Nutrition is considered a basic component in the management of any vascular disease. Lymphedema is characterized by an increase of interstitial fluid due to a lymphatic system morphological and/or functional alteration. Therapeutic management of lymphedema includes a multi-faceted approach based on compression and physiotherapy mainly. Weight control and anti-inflammatory and anti-edema diet are two additional necessary components of the holistic therapy in presence of primary or secondary limb lymphedema.
This narrative review provides the available information derived from the scientific literature on nutrition in lymphedema, which anyway lacks robust evidence. Additional information and speculations are provided on the role of food, diet, nutraceuticals and fasting on the basic processes at the root of the chronic progressive degeneration of tissue lymph stasis, i.e. weight excess,…
