Water Retention Diet
Help For Swollen Legs, PMS, High Blood Pressure
Water retention can cause many health problems, including swollen legs, arthritis and high blood pressure. If you have premenstrual swelling or bloating, this is also due to water retention. Pre-eclampsia of pregnancy, idiopathic edema and chronic venous insufficiency are also water retention-related problems.
Most people use the Waterfall Diet to lose water weight, but in fact this diet can help to relieve any health problem which is mainly due to water retention. The following are case reports from people who have followed the diet.
Audrey: A Case of Swollen Legs and Varicose Veins
Audrey was in her sixties, and had suffered from swollen legs since being in a minor car accident five years previously. Lately she had also developed varicose veins on one leg. The swelling problem got very bad in hot weather, and Audrey had to sit with her feet up as much as possible. Her doctor said she had chronic venous insufficiency and could only suggest wearing support stockings, or removing the varicose veins as a last resort. The skin on Audrey’s legs was very discoloured, and the varicose veins were unsightly, sore and painful. Her daughter had read about the Waterfall Diet, and bought her a copy of the book to see if the diet could help.
Audrey was very enthusiastic about trying a diet. She bought the recommended foods and carried out the tests, and within only two weeks her legs were already smaller, and her ankles were beginning to regain their shape. When she pressed her thumb into her leg, it no longer made a deep dent. The varicose veins were also beginning to look less prominent, and were much less tender. Audrey was very pleased with the results.
Marianne: A case of Premenstrual Bloating
Like many women, Marianne, aged 35, always looked forward to getting her period. It meant she could drop almost a whole dress size, since her tummy got so bloated for a week before her period. Marianne did her best to eat a healthy, low-fat diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. She saw the Waterfall Diet book on a bookshelf and didn’t really believe it could help her, but curiosity got the better of her and she decided to give it a try.
It was two months before Marianne really noticed a difference. In fact it was only after her period started that she realised she had not had any premenstrual bloating. An added bonus was that for the first time in many years, Marianne did not get any cramps either once her period started.
Exercise can also help water retention caused by PMS. See Harvard Health Publication.
Jonathan: A Case of High Blood Pressure
Jonathan was in his fifties and had just been diagnosed with high blood pressure. His doctor wanted to prescribe diuretic medicines. She said that reducing the amount of water in his body would help to keep down his blood pressure.
Jonathan wanted to avoid taking pharmaceutical medicines if at all possible so he did some research on the internet and found information about the Waterfall Diet. He reasoned that if water retention was causing his high blood pressure, then it would be healthier to follow a diet to get rid of it, rather than take prescription drugs which would never actually cure the problem.
Jonathan asked his wife if she could get the recommended foods and also help him to test for his safe foods, which is an important part of the Waterfall Diet Plan. So far everything has been going very well, and his doctor says he can continue without medication for the time being.
Karyll: A Case of Osteoarthritis
Karyll, aged 46, was walking up some stone steps when she wrenched her knee. It swelled up quite badly, and the swelling never really went down again. Karyll’s knee became permanently swollen, tight and painful. Three months later, her doctor diagnosed osteoarthritis and suggested giving her an injection of steroids into her knee.
Karyll succumbed to the injection, and it seemed to help for a while. But the problem did not go away completely, and also seemed to spread to the other knee. Karyll lived in a house with stairs and found herself having to take painkillers just to be able to go up and down the stairs in her house.
One day she was in a second-hand bookstore, and the Waterfall Diet book seemed to stand out. She said “My eye just kept getting drawn to it and in the end I had to open the book to take a look. Then I found a case report in it which was almost exactly the same problem I had. The woman had swollen knees, and was told she had arthritis, but when she went on the Waterfall Diet she discovered it was only water retention.”
Karyll found the diet hard at first, but persevered as the pain and swelling in her knees started to go down after only four days. She remains on the Waterfall Diet and is delighted that she no longer has to take painkillers in order to climb the stairs in her house.
The Waterfall Diet book is available from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. The instructions can also be found in the E-guide Low-Carb Dieting and the Waterfall Diet.
