How to Maintain a Healthy Lymphatic System
What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is an important part of the vascular system and responsible for maintaining immunity. In other words, the lymphatic system helps defend the body from infections and disease.
A congested or compromised lymphatic system can eventually lead to the development of chronic disease due to poor lymph fluid circulation. This happens when the lymphatic system is unable to clear out toxins from the body and recirculates or stagnates toxins, leading to bothersome symptoms or reactions.
Common symptoms or reactions include:
-breast soreness
-fatigue
-repeated skin conditions
-cold limbs
-bloating
-headaches
-get sick easily (colds or flu)
-swelling
-water retention
-muscle/joint stiffness
How can you maintain a healthy lymphatic system?
Exercise: daily exercise is important as it helps oxygenate cells, stimulates blood circulation, and keep things flowing. Walking, jogging, and rebounding are easy and effective ways to keep fluids flowing.
Reduce Stress: practices such as yoga, pilates, deep breathing exercises, Tai Chi, and stretching can be great ways to reduce stress while still moving. Meditation and other mind relaxing methods help the body to release tension from the body, assisting the flow of fluid.
Go Sweat: Saunas are a great way to help remove toxins from the body by causing the body to sweat it all out. If you are unable to use a sauna, intense exercise that makes you sweat can work just as well.
Dry Brushing: Dry brushing not only helps remove dead skin cells but also helps stimulate sweat glands and opens the pores. When you dry brush, make sure to always brush towards the heart.
Start an Anti-Inflammatory Eating Plan: Go back to the basics, veggies, fruits, and meats. Remove processed foods, sugar, grains, dairy, and soy, which tend to cause an inflammatory response. Enjoy an abundance of detoxifying foods such as pomegranates, berries, and cruciferous veggies. By reducing the toxin load from processed or altered foods, the body is under less stress and better able to remove all waste.
Drink, Drink, Drink: Water is a life force. Hydration is very important to toxin removal as the lymphatic system is composed of about 95% water. Lemon water is a popular way of maintaining hydration while helping the body detoxify. Make sure you are drinking water at least ½ your body weight in ounces through the day.
Remove Restrictive Clothing: Yes, clothes that is too tight can also affect the lymphatic system as it is constricting the flow of lymph fluid. If you must wear restrictive clothes, make sure it is for short periods of time and avoid during sleep.
Massages and Chiropractic Care: Massages and chiropractic care not only help with pain management, but also promote better circulation and flow of fluid. Chiropractic care helps with better alignment of the body and relieving tension or obstructions that can affect the lymphatic system.
By applying some or all of these techniques, you will notice how your body’s ability to heal faster and stay healthy becomes easier over time.