Did you know your lymph system is twice the size of our circulatory system?
Twice as much lymph as blood is present in our bodies, and we have twice as many lymph vessels as blood vessels. Lymph is the slowest moving fluid in our body and as such it can stagnate easily. Lymphatic stagnation is common and causes all sorts of health issues such as viruses, excess mucous or long term breast and lymph cancers. So how can we detox your lymphatic system?
Does life feel like it is not flowing? Or are you may feeling stuck? Is your Lymphatic System Healthy?
Perhaps you have had a recent Viral attack such as Ross River Virus, Epstein Barr or Glandular Fever?
GIVE YOUR LIFE A BOOST – Get energised and motivated to cleanse and create living clarity.
Your Lymphatic system is an important key to restoring a Healthy Body and Boosting your Energy Levels and Zest for Life !
Let’s Take a Look at Your lymphatic system
Most of us know little about the lymph system. If you do then skip down to ‘how to cleanse my lymphatics’. Most are familiar with the lymph nodes located in the throat, armpits, breasts and the groin, and we have a vague notion that swelling of the nodes is a danger signal, but that’s it. We usually get that when we are run down our neck nodes go up – this is our body fighting off infection.
As most readers probably know, much of the body is made up of water. Part of the water is in the bloodstream, but far more resides in the lymphatic system. Our cells are located in a sea of lymph, a pale fluid. The lymphatic vessels run parallel to the blood veins in the body. The vessels of the lymph system are filled with a fluid called ‘lymph’ that is collected from the space between the cells in the body. The lymph fluids feed the cells of the body by transporting various nutrients such as salts, minerals, and proteins to every cell of the body. Likewise, lymph fluid carries cell wastes and debris that accumulate from normal cell function away from the cells and turns them over to the blood. The blood shuttles the wastes to the kidneys, lungs, colon, and skin for elimination.
Lymphatic System
The lymph system can be thought of as the cellular toxin disposal system.
Lymph flows slowly upward through the body to the top of the chest at a rate approximating 3 quarts per day. Lymph collects, is filtered in, and then passes from nodes within the system. There are over six hundred lymph nodes in our bodies, some nodes are located just above the bend in the elbow. 20 to 30 large nodes are clustered deep within the underarm and upper chest regions. Lymph from the legs and genitals collects in and drains through a large collection of nodes in the groin. Lymph fluid also flows down from the head through the neck. Lymph from the nose, lips, and teeth drain through lymph nodes in the floor of the mouth. Other nodes are found in the tonsils and adenoids. This is a one-directional flow.
They engulf and destroy many foreign and toxic particles. Lymph nodes also contain b lymphocytes that produce antibodies to protect the body from future viruses, bacteria, yeast, and other organisms.
In a healthy state, lymph nodes are about the size of almonds. However, when they are overloaded with excess toxins, they swell and become painful. This occurs when the body experiences colds and infections.
With breast cancer, lymphatic cancer, chronic fatigue and viral attacks on the rise, and some of my best friends as sufferers I have decided to write this blog to help get our life, love and LYMPH flowing again.
The lymph system is vital in helping to fight Dis – Ease.
Why Detox your lymph system?
The lymph system is often the first line of immunological defence against harmful bacteria, toxin concentrations and oxygen starvation of one’s cells.
When the lymphatic system is flowing freely everything is fine. When it backs up, however, there’s trouble. The consequences can be serious, even life-threatening. Not only are the building, repair and waste disposal systems affected by a disruption, the body’s defences against foreign substances are also impaired. In addition to filtering out toxic materials, the lymph nodes also produce substances which fight off invading viruses and bacteria and destroy abnormal cells that developed within the body, such as cancer cells. As well as being part of the body’s plumbing and repair system, the lymphatics are an essential part of our immune system
Young Living Essential Oils for Cleansing
Clearing the lymphatic system can substantially reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, or blockage of the arteries. Cleansing the lymphatic system allows the body to more efficiently clear excess cholesterol out of the arteries. That makes perfect sense, of course. One way to get rid of excess cholesterol is to clean out the disposal pathways. It’s like draining dirty water backed-up in your kitchen sink by unclogging the drain pipe or using a plunger to unstop the toilet.The other way to reduce the cholesterol in the arteries, of course, is to lower the intake of cholesterol-containing and cholesterol-producing foods in the diet.
