What is the Lymphatic System and Why You Should Care
Do you ever feel “puffy” or bloated? Struggle with chronic headaches, congestion or allergies? Do you constantly feel fatigued or like you’re always fighting off a cold? These are all signs your lymphatic system may be struggling. So what exactly is your lymphatic system and what can you do to keep it healthy?
In a nutshell, the lymphatic system is your waste removal system + immune system architecture. It includes a network of 500-600 tiny lymph nodes, as well as tissues, organs and glands including your spleen, thymus, tonsils.
It’s deeply interconnected with your circulatory and digestive systems as well as muscles and fascia. Your blood and lymph complement each other – think about your circulatory system like the faucets in the house, and your lymphatic system like the drains. You can’t have one without the other, and both need to function well to avoid big messy problems.
Dysfunction or stagnation can lead to poor immunity, autoimmune disease, cancer, migraines and much more.
Here are the top tips to keep your lymph flowing for optimal health and drainage.
- Drink water! Keep things flowing by staying hydrated with clean pure water.
- Move your body. Movement is the best way to keep things flowing through the tiny vessels which don’t have a pump to circulate fluid. Try to move as much as possible in all different ways, and yes; stretching count too.
- Avoid dairy. Dairy from cows milk causes the lymph to thicken and creates mucus like sludge which clogs up the system.
- Reduce the chemical load on your body. By reducing the amount of chemicals and toxins in your body, you reduce the load on your lymphatic system to drain it all. Think the less you put into and around your body (ie deodorant, cleaning products, fragrances, lotion, soaps, makeup etc.) the better.
- Make sure you’re going to the bathroom regularly. The last part of lymph drainage is the elimination to finally get all these waste products out of your body. Eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fiber can help ensure you are moving things through your digestive tract and eliminating lymph waste on time.
By taking care of your lymphatic system, you will notice more energy, and feel more vibrant everyday. It also goes a long way in terms of disease prevention, so keep that lymph flowing!