Certain foods can remove the excess buildup of fluids in your body tissues. These natural diuretics help to reduce edema and swelling through the body's elimination process. Consuming specific food items may be enough to reduce the swelling of joints from gout or assist in lowering your blood pressure. Consult your health practitioner before using foods to treat serious diseases.
Parsley
Parsley is known for its ability to act as a diuretic and help to release trapped fluids from the body, according to the "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook." Use parsley in salads or as a garnish for flavor and an added portion of vitamin C. You can also add fresh parsley to a natural vegetable juice for additional benefits. For best results, do not cook parsley, as it loses many of its nutrients when heated.
Lemon Juice
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is high in both potassium and citrate, which act as gentle diuretics, helping the body remove fluid buildup in the tissues, according to the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology. In addition, lemon juice may stimulate kidney function and act as a cleanse, according to Audrey Ensminger in the "Concise Encyclopedia of Foods and Nutrition." One of the best ways to benefit from the diuretic action of lemon juice is to squeeze half a fresh lemon into 4 to 6 oz. of warm water and drink it first thing in the morning before breakfast. This helps to cleanse your body of toxins and will get your urinary tract moving to eliminate more easily, says Ensminger. Do not microwave the water; rather, heat it on the stove. Drink the lemon water plain without adding sweetener for optimal benefit.
Asparagus
Asparagus acts as a diuretic, removing fluid buildup and helping to eliminate excess toxins in the blood, writes "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook." Fresh asparagus are best, lightly steamed and eaten as soon after cooking as possible. However, asparagus in all forms, whether canned or fresh, will stimulate your kidneys and help to trigger elimination. Be aware that asparagus may cause your urine to have an odor for several days after eating.
Burdock Root
Used as an herb and a vegetable in the Far East, burdock root is a highly desirable medicinal food whose diuretic properties have been known in China for centuries. You can eat burdock root as a cooked vegetable or raw in salads. It makes an excellent herbal tea that is useful for relieving edema from gout and other inflammatory ailments that have concomitant swelling, notes Urban Herbs. Additionally, burdock root tea may be helpful in reducing swelling in gouty feet and hands when used as a topical soak. Do not use burdock root if you are taking pharmaceutical diuretics. Speak to your health practitioner first before adding it to your diet.
Precautions
Although using foods such as lemon, parsley and asparagus for their mild diuretic action is generally considered safe, it is always best to first consult with your health practitioner if you take medicinal diuretic drugs.
References
- "Concise Encyclopedia of Foods and Nutrition"; Audrey H. Ensminger; 1995
- Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology: Suppressive Effect of Components in Lemon Juice on Blood Pressure in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
- Urban Herbs: Medicinal Plants at Georgetown University: Burdock
- "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook: Your Everyday Reference to the Best Herbs for Healing"; James Duke; 2002