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Comments
Comment from Weorth James
Time February 7, 2008 at 11:08 am
I am a 24 years old. I have a really tall frame for a female. I have played athletics majority of my life. I noticed now tht I have stopped the training and now the “weight” is on. I am currently taking birth control pills for my pms and when I started the pills…the “weight” came rapidly. i’m sure this is water weight, I have taken water pills and seen no change
Comment from johnny
Time January 10, 2010 at 8:15 am
i have heart failure and i am also on lasix and cumodin can th diet in th book help me? where can i buy the book? is it available in stores?
Comment from Linda Lazarides
Time January 10, 2010 at 5:20 pm
The waterfall diet works best for water retention of unknown cause. But you might find it interesting to read the book if you want to learn more about water retention. The book title is the Waterfall Diet and it is most easily available from Amazon websites.
Comment from Niamh
Time May 17, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Hello, I was wondering if you could help me, I’m 28, for as long as I can remember, I have often had bad pains in calves and ankles. It is often swollen in this area also, in particular in hot weather. I exercise regulary and i do find this helps but still I suffer from swollen legs. I’ve been to doctor but have got very little advice about water retention. I find my legs are ok in the morning but by evening or mid afternoon they are swollen.
Comment from Linda Lazarides
Time May 18, 2010 at 9:37 am
Niamh, it is essential to find out more about your condition, so yes, do try to read the book and then you can decide if you want to do the diet.
Comment from cheryl
Time July 1, 2010 at 1:50 am
My niece was diagnosed with lupus, and is presently on diuretics for swelling from the waist down to her toes, would the waterfall diet be of any help to her in order to eliminate the excess water retention in her body
Comment from Linda Lazarides
Time August 15, 2010 at 9:29 am
No-one with lupus has contacted me yet to say that the waterfall diet has helped their lupus. In theory the diet should be able to work just as well as with other causes of water retention. Perhaps try it as an experiment.
Comment from Kogie
Time October 22, 2010 at 9:26 am
My legs are very swollen after a day at the office however my calf mussels are very painful on my left leg.
Comment from neil martin
Time December 2, 2010 at 2:59 pm
my wife suffered with preclampsia for a while the water retention was quite bad.
Comment from kiera
Time December 3, 2010 at 10:26 am
I am gluten free and dairy free (in my attempt to treat IBS as well as fluid retention). Would the diet cater for my intolerances?
Comment from Bina Solis
Time December 5, 2010 at 12:47 pm
I’m desperate – and very concerned about my water retention and climbing weight. A Calif. jock and marathoner, I’ve been in tip/top shape (110) because I work at it VERY HARD and love my being so healthy. A stress heart attack did not cramp my style; I just modified my life with common sense. Even the meds did not cause a problem (I monitor them carefully) but in the last 2 months, I’ve put on 10 lbs and am so bloated I look 5 months pregnant. My thighs are huge; my breasts are huge and most uncomfortable.) My doctors (male) have no clue and are drawing at straws: check my liver and have a pelvic ultrasound.
