Hi Again Roy, Thanks for the re-send. << I mentioned that Dr. balch mentioned that edema can be caused by allergies.>> Yes I have considered this. This is probably what's going on. This is the area I've been most concentrating on - trying to figure out what's causing it, rather than finding remedies. I do have food allergies, some self-induced by excessive overeating of a particular food, and others of mysterious, and very recent as far as I am aware, origin. By the way - my edema is not severe. No one else would notice it - even a health practitioner would be hard-pressed to notice it unless they saw me frequently enough to see differences in my appearance. I definately notice it though. I can see and feel it in my fingers (sometimes my rings won't even get past the first joint, wheras other times they are so loose they fall off my fingers); I can see and feel it in my knees and ankles (even Genie studying hard can't see the difference) yet I find that its hard to bend my knee because it feels uncomfortably swollen up with fluid - sort of like the swelling after you sprain an ankle, and, if I press hard with my finger, an indent mark is left in that spot for a while. Last of all, and most obvious to me, is swelling in my eyes - the upper lid gets so puffed out that I can actually see it if I look up. And my eyes look very noticeably smaller and puffy, and bloodshot. Sometimes - perhaps only following long fasts - I seem to have some edema in my abdomen as well. <<... are you familiar with the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients >> Yes I am :-)) They're great, and its a great newsletter. << I bet,being a professional nutrtionalsts, you can take it off your taxes or stick it to your employer >> Roy, I am liking you more and more by the minute here :-)) << Liza, you mentioned that you were into weight lifting. Don't you think jogging ,aerobics or hatha yoga would be a better choice? .... isn't our vitality and longevity more closely related to organ and gland health than muscularity? >> Well, I try to practice what I preach in terms of overall health, and in terms of excercise I don't believe that a person can effectively train with weights without cardio training as well, and vice versa. That's not just my opinion, by the way, the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) who supposedly is the umbrella authoritative word on what fitness is and isn't, also defines fitness as including muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility. There are sound reasons for this. At any rate, I personally have a very active lifestyle which includes a 2-6 mile run every day, biking, a daily weight session (I have a complicated split routine which allows me to train every day), and Ashtanga Yoga ("power yoga") for flexibility, strength, and other mental benefits. I'm sure it must sound like all I do is work out, but after many years of refining my routine I've managed to figure out a way to work this into my days so that I can do everything else I want to do, and have the excercise, too. As a hobby, Genie and I compete in a form of ballroom dance, so that provides a little additional movement (mostly grace, balance and coordination - its not aerobic - for us, anyway). I agree with you that in terms of the edema, cardio excercise would probably be the most useful, if one had to choose. But I think I'm covered on that score. << Also, Liza, if you have a sauna available, consider using it 2 or 3 times a week >> Our gym does have a sauna, and from time to time I'll sit in it for the reasons that you are suggesting. But its not that often - I haven't made time for it. Probably a good idea though. Roy, thank you very much for your long and thoughtful post concerning my health. Much appreciated. Thanks also for the info about sci-veg. I subscribed instantly, and am totally, completely thrilled to have discovered it. It is top-notch. Looking forward to getting to know you! Thanks again. Love, Liza [log in to unmask] (Liza May)