Try these tricks to help ease the discomfort and bloated appearance of edema:
When sitting down, prop your feet up on some type of ottoman. Wear loose-fitting shoes. (If your feet really swell, stick to slippers.) Avoid knee-high stockings that cut into your calves. When you sit, don’t cross your legs. Use support pantyhose. Put them on before you get out of bed in the morning when there is little swelling. Drink lots of water! This might seem like a contradiction because an excess of fluid is causing this problem, but it’s true. Water will flush out the waste products that are sitting around your body and causing the swelling. Don’t overdo it on the salt. Although it’s not necessary to cut out salt completely, take it easy. Too much salt encourages fluid retention and can add to the problem. (Don’t forget that there’s plenty of salt hidden in foods and condiments, such as ketchup, bacon, pickles, chips, and fast foods.)
