10. Try dandelion Dandelion is a natural diuretic that increases how often you pee. The leaf does most of the work, though the root works too. One animal study found the leaf as effective as a prescription diuretic. Take it as a supplement, because the raw root tastes awful. Take it in the morning so you're not up all night peeing, since poor sleep also drives water retention. Water weight is not body fat, but cutting the bloat changes how you look fast. Get more potassium, manage stress, sweat smart and keep your salt and carbs steady.

9. Avoid sudden salt spikes Salt binds to water and raises the fluid inside and outside your cells. The real problem is a sudden jump in salt, not a steady high intake, because your kidneys adjust to a regular amount. Not exercising or not drinking enough water makes a salt spike hit even harder.

8. Drink enough water every day When you're always dehydrated, your body clings to every drop. Stay hydrated and it lets go. Aim for light-coloured urine. Dark yellow means drink more. If you sweat a lot from hard work or heat, you need more than someone sitting in an office.

7. Don't overdo the cardio Long, excessive cardio raises cortisol, and dieting pushes cortisol up too. That's a recipe for holding water. A couple of 30 to 45 minute cardio sessions a week is fine. Sprints and weight training don't carry the same cortisol problem.

6. The water load and cut For a one-time event or weigh-in: • Start a week out and raise your water intake a little every day • By the last day, many people drink over two gallons • 12 to 18 hours before the event, cut water sharply and only sip Your body keeps flushing for hours after the cut. Don't taper down slowly, because that gives your body time to adjust. Do this with a coach, trainer or doctor the first time. Heavy dehydration is dangerous.

5. Choose better carbs Every gram of stored carbohydrate holds 3 grams of water. Refined carbs like sugar and white flour spike your insulin, and high insulin makes your kidneys hold onto salt and water. Don't cut carbs completely, or your energy and training will suffer. Swap pastries, sweets and refined grains for vegetables, oatmeal and sweet potatoes. Cutting carbs hard works short term if you need to make weight for a weigh-in.

4. Sweat it out For a puffy face or bloated stomach before a date or wedding, a few rounds of 10 to 15 minutes in a sauna work fast. A steam room, a sweat suit during your workout or a bath with one or two cups of Epsom salt also do the job. Don't overdo it. Too much time in the heat or too much water lost creates real problems.

3. Lower your stress Chronic stress raises vasopressin, the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold water. Less urine out means more water held in. • Meditate • Deal with the root of your stress instead of avoiding it • Spend time in nature, or add plants to your home or office • Try adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola to bring cortisol down Steroid drugs like prednisone also cause water retention. If you take one and you're puffy, ask your doctor about alternatives.

2. Time your caffeine Coffee and tea make you pee more in the short term, which flushes out stored water. But if you drink caffeine every day, your body has adapted and the effect fades. For a photo shoot or event, cut caffeine for a few days or weeks beforehand, then have it the day before and the day of.

Sodium pulls water into your cells. Potassium pushes it back out. Most people don't get enough, and low potassium means more water retention. Eat more: • Coconut water • Bananas • Potatoes • Avocado • Salmon • Beet greens One cup of coconut water gives you about 15% of your daily potassium and hydrates you at the same time.

10 WAYS TO LOSE WATER WEIGHT FAST Woke up puffy with a big event today? This is how you drop the bloat. 1. Load up on potassium

11. Habits that protect you • Avoid standing for long hours when you can • Wear supportive underwear to ease pressure on your scrotum • Keep a healthy weight, since extra weight adds pressure • Quit smoking and alcohol, both harm sperm quality • Exercise regularly, but don't overdo it

10. Why your testicles hang outside Sperm needs a temperature cooler than the rest of your body. Too hot and production suffers. That's why your testicles sit outside, protected only by skin and a thin sac, and why anything that traps heat there hurts your sperm.

9. Pride keeps men sick Anything below the belt brings shame, fear and pride. Men hide it from their partner and even from their doctor, as if it makes them less of a man. It doesn't. Ignoring it only makes it worse.

8. Why it happens The veins in your scrotum have tiny one-way valves that keep blood flowing up toward your heart. When those valves weaken, blood flows backward and pools, causing a traffic jam that swells the veins. It happens mostly on the left side because of how the vein there connects to the rest of the body.

7. The fix is a small surgery It's called a varicocelectomy. The surgeon ties off the swollen veins so blood flows properly again. It's safe and it works, and you go in the morning and head home the same night. Varicocele causes infertility, and it's highly treatable.

6. Infertility is not just her problem About 30 to 40% of the time, the issue is with the man. Another 30 to 40% it's the woman, and 20 to 30% it's both. Yet the woman usually does all the tests, the prayers and the herbal mixtures. Your sperm count, movement and shape are half the story.

5. How it damages your sperm Your testicles are a factory making sperm and testosterone, and that factory needs to stay cool. Pooled blood in the swollen veins heats it up, like switching off the air conditioning in a factory. Over time you get: • Low sperm count • Weak sperm movement • Badly shaped sperm That's why couples try for years with nothing happening.

4. What a varicocele actually is It's a swollen vein inside your scrotum, the same thing as the varicose veins you see on the back of a leg, just in a different place. The veins that carry blood from your testicles back to your heart become enlarged, swollen or twisted.

3. Check yourself the right way Do it after a warm shower. Heat relaxes the muscle around your testicles. Cold makes it squeeze tight, and you won't feel anything. • Roll each testicle gently between your fingers • It should feel smooth and firm, with no hard lumps or tangled veins • Use a mirror to look underneath for swelling • Learn what normal feels like for you Women check their breasts. Men should check their testicles. This habit also catches testicular cancer and infections early.