Natural Cures for Fluid Retention

If you wake up to suddenly find that you can't tell where you calf ends and your ankles begin, you are probably experiencing fluid retention, also known as edema. You may also experience some numbness or tingling in your ankles, but don't panic. You can find some natural remedies for your cankle (urban slang) situation. After using a home remedy, make an appointment with your doctor if you do not know the cause of the edema.

Causes

• Health conditions, like allergies, premenstrual syndrome, thyroid conditions and varicose veins commonly cause fluid retention and affect over 10 million people in the U.S. Fluid retention is not a condition but a symptom of a condition. Although the four listed here are the most common, more than 120 conditions can cause edema. Treating a symptom, even with natural remedies, without your doctor's approval could result in a serious condition that goes unnoticed. See your doctor before trying any remedy.

Tips

• Water retention can afflict any part of the body; exercise such as walking and lowering salt intake can help to reduce swelling. When your feet swell, raise them above waist level for as long as you are comfortable. If you ate too many pretzels or drank too much alcohol last night, flush them out with lots of water to balance your system. Curb your desire to wear restrictive clothing and do not dip your fries in ketchup or put pickles on your sandwich as this will add unneeded salt and increase fluid retention.

Natural Foods and Beverages

• Eating foods high in potassium, such as bananas, raisins, asparagus and cabbage help reduce swelling due to low potassium levels and can counteract the effects of salt. If you are not a fan of plain water, try dried parsley tea, cranberry juice or grapefruit juice. Some herbs, such as dandelion, fennel, yarrow, chamomile and burdock, taken in capsule form tinctures or in tea, can do wonders in reducing excess water in the body.

Aromatherapy and Massage

• Being on or off your feet for extended periods of time, as well as heat, can cause swollen feet, ankles and legs. Massaging these areas in an upward motion with essential oils, such as geranium, lemon, rosemary and juniper can help. The skin absorbs the beneficial ingredients in the oil, thus making it able to enter the bloodstream and travel to the kidneys, stimulating the kidneys to excrete excess fluid. Do not use this method if you are pregnant or have kidney problems.