Lymphatic System - Vital to Healing & Good Health
copyright 2006 Suzanne E. Sky, L.Ac., MTOM
The lymphatic system is vital to our health and very life. Part of our immune system, it provides defense against disease-causing organisms. When the lymphatic system becomes sluggish our tissues become congested, organ function is impaired and our health suffers. We’ll take a closer look at what lymph is and how we can improve our lymph circulation and function. It is essential to deal with the lymph system in all chronic or viral illness, cancer and many other diseases. Fortunately, there are many simple, effective self-care steps we can take to ensure healthy lymph!
What is the lymphatic system?
At the cellular level, the lymphatic system is a pathway through which fluid flows from the intercellular spaces into the blood. The lymphatic system includes lymph, lymphocytes, lymph vessels, lymph nodules, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen and thymus gland. Part of the body’s defense system, the lymph nodes filter lymph and the spleen filters blood, removing microorganisms and other foreign substances. The lymph nodes act as a filtration system that keeps particulate matter such as bacteria from entering the bloodstream. They produce both lymphocytes and monocytes. Lymph tissue contains lymphocytes and other cells that can destroy microorganisms and foreign substances.
The lymphatic system helps maintain fluid balance in the tissues. It also helps in clearance of proteins and large particles which are too large to be absorbed into the blood capillaries, but can be carried through the lymphatics. Removal of proteins from the intercellular spaces is so important, that if were not done, we would die within about twenty-four hours.
Lymphatic fluid is derived from intercellular fluid that flows into the lymphatics. About two-thirds of lymph is normally derived from the liver and intestines. Small lymph capillaries originate in the tissue and carry fluid away from the tissues. These lymph capillaries, which are in almost all tissues of the body, except the bones, superficial skin, deeper portion of peripheral nerves, the central nervous system, endomysium of muscles. But even these are able to drain through minute prelymphatic channels, whose fluid then flows into the lymphatic vessels. The brain is unique in that the prelymphatic channels drain into the cerebrospinal fluid and from there directly into the venous system. Lymph capillaries turn into lymph vessels which pass through lymph nodes, empty into the lymphatic ducts and then into the venous system
If the lymphatic system becomes congested, blocked, damaged or severed, fluids can build up in the connective tissue leading to edema. After a time, cell pathology may begin. If there is damage in the connective tissue due to burns, chronic inflammation, ulceration, or other factors, the lymph system transports damaged cells, inflammatory products and toxins away from the area. The more quickly this can happen, the faster recovery will be.
The liver is very permeable to fluids and these flow freely into the liver’s lymphatic system. The liver is an expanding and contracting reservoir of blood, lymph and bile. If circulation is weak, these fluids will have a tendency to congest the liver.
Since there is no pump for the lymphatic system as the heart is the pump for the blood system, how does the lymph move? Several factors influence lymph movement. The filling of a lymph vessel segment causes it to contract, which pumps the lymph into the next segment. This is known as intrinsic lymphatic pumping. Other factors that influence lymph movement are all related to movement and activity:
1) contraction of surrounding muscles during activity
2) movement of the body
3) pressure changes in the thorax during respiration
4) compression of tissues by objects of the body
5) arterial pulsations
During periods of rest, lymph is sluggish. During exercise the lymphatic pump becomes very active. Exercise can increase lymph flow ten to thirty fold. Thus, regular exercise is the most important factor in keeping a healthy lymph flow.
What can I do to keep my lymphatic system healthy?
Vodder’s Manual Lymph Drainage
This is a European system designed to help drain the lymph. Through a pumping and stretching effect on the lymph vessels, the Dr. Vodder method stimulates the contraction of lymph vessels, helping to move the lymph forward and drain the connective tissue. According to their site, scientific research in Europe (Hutzschenreuter, Mislin, Földi, et al.) has made this a well researched therapeutic technique. Visit the Dr. Vodder School North America web site to find information on the procedure and to find a local practitioner. Their site is at: www.vodderschool.com/index.cfm
Skin brushing
Skin brushing has been found to stimulate circulation to the skin and also to help stimulate lymph flow. Some people recommend skin brushing be done with dry skin. I find this to be aggravating for many people. Excellent results can be obtained by skin brushing in the shower. Get a good quality natural bristle bath brush at the health food store. Look for one that’s not soft, but where the bristles are stiff. You are going to brush your body toe to chest & head to chest, to help stimulate circulation, movement of lymph and promote healing. You will want to brush probably after you are done soaping up and are clean. You will brush lightly at first, until your skin is used to it, but ideally you will brush until your skin turns pinkish, signifying increased circulatory flow to the area. You will feel great afterwards and soon it will be just like brushing your teeth!
Here’s the flow – in the beginning just spend a few minutes. Once you get used to it you will spend about five to ten minutes to be thorough.
1) Feet & Legs
Do one side first and then the other. Start with the bottoms and tops of your feet, Brush up and down, ending with the upwards stroke on the front, sides and backs of your calves. Around the knees, back of the knees and then the thighs. Do the outer and inner thighs well – if you’re having hip problems, do the hips well. If you’re inguinal lymph (at the front crease, where your leg bends when you lift it), is congested spend a little extra time on the inner thigh and then lower abdomen. Now do the other leg.
2) Lower abdomen and hips
Scrub well all around your hips, lower and upper belly, inguinal area, buttocks and lower back. Remember to do the sides of your belly too.
3) Hands, arms, shoulders
Start on one side and brush your hands and arms. Brush up and down, ending with the stroke that brushes towards your chest. Brush up to the shoulders, and do your shoulders well. Start up around the neck and brush down to the shoulders, back and chest. If you have chronic tension in these areas brush that tension out!
4) Back and chest
It’s great if someone can brush your back – it’s much more thorough; but otherwise do the best you can. Reach to get as much of your back as you can. It feels great! Also be sure to brush the under arm area and down the side of the rib cage. The sternum is the bone that runs down the center of your chest and all the ribs are connected to it. Along the sternum and in between the ribs there is a lot of lymph so brush all along here. For women do brush gently around your breasts. Then down from the clavicular (collar bone) area.
You can either be standing under the shower while you’re doing this or just turn it off for a bit, scrub up and then rinse off really well. While you’ve been scrubbing, you’ve also scrubbed off a lot of old dead skin and have stimulated better circulation to your skin. An additional benefit, is that you have stimulated the meridians with your brushing massage! Do this daily along with a regular exercise program and appropriate dietary recommendations and you will notice a difference within a week or two.
If this is uncomfortable at first, brush only lightly & for a short period of time. Soon you will brush using more pressure & will enjoy the process.
If you have cellulite areas; this will help clear waste material from the area by bringing in fresh blood and energy. After drying off, I recommend using Weleda brand Cellulite Oil, which contains natural oil and essentials oils that help restore your skin to normal. Apply this to the cellulite areas daily after your shower and skin brushing. And smile!
Exercise
As we saw earlier, exercise increases lymph flow ten to thirty fold. This is phenomenal and the good news is this means we can do a lot to help our lymph flow. Liver circulation is aided by exercise, particularly by movement of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. As the diaphragm expands the chest, it compresses the abdominal cavity. The gentle compression of the liver with each breath aids circulation of the blood and lymph through the liver. Exercise such as walking, jumping on a rebounder 5 to 20 minutes per day, gentle running or other aerobic exercise and yogic or special breathing exercises help the liver and will also assist the lymph circulation. Swimming is an excellent exercise because it uses all the muscles and combines rhythmic breathing and movement.
If you are bedridden, experiment with what body movements you can make in bed. Wiggle your toes, move your wrists, arms, feet, legs, torso.
Many years ago, a naturopath taught me this exercise to stimulate the lymph in the chest and under arm area in particular. Stand in a relaxed position, feet close together. Hold your arms out parallel to the floor, palms down, parallel to the floor. Rotate your arms in small circles; forward ten times, backwards ten times. Then repeat this, now rotating in medium size circles and again in large circles. Repeat this cycle two to three times several times during the day.
Conscious Breathing
Even if you cannot walk or jump on a rebounder right now, you can sit in a chair outside or by a window and do some simple breathing exercises. I don’t recommend the more vigorous yogic breathing exercises, which you should learn from a qualified instructor, unless you are very familiar with the exercises and their contraindications. Here are a few basic breathing exercises to get you started.
1) Sit up in a comfortable position, maybe a chair or chaise lounge. Sitting outside is preferable or at least by an open window with some fresh air, if it’s not too cold.
2) Get comfortable and relaxed. Just sit and let yourself breathe naturally, admiring the view and letting go of all thoughts or emotions right now.
3) Bring your attention to your lower abdomen – the area just below your belly button. If you like, you can rest the palm of your hand there, with your thumb resting on your umbilicus (belly button). Simply let your attention rest on the lower belly, observing the rising and falling of your belly with each breath. You are not making your breath do anything, you are simply observing.
4) After a few minutes of this, slowly take a deep breath, breathing right into the palm of your hand resting on your belly. Feel your belly fill with air. Then slowly exhale, allowing your hand to follow your belly down. As you inhale again, feel the expansion in your diaphragm (the lower part of the rib cage) as that gently expands with each inhale. As you exhale, notice again how the diaphragm feels. Do this gently and rhythmically for a few minutes. This rhythmic expansion and contraction of the diaphragm helps pump blood and lymph through the liver.
Diet and Lymph
A balanced diet, high in fresh, organic vegetables with a balance of protein, fats, complex carbohydrates and some fruit daily will keep the lymphatic system very healthy. Daily consumption of sufficient fresh, clean water is also essential.
