Drainage Pathways: What are they? Why do we need to open them?

I spent many years on my healing journey with small wins. I’d feel a little better and then I’d feel bad or my inflammation would flare up again. It was a cyclical process that left me feeling frustrated and hopeless. About two years ago I began to hear Functional Medicine doctors talk about drainage pathways and once I heard the explanation of why this matters, it clicked. This idea changed the work I was doing in my own healing journey and it is why I recommend opening drainage pathways as the first step to every single client that I work with.

When I tell a client that we’re going to open their drainage pathways before we begin any other protocol(s), I can see the look of confusion on their faces. It really is a foreign concept until it’s explained to you. Let’s dive into the most frequently asked questions:

What is drainage?

Drainage is exactly what it sounds like. Drainage is your body’s way of removing pathogens, toxins, and waste. When our drainage pathways are open and functioning optimally, they allow our bodies to detoxify on their own with very little assistance from us.

Why is it important to open my drainage pathways?

If your drainage pathways are not functioning optimally, toxins will not be able to exit the body. If toxins cannot leave your body, they will recirculate in your system and ultimately be reabsorbed by the body. This leads to stagnation in the liver and lymph. Stagnation ignored will lead to symptoms of imbalance in the body and eventually to disease.

Opening drainage pathways

Before you jump into a detox, it is important that your drainage pathways are open and fully functioning. If your drainage pathways are blocked, all of those toxins you’re working so hard to detox won’t have anywhere to go. On top of being reabsorbed by the body, you’ll most likely experience a Herxheimer reaction because your body cannot detox or get rid of the pathogens and/or parasites.

For many people, a Herxheimer reaction causes a mini-healing crisis where you experience detox-related side effects. Common symptoms that develop or worsen due to a Herxheimer reaction include:

• Bloating

• Brain Fog

• Chills

• Cold Sweats

• Constipation

• Cramps

• Diarrhea

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Headaches

• Irritability

• Joint Pain

• Lethargy

• Muscle Pain

• Nausea

• Skin Irritation

• Sore Throat

Typically, these symptoms develop within a couple of hours to several days into a detox or following a treatment. Because of the sudden worsening of symptoms, it is common for clients to believe that the severity of their condition has increased due to the treatment. Even though the protocol may cause a temporary increase in symptom intensity due to a greater release of toxins, the condition ultimately improves. When the body responds in this way, it usually means that the protocol is actually working effectively.

How do I know if my pathways are blocked?

Even if my clients can answer every one of these questions with the appropriate response, I still lean toward opening drainage pathways rather than moving straight into a detox. Why? I’d rather go low and slow and get to the root cause of their health issues then too fast, cause a Herxheimer reaction, and have a client give up.

If you’re looking to do the work on your own, a few simple questions can help you determine if your drainage pathways are open and ready for a detox:

• Are you having 2-3 bowel movements/day?

• Are you experiencing any GI issues (bloating, gas, undigested food in your poop)?

• Is your urine light or clear? If not, you are not drinking enough!

• Are you moving your body and sweating more days than not?

• Are your energy levels stable throughout the day or do you experience crashes in energy?

• Are you sleeping 7-8 hours/night?

How can you open your drainage pathways?

There are a number of lifestyle activities and supplements that can be used to support drainage including: castor oil packs, dry brushing, eating a clean diet with plenty of fiber, improving your sleep, making the switch from acidic coffee to a Reishi coffee, moving your body, practicing mindfulness, staying hydrated, sauna, and sweating..