Menstruation and Fluid Retention: Some women suffer fluid retention just prior to having a period. Expectant mothers are also vulnerable to fluid retention. With fluid retention, the breasts can become swollen and painful, with the ankles and lower calves, and fingers too, appearing slightly swollen or puffy. Of course, you must see your doctor for a diagnosis if you have on-going fluid retention, especially if you are pregnant. But here are some practical hints which might help you, even so.
The answer is an alkaline diet, to reduce toxins in the blood. Reduce sugar, and also avoid bread and other gluten products, yeast and fermented foods, meat, and dairy foods a week before the period. Use more fresh fruit and vegetables, with a salad at least once a day. A liver and intestinal flush might also be helpful, such as a dose of castor oil, or a little rhubarb root tea. Note: Best to ask a naturopath or health professional about these cleansing methods, and the herbs below, if you are pregnant, or are on some medication.
Drink Enough Water: As well as ensuring that your water intake is sufficient – You should still be drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, you could include some natural diuretic herbs as part of your daily diet, and increase these just before menstruation.
Natural diuretic herbs to help fluid retention are:
Celery. Eat it raw in salads, and use it liberally in stews and curries, etc.
Cucumber. This is another diuretic vegetable which can be used in salads.
Dandelion herb. All parts of the dandelion are useful, and can be used for fluid retention. A couple of chopped leaves could be added to a salad. Dandelion root coffee is an herbal diuretic. Coffee itself is also a diuretic, but it is best not to rely on coffee for the purpose of reducing excess water in the tissues. Dandelion root coffee, or the fresh herb, is a healthier option.
Parsley Greens can be added to a salad. Parsley tea can be made by pouring boiling water over a tablespoon of chopped parsley. This could be taken once or twice a day just before the period. I would be cautious with this remedy if I was pregnant, as parsley’s action could be too intense in the case of pregnancy.
Juniper Berries, used to flavour gin, are strongly diuretic. But juniper berries should be avoided by pregnant women because they can be irritating to the kidneys.
Vitamin B6 is a natural remedy which is recommended for reducing pre-menstrual fluid retention. Russell Setright recommends 25 gm per day to help reduce fluid: This advice is given in his book “Get Well – an A-Z of Natural Medicine for Everyday Illness”, Atrand Pty Ltd, NSW, Australia, 1990 and 1992.
Some of Schuessler’s Biochemic Remedies, or ‘Schuessler Cell Salts’ as they are known, may be useful in helping reduce fluid retention. There are twelve different cell salt remedies, each one having specific healing and restorative properties. They are perfectly safe to use, as they are in minute homeopathic doses. Kali Sulph can be helpful if there is a distended stomach with the period. Mag Phos is often helpful if there is pain just before the period. Kali Phos is a good constitutional remedy which can be taken every day for up to three months before child-birth. This remedy may be useful to young women suffering pre-menstrual troubles, including fluid retention. It could be taken each day for a week, starting from a week before the period. Natrum Sulph is another natural cell salt remedy which could be helpful in treating fluid retention: Natrum sulph helps to regulate the amount of water in the system.
Sodium phosphate has also proved helpful in treating pre-menstrual fluid retention.
Avoiding salt, at least for a week before a period, might be helpful in some cases of fluid retention, as sodium chloride can lead to fluid retention.
Some medications can also cause fluid retention, so if you are on medication of any kind, then check these things out with your doctor.