In combination with your circulatory system, the lymphatic system removes waste produced by your cells. This includes excess fluid, dead blood cells, cancer cells and toxins.
This toxic waste then gets filtered through your kidneys and liver, and exits the body through faecal matter and urine.
Without proper care, lymph nodes can become congested and swollen. Here are 10 things you can do every day to help detox your lymphatic system naturally.
Exercise
Unlike your circulatory system that rely on the heart, your lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump. This means that in order for lymph fluid to be pumped throughout your body, you need to be moving.
As explained by Dr. David Williams,
“Our lymphatic system is basically our body’s sewer system. Although it has millions of vessels just like the blood system, it has no strong heart to keep lymph moving. Instead, lymph is moved by breathing, walking, intestinal activity, and muscle action. As muscles tighten, lymph vessels are squeezed and lymph is pushed along and filtered through lymph nodes on its way back to the veins and the heart.”
In short, exercising helps pump lymph around your body. For optimal lymph health, start your day with an early morning jog. Cardio is particularly good for decongesting your system. You can also do a full-body cardio workout if the weather’s bad.
- Drink More Water
The lymphatic system is filled with lymph, a lymphatic fluid. Dehydration affects your lymph just as much as it does your blood. And so, drinking lots of water ensures that your lymph can flow through ducts and nodes properly.
Anytime you feel thirsty, make sure to drink a tall glass of water. You can also drink a detox tea to boost liver function.
- Deep Breathing
Breathing deeply doesn’t just fill your body with oxygen, it also pushes along lymph.
Every time you breathe, you engage your intercostal muscles, which helps move lymph around your chest.
- Jumping
Jumping uses gravity to move lymph up and down.
It’s also a great way to get your heart pumping and increase oxygen intake.
Try jumping on a small trampoline or spending a few minutes jumping rope.
- Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Massaging manual engages muscles and moves lymph.
You can easily preform a lymphatic massage on yourself if you feel congested.
- Laughter
Laughter really is the best medicine!
It causes you to take deep breaths, which stimulates your lungs and circulation system.
Best of all, it increases your wellbeing and helps with pain management.
- Skin Brushing
Skin brushing refers to using a natural bristle brush and rubbing it gently on your body.
Similarly to massaging, skin brushing stimulates lymph movement and stimulates detoxification through the skin.
If done before a bath or shower, it’s a great way to help you detox. And it’s actually quite easy to do :
- Contrast Hydrotherapy
You can experience contrast hydrotherapy in the shower. Start off with hot water, then switch to cold and repeat the process once more. This change in temperature causes muscles and blood vessels to expand and contract, which helps blood and lymph move along. This also works well if you have joint pain:
- Eat Raw Fruits
Eating raw fruits on an empty stomach ensures that the acids and enzymes they contain get absorbed easier.
Citrus fruits, like lemon, lime and grapefruit, do wonders for your immune system. Thay also helps detoxify your digestive system.
- Try Essential Oils
Lymph nodes and ducts are very close to the surface of the skin. In fact, you can actually stimulate lymph drainage by simply applying essential oil to your skin.
Apply a drop behind the ears, along the jawline and along the collarbones to help drain lymph from your face. Peppermint, ginger and rosemary oil tend to work best.
If you have sensitive skin, test some oil near your wrist. If begin to feel burning or discomfort in that spot, dilute oil with some water and test again.
The world we live in is full of toxins left and right. Although you can’t always choose to avoid them, there are many ways that you can help your body clear them away. You’ll be amazed at how good a body that’s toxin-free can feel!
Source: dailyhealthpost.com
