Last year Eva Valdez went to the doctor with badly swollen ankles. “I was pretty sure I wasn’t pregnant,” she’s able to joke now. “But something was going on. Sandal season came and went without me buying a single pair.”

The forty-something office worker from Vancouver discovered she was suffering from edema, or water retention, where excessive fluid accumulates in body tissues. A relatively common occurrence, edema (previously called dropsy) often manifests itself in the hands and feet. However, other body parts can also swell or bloat, which may be accompanied by pain, redness, and heat.

As Eva discovered, edema is a symptom, not a disease or disorder. Tests concluded that she suffered from a heart condition that had weakened her circulation, resulting in poor blood flow to her extremities.

“More than 30 factors can lead to edema,” says Zoltan Rona, MD, MSc. “These include certain high blood pressure medications (beta-adrenergic blockers), protein deficiency or imbalance, premenstrual syndrome, and estrogen dominance.” Prolonged periods of sitting or standing, injury or infection, hormonal changes due to pregnancy, food allergies, blood clots, air travel, and underlying diseases of the kidney, liver, heart, or thyroid can also affect the body’s fluid balance.

Depending on the cause, conventional treatment for edema includes decongestive therapy using compression bandages to force fluid movement, medication to treat the underlying health condition, diuretic drugs to lower body fluid levels, leg elevation above heart level, wearing support hose, and even surgery to declog or repair veins. Not to be outdone, complementary therapies offer significant benefits for edema sufferers as well. Plus, a holistic practitioner may consider overlooked nutritional and lifestyle factors.

“We want to get to the root cause of edema,” explains Nigma Sciortino, ND, who sees this type of inflammation “all the time” at the West Vancouver Clinic of Naturopathic Medicine. One common cause-particularly in the elderly-she relates, is blood clots, or deep vein thrombosis, which restricts circulation of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood. Older segments of the population are typically sedentary, with poorer eating habits and increased medication use, all of which are implicated in blood clot formation.

In cases of edema, Dr. Sciortino tests her patients’ kidney and hormone function, which are both intricately involved with the body’s inflammation response; any imbalances must be addressed. A treatment plan, she says, will also focus on strengthening the veins and circulation. She recommends antioxidants such as grape seed extract (300 milligrams daily) and bilberry (250 mg of a standardized potency daily), which both enhance general heart function and reduce the degenerative effects of oxidative stress on the body. A good vitamin B complex is important, she relates, for decreasing buildup of fluids in the body. To stave off edema (and disease in general), ensuring adequate antioxidant intake is essential. As well, “exercise is the best preventive. It makes the heart stronger and therefore helps the whole system.”

For edema due to arthritis, sports injury, trauma, or surgery, Dr. Michael T. Murray, co-author of Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, recommends bromelain, an enzyme from pineapples that reduces inflammation without significant side-effects. The typical dose is 250 to 750 mg, three times daily on an empty stomach.

Diuretic foods that help reduce body fluid levels include asparagus, grapes, pumpkin, parsley, beets, green beans, onions, and leeks. “By far, the most effective diuretic herb is dandelion leaf,” says herbalist David L. Hoffman. Dandelion is rich in potassium, which is vital for kidney and heart function, thus it is of additional benefit for those suffering from edema due to a heart problem. Hoffman recommends 2.5 millilitres, three times daily, but cautions, “Never address water retention without treating its causal factors.”

In terms of physical therapies for edema, massage can help stimulate blood flow and the lymphatic system, which is responsible for detoxifying the body. As well, “Acupuncture is wonderful for localized edema,” relates Dr. Sciortino. “It increases circulation to that area.”

Eva discovered these benefits for herself. Unwilling to start the medications her doctor prescribed without researching her options, she took a friend’s advice and visited a naturopathic physician whose suggested lifestyle changes seemed doable, if not personally challenging. But, recalls Eva, “I figured, what have I got to lose?”

Ten months into a program involving regular exercise, weekly acupuncture treatments, heart-strengthening supplements, and a high-fibre, low-salt, caffeine-free diet based on colourful fresh foods, she now sees a remarkable difference. The edema in her ankles has reduced dramatically. She has lost 10 pounds. Her walks are up to three kilometres daily, and her energy levels are better than they’ve been in a decade. To others suffering from a similar symptom, she encourages, “Don’t wait. Edema is a sign: your health must become a priority. I’m grateful I took steps when I did.”

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A graduate of the UBC School of Journalism, Michelle Hancock is former managing editor of alive Magazine and an advocate of complementary medicine and freedom of choice in health care. References available. We welcome your feedback at editorial@alive.com.

Source: alive #254, December 2003