Fluid retention, also known as edema, can result from a variety of conditions, ranging from excessive sodium consumption to heart disease. If you suffer from chronic fluid retention, your doctor might prescribe a diuretic drug to flush out excess fluids. However, if you just want to shed temporary water weight, several foods and beverages have diuretic properties with few of the unpleasant side effects of diuretic drugs. In either case, talk with your doctor first.
Water
It may seem counterintuitive to drink more water as a way to combat fluid retention, but it is a safe and effective way to flush out excess fluid. While the logical solution might seem to be a reduction in fluid intake, this approach is no solution at all, according to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, author of "Herbal Healing for Women." She recommends drinking at least two quarts of water daily, pointing out that water is essential to cellular health and is also central to correcting the problem of fluid retention. Gladstar cautions against resorting to prescription diuretics, which can upset the body's sodium/potassium balance and actually exacerbate the problem.
Fruits
Watermelon has the highest concentration of water of all the fruits, according to H.K. Bakhru, author of "Healing Through Natural Foods." This characteristic makes it one of the most effective and safest natural diuretics. Bakhru recommends its use by patients experiencing scant urine production, excessive discharge of phosphate in the urine, and bladder and kidney stones. He also recommends using watermelon's diuretic properties when you suffer from urinary infections, as the increased urine output tends to flush out the urinary tract. In "Coping With Lymphedema," authors Joan Swirsky and Diane Sackett Nannery provide a list of other fruits with diuretic properties. These include cantaloupe, coconut, grapes, mangos, pears, pineapples, plums and star fruit.
Eat Your Vegetables
Many vegetables have diuretic properties that can help flush out some of the excess fluid in your system. In their book on lymphedema, Swirsky and Nannery list the following vegetables as natural diuretics: asparagus, barley, black beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumber, eggplant, kidney beans, lettuce, mung beans, mustard greens, onions, peas, potatoes, snow peas, soybean sprouts, soybeans, spinach, squash and watercress.
Natural Diuretic Cocktail
Nutritionist Cherie Calbom, author of "The Juice Lady's Guide to Juicing for Health," offers a recipe for a diuretic drink that takes advantage of some fruits and vegetables with potent diuretic properties. The ingredients for Calbom's "natural diuretic cocktail" include one medium vine-ripened tomato; one-half small to medium lemon, washed or peeled if not organic; a handful of parsley, rinsed; one organic cucumber, scrubbed well; and four asparagus stems, washed. Cut the produce into pieces that will fit into the feeding tube of your juicer or food processor. Juice the tomato and lemon. Turn off the juicer and add the parsley and half of the cucumber. Juice again until the latest additions liquefy. Add the second half of the cucumber and asparagus stems, and juice until the entire mixture has emulsified. Pour the mixture into a glass and drink immediately.
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