lymphatic drainage

You may have heard the term lymphatic drainage, something that is becoming increasingly popular as a means of detoxification for your body! But what exactly is the lymphatic system? Basically, it is a complex system (also part of both the immune and circulatory systems) that is comprised of both lymph vessels and nodes that work together to drain fluids, detoxify, regenerate body’s tissues, filter out toxins, and maintain a healthy immune system. The primary purpose of this system is to transport a fluid called lympha towards the heart. The lymphatic system is responsible for a lot! So it’s super important that it’s functionality is maintained optimally and tended to regularly. 

In order for the lymphatic system to function, it relies on a bunch of tiny muscles (called Lymphangions) that contract in the body, like flexing a muscle to transport all kinds of substances and fluids. (i.e., proteins, toxins, hormones, fatty acids, immune cells) to the lymph nodes, which can then process them. The contraction and flow of the lymph can become sluggish or stagnant when we become stressed, fatigued, lack of exercise, trauma, infections, inflammation, etc. When the lymph circulation stagnates, fluids, proteins, cells and toxins accumulate and cellular functioning is significantly compromised. The stagnation of the lymph also keeps vital lymph fluid from making it’s way to our bloodstreams. The Lymphatic system will collect any excess fluid and put it back where it belongs when it’s functioning correctly, but improper draining will cause inflammation and a slew of other ailments that come from inflammation. Most commonly is swelling of the joints. 

So as you can imagine, lymphatic drainage is so important to keep your vessel clean and well functioning. There’s a few different ways that this can be achieved and we can support the process of drainage in a few different ways. Breathwork, acupuncture, lymphatic massage, and exercise are among the most straightforward techniques that can aid the body in efficient drainage and reversing stagnation. All of these techniques are gentle, and non invasive, and with regular practice can be super effective in encouraging the lymph nodes to function properly and health-fully. 

As always, the power that made the body can heal the body. Through routine preventative care, we can ensure that our bodies get the opportunity to function well for us to live our best lives.