what is edema - #17184
A few weeks ago, I noticed that my feet and ankles were swelling up by the end of the day. At first, I thought it was just because I was standing too much at work, but then it started happening even on days when I wasn’t on my feet for long. It’s not painful, but it feels uncomfortable, like my skin is stretching. Some days, my fingers also feel puffy, especially in the morning, and my rings feel tighter than usual. I looked it up online and found out this condition is called edema, but I’m still not sure what’s causing it. Some websites say it could be due to excess salt in the diet, while others say it might be linked to kidney, liver, or heart issues. I don’t have any serious health conditions (at least not that I know of), but I do eat a lot of salty snacks and processed foods. Could that be the reason for my edema? I went to the doctor last week, and he just told me to "cut back on salt and drink more water," but that didn’t really help much. The swelling still comes and goes, and some days it’s worse than others. He didn’t seem too worried about it, but I don’t want to ignore it if my body is trying to tell me something is wrong. That’s why I started looking into Ayurveda. I know Ayurveda focuses on balancing the body and improving circulation, so I’m wondering if there are any natural remedies for edema. Are there specific Ayurvedic herbs that help with water retention? I read that Punarnava is good for reducing swelling, but I don’t know how to take it properly. Should I be drinking it as a tea, or applying something externally on the swollen areas? Also, are there certain foods I should avoid? I know excess salt might make edema worse, but does Ayurveda suggest cutting out any other foods that might be causing water retention? I also read somewhere that poor digestion could lead to fluid buildup – is there any Ayurvedic detox or treatment that can help with that? Has anyone tried Ayurvedic treatments for edema? Did they actually help in reducing the swelling long-term? I’d love to hear about any herbal remedies, massages, or lifestyle changes that worked for you.
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