One of my readers asked me this question today.  It isn’t an easy question to answer because there are many causes of fluid retention that will not be healed by eating foods that make you pee.

The Water Fall Diet is a great book that educates you about how your body balances the fluid it needs everyday.

The author, Linda Lazarides, teaches that some foods can make you retain fluid by slowing down your kidneys, while others can help your kidneys work better.

Some other causes of fluid retention include anemia, protein deficiency, and an abnormally high need for one or more vitamins or minerals.

Keep in mind that fluid retention is NOT  simple to treat, and if you don’t get GREAT results on your own, FIND the help you need.

Cover the simple stuff first

• drink plenty of water everyday even when you are bloated (unless you doctor advises you not to)
• have your hormones checked

Foods that cause you to release fluid:

• celery
• onion
• parsley
• garlic
• peppermint
• eggplant
• cabbage
• cranberries
• asparagus
• corn
• cucumber
• grapes
• watermelon

Some sources say to reduce intake of parsley and celery to avoid water retention.  I believe this is based on the fact that they contain a significant amount of natural sodium.  Organic, or naturally occuring sodium, may be helpful by keeping table salt in solution, helping to eliminate it.

Herbs that help you to release fluid:

• uva ursi
• buchu
• horse chestnut (also used to promote leg vein circulation in Europe for many years)
• dandelion root or tincture (good for kidneys, adrenal glands, and liver)
• Dong Quai (also soothing to intestines and bladder)

Essential oils, used in baths, gargles, mouthwashes, vaporizers, inhalants, as well as compresses and massages can be helpful:

• cypress
• geranium
• juniper
• lavender
• rosemary

Helpful foods, vitamins, and minerals:

• brazil nuts
• fish
• Vitamin B6 (always take as part of a B complex supplement)
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C (though taken in excess, it may stress your kidneys)
• magnesium
• selenium

Avoid constipation, eat foods high in dietary fiber:

• oats
• beans
• wholemeal or sprouted bread
• whole grain brown rice

AVOID the following:

• table salt (for severe fluid retention use only potasium chloride)
• sugary foods and drinks
• too much protein
• unhealthy fats
• being still for long periods of time
• crossing your legs
• tight clothing
• alcohol
• smoke
• coffee
• black tea
• processed foods
• fast foods
• white flour foods

The Water Fall Diet will give you a much better understanding of what you need to do to help yourself.

Diet recommendations at the end of the book are intended to be done in stages.  The first step is to identify any problem causing foods.

If you shed that fluid, you will feel much better, and diet and lifestyle changes will be worth the hassle and inconvenience.

I strongly recommend this book.  It is being sold at $70 plus, but you can find a copy for ten dollars or less, so don’t pay the inflated price.

There are new and used copies of The Water Fall Diet available.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Many blessings,

Carrie

PS- Beat heart disease, enter your name and email address in the box at the right, and get your heart defense education delivered to your inbox.

PPS– Remember everyday:

1. Relax and Release tension
2. Take deeep breaths
3. Be active in a way that adds joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… C: wait… SD: wait…

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