Five lymph-boosting practices and why they matter.
The lymphatic system is made up primarily of a fluid (lymph) that is comprised mainly of white blood cells. It transports nutrients and waste throughout the body, to hydrate, nourish and cleanse the tissues so that they may function optimally. When we feel sluggish it is possibly the lymphatic system that is sluggish also. It can be helpful, especially after winter when we’ve perhaps spent one too many evenings sunk into the sofa, to start stimulating movement throughout the body as a way of literally waking our system up for spring.
Now, Lymphatic cleansing and boosting practices may conjure up images of yogis standing on their heads or some weird craze that’s been hopped on by the celebrity world, but it needn’t be hard, time-consuming or expensive.
Here are five simple methods that you can try at home today;
Dry skin brushing - yes, I know, this old chestnut, but I’m afraid it works, and no you don’t need one of those brushes to reap the rewards. Now, I’ll be honest, I’ve bought many a body brush in my time and each time it gets used maybe twice before it sits in my bathroom for a year looking at me reproachfully from the side. What finally got me into ‘brushing’ was the instant and noticeable effect it has on skin tone, especially the legs! All you need to do is - using the palm of your hand - make long sweeping strokes along your skin (think like when you’re trying to brush crumbs off your lap), beginning at the feet and working your way towards the heart. Work toward the torso for each limb, up the abdomen and down the chest.
Cleavers water - sounds weird, but its essentially just a cold herbal tea. Cleavers (also known as sticky willy) are a great lymphatic tonic, herbal treatment for skin complaints such as psoriasis and cure for insomnia, to name just a few. They are a hedgerow weed commonly found throughout the UK, Europe and North America and are in season now. You will more than likely find some in your garden if you look closely. To make your cold infusion gather a large handful of the tender young tips, put in a jug or bottle with a few slices of cucumber and lemon, then leave for 6-8 hours on a sunny windowsill or in the fridge overnight.
3. Get moving - Have you ever got off a long haul flight or up from a day in bed and noticed that your limbs feel slightly swollen? Unlike the circulatory system, which moves blood around the body via a pump (the heart), the lymphatic system relies upon muscular contraction to move itself around, meaning that when we are inactive for long periods the fluid begins to build up, especially in the extremities. I’d love to offer you a magic pill here that fixes the problem but the hard truth is that the health of your lymphatic system requires you to move. We’ve all been taking long walks over the past year to look after our mental health, but don’t let them slide by the wayside now that restrictions are lifting. They are exactly what your lymph needs.
4. Stay regular - congestion within the digestive system can cross over into the lymphatic channels as well as hindering the movement of lymph throughout the body. If your gut is feeling less than mobile, try to incorporate more fibre and fluid into your routine, but do it gradually - shocking your system with a whole day of water, fruit and vegetables if you don’t usually have them will initially have the opposite effect. See my post “Five food groups to fulfill your fibre needs” to get some variety into your gut.
5. Breathe deeply - besides its benefits to the nervous system via the Vagus nerve, Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing is also hugely beneficial to lymphatic flow throughout the body. This is achieved partly by the positive and negative pressure created in the torso, which stimulates lymph movement through the system. As lymph fluid is passed through the lymph nodes it is filtered to remove bacteria, abnormal cells and other matter, to then continue its work throughout the body. A simple way of easing into diaphragmatic breathing is to lie on your back, inhale fully and let your belly completely inflate, pause, then exhale fully, drawing your belly button back toward your spine. On each round, try to slightly extend the exhale, perhaps counting to four on the inhale and out to five on the exhale, allowing for complete movement in and out.
The lymphatic system is a key component in the maintenance of our overall wellbeing and I hope that this post has given you a few ideas of ways to simply squeeze a little lymph maintenance into your day. Even if you only have five minutes, it is enough to make a difference.