General Chat

I have both! I've had small bags under my eyes for years, but swollen ankles only for the last couple of weeks. Doc has put me on fluid tablets.

I found this article this morning:

Non-stop parties, late-night shopping and mountains of food-preparation are hallmarks of the festive season … and for a lot of us, that leads to dark-ringed eyes and dull skin.

US researchers have found a disturbing cause for the bags — a build-up of water that would usually be passed as urine.

Staying up late reduces our rejuvenation time, which causes the fluid to accumulate under our eyes, in a similar way to swollen ankles.

According to Dr Michael Roizen, a US anaesthesiologist who is the co-author of You: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty, our bodies often accumulate water throughout the day instead of passing it as urine.

"Normally when you sleep, you distribute water in the body," Dr Roizen told MSNBC.

But when we're sleep-deprived, the water pools under the eyes, which makes them go puffy.

Sleep is also crucial for skin regeneration, and if we don't get enough, our skin isn't able to refresh and tighten up.

Stress is the other big ugly-face catalyst, causing the collagen in our skin to deplete.

"Stress causes a drop in the skin's ability to protect itself," Dr Amit Sood, chair of the Mind Body Initiative at the Mayo Clinic, told MSNBC.

"All of this happens with chronic stress –– if you do not have healthy collagen in your skin, you would have baggy sort of skin under your eyes."

Stress also makes us look pale and haggard by reducing the amount of melanin –– skin pigment –– our skin produces.

The bad beauty news is that stress and lack of sleep often go hand-in-hand, causing a vicious cycle of puffiness.

"You lose efficiency –– your sleep is not as restful; you eat more; you gain weight; your relationships are affected," Dr Sood said.

Who wants a massage for Christmas?

:-(

The article doesn't give any more advice about getting rid of the fluid.

My non-stop party days are long gone!

:-D

Excuse me....... I'm taking my baggy eyes to the bathroom :-)

Looks like I'm the only one with swollen ankles & bags under my eyes.

:-(

Well Scozz I don't have the baggy eyes but certainly get the swollen feet. Over the last 10 yrs say about every 4/5 months my ankles swell and stay like that for about 2 weeks. It happens for no apparent reason ie, if hot or cold weather, been busy or not.

I started writing things down and the only connection I can make is stress. Swollen for daughters wedding, grandsons christening, going on holiday

Sounds like this could be the answer as I do worry about most things.

Carol :-(

I have swollen ankles most evenings, not bad in the winter, worse in the heat. I take diuretics but there are also many natural diuretics (google to find). I do sometimes have puffy eyes too. I put my swollen ankles down to the BP medication as I didn't have them before that I noticed. They are always ok until about 6pm.

I hate these puffy ankles!

I don't have them in the mornings, but by mid-afternoon, they start growing, by 6pm I look like I'm wearing balloons!

Doc said to take the medication in the morning........ so I'm forever running to the loo :-(

He sent me for loads of tests, nothing weird showed up. He said I'm showing most of the signs of pregnancy!! I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been on blood pressure medication for about eight years, this is the first time I've had puffy ankles (except once, but that was after a long-haul flight with every possible delay).

I can't look in the mirror now, without thinking those bags under my eyes might be wee! ewwwwwwwww :-(

I'll google for natural diuretics, thanks Ann (I started typing SAG, thought that wasn't very nice, so changed it lol). :-)

Found this on google:


If you are in a position where you are able to use natural diuretics rather than diuretic medication (check with your doctor), these may be a good option. Natural diuretics are natural foods or herbs that allow increased flow of urine and thus aid the removal of fluids from the body.

Foods that contain lots of salt and sugar cause the body to retain significant amounts of fluids and this can lead to bloating and water retention. Inadequate amounts of protein can also lead to water retention, as can inadequate amounts of amino acids and B vitamins.

Green tea is a natural diuretic that has been used for centuries in China. Cranberry juice can help with removing excess fluid retention. Apple cider vinegar has natural diuretic properties and helps maintain potassium levels in the blood. Dandelion is used as a natural diuretic, as is nettle and fennel.

Diuretic foods include foods with high water content such as watermelon and cucumber as these help increase urination and thus help with the removal of toxins. Cucumbers are also rich in sulfur and silicon which stimulate the kidneys into helping to remove uric acid. Asparagus contains asparigine, an alkaloid that boosts kidney performance, helping with waste removal from the body. Brussels sprouts stimulate the kidney and pancreas. Beets attack floating body fats and fatty deposits. Oats contain silica which is a natural diuretic. Lettuce helps with the metabolism and flushing of toxins. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C which helps the metabolism and releases water from the kidneys to flush out waste.



Read more: http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Diuretics#ixzz2FaR1fK52

I don't like most teas, the only one I drink is Chrysanthemum.

It's summer here, so I have a BIG salad every day, with apple cider vinegar in the dressing.

Most of the things recommended above, I eat regularly.

I find that if I eat grapes I need to wee more.

Please check with your GP or pharmacist before you start drinking loads of cranberry juice or nosh lots of any brassica varieties if you are on any meds.

I don't need anything to help with water retention, I just need motorised feet so I can get to the loo fast!! :-(

:-D :-D

Fluid retention can be a symptom of insufficient intake of Vitamin B1 and also B5. Might be worth a google for more info :-)

The fluid tablets aren't helping. Take one in the morning (when my ankles are fine), have to run to the loo all day, but by late afternoon I have two balloons on the end of my legs. Ankle bones have disappeared.

Got some cranberry juice yesterday. Unsweetened. First taste made my mouth cave in. :-(

I won't have more than 1 glass a day until I check with the pharmacist.

Also bought brussels sprouts & asparagus :-) as well as the usual salad stuff.