4 Surprising Reasons for Under-Eye Bags
You regularly log 7 to 9 hours of sleep, aren't suffering through allergies and puffiness doesn't run in your family. So what gives? One of these culprits could be behind your eye baggage.
By Emma Haak
Photo: Kristin Duvall/Stockbyte/Getty Images
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You're going heavy on the salt.
A high-sodium diet can make you retain water in weird places, including the area under your eyes, Marmur says. So, in addition to the less-obvious sodium sources you already know about (such as white bread, pizza and deli meats), your seemingly healthy snack of cottage cheese (a half-cup serving of 1 percent fat cottage cheese has roughly 450 mg of sodium—almost 20 percent of the daily recommended intake) and the soy sauce you liberally pour on your sushi may be causing your bags.
How to de-puff: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (or 1,500 mg if you're 51 years or older, African American, or have high blood pressure or diabetes). After the fact, eye creams that contain caffeine can help constrict blood vessels and shrink the bags. And if you can apply a cold compress to the area beforehand, all the better.
Published 05/18/2015
Please note: This is general information and is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult with your own financial advisor before making any major financial decisions, including investments or changes to your portfolio, and a qualified legal professional before executing any legal documents or taking any legal action. Harpo Productions, Inc., OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Communications LLC and their affiliated companies and entities are not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your financial or legal decisions.
