| |  | | Herbs to Replace Water Pills?
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Name not given
Posted on: July 19, 2004
I’d like to know about which herbs help replace water pills for swollen legs and ankles? And the for diabetic - type 2?
Fluid Retention in the feet and legs can result from poor circulation due to impaired heart action. It can be a complication of diabetes. I recommend that you consult with a qualified medical or clinical herbalist or naturopath, who can take your full case history and recommend herbs specific to your total health condition.
If you have a heart condition or diabetes, hawthorn may be recommended. Hawthorn berries, taken as a tincture, or hawthorn flowering tops taken as a tea, strengthen the heart muscle, increase blood flow through the heart, and excrete excess fluid from the body. Hawthorn does not increase the heart beat or increase blood pressure.
Dandelion root is a powerful diuretic (i.e. it excretes excess fluid from the body).
Horse chestnut (Aesculuc hippocastanum) tones the blood vessels to reduce leakage of fluid through to the surrounding tissues.
Keeping your feet elevated whenever possible reduces fluid collection in the lower legs and reduces strain on the heart.
For more information on fluid retention, please see our web site at www.richters.com. Choose "Q&A" from the main menu, then enter "water retention" for the search. For information on diabetes, choose "diabetes" for the search.
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