Like Cinderella, the lymph labors quietly in the shadows to clean up the mess made by virtually all the other systems of the body. Widely regarded as a lesser sister to the circulatory system, the lymphatic system is actually a crucial player in your body’s ability to ward off disease and heal from injury.
The lymphatic system is recognized by doctors in Europe and the Far East for its importance to preventive health care. They understand how lymphatic function supports every other system in the body, including the immune, digestive, detoxification and nervous systems. In fact, many believe that poor lymph health underlies a host of conditions, from cellulite to cancer.
By contrast, in America our practitioners don’t think much about the lymph system until something goes wrong — usually when infection causes a swollen lymph node, or worse, when we develop cancer in a lymph gland, or cancer elsewhere that metastasizes through the lymph vessels.
The reality is that you have twice as much lymph fluid in your body as blood. The lymph continuously bathes each cell and drains away the detritus in a circulatory system powered only by your breathing and movement. If the movement of the lymph stopped entirely you would die in a matter of hours.
What can you do to ensure your lymph system stays healthy? There are a number of ways to support lymphatic function that should be part of every woman’s health habits.
Amazingly, the lymphatic system has no central pump but depends on muscle contraction and manual manipulation to move fluid. Deep breathing is another essential way we can enhance movement of lymph through our bodies. And importantly, the organs of elimination (skin, kidney, liver, bladder, small and large intestines) need to be doing their jobs well so that the lymph does not get overwhelmed with waste products.
If the lymph system gets blocked or overrun (due to illness, surgery, toxic overload or lack of activity), lymph fluid backs up. This can cause swelling, joint pain, nausea and fatigue. Stagnant lymph may be stored within nodes for a long period of time but eventually becomes too toxic for the body to handle well.
Negative effects of chronic lymph blockages
All things in nature have a natural progression; when this motion is inhibited or jammed, concerns arise — and when it occurs in your lymph system, you feel it quickly.
Think again of a river: a healthy river runs clean and clear. A brackish river chugs along, thick with soot and silt that gets snagged, pocketing pollution in small pools along the way. Eventually, the sluggish river can become a breeding ground for bacteria and disease. The same is true for your lymph.
Because lymph cleanses nearly every cell in your body, symptoms of chronic lymph blockage are diverse but can include worsened allergies and food sensitivities, frequent cold and flu infections, joint pain, headaches and migraines, menstrual cramps, arthritis, fibrocystic breasts, breast tenderness, sinusitis, loss of appetite and GI issues, muscle cramping, tissue swelling, fatigue, mental fuzziness, mood irregularities, depression, parasites, skin breakouts, acne, and cellulite. In general, you may feel tired and toxic, with a heaviness in your abdomen. In Chinese medicine, practitioners call this “excessive damp” that undermines your whole health.
Top 10 Natural Ways To Boost A Sluggish Lymphatic System
1. Alternative Therapies
- Lymph drainage massage: this type of massage stimulates lymph circulation and drains fat, fluids, toxins and other waste products away from your cells.
- Acupuncture: stimulates lymph flow.
- Sauna: saunas or steam baths are an excellent way to sweat out toxins and waste material through the skin and cleanse your system.
2. Exercise
Regular exercise that involves jumping is the best way to keep your lymph system flowing smoothly. Although jumping up and down is the best way to stimulate lymph flow, any type of exercise will do the trick. While your muscles are moving, they massage your lymphatic system which improves lymph flow.
3. Foods To Cleanse Your Lymph System
A healthy diet produces less toxins and waste products, which reduces the chance of a clogged lymphatic system. Try to opt for organic products as much as possible to avoid pesticides and other chemicals.
Foods That Promote Lymph Flow
- Fruits, especially cranberries that help the lymphatic system, bowels and kidneys to get rid of various kinds of harmful toxins, are loaded with antioxidants and many other nutrients. You can find more information about the healing powers of berries in the e-book The Healing Berry Guide which is a must if you want to become healthier from the inside out and get healthy and easy berry recipes that are sure to boost your health.
- Veggies, especially leafy greens (due to their chlorophyll content) – also refer to the article how to cleanse your body using chlorophyll.
- Flaxseed Oil
- Spirulina – Find more information in the article how to boost your health by eating seaweeds and algae.
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Brazil nuts
- Flax or chia seeds – Read here more about the amazing health benefits of nuts and seeds.
- Avocados
We suggest Ardyss Red Levive to help the lymphatic system, bowels and kidneys in getting rid of various kinds of harmful toxins
These food sources provide important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids, and other beneficial phytonutrients to keep your lymph flowing and cleanse your body. Add more raw fruits, vegetables, and fresh juices to your diet as they provide powerful enzymes and acids to cleanse your lymphatic system. If you are interested in detoxifying your body, you can find more useful information in the e-book The Detox Guide. This guide will teach you how to use detox to cleanse and energize your body naturally and safely.
We recommend a great all natural detox: Ardyss Ultra Body Cleanse
Foods To Avoid
- Artificial sweeteners
- Sugar – you can find here 13 effective ways to quit sugar.
- Meat
- Preservatives
- Refined grains
- Processed foods
- Foods high in salt
- Candy and baked goods
All those foods are known to produce toxic waste and may clog your system.
4. Drink Plenty Of Water
Your body needs water to stay hydrated to keep your lymph fluid flowing properly. A good rule of thumb is to drink 6 to 8 glasses of filtered or purified water a day and ditch sodas, sport drinks, and commercially available sugar-laden fruit juices.
5. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises stimulate lymph flow to avoid toxin build-up and bring more fresh oxygen to your cells.
6. Dry Brushing
Dry brushing on a daily basis improves lymph flow and gives your whole lymphatic system a boost to kick into action. Before you jump in the shower, dry brush your skin with long strokes towards your heart for about 5 minutes.
7. Avoid Chemical-laden Beauty Products
Most commercially available lotions, toothpastes, creams, sunscreens, deodorants, etc. are full of questionable chemicals that end up in your lymphatic system. Choose for natural, organic beauty products or try to make your own chemical-free versions.
8. Herbal Teas
Herbs can be used as a powerful medicine and I’ve already written about herbs and on how to use Herbal Medicine effectively to heal away disease & illnesses in my e-book the Herbal Remedies Guide. Some herbs may help you to boost lymph flow and eliminate toxins. Those include echinacea, goldenseal, red clover, pokeroot, astragalus, or wild indigo root among others. Make sure to contact an herbalist for advice if you are on medication and avoid those herbal teas when pregnant or lactating. You can find here how to make lymph cleansing herbal infusion.
9. Alternate Hot/Cold Shower
Alternating hot and cold shower for several minutes has a beneficial effect on your blood and lymph flow. The heat causes vessels to dilate and the cold makes them contract. Avoid this therapy when pregnant or struggling with a heart or blood pressure condition.
10. Wear Loose Clothing
Tight clothing slows down lymph flow and can cause blockages. So make sure to wear lose clothing or clothing that fits properly.
If you keep those tips and tricks in mind, your lymphatic system will be working more efficiently to improve your overall health. You’ll have more energy, less aches, and less toxin build-ups.
If you’ve liked this article you will also like my future posts which I can deliver directly to your email – please enter your details here to get my future posts.
References:
https://www.womentowomen.com/detoxification/the-lymph-system-and-your-health-2/
http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/natural-ways-to-cleanse-your-lymphatic-system/
http://GetHealthyAllOver.com
http://WeightLossCafe4Ever.com/anet