Ever notice you have a bloated tummy, swollen ankles, or a puffy face?
These can all be signs from your body that it’s retaining fluid.
- When we feel puffy and fluidy, it may be because our detoxification pathways are overloaded. i.e. a liver with too much on its plate or challenges with your kidneys.
- Fluid retention can also be related to blood pressure and heart problems.
- If our detoxification pathways are compromised, the body may hold on to problematic substances, often referred to as ‘toxins’. One way to imagine this, is that if there is a long queue of substances to be processed, our cells can only work so hard to get through them.
- In order to counteract the potentially harmful effects of a ‘toxin backlog’, our body will hold on to more fluid to try to dilute the toxins we’re carrying. And while this is helpful for our survival, it doesn’t make us feel that great!
The good news is, fluid retention can be relatively quick and easy to remedy, and it starts with amping up your intake of nutrients and substances that support your liver, kidneys and cellular waste disposal.
Dandelion is one of the best medicinal herbs on the planet for helping the body to rid itself of excess fluid. Dandelion root works to support the liver and gallbladder while the leaves work with the kidneys to help eliminate excess fluid.
This is one of the main reasons Dr Libby included the whole dandelion plant in her formulation of Organic Daily Greens and Radiant Reds. When seeing patients who were experiencing fluid retention, Dr Libby would often use Dandelion. And it was common for people to notice a substantial improvement in their fluid retention—and usually within a few days!
A teaspoon a day of Organic Daily Greens and Radiant Reds is a great way to boost your intake of antioxidants and other plant-based nutrients, giving your body what it needs to help you thrive. It makes a great afternoon pick-me-up drink!
You can also support your liver and kidneys by decreasing your intake of caffeine and liver loaders (such as alcohol and trans fats), while increasing your intake of vegetables, particularly the Brassica family of vegetables – think broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts.
You don’t need to suffer from the discomfort of fluid retention. We encourage you to reflect on what might be at the heart of this for you, and to simply do what you can to support all of the cells of your body, particularly your liver and kidneys, to do their jobs efficiently.
This blog post is for education purposes only. It is not prescriptive nor a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Fluid retention can be a sign of more serious health issues so if it persists and/or for personal advice, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