Comment from Linda Lazarides
Time December 30, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Hi, there is no problem using the waterfall diet if you want to avoid gluten and dairy products
Comment from Debbie King
Time January 6, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Linda, I have had your book in my bookshelf…and refound it again. I am 53, in good shape at 5’8″ and 125 pounds…I have been in pain with swelling alllll my life it seems…puffy and more puffy of course with some foods more than others…and in the last few months drinking more coffee than I should. Also, I try to exercise but think the cario/kinds…more than my daily “walking” is needed to get my heart pumping to move edema out! I take so many supps. for the sweeling…all the herbs you can name and more it seems. This is the pickle tho where I am at in health regarding fluid retention and …. help..hormones! I had a complete hyst as a young woman and …did “some hormones..but swelled some and let up on them”…now in my early 50′s both husband and I have become very anti aging minded and into living strong as we age. We have spent a lot of money and a lot of TIME w/docs, research and etc, etc…to understand our hormones and get on them. We have been both tested…saliva and by blood tests…both showed that we were very depleated…so began the hormones…when I rub on my bio/bi-est…I swell sooooooooooooo bad. I usually swell but so bad now that I had to back OFF all hormones, take natural diuretics and get a handle on this edema.!!! I don’t know a soul on this earth…like me!!! I am NOT fat and this edema thing is like a noose around my neck. Now its made my hands, knees and esp. my feet/ the pads so squishy and like I am walking on pads of water. It makes me so sad..that I cry…of course it hurts. Its like a flare that went wild in the last two weeks. Doing the bioidenticals for three months now. I LOVE the bioidenticals tho…they make young and feel ALIVE…and my hubby also…It gives you youthfulness and a BRAIN that is so awake and feels smooth!!! Husband is doing great…all kinds of women say they feel fantastic with the bio/hormones…I live in Oklahoma, US but my doc is in California..yes, we went there because he was such a great doc…for hormones. But he is stumped too. Could this be candida?… I have been on lots of antibiotics for infections … but I take olive leaf, oil of oregeno, garlic…its like …no way can that junk live thru that? but?…I could be wrong. Can I beat this, Linda?…Can I go on in life and be normal? I had swelling before…but this is out of control now…feel like my body is holding water…like when I was going to have a baby…about 8 months tho! We are about to take a family vaca/wiht lots of flying…w/ adult children and grand daughter…for the dream vaca we have waited for for…years. but I cried …I have been so swollen and can’t imagine doing the flights there, long lines and then arrive to intense tropical heat…the swelling? Oh, dear…. Please can you help me out …I do have a doc’s appt. who is with it/ both medical and natural/ a D.O. but that is weeks away. I want testing done. Can you name tests that I should ask for??? My hubby thinks I have a problem with a hormone in the body that hold onto water..and won’t release it…and some times they give a soft/or most safest diuretic to give relief… oh, man….I need help. Feel trapped in my own body!
Yes, I have the “squishy” knee pads…like pads of water around the knee cap, fat swollen feet, and my hands/the pads are fat as can beeeee…I have my husband in the morning…rub, bend and squish my hands all over to get circulation through them…can hardly make a fist. Yes, some arthritis seems to be in my right hand more/ the tumb, pointer and middle finger seem to “sausage up’ very fast and stay that way. Used to have slim hands / finger…loose rings. Thanks so much from Oklahoma… I do have your book…
Comment from Vanessa
Time January 14, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Hi I’m Vanessa, seventeen years old. I’m not sure but my stomach is ALWAYS bloated! Especially now that I’m Vegetarian I think I gained weight I’m thinking it’s water weight. I’ll way myself one day and it will be something like 100 lbs…and then something different the next day like 110 lbs. My scale isn’t broken.
Comment from Zakiyya
Time February 12, 2011 at 1:48 pm
im 28 with 4 kids. I’v had the 3 kids in 2008, 2009, 2010. My last pregnancy was the most difficult. i retained water horribly during the pregnancy and put on 20kgs. my baby’s now 4 months old and im still 20kgs overweight.
Comment from mbali
Time March 9, 2011 at 8:41 pm
I had a compound fracture 21 years ago had an intenal fixation,about 13years latter my leg started swelling , ever since the doctors have not really found out the root cause of the swelling, it has ecome worse as the years go by, some said its lymphodima, some dep vein thrombosis, some say ts celllite recently one has said its my heart , I am truly worried and confused because I am suffering my leg is discoloured swollen , paifull both swell , I was diagnosed with thyroid 3ears go , depression. in the past three years have put on 24 kilos.
Comment from Avril
Time April 16, 2011 at 2:28 pm
For quite a few months now I have had very swollen ankles and feet. I have been to my Doctor about it and he prescribed three different diuretics which really did not make much difference to the problem!
At first, I thought it may have been caused by the sudden death of my
husband (04/07/2010) which I am gradually coming to terms with, so do not think that is the cause.
