Healthy Eating Tips for a Body Free of Edema

What is Edema?

Edema is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues and under the skin caused by fluid leaking from blood vessels. It is a very common problem and often a sign of a serious illness. It can range from a tight ring on a finger, feeling swelling after traveling, to swelling in the eyelids, hands, and feet, sometimes making it difficult to wear shoes.

Edema tends to be more temporary in people close to their ideal weight, but can become chronic in those with a body mass index (BMI = weight in kg / height in m²) over 30. Therefore, maintaining an ideal weight is important, because as body weight increases, edema tends to increase in parallel. Some herbal mixtures and medications claiming to solve edema problems may actually worsen it. Rapid weight loss diets or protein-heavy modern diet trends can also accelerate edema formation. Here, I share ways to get rid of edema, which causes both swelling and weight gain, negatively affecting your mood.

Why Does Edema Occur?

Water distribution in the body must be balanced between muscle cells and surrounding tissues. However, factors like excess weight, stress, and increased toxins can block lymphatic vessels, preventing water from being expelled, which leads to edema.

Edema can develop due to many reasons. Sometimes it is caused by an illness; other times, it occurs without a known cause, due to poor nutrition or insufficient fluid intake, appearing as swelling. Therefore, for people with edema, it's important to first investigate if any underlying diseases are present. However, edema caused by nutritional errors can be treated with proper diet.

Diseases causing edema include:

Kidney diseases

Hormonal disorders

Liver diseases

Hypertension

Thyroid disorders

Heart diseases (heart failure, valve diseases)

Blood vessel blockages

Burns

Idiopathic edema (unknown cause)

In disease-related edema, causes include increased fluid pressure in capillaries, increased permeability of blood vessels, reduced blood flow pressure, increased pressure in tissues, lymphatic blockage, and retention of salt and water in tissues. If you have any of these conditions, you should be monitored closely by your doctor and dietitian, who will design a suitable diet plan.

Edema Increases During Pregnancy...

High salt-containing foods like pickles, cured foods, salty cheeses, crackers, and processed ayran accelerate edema during pregnancy. To maintain a healthy pregnancy and support your baby’s development, increase your daily water intake to at least 10 glasses. Edema during pregnancy may also be a sign of blood clotting problems or preeclampsia. If you notice excessive swelling in your hands and feet, consult your obstetrician and seek dietitian support for nutritional adjustments.

Edema Caused by Poor Nutrition, Not Disease

Sometimes edema is not caused by disease but by poor eating habits. This is called idiopathic edema, usually seen in young and middle-aged people. Causes include:

Being overweight

Psychological stress such as tension

High carbohydrate diet

Excessive salt intake

Idiopathic edema is not a dangerous disease. People often worry about illnesses because swelling may persist for years. Edema caused by diseases should be treated first, and a proper dietary therapy should be planned to manage the edema.

Evaluating Edema

When edema forms under the skin, the area appears swollen and stretched. Pressing with a finger causes a dent that lasts for about 5 seconds, indicating edema. Sometimes edema can affect organs, which is detected by ultrasound. An edematous organ appears enlarged and heavier due to water retention.

Healthy Nutrition Tips for a Body Without Edema

Reduce Salt Intake
Salt is naturally present in many foods like meat, bread, and cheese, so extra salt is often unnecessary. Avoid high-salt foods like pickles, ready-made soups, chips, and salty biscuits. Remove the salt shaker from the table and reduce added salt by half. Use herbs and spices to enhance flavor instead.

Drink Plenty of Water
If you drink too little water, your body retains fluid, causing swelling and edema. Aim for 2–2.5 liters of fluids daily. Do not count coffee and tea as fluids because they cause water loss. For each cup of coffee or tea, drink two glasses of water afterward. Monitor urine color to ensure adequate hydration; light-colored urine means you are drinking enough.

Increase Consumption of Edema-Reducing Foods
Eat dark leafy greens such as spinach, parsley, arugula, lettuce, and cucumber. Choose fruits with high fiber content like cherries, pears, kiwi, pineapple, and apricots. Drinking cinnamon or clove tea can help flush excess fluid.

Increase Potassium Intake
Potassium regulates the sodium-potassium balance and controls water inside cells. Increasing potassium helps draw water into cells and reduce edema. Good sources are apricots, bananas, spinach, purslane, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), walnuts, and almonds.

Increase Physical Activity
Movement is essential for good circulation. Lack of exercise slows blood flow, causing edema and cellulite. Engage in your favorite sport 3-4 times a week for 45-50 minutes for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Edema-Reducing Detox Water Recipe
Add 6 cherry stems, a handful of corn silk, half a cinnamon stick, and 10 parsley sprigs to 400 ml of boiling water. Let it steep for 20 minutes, strain, and drink throughout the day.

Stay healthy!

Specialist Dietitian Tünay Tuğcan