Lymphatic congestion can also make us more prone to a suppressed immune system as such prone to many chronic diseases fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, aches and pains, bloating, poor digestion and arthritis.
Is your lymphatic system working well ?
Lymph fluid plus the cellular fluids it is in contact with constitute 80% of body fluid. Blood supplies the remaining 20%. All nutrients and oxygen travelling to, and all carbon dioxide and other metabolic by-product wastes travelling from each of your billions of cells is carried by lymph fluid. Lymph fluid can either be reabsorbed into the blood, or be filtered by one or more lymph nodes before entering the bloodstream.
When not working efficiently, the lymphatic system reduces the ability for the brain and other organs to do their work. Toxins normally filtered out and destroyed by the lymph system are offloaded onto other organs … overloading them. Even as happens in the intestine and colon with poor health and nutrition habits — stagnant lymph fluid may contain old deposits of dead bacteria, metabolic toxins, and dead cells.
Factors influencing the lymphatic system negatively are:
* Overwork & Stress: lack of rest periods;
*Sedentariness: lack of healthy exercise to promote circulation;
*Processed foods: or a lack of fresh vital foods.
*Spiritual – shame – blocked flow of joy in life.
*Chronic depression: repressed emotions of rage, hurt, pain.
*Toxic chemical-based pollutants – let me help you to detox your home with a health coaching session
* Toxic Mould – Check your home this could destroy your health. Learn more about Thieves Essential Oil for Mould on my oils site.
*Energy blocking attitudes and behaviours;
Cleansing Citrus
When the lymph system becomes blocked or sluggish, an oxygen-starved, toxic environment is created which will influence all the cells of the body. A stagnant toxic lymph flow can produce a thickened, turbid dirty lymph. It encourages degeneration of both cells and organs and contributes to tumour and cancer formation. Symptoms of congestion can include any one or any combination of the following. All of these conditions have shown consistent improvement following lymph drainage massage or other lymph clearing processes:
*back pain;
*breast congestion;
*chronic bowel problems: constipation
*yeast infections
*chronic fatigue syndrome
* fibromyalgia
*skin disorders
*cellulite fat accumulation
*rheumatoid arthritis
*hormonal and emotional imbalances;
*recurrent headaches
*chronic depression
*muscle and tissue tension
*chronic sinusitis, allergies
*gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath
*hearing, balance or sight problems
*recurrent tonsillitis, colds, …
*prostatitis
*overweight
*lupus
*haemorrhoids
*slow healing of burns, cuts, ….
A healthy lymph system produces lymphocytes which target and destroy unrecognised cells which are assumed to be, and usually are, destructive disease presenting germs.
HOW CAN I CLEANSE MY LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
- Dry brush massage daily before showering
- Showering with non-chlorinated water
- Epsom salts scrubs with essential oils.
- Lymphasising or rebounding or Qi Gong Tapping & shaking
- Jumping for Joy
- Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils added to drinking water daily will cleanse and decongest. Try Young Living Lime, Lemon or Grapefruit Essential Oils. One or two drops to each glass of water.
- Epsom Salts Scrub with Essential Oils
- Raindrop Technique – See my website on this amazing technique.
- Eat foods that do not cause excessive congestion – Fresh is best.
- GREEN SMOOTHIES
- Oil Pulling
- DAIRY and SUGAR are best eliminated especially with Candida.
- Yogic (deep complete) Breathing and Bhastrika. ( a specific yoga breath) Increasing Manipura third chakra FIRE.
- Deep Yoga Breathing & Meditation
- Salute to the Sun & Yoga Stretching to massage your body from Inside
- Dancing Through the Chakras is very Healing, Joyful and gives your Lymphatic System a great work out. See our cd.
Excessive and partially digested proteins, highly refined foods, excessive sweets, and dairy increase lymphatic congestion. Limiting these foods improves lymph function.
All exercise with deep conscious breathing like Yoga, Tai Chi, Aikido, Qigong etc. Proper breathing is the most important thing you can do for maintaining health. There’s a wrong way and a right way to breathe. Children breathe deeply, from their diaphragm. As we age, however, our breathing shifts to the chest and becomes more rapid and more shallow.
Deep breathing is best. Take a few minutes each day to practice breathing deeply. Remember, the lymph system doesn’t have a heart to keep it flowing. It’s dependent on contraction of the muscles and breathing. So, breathe deeply and exercise either with the Yoga Swing or the Rebounder:
LYMPHASIZING
Lymphasizing
(I call it Masai warrior jumping) magnifies results of ALL therapies
Increases levels of oxygen in the blood
Improves your posture
Improves respiration
Help you lose weight
Ease back and joint pain (avoid if you have an injury)
Improve your cardiovascular system
Relieve stress
Reduce illness and
Improve your immunity.
LYMPHASIZING by rebounding on a small trampoline or a vibrating machine stimulates the immune system and increases internal cleansing effectively to the cellular level. This way of exercising to gravity (the natural force of attraction exerted by earths mass) has the effect of boosting immunity and generating a great deal of energy, while at the same time decreasing pain, respiratory problems and join stiffness.
Lymphasizing on a Body Energiser leads to an overall improvement in health, clears the mind, relaxes the body and boosts oxygen levels. With added advantage of energising improving posture and enzyme activity in the digestive system because all 12 Acupuncture Meridians, Central Conception and Governing Vessel Meridians are self activated and balanced.
Rebounding on a Lymphasizer is the easiest, most effective way to total health and fitness for all ages. It uses the force of gravity to help tone muscles, exercise joints and improve flow in the blood and lymph systems. It’s a total exercise for total fitness. It works every muscle in the body.
Fitness jumping has been used in rehabilitative settings for over 30 years. With the REBOUNDING Program, this well-researched technology is now available in Australia to create the ultimate cardiovascular workout suitable for the gym, home or office.
Taught entirely on a unique spring-enhanced device, this type of exercise allows the body to work harder, for a longer period of time, because the body is not absorbing the shock and stress of hard-surface workouts.
The REBOUNDING Program is accomplished by jumping only a few inches off the surface of the fitness equipment and reduces the jarring impact associated with other types of aerobic exercise. The Program is a fun workout for all ages, shapes, weights and size.
NO REBOUNDER – You can achieve results by standing with feet apart, knees soft and simple bouncing up and down feet on the floor knees moving. You can feel it is working if the breasts or buttocks and being bouncing gently up and down to litterally shake up the circulation.
JUMP FOR JOY
All stagnation can be related to blocked feelings, emotions and repressed joy.
So….. JUMP FOR JOY – be silly and Jump, laugh, woop, kick your legs, bounce joyfully up and down. GREAT for the SPIRIT and body. Add a dose of fun to your day. The Maasai warriors of Africa jumped on the spot up and down, building energy, courage, and stamina before battle and also to celebrate in dance. Intuitively I believe this was a powerful way to build power.
* get your life force moving with joyful play. It works and raises your vibration much more than coffee.
SALUTE TO THE SUN
Yoga Stretching, Breathing & Meditation – see my classes and join online or in-person. I am a yoga therapist.
Salute to the Sun or Surya Namaskara is twelve yoga postures in flowing motion that massage and stretch the body encouraging the stretching and compressing of muscles, tendons and organs together with Deep Yoga Breathing that encourages relaxation and Lymphatic Massaging of deep nodes and vessels.
YOGIC BREATHING
Breathing Diagphramatically and using the lungs fully is important to our digestive and lymphatic health. It increases O2 to every cell in our body and mobilises and massages our vital organs. Deep Yoga Breathing also helps us overcome Anxiety and Depression. Correct posture will help you breath more deeply. Stand tall, neck long, shoulders gently back and heart forward. I always say ‘lead with your heart’ as you walk through life. Make sure you activate your diaphragm when breathing deeply.
Yoga and Meditation
OIL PULLING
Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that is being revived and becoming increasingly popular in Australia.
It was reintroduced to the modern world in 1992 by Dr. F. Karach, MD. Dr. Karach claimed that oil pulling could cure a variety of illnesses ranging from heart disease and digestive troubles to hormonal disorders. There is great evidence to prove this is true.
Oral health is so important to our overall health and is often overlooked. Chronic gum and tooth infections, often associated with root canals or crowns, candida, amalgam fillings and mercury poisoning can pollute the whole body and undermine the immune system. Always look to the mouth in chronic illnesses.
