Water Retention: How do you get rid of it?
 

I find I am getting pretty swollen feet and ankles recently. (Might be the fact I have put back on quite a few pounds) But does anyone know a natural diuretic (sp) to help with water retention? Do you drink green tea, more water...etc???

Thanks for any assistance.
D

More water is your best bet. I've heard some people eat watermelon, cucumber, or warm water with lemon, but all of those are really just good sources of water. It's counter intuitive, but if you're retaining water, you need more water to help flush it out.

I've had good luck with cucumber and celery. Yogi has a 'Detox' tea that does a good job, too!

Low-carb dieting helps, but only in the short-term. If I've gained a lot of water-weight that doesn't seem to be disappearing quickly (such as with TOM), or if I'm so bloated that I feel uncomfortable, I will eat lower-carb than my normal. When I return to normal eating (relatively low, but not very low carb) I will gain a little back (that's perfectly normal. The more carbs you eat, the more water your body has to store to process those carbs).

Before you try any home remedies though, you should see your doctor. Swollen feet and ankles (and swelling/water retention in general) can be an indication of underlying health problems.

Water water water!!

Asparagus is a natural diuretic. But check with your doctor if this is new. When I had glomerulonephritis (inflammation of glomerulus of kidneys), ankle swelling was a prominent feature.