The lymphatic system is one of the most important yet most neglected system in our body. Generally, the only time we hear about it is in the unfortunate cases of cancers such as lymphoma where the lymphatic system is diseased itself.But on a day to day basis our lymphatic system works behind the scenes as one of our bodies major detox and waste systems. It has a deep connection to out immune system, is often our first line of and is responsible for distributing our fighting and healing cells around the body. It should be a system at the forefront of our minds when it comes to good health.
It is made up of billions of lymph capillaries, over 700 lymph nodes and approximately 15 litres of lymph fluid.
It has a deep connection to our gut (which is now known as the second brain) meaning it also has influence over all of our body’s functions. (This is a whole topic on its own)
Also the word toxin is probably something you have heard a lot when it comes to health. But what is a toxin? In this case its anything from cellular waste, the natural by-products of our bodies normal processes, to anything foreign and not beneficial to our body that we might encounter. Ie chemicals from food, beauty products, the air around us, our clothes, our cleaning products etc. We are exposed to all these all day long and our body must eliminate what is not needed.
When our lymph system is not functioning optimally it can lead to an overload of our other detox organs. When these can no longer cope with the burden of detoxing our body from environmental stresses etc, our body naturally moves toxins into body fat and away from vital organs. The more toxins your body can’t remove, the more fat it needs to produce and maintain to store these toxins. If you struggle losing weight a sluggish lymphatic system may be a major factor for you.
Our cells can only be as healthy as the environment they live in. Our cells are surrounded by something called interstitial fluid. In simple terms this fluid is where the cells pick up the nutrients they need and dump what they don’t need. Our lymphatic system is responsible for sorting through this fluid and everything in it, ensuring there is nothing in there that needs to be fought and then circulating this back into our blood stream to then be eliminated by our other detox organs, liver kidneys, skin etc.
So what is lymphatic treatment and what does it do?
In its most simple form, lymphatic treatment involves a number of light movements and stimulations on various clusters of lymph nodes. This encourages are more smooth and efficient flow through the lymphatic system. Imagine unkinking a hose, or clearing traffic jams from a highway. The treatments we offer can and will go deeper, addressing organs and breathing patterns etc to assist in regaining optimal function.
What to expect?
It is quite normal to get a detox effect, you may pass a lot of urine in the 24-48 hours post treatment which is coming from fluid that has been retained in the tissues. Some people will end up quite fatigued or with a cold for a few days, this is all part of the process and is proof of your body clearing a lot of old toxins and waste. After this passes the magic happens.
Benefits
It is honestly hard to write a list of benefits to lymphatic treatment and having a healthy lymphatic system as the list is so extensive. Some of the major and most noticeable changes for people are:
- Weight loss
- Improved sleep
- Improved energy
- Improved immunity
- Decreased anxiety and depression
- Reduction in chronic pain
