, they can have side effects like hypokalemia, caused by too little potassium, which can lead to heart problems. Other potential side effects include dehydration, muscle cramps, dizziness and rashes. You can avoid these by pairing over-the-counter diuretics with foods high in potassium like bananas, sunflower seeds, apricots, or oranges.