Support Your Lymphatic System
In my last post, we learned what the lymphatic system is and what it does. I also gave you a few factors that contribute to sluggish lymph, as well as signs and symptoms (your body’s way of getting your attention) that your lymph is sluggish and needs to get moving. If you suspect you have sluggish lymph, get it moving pronto!
Remember: Stagnation breeds sickness. If your drainage pathways are not functioning optimally, all the toxins your body is working its booty off to move out will have nowhere to go. Instead, those toxins will recirculate in your system and ultimately be reabsorbed. Ewwww and gross, right? And now your poor body has to do the same song and dance over again, meaning your body has to work extra hard to stay healthy.
Since your lymphatic system does not have a pump to move fluid, we need to help our lymphatic system drain properly.
How can you support your lymphatic system?
Deep breathing. Deep breathing will help with stress but it also moves lymph through the bloodstream. The next time your yoga teacher encourages you to take a deep breath, do it! You can practice deep breathing throughout your day by sitting up tall (no hunching over), putting your hand on your belly and breathing in deeply through your nose. You should feel your belly rise to meet your hand. Exhale through your nose and feel your belly draw back toward your spine.
Dry brushing. I do this every day. This is a self-care tool I adopted from my studies of Ayurveda. Use a brush with stiff bristles or a silk glove to make long, upward strokes on your body always moving toward your heart. You can read more about dry brushing here. I prefer a long handled brush like this but there are handheld brushes and raw silk gloves too.
Fascia Blaster. Many people swear by their Fascia Blaster for reducing excess fluids, improving circulation, and enhancing lymphatic drainage. Fascia (connective tissue) houses the blood and lymphatic systems which are responsible for expelling waste. If the fascial fluids are stagnant or the fascia is disrupted due to adhesions, fibrosis, micro-scarring, thickening, or any other dysfunction, then it’s like a clogged drain. The idea is that the Fascia Blaster helps keep those pathways open and fluids flowing. I have this Fascia Blaster and my favorite way to use it is after a workout while I’m in the sauna.
Gua Sha. Gua Sha is part of traditional Chinese medicine in which a tool is used to scrape people's skin in order to improve circulation. It is thought that rubbing the skin’s surface will help break up stagnant energy,, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. Many people use it to help with facial puffiness and promote lymph drainage in the face and neck (it’s great for sinus problems). I have a Gua Sha tool similar to this one; the great thing about these is that they are inexpensive, small, and easy to travel with!
Herbal support. If you’re looking to use herbs to support your lymphatic drainage, the following herbs are highly recommended:
Astragalus
Calendula officinalis
Burdock Root
Cleavers
Dandelion
Devil’s Claw
Echinacea augustifolia
Goldenseal
Graviola
Knotted Figwort
Slippery Elm Bark
Wild Indigo Root
Wolf’s Foot Clubmoss
Many of these herbs are found in Cellcore’s LymphActiv (note: to purchase from Cellcore you must be working with a practitioner. For my practitioner code and a discount, hop on over to IG and DM me or find my practitioner code in my Roadmap To Wellness.
Hydrate. Aim to drink about ½ your weight in ounces of the purest water you can daily. In the morning I live to give my body a little re-hydration support by adding a pinch of sea salt and the juice of half a lime so that my body can absorb it & use more efficiently in your cells—the water hydrates, there are minerals in the salt, and potassium from the lime. If you don’t have time to do that before you begin your day, add a few drops of Cellcore’s CT Minerals instead.
Movement. There are a multitude of ways to move your body each day: barre, dancing (we like kitchen dance parties in my house), yoga, walking, lifting weights, playing with your kids in the yard, stretching, bike riding… Keep it simple and MOVE YOUR BODY.
Rebounding. Rebounding is a grown up way to say, jumping on a trampoline. They do make rebounders that are small enough to have in your living room. I have this one and appreciate that it folds up and is easy to put away. If you have a trampoline in your yard, get out there and start jumping!
Sauna. I prefer an infrared sauna but not everyone has access to one. If you have a gym membership, many gyms do have saunas you can use. If not, remember, the goal is to build up heat so that you fire up your lymphatic fluid and help it flow better. I have one client that joined Hot Worx so she and her husband can move and sweat together!
Sonic Slider. This is a new-to-me tool that I’ve been playing with the last few months and I enjoy it. The Sonic Slider is a weighted tuning fork that harnesses a unique sound frequency to help you “look and feel younger and healthier.” An added benefit is that it releases fascia and stimulates lymph flow.
Remember, this is not to be taken as medical advice. This information is meant for educational purposes only.