What’s Puffing You Up? (Part 1)
May 11, 2023 Ashley 0 Comments
Seeing some extra fluff in the mirror today?
We all know that feeling. It’s Saturday. You’ve got a hot date. Maybe it’s brunch with the girls. Perhaps it’s a wedding. And, alas, you went from svelte supermodel last night to a bloated monster this morning. But all you did was go out to dinner with some friends before bed. I mean, maybe you cheated a little. But you didn’t go overboard, by any means. You know better than to believe you gain any significant weight overnight. So, what gives? Why is this depressing complexion staring back at you in the mirror?
(It’s never just the face, either. Good luck fitting into those shoes…)
Well, it could be any number of factors.
However, some of the most commonly reported villains known to grow you some extra all over body water width at night (because that’s what it is – fluid retention) are sugar, salt, gluten, and dairy. (Oh, right, and alcohol.) Let’s start with gluten. This is a big one many swear off. With gluten, water retention isn’t typically an issue that’s common. That said, if you have a little bit of an intolerance (not an allergy – but intolerance, mind you), then you might get some bloating from digestive upset. The belly borne inflammation can make you hang onto some extra agua for sure. So, that could be one reason.
Then there’s sugar. We all have probably heard by now that refined sugar is among the white devils to avoid. Sugar causes whole body inflammation (in that it offers gut bacteria a buffet of material to feast on), which ends with edema for some people. (Edema’s just a fancy term for swelling, BTW.) After that, there’s the moo juice. Yes, milk. Not everyone has an intolerance or even insensitivity. However, the lactase in dairy can be hard to break down. The ultimate result can be those same side effects for some as seen in gluten and sugar reactions for others. Then, finally, comes salt. (My personal nemesis.) Excess sodium can make us swell because the body hangs onto that salt, which means we hang onto extra water too – to balance out said salt – and the grand prize of that is looking like someone put bicycle pump up our rump.
So, great. Those are a handful of possible things. But how do you know which one is the culprit? While each of these things can potentially make you look like a Mylar overnight, not each of them do for every person. (I learned this in college as I enviously watched my roommate put away half a pie of pizza and get prettier while I got puffier.) But the way to find out is simple. (Mind you – it’s simple to understand – not easy in application.) Simply put, you stage a one by one elimination. Unlike acclimating to a whole new diet, you almost can’t do these one at a time and get used to the withdrawal. It’s a bit more extreme. Cold turkey. Let me explain. Let’s say you’re having it all. Gluten. Salt. Sugar. Dairy. The reason you have to take it all out at once is to circumvent any variables.
(Caveat: some causes- like medicine and menstruation – may be out of your control…)
But you don’t quit everything forever. You’re about to add it back in – piece by piece….
Keep reading to see the plan of attack to find out what’s making you puffy!