Children and adults need at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day for good health, but most Americans get only about 15 grams a day. Great sources are whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, can help lower glucose levels as well as help lower blood cholesterol.
(Air travelers are generally not at risk for this disorder because commercial airplane cabins are pressurized.) Congestive heart failure due to high blood pressure, aortic or mitral valve disease, or cardiomyopathy is a common cause of pulmonary edema.
Fluid overload, which causes swollen legs like these, happens with both heart failure and kidney disease. Fluid overload is most frequently caused by heart failure. As the heart weakens, blood flow returning to the heart slows, backs up in the veins and causes fluid buildup in the tissues. Heart failure also affects the kidneys, resulting in less efficient elimination of sodium and water. The retained water increases the fluid congestion.