8 Foods to Reduce Swelling and Edema

The best foods to reduce swelling

There are many things that can cause swelling in the body — or edemas, as doctors say. Most common in the ankles, edema can often be the result of a medical condition that causes one of your body parts to fail. If your liver, heart, or kidneys aren’t working properly, you may find your ankles and other body parts swell up.

Thankfully, there are a few foods to reduce swelling, fighting edema effectively:

Salmon. No food is more effective at treating swelling than salmon, thanks mostly to the Omega-3 fatty acids the fish contains. These fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, meaning they will fight swelling and reduce inflammation in the body.
Nuts. All nuts are rich in fatty acids, but there are a few that are loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts and almonds are two of the best nuts to eat to fight swelling, and with a handful or two of nuts per day, you can reduce edemas.
Olive Oil. In olive oil, there are certain compounds that are known to fight inflammation in the body. Adding a bit of olive oil to your diet (used cold, never heated) is a good way to provide your body with the anti-inflammatory nutrients it needs.
Coconut Oil. Coconut oil contains fatty acids similar to Omega-3, and you’ll find that a bit of coconut oil is a good tool to help you fight edemas and swelling.
Bananas. Bananas are an excellent anti-edema food, as they drain water from your muscles. Considering that the edemas are likely caused by excess sodium consumption, balancing out the intake of sodium with potassium is a good way to prevent and combat swelling.
Sweet Potatoes. Another potassium-rich food, sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of Vitamin A. They’re one of the best foods to eat to improve organ health while combatting edema and swelling.
Apricots. Loaded with the swelling-reducing mineral potassium, apricots are one of the best things to eat to combat your edemas.
Dandelion Tea. Dandelion tea is excellent at helping to reduce edemas, as the tea is rich in vitamins and minerals that will fight swelling. You can buy dandelion tea inexpensively here.

With these eight foods, you can improve your edemas and reduce the swelling.

READ MORE: 10 Foods to Avoid Aging

What to AVOID

Edemas are usually the result of one of your important organs shutting down, but did you know that the food you eat can be the cause of your organ shutdown?

For example, if you eat too much sodium, you increase your blood pressure and reduce circulation. This reduced heart function can lead to edemas, so cutting back on sodium is a key to fighting edemas. Considering the strain that excess salt can place on your kidneys, it should come as no surprise that cutting salt intake is one of the best ways to fight edemas.

Excess fat can also put a strain on your organs, particularly your heart and your liver. Fatty liver disease is the result of a high-fat diet, so cutting fat is one of the best ways to improve liver function. Fat can also cause cholesterol buildup in the veins and arteries, leading to poor circulation and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Basically, to be healthy and to prevent edemas, it’s important to cut/reduce: