Have you ever tried to remove toxins from your body only to be discouraged because you felt sick or tired? This may be because your lymph system couldn't keep up with all of the chemicals your body was trying to unload. Your lymph system is your body's built-in "sanitation" system. A sanitation system's job is to filter out and remove poisonous waste products. Your lymph system is the "plumbing" that carries away these waste products from every cell, tissue and organ.
Your lymph system is the largest circulatory system in the body and is twice the size of the arterial blood supply system. However, unlike the arterial blood supply system, it does not have a heart, or pump, to circulate and move things through.
Water is nature's sanitation and purificaton system. However. if water is just collecting and not moving, it will eventually become stagnant .... just like a cesspool of green sludge .... there is no current to move all of the debris or garbage through. A river, however, has constant currents that are moving garbage along and refreshing the water.
Your lymph system is just like that water. Without a pump or means to create movement, all of that garbage your lymph collects becomes backed-up and the system will become congested. This is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease.
6 Things That Back Up Lymph?
- Lack of movement
- Dehydration
- Stress
- Chronic digestive imbalance
- Processed foods
- Chemical exposures
Lymph can be found throughout the body and plays an important role in the digestive tract, or as I like to say, the "lower hemisphere plumbing". This is where the lymph absorbs fat and fat-soluble vitamins and then delivers to the cells througout the body. "Chronic digestive imbalance" is chronic constipation or diarrhea due to "damaged intestinal villi". What causes this damage? GLUTEN!
Other Symptoms of A Stagnant Lymph System
- Headaches
- Brain fog
- Swollen lymph nodes or tonsils
- Lack of energy
- Recurrent sore throats
- Morning mucous
- Mucous drainage (especially after dairy or flour)
- Fluid backup in the ear (especially in children)
- Ear popping and ringing
- Reduced ability to fight infection (frequent cold or flu)
- Constipation or slugging bowel function
- Inability to lose weight
- Soreness or stiffness in the morning
- Bloating, swelling, or heaviness in extremities
- Arms or hands fall asleep while sleeping
- Pain, pressure, or stiffness along your spine and shoulders
- Sore breast or breast swelling with your menstrual cycle
- Itchy skin
- Acne, dry skin or other skin issues
What You Can Do
- Take a few minutes for deep breathing
- Drink plenty of water
- Dry brush your skin
- Alternate with hot and cold in showers to stimulate
- Move around/walk
- Jump on a rebounder
- Bounce on an exercise ball
- Get a lymph massage
- Avoid underwire and tight-fitting bras/underwear that restrict the lymph areas
- Eat healthy, unprocessed foods with healthy fats. Greens contain chlorophyll which purifies the lymph and blood. I like this supplement as I can never get enough greens in a day.
Examining your diet would personally be my first go-to. Even small changes can reap huge benefits that you may not even expect. I have a step-by-step guide if you aren't sure how to get started or why.
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