The lymphatic system is often forgotten in the detoxification processes, but if the other main detoxification pathways aren't clearing properly then there will be added burden on the lymphatics. Lymphatic drainage is imperative for good detoxification.
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels in our bodies designed to drain waste from our cells. Our blood vessels leak fluids into our tissues every day, and this tissue fluid gets collected by the lymphatic system, returned to the bloodstream for filtering out of the body. The lymphatic system doesn't have a pump system like our bloodstream does so it relies on us moving our bodies to move the lymph fluid along as movement massages it along.
If we don't move a lot, the lymph fluid can become thick like honey instead of watery. Our immune fighting cells, our T-lymphocytes, also travel from the bone marrow to the thymus via the lymphatic system to get their education to learn how to detect 'self' from 'non-self' which is important to prevent autoimmunity. The lymph fluid also passes through our lymph nodes which filter out pathogens from our bodies.
The majority of our lymphatic system lies just beneath our skin (70%) so gentle movement assists it. The other 30% is deep and gets moved by ensuring we use diaphragmatic breathing. The best thing we can do is make sure we move every hour if we have sedentary jobs by simply bouncing on our feet, or doing heel drops. These engage our parasympathetic nervous system so this has the added bonus of calming us down if we have stressful lives.
Symptoms from stagnant lymphatics include:
Inability to lose weight - lymphatic fluid removes our cells toxins, and if we can't clear those toxins, our body will 'hang on' to toxins in our fat cells. Result - we don't lose weight
Increase in acute infections
Chronic tonsillitis/ enlarged tonsils
Chronic sinus issues
Sore throats
Chronic headaches
Rashes
Swelling/ puffiness/ fluid retention
Mouth breathing
Lumps in groin (enlarged lymph nodes)
Allergies/ sensitivities
Brain fog
Chronic fatigue
Depression
Waking up between 3-5am
Tight clothes make you feel very uncomfortable
Reactions to dairy
Muscle or joint pain
Stiffness
Cravings
Cellulite
Irritability
Acidity of the body
Mould sensitivity
Smelly armpits
Oestrogen imbalance - as progesterone moves through lymphatics (or not if there's congestion), so conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, PMS, Fibrocystic breasts can also prevail.
Conditions in which you should not do lymphatic drainage without consulting your doctor include Congestive Heart Failure, Kidney Failure, if you have Blood Clots, Cancer, or have an acute infection (flu, tonsillitis etc).
Most of our lymph nodes are located where we bend our bodies, so they can become congested and the lymph fluid can find it difficult to move. We can end up with large, hard lymph nodes e.g. in groin.
As the lymphatic system has no pump, simply laying on the ground with your legs up against a wall will help lymph fluid move upwards toward the termini drain if you are suffering from puffiness from being on your feet for too long.
Lymphatic Detoxification Step-by-Step Guide
For a step-by-step guide on how to perform Lymphatic Drainage, head to my Resources tab via the Step-by-Step Guide button below, and download a comprehensive document describing how to perform it.
As with all detoxification processes, if there are severe symptoms that express themselves, a practitioner can help support you. If you would like to discuss your own personal circumstances, please make an appointment via the booking tab.
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References:
Dr. Caitlin Czezowski for physical training on lymphatic drainage
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