Comment from mimi
Time May 5, 2011 at 12:30 pm
im takeing depovera birthcontroll pill i have gained alot of weight my fingers an feet swell early in the morning or after work in the evening also i get a cold burning feeling in my feet at times i feel really tired moody an nervious all the time – should i stop the injection
Comment from Christine
Time May 14, 2011 at 7:18 am
A few years ago I lost almost 10 stone in weight but now find it almost impossible to repeat my success. Even at my slimmest & fittest I experienced fluid retention all over my body and my tummy never went down, despite the great weight loss. I suffered an accident years ago when a stepladder fell on my left foot, breaking 3 metatarsals, and the resulting pot put on by a hospital nurse resulted in excessive swelling, which in turn resulted in a blood clot and I had to take wharfarin for 6 months, but ever since then my circulation in my left leg, foot and ankle has been extremely poor. My tummy, legs, knees, hips, thighs, and even my right leg, foot and ankle are very swollen, which I think is all caused by water retention. I also suffer from IBS and diverticular disease, and fibromyalgia, which is a chronic condition I’ve had for almost 60 years now. The doctor doesn’t seem to want to help me, so I guess it’s up to me to help myself!!!
Comment from Vivien
Time July 29, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Nearly 50 years ago, at age 19 I went on a birth control pill that was very strong. I immediately developed fluid retention in lower legs and ankles. Even when I came off the pill a few years later, the fluid retention didn’t clear up, and I still have it. For the past 20 years I’ve had hypertension, currently under control with a small dose of Atenolol (12.5mg) and Amlodipine (2.5mg). I understand that this type of medication can cause fluid retention, but then I had it anyway, and wouldn’t say it’s any worse for being on these meds. I’m not overweight and am not conscious of fluid anywhere else in the body. I already eat very healthily, loads of veg and salad, fairly low carbs, more than adequate protein. Hoping the waterfall diet will help.
Comment from Ramesh
Time August 26, 2011 at 10:48 am
hello sir i want to ask u one question which is related to water retention in my body i have edema on my legs nt on ankle or foot and im hypertensive taking four drugs amlodipine 5mg twice with lisinopril 5mg[combo] than nebivolol 5mg with hydrochlorthiazide 12.5mg [combo] sir as my job is of sitting whole day in a chair may be this is one of the reason why im developing edema bef it was nt like tht since last 3 months its happened bef i was doing other job which didnt involve me to sit for so long periods nw my weight has gone drastically up and my BMR has decreased and BMI has increased pl kindly suggest me hw to reduce this water retention as i drink plenty of water and do gym on regular basis as this edema is affecting me in walking as i do cardio every day for 5 days for 30min compulsary to reduce my weight and blood pressure i was a athlete in my younger days bt after injury to my medial collateral ligament i stoped playing bt ido regular activity as i knw sitting for long time can decrease ur metabolism pl kindly help me send me ur ans on my mail id it will be very helpfull for me i have read tht amlodipine can cause slightly edema bt im taking in less dose tht is only 5mg twice a day
Comment from Alex
Time September 4, 2011 at 4:53 pm
My mother will be 90 in 2 weeks. She has always been active even though she has had esteoarthritis for many years. Over the last 3 years she has developed swollen legs and was put on a water tablet. Her swollen legs have got worse, and, because she has been on a steriod inhaler for many years, her legs have started to weep profusely as the skin tears easily. She fell and broke her hip 2 weeks ago and initially they were not keen to operate due to her excessive fluid retention, however, the heart scan showed only moderate heart failure. Now she is recovering but the weeping from her legs soaks her slippers and is slowing down her recovery.
She has always eaten only limited amounts of friut and veg and this has got much worse over the last few years. She now eats a very limited diet. I have xsent off for the waterfall diet book as I was wondering if the diet might help to remove the part of the water retention that can’t be explained solely with reference to the state of her heart.
Comment from Kim
Time February 7, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Hi Linda,
I recently purchased your waterfall diet book and lost 5 lbs! My question is: I have Dupuytrens Contraction on my right hand and was wondering if there is anything I can do to improve my condition. The palm of my hand is tender, very bumpy and has recently started bothering my wrist. Everything I’ve read on this condition leaves little hope for a recovery. I can still lay my hand flat on a table, however the increase in bumps on my hand leaves me feeling it may only be a matter of time, when I will not be able to do this.
Comment from Mack Oyok
Time December 7, 2006 at 11:40 am
Water pills may be helpful as a prescription medicine for high blood pressure but will make you retain water and swell up quickly as soon as you stop taking them. In the long term they will always make water retention much worse.