The Lymphatic System: Why should I care?
By Cecily Braden
This is a topic we will continue to explore, along with lifestyle suggestions and habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to support your lymphatic system and overall health.
Learning about the lymphatic system can be a bit daunting, so we’ll break it down into digestible bites as we paint the full picture of its function, and why we should care about it. I look forward to learning along with you and sharing our discoveries with the world.
The Lymphatic System: The Unsung Hero of our Body
The lymphatic system is the sewer system of our body. It irrigates our tissue; filters and flushes excess fluid and cellular waste from the spaces between our cells, providing a clean environment for them to function and receive the nutrients they need.
It maintains fluid balance, facilitates our regenerative processes and is the foundation and function for our adaptive immunological responses. If it stops functioning, you will die within 24 hours. Sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
“The lymph system is the origin of life. Youth, life and death are dependent on lymph and its renewal. We live in lymph; our tissues are washed in lymph. It supplies us with the life-giving nutrients necessary for body development.” — Dr. Vodder Handbook
The lymphatic system is the unsung “lift-sustaining” hero of the body and works in conjunction with the circulatory system to support and maintain the overall health and functioning of all our organs.
It’s the answer to healthy, clear, glowing skin. If you want to lose weight, stop bloating and minimize the appearance of cellulite, focus on clearing the congestion and improving flow within the lymphatics, which directly support digestive and gut health.
Arthritis and inflammation, yep, you guessed it. All roads lead to lymphatic system function. I refer to it as “clearing the clutter,” or getting rid of the metabolic waste that creates adhesions, and stagnation that lead to an accumulation of wastes in the tissue and vessel system, essentially suffocating the cells of our body.
Let’s break it down with some definitions: Structure, Function and Flow
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM cleanses the tissue and keeps the space around the cells pristine. It’s a transportation network of fluid that supports the function of all our organs, and regulatory systems of the body. It calms the nervous system, triggering a parasympathetic response that allows the body to use its resources to repair, rejuvenate and restore vitality.
LYMPH VESSEL SYSTEM: A vast network of vessels that play a vital role in maintaining the balance of circulatory fluids. Regarded as a safety valve, it supports the venous and immune system by absorbing or removing all substances from the interstitium (fluid spaces) that are too large to enter the venous system. They consist of proteins, long-chain fatty acids, pathogens, cell debris, viruses, bacteria, dust and plasma. The lymphatic system absorbs fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive system and delivers these nutrients back into the bloodstream where they are used by the cells.
MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE (MLD): A uni-directional manual manipulation that assists in moving fluid out of your tissues into lymph nodes where bacteria, viruses and other harmful microorganisms are repurposed, quarantined, or destroyed.
Perpetual youth of the cell depends on lymph. Skin cells wear out and are constantly replaced by young cells. However, without the life-sustaining nutrients leaving the blood via osmosis to nourish the cells and the lymphatic system cleansing the tissue and keeping the space around the cells pristine, the cells will age and die.
WHEN LYMPH FLOW is obstructed, or slows and this process can’t take place, the lymph vessels become blocked with stagnant, old lymph, which is the pre-cursor to aging and disorder in the tissue. Eventually, without regaining movement, the lymph vessels atrophy and will stop working.
POOR LYMPHATIC CIRCULATION lowers our defense. Sluggish or stagnant lymph creates inflammation and leads to the deterioration and health of the skin; acne, rosacea, puffiness, dark circles and other sensitivities.
STAGNATION of the lymph flow has catastrophic results for health and beauty: the lymph circulation has to be stimulated at all cost and can be done through manually manipulating the tissue.
THE LYMPHATIC BRUSH assists in keeping everything flowing; cleansing the lymph, reducing swelling in the mucous membranes, restoring inner mobility and subsequently, helping to eradicate the root cause of most skincare and chronic health concerns.
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Sources: Dr. Vodder’s Manual Lymphatic Drainage: A Practical Guide. ASTECC MLD by Anne Bramham. Your Key to Good Health: Unlocking the ower of Your Lymphatic System by Elaine Hruska.