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Your waistband is digging into you. You feel like a sausage. The bloat is back, and it's not flattering. Don't worry relief from water retention is only a few smart food choices away. Plenty of your everyday favorites (and a few new ones) promote water release and detoxification while gently supporting kidney function. As an added bonus, many diuretic foods increase metabolism and flush out fat cells.

FRUIT

Fruits rich in vitamin C and potassium encourage healthy fluid balance. Eat plenty of grapes or raisins, strawberries, citrus fruits, watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, peaches, paypaya, mango, and pineapple.

VEGETABLES

When considering veggies, remember your ABCs Asparagus, Beets, and Carrots. The aspargine in asparagus aids kidney function and promotes waste release. Beets flush out both fat and water. Carrots will increase your metabolism while they escort waste out of your system.

Get those kidneys moving! Cucumber and brussels sprouts gently stimulate the kidneys. Radishes detoxify both the bladder and the kidneys.

Pumpkin is known for its ability to relieve water retention without irritating the kidneys. Try it grated raw and mixed with grated carrots and beets for an unusual fluid-flushing salad. Other bloat-beating veggies include celery, corn, artichokes, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, dandelion and other leafy greens, raw onions, leeks, garlic, and cabbage.

BEANS & OATS

Break out the tortillas - black beans are very healthy for your kidneys, and they promote urination. Lentils and mung beans also have a diuretic effect, so enjoy them in soup.

Oats are rich in silica, which promotes water release, so have them along with strawberries and melon for breakfast.

FLUIDS

Water in equals water out. It may seem counterintuitive to pour water into an already-bloated body, but do drink plenty of water to flush out your system. If you prefer juice, choose the natural diuretic effects of cranberry, grape, and pomegranate juices. If you make fresh juices, try four ounces of parley juice each day. Rich in potassium, parsley is a particularly powerful fluid flusher.

As an alternative, try three cups of parsley tea per day. You can make your own by steeping two teaspoons of parsley in a cup of water for five to ten minutes. Tea lovers can also check out stinging nettle, which supports the kidneys. The oh-so-trendy green tea has been used as a diuretic for centuries in China and India. Dandelion leaf tea cleanses the kidneys and improves function.

SEASONINGS

If you're a horseradish fan, you're in luck. Horseradish offers the dual benefit of flushing fluids while boosting metabolism. Add apple cider vinegar to your salad dressing to promote fluid release and maintain your potassium levels. Don't forget the parsley. Finely ground, you can add one or two teaspoons to salads. Try potassium-rich fennel and chives, other natural diuretics that can be added to salads. Other flavor enhancers that promote fluid release include pepper and lemongrass.

Fill your day with foods that beat the bloat, and notice that bulge disappear. Supported properly with diuretic foods, your body can gently return to its natural state.

Learn more about this author, Julie Boerst.
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