Feeling bloated, anyone?

I found this article very interesting and helpful, so I thought I'd share:

Stop retaining water...by drinking more!

Women around the world constantly deal with the bloating, or retention of water in their bodies. It causes clothes to not fit that should and a general annoyance. So, is there anything natural a woman can do to help offset this hormonal by-product?

It helps to start to understand what causes the body to retain water. Water helps your liver convert fat into usable energy. If you don't drink enough water, your kidneys are overwhelmed with concentrated fluids, and they make your liver do extra work. Your liver works hard to turn your body fat into energy you use, and if it has to do the kidney's work, then you hold onto the extra fat that would have been burned if you'd simply had enough water.

And what's worse is that instead of excreting water and waste products, you reabsorb used water to reuse. This is what causes water retention and bloating. When you don't get enough water, your body panics and holds on to it selfishly, as though you're in a famine. The best way to get rid of this water retention is to drink enough of it.

http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_health /health1/1-stop-retaining-water-by-drinking-m ore.htm

i wonder if this is the cause of some of my insane bloat issues. i drink like 2 cups of water per day, but i can't seem to make myself drink more. i'm never thirsty and after a glass of water i feel so full. any tips on getting my water in?

I have the same problem after I drink water, I feel extremely full.  I find it helpful to add a small amount of crystal light to give it a slight taste - try that next time :)  

My doctor told me that your first 16 ounces of coffee count as water intake (after the first 16 oz. he said it doesn't count.)

Also if you're a tea drinker that counts!

So, if a person is to consume 64 oz of H2O a day, here's a good breakdown:

• 16 oz. coffee in the morning
• 32 oz. plain water w/ crysal light for flavor
• 16 oz. tea at night

Hope this helps :)

Is it possible to retain water in other places than your stomach? Say, thighs or arms?

Oh i'm sure it is!  I feel like I retain water in my hands the most!  I can tell when I'm bloated because my rings will be tight.