Eat antioxidant foods, such as blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers. Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar. Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy), or beans for protein. Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil.
Oranges, lemons, and limes have minerals and enzymes that cause water release from the kidneys, Langdon says. “They are also acidic, and that reduces the sodium load that causes water retention.”
Having a healthy potassium intake can also help relieve edema. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, and spinach, among many others.
Hold the swollen part of the body above the level of the heart several times a day. Sometimes, raising the swollen area during sleep can be helpful. Massage. Stroking the affected area toward the heart using firm, but not painful, pressure might help move fluid out of that area.
Compression – wearing special clothing or bandages that gently squeeze the part of your body that's affected and encourage the fluid to drain away. Massage – a special type of massage called Manual Lymphatic Drainage encourages the fluid to drain away.
Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar. Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy), or beans for protein. Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil.
Cranberry juice is another natural diuretic. You can substitute a glass of cranberry juice for one glass of water each day to decrease water retention. Most foods that are high in vitamin C also have natural diuretic properties.
Some herbs and dietary supplements may help you excrete water (diuretic) and help with sodium and water retention. Examples include dandelion, ginger, parsley, hawthorn and juniper.
Magnesium supplements
Taking 200 mg to 400 mg of magnesium a day may help reduce swelling, Dr. Botek said. (Talk to your doctor before taking the supplement, though — especially if you have a kidney or heart condition.)
When you have sufficient levels of vitamin D, the result is T-cells that aren't inflammatory and will thus cause less pain and swelling.
As well as supplementing a healthy diet, certain minerals may also help lower the risk of water retention. Magnesium and vitamin B6 in particular have been shown in some studies to ease water retention in women who are premenstrual 6.
The reduction of edema and pain of the legs during the course of the day can be accomplished with the use of elastic stockings, as well as walking.
The only way to treat edema is to treat the condition that is causing it. Your doctor might want you to take a medicine called a diuretic. This is also called a water pill. These pills help flush salt and extra fluid out of your body through your urine.
Grade 1: Immediate rebound with 2 millimeter (mm) pit. Grade 2: Less than 15-second rebound with 3 to 4 mm pit. Grade 3: Rebound greater than 15 seconds but less than 60 seconds with 5 to 6 mm pit. Grade 4: Rebound between 2 to 3 minutes with an 8 mm pit.
Although prescription medications and creams can treat edema, it is essential to drink enough water. When your body is not hydrated enough, it holds onto the fluid it already has to make up for the lack of incoming water, thus contributing to swelling.
Mild cases of edema will usually go away on their own, particularly if you make certain lifestyle adjustments. More severe cases of edema may be treated with diuretics (medications that help your body expel excess fluid in urine).
You can have swelling due to fluid buildup simply from being overweight, being inactive, sitting or standing for a long time, or wearing tight stockings or jeans. Factors related to fluid buildup include: Acute kidney failure.
Coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol are drinks that people associate with dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which removes water from the body. Drinks such as coffee and soda are mild diuretics, although they can have dehydrating effects on the body.