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Food for edema : 10 foods to combat excess liquid
Eliseeva Tatyana, editor-in-chief of the EdaPlus.info project E-mail: eliseeva.t@edaplus.info
Abstract. The article deals with swelling of various parts of the body and their impact on the human body. A systematic review of modern specialized literature and relevant scientific data was carried out. Foods that will help reduce the level of puffiness are indicated, the scientific basis of nutrition against edema is considered.
Keywords: edema, diagnostics, useful products, dangerous products
Puffiness is a symptom, not a disease. Provoke swelling of kidney disease, heart failure, drugs. There are many other reasons that you shouldn't worry about. In most cases, the body retains a lot of water due to malnutrition, which brings discomfort and negatively affects the appearance. Reduce puffiness of the face in the morning and get rid of swelling of the legs due to long standing or sitting allow superfoodsapproved by nutritionists, nutritionists and scientists.
Edema - why do they appear and how to get rid of them?
In mild cases, excess fluid accumulation occurs during pregnancy, due to long sitting or standing in one position, when consuming a lot of salt and before menstruation (PMS). Most often, swelling is observed on the feet, ankles, face, hands. If it is small and not associated with the disease, proper nutrition allows you to get rid of it.
Foods that can not be eaten with edema:
• salt - sodium binds to water in the body and slows down its excretion; [one]
• Refined carbohydrates (sugars and processed grains) - empty calories cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which leads to sodium reabsorption in the kidneys. [2]
Exacerbate bloating, and at the same time water retention, can be carbonated drinks, cruciferous vegetables (the cabbage family), beans, starchy foods. You need to pamper yourself not just with healthy dishes, but with those that suit your digestive tract, taking into account all pathologies.
Top 10 useful products for edema
1. Nuts
Almonds, cashews and other types of nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium. Fats control appetite, cravings for carbohydrates, and the mineral reduces water retention, especially with PMS, symptoms of dysmenorrhea. You can also get magnesium from whole grains , dark chocolate, and leafy green vegetables.
2. Bananas
The fruit contains a lot of potassium, which lowers sodium levels and increases urine production. Vitamin B6 contained in bananas helps to flush out excess salt. If you don't like bananas because of their high glycemic index, replace them with spinach, beans, tomatoes, avocados. [3]
3. Celery
The low-calorie plant has a lot of fiber and water, so healthy lifestyle fans snack on it to restore water balance and normalize the digestive tract. For better saturation, nutritionists advise spreading nut butter on celery sticks.
4. Parsley
The herb has a reputation as a diuretic in folk medicine. It is added to dishes and a decoction is made from it. Infusion drink 1/3 cup twice a day. [four]
5. Garlic
The bulbous plant is known for its antiseptic, choleretic and diuretic effects. Garlic relieves the pain of swelling and helps to get rid of them, as it is rich in antioxidants. [5]
6. Yogurt
Although milk and cheese cause bloating in many people, yogurt has the opposite effect. Sugar-free fermented milk product with live active cultures contains effective probiotics that normalize the functioning of all organs, including the kidneys.
7. Red bell pepper
Vitamins and minerals in sweet peppers maintain optimal water balance. The fiber contained in it gives a feeling of fullness and allows you not to overeat, to refrain from harmful snacks and desserts.
8. Sauerkraut
The fermented product contains beneficial bacteria and improves intestinal motility, removes bad cholesterol and toxins, eliminates swelling on the face, especially under the eyes. It can be eaten in small quantities in the morning. [6]
9. Whole grains
Whole grain and sprouted grain breads, quinoa and amaranth are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, antioxidants and fiber. Unlike refined counterparts - white bread, pasta - fibrous carbohydrates fight inflammation and thus curb puffiness.
10. Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin B6 and potassium, two vital minerals needed to remove excess fluid from the body. It saturates no worse than refined carbohydrates and does not provoke insulin surges. [7]
Other Ways to Reduce Puffiness
The following supplements will help normalize the condition and eliminate nutritional deficiencies: magnesium, B6, calcium, zinc, selenium and antioxidant vitamins A, C, E. Diuretic herbs - dandelion, horsetail, hibiscus, fennel, corn stigmas, nettle will be an excellent support for the body. , cranberry juice, St. John's wort, Ivan tea. [8, 9 10, 11 12] Take them as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas) or tinctures.
How else can you remove swelling:
• walk more - a little movement, raising the legs up helps to remove excess fluid;
• consume 2-2.5 liters of clean water - this seems illogical, but warm drinking stimulates metabolism and prevents stagnant processes; [13]
• exclude cow's milk, wheat ( gluten ), soy, corn, preservatives and chemical food additives from the diet - sometimes the rejection of food allergens completely solves the problem without drugs;
• wear compression stockings and comfortable shoes, clothes - they should not constrain the legs
and fit around the wrists and ankles; [fourteen]
• lose weight, as excess weight disrupts blood circulation;
• engage in light physical exercise 5 days a week, if there are no contraindications;
• do a body massage before bathing with a rough washcloth or soft brush (moving from the fingertips to the heart) or a therapeutic massage to stimulate the outflow of lymph;
• resort to contrast hydrotherapy - alternate three-minute hot applications with cold ones for a minute (the cycle must be repeated three times 2-3 per day).
Expert comment
Tatyana Eliseeva, nutritionist, nutritionist
Each person is individual and the result of treatment always depends on the cause of the edema. If some methods turned out to be ineffective, do not despair - resort to other recommendations, combine them with each other. Talk to your doctor before taking supplements or increasing your activity level. This is vital if you have kidney problems or are on medication, as some types of exercise, potassium foods, and vitamin supplements may be contraindicated for you .
Literature
1. The effects of rapid saline infusion on sodium excretion, renal function, and blood pressure at different sodium intakes in man, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6823962/
2. Insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, and renal sodium transport, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21629870/
3. On the mechanism of the effects of potassium restriction on blood pressure and renal sodium retention, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9428447/
4. Diuretic effect and mechanism of action of parsley, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11849841/
5. Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Garlic (Allium sativum L.): A Review, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146530/
6. Related actions of probiotics and antibiotics on gut microbiota and weight modification, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24070562/
7. Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Health Benefits of Sweet Potato Leaves, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8038024/
8. Taraxacum -- a review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16950583/
9. Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial to Assess the Acute Diuretic Effect of Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail) in Healthy Volunteers, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24723963/
10. Diuretic effect of compounds from Hibiscus sabdariffa by modulation of the aldosterone activity, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23150077/
11. Foeniculum vulgare Mill: a review of its botany, phytochemistry , pharmacology, contemporary application, and toxicology, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25162032/
12. Corn silk (Stigma maydis ) in healthcare: a phytochemical and pharmacological review, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22890173/
13. Just add water, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18385417/
14. Control of Lower Extremity Edema in Patients with Diabetes: Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing the Efficacy of Mild Compression Diabetic Socks, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5429175/
An extended HTML version of this article is available on the edaplus.info website. Food for swelling: 10 foods to combat excess fluid
Eliseeva Tatyana, editor-in-chief of the project EdaPlus.info E-mail: eliseeva.t@edaplus.info
Received 08.10.2021
Abstract. The article deals with swelling of various parts of the body and their impact on the human body. A systematic review of modern specialized literature and relevant scientific data was carried out. Foods that will help reduce the level of puffiness are indicated, the scientific basis of nutrition against edema is considered.
