What herbs can be used as a diuretic?

Diuretics are the substances that elevate the pace or rate of urination. Urination is the consequence of a significant process called excretion that serves to eliminate wastes like uric acid, excessive salt, proteins, and water from the human body. Diuretics help to raise the pace of elimination of urine and removal of fluids from the body.

These diuretic substances may be natural or chemical in nature. Natural diuretics are generally herbs. These herbs are instrumental in removing fluids and are used for prostatitis, backache, kidney stones treatment, sciatica, lymphatic swelling, bladder ache, scalding urine, skin eruptions, gonorrhea, premenstrual Syndrome, obesity, and water retention.

The removal of excess fluids from the body may result in an increased rate of removal of important minerals and vitamins from the body such as potassium, calcium and other essential electrolytes. It may be required to supplement your body with other nutrients so as to make up for the loss of these nutrients when you consume diuretics.

Herbal diuretics. As already mentioned, diuretics may be natural or chemical in nature. Some of the more popular herbal diuretics include:

• Green Tea: According to traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea acts as a powerful stimulant and diuretic, thereby elevating the rate of excretion. Green tea is a potent anti oxidant, astringent, and it also improves your pulse rate, thereby positively affecting your cardiovascular health.
• Dandelion: Dandelion is an herbal diuretic that cleanses your liver and bloodstream. Dandelion also improves the functioning of the spleen, kidney, stomach and pancreas. Also, as dandelion is a natural diuretic, it causes no major repercussions.
• Stinging Nettle: Stinging Nettle is known for its detoxifying properties and as such, it is regarded as a powerful diuretic. The part of the herb that is used as a diuretic is the root of the plant, but all parts of the stinging nettle are instrumental in cleansing the body.
• Linden: Linden is an herb that is commonly used to treat cough, cold, fever, high blood pressure, and headaches. The herb is also used as a diuretic so as to increase the production and passage of urine. Linden is also used as an antispasmodic and a sedative.

As diuretics help in cleansing the body, they serve as one of the best antioxidants for the body. However, excessive consumption of these diuretics may lead to a deficiency of several nutritional elements and therefore should be consumed in moderation.

answered by G M

Diuretics are generally used to extract the surplus fluids or water from our body. Many herbs act as natural diuretics and produce the same effect as that of drug-based diuretics. Herbs such as dandelion, green tea, stinging nettle root, linden, horsetail also known as Equisetum Arvense, celery seed, elder flower and yarrow contain strong diuretic characteristics, and produce the desired effect. Most herbal diuretics can be consumed in the form of tea or capsules, or they can also be eaten raw by adding them to salads, such as chicory, mint, fennel and parsley.

Green tea as a diuretic is a great option if you don't mind drinking a few cups everyday. It is known to be rich in vitamins, minerals, volatile oils and essential nutrients. It can be easily prepared by adding 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves in a cup of boiling water and leaving it for about 5 minutes. Yarrow also results in diuretic action that helps in the eradication of fluid and toxins from the body via urine. Herbs such as rauwolfia and mistletoe are also known for their diuretic capabilities, they tend to expand blood vessels thereby reducing water levels in the body. Since diuretics increases the frequency of urine, it is possible that some useful proteins such as potassium, calcium and other important electrolytes are also excreted. Therefore, it is important to increase the intake of foods, particularly fruits and veggies that would help maintain the optimum nutrition levels of your body. Dandelion tea is probably the most practical solution as an herbal diuretic. It is generally mild so you can drink up to 4 cups a day. Unlike most herbal or drug based diuretics dandelion tea does not deplete the body's potassium levels, in fact it actually helps in building them up.

If you are considering diuretics only for nominal liquid reduction then there are other options available too. Increasing the intake of fruits and veggies like watermelons and cucumbers that contain a lot of water would help increase urination. Cucumbers are also rich in sulfur and silicon and help in energizing the kidneys in the removal of uric acid. Watercress is also considered as a natural diuretic that can be used for excretion of excess water. Increasing your water intake, to a minimum of 2 liters a day, would also help drastically as one of the main reasons our body retains water is because it doesn't get enough of it.

answered by a

Diuretic health advice

A diuretic is any substance that when consumed, increases the amount of urine passed. Using a diuretic if you are having urine flow problems is always recommended, but excessive usage can also cause long term damage. It is better to get medical advice on urine flow problems and then follow herbal remedies. The best diuretic in the world is water. The more you drink the more urine you will pass. You must try to keep your water consumption to between six to eight liters a day normally, and more than that when you need to pass more urine. There are also several herbs that make good diuretics. Celery is an excellent diuretic. It can be eaten or juiced and drunk. Elderflower is also a highly effective urine quantity enhancer. Green tea is a natural anti toxin and enables the body to remove any toxins by passing them out through urine. Traditionally, dandelion root is considered to be a powerful diuretic. Leaves of the white radish root are also diuretic in nature. They can be crushed along with the radish and drunk as juice. If you can get your hands on it, yarrow is an excellent diuretic as well. Horse chestnut, taken at least twice a day is also very effective.

answered by M W