Managing Edema

Actions to manage edema include:
- Try to keep your feet elevated, do not stand for long periods of time, and do not cross your legs while sitting.
- Consider sleeping with a pillow under your feet and lower legs
- Wiggle and exercise your feet, toes, and lower extremities during times of sitting or extended times of standing
- Consider exercising 3-5 days a week
- Avoid tight clothing (shoes, girdles, etc).
- Avoid extreme temperatures such as hot baths
- Try to watch your salt intake and avoid salty foods such as ham, processed food, canned soups, chips, french fries, and consider reducing trans fatty acids such as margarine and use olive oil instead.
- Eat diuretic vegetables such as asparagus, parsley, beets, grapes, green beans, leafy greens, pineapple, pumpkin, onion, leeks, and garlic
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol
- With permission from your physician you might consider wearing support stockings or hose.
- Consider weighing yourself often and inform if your physician it you gain weight and have trouble breathing. (A significant amout is 5 pounds or more in a week.)
Actions to manage edema include:
- Try to keep your feet elevated, do not stand for long periods of time, and do not cross your legs while sitting.
- Consider sleeping with a pillow under your feet and lower legs
- Wiggle and exercise your feet, toes, and lower extremities during times of sitting or extended times of standing
- Consider exercising 3-5 days a week
- Avoid tight clothing (shoes, girdles, etc).
- Avoid extreme temperatures such as hot baths
- Try to watch your salt intake and avoid salty foods such as ham, processed food, canned soups, chips, french fries, and consider reducing trans fatty acids such as margarine and use olive oil instead.
- Eat diuretic vegetables such as asparagus, parsley, beets, grapes, green beans, leafy greens, pineapple, pumpkin, onion, leeks, and garlic
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol
- With permission from your physician you might consider wearing support stockings or hose.
- Consider weighing yourself often and inform if your physician it you gain weight and have trouble breathing. (A significant amout is 5 pounds or more in a week.)