There are various causes of swelling in the legs and hands, out of which use of certain medicines, poor air circulation, sitting in one position for a long time, and edema, are the most common. Chronic swelling shouldn’t be taken for granted as it can indicate serious health issues, such as liver disease, heart disease, and kidney disease.
Eating herbs is one of the best ways to treat occasional swelling as they promote elimination of excess fluid from the body. Parsley is considered as the best herb for this purpose. It has been even recommended by Hippocrates, the father of medicine. Its name derives from two Greek words: petrose, meaning stone and selenium, meaning celery.
There are two types of parsley, namely-curly parsley and Italian parsley. These days parsley is used as decoration in most menus and people rarely consume it.
According to a certain study, parsley is beneficial in the treatment of various health issues, such as menstrual pain, asthma, indigestion, bronchitis, brittle bones, skin allergies, and urinary tract infections.
Long time ago, Hippocrates advises people to consume parsley as remedy for treating excess toxins, rheumatism, and kidney stones. Parsley serves as natural diuretic which stimulates the elimination of excess fluids, as stated in the “The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook.”
According to a 2002 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, parsley serves as diuretic by slowing down the absorption of potassium ion pump and sodium, which in turn optimizes drainage of urine and osmosis. There is yet another study on parsley done in 2009 which shows that parsley can be used as remedy for hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure.
Parsley Is a Natural Diuretic
According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2002, “parsley acts as a diuretic by inhibiting the sodium and potassium ion pumps, influencing the process of osmosis and increasing the flow of urine.”
Moreover, parsley is abundant in potassium. On the other hand, many chemically produced diuretics reduce the levels of potassium, so the use of parsley will avoid these harmful side- effects.
A study conducted in Brazilian in 2009 titled “Diuretic and hipotensive activity of aqueous extract of parsley seeds” also confirmed that this fantastic herb increases the urinary flow and reduces the blood pressure at the same time.
Dr. John R. Christopher, America’s most prominent herbalist, and renowned author, suggests that you should consume two quarts (64 oz.) of strong parsley tea on a daily basis in order to obtain best results in the treatment of edema.
If needed, you can increase this amount. Moreover, in the preparation of the parsley tea, if possible, make sure you use the “fresh light-green leaves,” together with the seeds and roots.
Method of preparation of parsley tea:
You need to chop the parsley roots and leaves finely. Then, put about ¼ cup of parsley into an infusion basket. Next, pour the parsley with a cup of boiled water or submerge into a tea pot. Leave it to steep for 5-7 minutes, remove the basket and strain. In the end, you can add ginger, lemon or honey to enrich the taste.
For maximum results, you should consume the tea while warm.
Apart from the consumption of this tea, you should also try other methods to reduce the swelling. Namely, you should regularly do some leg exercises in order to stimulate the fluids from the legs to go to your heart. Also, while lying down, raise your legs on pillows on a height above the heart.
Sources: healthyfoodhouse.com, healthylifetricks.com