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Why do I retain water when I travel?

Travel: For some people, sitting for a long time in a car or airplane can cause fluid retention. The lack of circulation allows fluid to build up; however, the swelling usually goes away in a day or two.



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Vacation weight gain is often largely water Celebrations and vacations can involve eating foods higher in carbs and salt than your normal diet, and both of these lead to water retention, she said.

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“As we travel, we tend to eat in restaurants, eat snacks, and consume other processed foods high in salt. This will raise our salt level in our body, increasing the fluid and again contributing to dependent edema [leg swelling].”

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Pressure changes can disrupt the gases in the digestive system and cause them to expand, leading to discomfort, bloating, and sometimes nausea. There's also the fact that when you're traveling via plane, car, or train, your usual diet has to change.

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If your feet and ankles swell during a flight but the swelling subsides shortly afterward, it's not a serious concern. But if the swelling continues for hours after the flight and if the leg is red or warm to the touch or you have symptoms in only one leg, you need to seek medical care.

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“This means that the skin on your face and body can become incredibly dehydrated, even on a short flight.” The consequences can appear in the form of oily skin, breakouts and puffiness, as the skin desperately tries to hang on to water and compensate for the arid conditions.

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