Oil Pulling with Coconut oil
OIL PULLING has so many benefits.
The following is from a book called Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by naturopathic physician Bruce Fife.
“As simple as it is, oil pulling has a very powerful detoxifying effect. Our mouths are the home to billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and their toxins. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in our mouths. It is these types of germs and their toxic waste products that cause gum disease and tooth decay and contribute to many other health problems including arthritis and heart disease. Our immune system is constantly fighting these troublemakers. If our immune system becomes overloaded or burdened by excessive stress, poor diet, environmental toxins and such, these organisms can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health problems.”
THE BENEFITS OF OIL PULLING
• Brighter, whiter teeth
• Healthier gums
• Prevents bad breath
• Increased energy
• Clearer mind
• Decreased headaches
• Clearer sinuses
• Alleviated allergies
• Better sleep
• Clearer skin
• Regulated menstrual cycles
• Improved lymphatic system
• Improved PMS symptoms
. Arthritis & Chronic Disease relief
HOW TO OIL PULL
It can be done with sesame oil or my favourite virgin organic CoConut oil or virgin Olive oil or Black Sesame Oil. Add a drop of oregano essential oil or thieves oil.
Best done first thing in the morning it is simple; put a teaspoon or at most a tablespoon of oil in the mouth. Coconut oil can go hard in winter so may need to be put in a pot of warm water. It is heat tolerant and can be kept in or out of the fridge.
While you oil pulling – give yourself a coconut oil massage – I do.
You can add an essential oil to it such as one drop of thieves, oregano oil or Melrose Blend( good for candida). All oils recommended here are Young Living Essential Oils.
Then swish vigorously around the mouth for 5-10 mins. Do Not Swallow.
Then spit out in the garden and clean mouth and teeth with Thieves toothpaste.
Your mouth will feel amazing and many toxins will be released.
I am definitely an ‘Oil Puller Believer’ now and after reading so many stories of healing I am inspired to continue this practice.
ESSENTIAL OIL IN DRINKING WATER
Adding therapeutic grade essential oils to the drinking water such as Lime, Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Slique essence YL blend, Lemon, Peppermint or Citrus Fresh YL blend. I only use the best oils – Young Living Essential Oils.
These are cleansing to the whole system especially the Lymph, flushing toxins out via the kidneys. Make sure you drink between 2 and 3 litres of water a day.
ESSENTIAL OILS IN EPSOM SALTS SCRUB
Epsom salts scrub
Add to 1 1/2 cups of epsom salts 5-8 drops of essential oil and 1/2 cup coconut oil or more if you wish. Experiment to find best feel for you
Young Living E. Oils to use are:
for candida – Melrose YL blend is great
Try – Grapefruit, Tangerine, Lemongrass, Lemon Myrtle, Peppermint.
Very Gentle for sensitive skin – Lavender, Geranium, Grapefruit.
Essential Oils are soothing and great for a zingy fresh skin experience.
(Remember oils with citrus can make your skin sun sensitive avoid sun that day.)
Mix well and Put in a jar in the fridge
Peppermint Essential Oil
Stand in shower as it can be messy, take a handful rub gently from feet upwards towards heart. Hands toward heart and up back and front. Wash off and feel GREAT. You have just given yourself a fabulous lymphatic massage and your skin will feel beautifully soft.
So as you we can see your Lymphatic System is very important. If you have been overweight, have or have had a Candida problem or been under viral attack or have gum disease, root canals or teeth problems you should give your lymphatic system some help or chronic dis-ease will develop with age.
With Lymphatic Cancer on the rise this is not a joke.
LOVE your body back to health with a change of lifestyle including a Healthy Diet rich in Fresh Organic Produce and Whole foods, Exercise, YOGIC Breathing, Yoga Stretching and a POSITIVE attitude and lots of fun filled bouncing and jumping for JOY. I could write so much more however if you have read this far you have done well.
Hugs are great medicine too and if you were here I would embrace you now.
Be an optimist not a pessimist. Our attitude in life governs our experience of life.
‘Life is a Gift and the Body as the Temple of our Soul has an innate power to heal itself given the right mental, physical and spiritual environment’
with Love
Soraya Saraswati
Yoga Therapist | Naturopath | TRE | Global Spirit Essential Oils