Vegetables and culinary herbs most helpful to move lymph: steamed mustard greens, bok choi, Spanish black radish, radishes, arugula, horseradish.
In general, follow good dietary guidelines. Avoid refined sugars, processed foods. Include plenty of vegetables, good quality protein, and beneficial oils in your diet regularly.
For further information on a healthy diet that will benefit not only the lymphatic system but your whole being, refer to my articles on foods for a healthy liver and general dietary guidelines.
Quality Oils Essential for Healthy Lymph
The lymphatic system is a major route for absorption of fats from the small intestine in the process of digestion. Thus, the quality and quantity of oils in our diet will effect the health of our lymphatic system. Oils are an important part of our diet as they provide important precursors to many biochemical pathways affecting the immune system, hormonal balance, cell health and repair, brain function and appropriate inflammatory response. A diet too low in oils will potentially cause many health problems.
The main issue with oils in our diet actually has more to do with the quality of oil rather than quantity of oil. We need good quality Omega-3 and other fatty acids in our daily diets to provide energy and help give us endurance and stamina. Oils are also the precursors for hormones and other compounds in the body. Thus it is easy to understand why we have so many hormonal and other problems from eating the wrong kinds of oils (fatty acids). Obsessed with eating low-fat foods, we are, in fact causing more problems than we are solving because the nutritional quality of the foods are very low and the quality of the oil used to begin with is very poor. It is far more desirable to choose full-fat, natural foods. Low-fat and non-fat milk, for example, behaves more like a carbohydrate in the body, which can cause triglycerides in the body to raise. This is found to be even more of a risk factor for heart disease that cholesterol itself. Also, we are no longer drinking milk, but an extremely processed and low-quality food. It is far better to drink organic whole milk and dilute it with water to achieve the desired dilution. Our bodies are designed to run on whole fats. Low- and non-fat foods are a modern processing fiasco.
On the other hand, most Americans get a high percentage of their oils from potato chips, French fried potatoes, crackers and other snacks, which contain harmful types of oils. Read labels carefully. Stay away from all hydrogenated oils, margarine, butter replacements, synthetic oils and most processed oils. These clog up the system. Trans-fats are a hot topic now and labeling is required. Companies have scrambled to rearrange their ingredients; but the oils that they are using are themselves not healthy. Avoid products with palm oil, cottonseed oil, canola, corn or peanut oil. These are inferior oils, not meant for human consumption on a regular basis. And the manner in which they are processed, with harsh chemicals that leave residues in the oils, renders them unfit as foods.
The most healthful, beneficial oil is extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil. In moderation, organic butter, sesame oil and toasted sesame oil are flavorful, good oils. Organic butter is found to contain a healthy balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 oils. Organic, unrefined coconut oil can be beneficial for many people.
Wild fish provide a good source of Omega-3 oils as does organically-raised animals and wild game. Avoid any farm raised animal; whether beef or fish. Due to poor agricultural practices, these animals have an unhealthy fatty acid profile, high in Omega-6 oils and deficient in the health-imparting Omega-3 oils.
Too much dairy or cheese in the diet can clog the lymph, particularly when eaten in large amounts. If you must eat cheese, eat it in moderation and enjoy varieties such as provolone, mozzarella, or parmesan. Many people do best with avoiding cow dairy altogether and including only small amounts of organic goat dairy.
Herbs
Herbs help the lymph in a variety of ways. Some herbs directly affect the lymph, other herbs would be used to address the underlying causes leading to or effects of lymph stagnation. According to Western herbal medicine, some herbs that specifically help move the lymph include Ceonothus, Phytolacca or Scrophularia. In springtime, one can gather fresh chickweed and press it into juice, which benefits the lymphatic system.
In Chinese medicine, a sluggish lymph is related to the Spleen energy and herbs to help Tonify the Spleen, Dry Dampness and Clear Phlegm are used according to the signs and symptoms of the person. Herb combinations such as the Four Gentlemen (containing Codonopis, Atractylodis, Licorice and Poria Cocos) may be used along with Two Aged Decoction (consisting of Ages Orange Peel and Pinellia Root).
Other herbs would be included depending on the presenting clinical picture of the whole person. If the Liver is sluggish, appropriate herbs to tonify, clear or move the Liver would be included. If a person’s diet is poor, this must be directly adjusted as the underlying cause and any digestive problems addressed. Since two-thirds of the lymph is produces in the liver and intestines, one must also assure there is good function in these areas. Herbs can help address these areas as well. Please consult with an experienced herbalist to make up a formula specific for your needs.
Ashland Acupuncture
Suzanne E. Sky, L.Ac., MTOM • Jenn Collins, L.Ac., MSOM
1605 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 • phone 541.488.9696 fax 541.552.9684
ashlandacu@opendoor.com • www.ashlandacu.com