Oedema (can also be spelt as Edema) is the accumulation of excess water under the skin or in the body cells.
This retention of fluid appears as swelling.
It causes swelling of the fingers, legs, ankles, feet, abdomen & breasts.

Click here for basic symptoms of Fluid Retention.

Many more females suffer from water retention.

The chief contributing factors causing this condition are:

• Food Intolerance
• The Contraceptive Pill
• poor diet (high sugar & salt intake)
• abuse of laxatives
• abuse of diuretics
• abuse of drugs
• contraceptive pills
• HRT
• poor kidney function
• IBS
• poor food digestion
• heart problems
• protein or thiamine deficiency
• varicose veins
• sodium retention (poor magnesium & calcium balance)
• phlebitis
• poor magnesium & calcium balance in the body
• PMT
• pregnancy
• allergic reaction
• high carbohydrate diet

Poor diet and therefore poor nutritional status is the most important factor here as high salt & convenience food intake (these foods are full of sodium preservatives and other harmful chemicals) will override the body's ability to maintain the ideal ratio of the minerals that naturally maintain the balance of fluid within cells and under skin.

Oedema cannot be corrected until the mineral balance is restored within the body. Once this has been achieved, the excess Sodium and accompanying water retention will be expelled.

We agree with short term use of diuretics to reduce excess fluid when the patients health is in danger, but we do not agree with the long term use of these drugs...

• The reason being is that these drugs deplete the body of potassium, magnesium, zinc etc. This applies to the potassium sparing types too. These minerals are precisely the minerals required to maintain the correct amount of sodium and therefore fluid within the body so the condition is made worse over time by the diuretics.
• They also overtax the kidneys and could cause permanent damage in long term use.

Click here to see if you suffer from Fluid Retention.

Correcting dietary habits / food intake with the reduction of salt & preservatives combined with an increase in various vitamins & minerals is the correct procedure for long term results.

SUMMARY: Correct dietary habits i.e. eliminate added salt & junk foods Increase vegetable intake Increase fluid intake Increase exercise levels BENEFICIAL SUPPLEMENTS Dandelion Fennel seed Vitamin B Complex Vitamin B6 Magnesium Celery seed Potassium Calcium Uva Ursi Horsetail

Herbal supplements / Candida herbs / Information pages