By John G. Hipps, M.D

The retention of fluids in the body is a regular part of everyday living. It is mostly water and contains a mixture of waste products, minerals, and a wide variety of chemicals that the body needs to operate its daily metabolism. It is not exaggeration that the living body is made up mostly of water. After all is said and done, after living is no longer and all the water leaves us, there is only a handful left.

Water gets into the system by the foods we eat and the liquids we drink. It is the case that many people do not drink water itself, so most of our body fluids come from the foods we eat.

Water gets out of the system through the kidneys, bowel, lungs, and skin. keep in mind that quite a bit of water leaves the body through noticeable sweating. Unnoticeable sweating, called insensible sweat, also accounts for a fair amount.

It is not at all unusual for body weight to vary as much as three to five pounds a day, all depending on your fluid balance and fluid retention.

The amount of fluids retained can vary with disease conditions that affect the circulation. Some common ones of these include hypothyroidism, high and low blood pressure, heart and kidney disorders, and diseases of the arteries and veins. Excess retention is much more common in women than men because of the effect of female hormones on the body's metabolism and circulation.

You can get a pretty good idea about how your own weight variations due to fluctuation in fluid retention by checking your weight first thing in the morning and at bedtime. Do this every day for two weeks and consider taking the written record to your doctor for advice.

Remember that the picture can vary with your diet. Vegetables, fruits, and carbohydrates have quite a bit more water in them than fats and proteins. How much salt you use will make a difference since it causes your body to retain water. Your physical activity will make a difference also. The more active you are, the more water you get rid of.

Remember too, that gravity has an effect on the amount of fluids you will notice in yourself. After you have been in bed all night, you will see and feel more swelling in your face and hands. By bedtime, this fluid will gravitate to your feet and legs, so you will see and feel it there. When it is very prominent, you can press your thumb firmly against the side of the shin bone, hold for a half minute and note that a thimble-sized dimple will be left behind.

Water, water is everywhere and it just needs to be of the right amount and in the right places.