6 Causes of an Edema and Natural Ways to Solve It
It is no secret that lack of exercise and poor nutrition can cause many physical problems and affect people's lifestyle. One such issue is an edema. An edema, which is actually an accumulation of fluids in various tissues in the body, is caused not only from unhealthy lifestyle but also by natural hormonal processes occurring during menopause and during pregnancy, and even when people are confined to their beds for a long time. Although this condition isn’t life-threatening, it can indicate defects in the body such as heart or kidney disease, so it is important not to ignore it. Depending on its cause, an edema can be alleviated by the following 6 simple and effective methods.
1. Excessive consumption of sodium
Today's industrial foods are full of salts to emphasize their taste, and since many consume them on a regular basis, they may develop an edema. Also adding salt to various foods made at home or when eating out causes excess fluid to accumulate in the cells that are supposed to dilute the excess sodium, so it is important to moderate salt intake to avoid an edema and other physical problems. Surprisingly, there are special salts that can solve this problem by causing the body to drain excess fluids. Drinking a glass of water with Himalayan or Celtic sea salt dissolved in it will help to relieve the edema easily and efficiently.2. Vitamin B6 deficiency
Vitamin B6 is responsible for maintaining fluid balance in the body, and when it is deficient, the body begins to accumulate water and swell as a result. In a study of middle-aged women, researchers found that women with an edema at that age experienced significant relief after consuming vitamin B6. Some foods that are rich in this essential vitamin can improve the condition of the edema such as chicken, tuna, turkey, sunflower seeds, dried fruits, pistachio nuts, unpeeled potatoes, lean beef, and bananas.
3. Lack of potassium
Potassium is responsible for the proper functioning of the organs, tissues, and cells in the body, as well as for the fluid balance. When you consume too much salt and an insufficient amount of water, it causes potassium depletion from the cells, which results in the accumulation of fluids in the various organs. Apart from this problem, lack of potassium can cause other symptoms such as weight gain and cramps and muscle spasms. It is important not to consume too much salt, and to consume a sufficient amount of potassium, which is found in most fruits, especially in different types of melons. The amount of potassium needed for the body can also be supplemented by eating vegetables containing this essential mineral.4. Dehydration
It may seem a little strange that dehydration of fluids leads to their accumulation, but behind this fact is a reasonably logical biological reason; when the body feels that it isn’t getting enough fluids, it does everything in its power to keep whatever fluids it has in it, which causes an edema. The solution, of course, is to drink enough water every day, especially during hot summer days. It is also recommended to reduce the consumption of soft drinks and caffeine, which causes dehydration of the body and thus the storing fluids.5. Magnesium deficiency
When an edema is formed, one of the biggest suspects is a deficiency in magnesium which has a hand in almost every process in the body. When this mineral is deficient, the body becomes unbalanced and one of the expressions is excessive storage of fluids. In this case, too, the solution is relatively simple and includes eating magnesium-rich foods, including dark chocolate, dark green vegetables, avocados, nuts, peas, spinach, yogurt and dried fruits.6. Binge eating of processed foods
Industrial and processed foods contain large amounts of salts and sugars designed to enrich their taste, but they also cause water retention in the body. Apart from these ingredients, industrial food also contains artificial additives that can damage the kidneys and liver which aren’t able to filter them properly. For these reasons, it is important to avoid excessive consumption of industrial foods and to try to consume the following medicinal herbs, which can be found in health food stores, and act as diuretics that help to drain the body from excess fluids:- Dandelion
- Horsetail
- Hibiscus
- Nettle
- Fennel
- Parsley