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Active Ways to Improve Lymphatic System Health
Your lymphatic system acts as the body’s drainage network to remove toxins, cellular debris, and waste products. But when the system gets clogged, these harmful substances can build up and make you sick. Luckily, there are many natural ways to get your lymph moving again.
But first, let’s understand:
What is the Lymphatic System and Why is it Important?
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, nodes, and organs that help remove waste and toxins from the body. It transports lymph fluid that originates as blood plasma which leaks from capillaries into body tissues.
The lymph fluid collects waste products and filters pathogens and toxins through lymph nodes before emptying back into the circulatory system. The lymphatic system also transports white blood cells called lymphocytes that fight infection.
A healthy lymphatic system is crucial for maintaining fluid balance, preventing swelling, supporting immunity, and removing cellular byproducts from tissues.
Causes and Symptoms of Lymphatic Blockage
Lymphatic blockage or congestion can occur due to various reasons:
- Lack of activity and muscle movement to pump lymph
- Scar tissue, tumors, or fat deposits pressing on vessels
- Inflammation from infections, disease, or injuries
- Removal of lymph nodes during treatment
- Radiation therapy which can damage lymphatic tissue
Symptoms of lymphatic blockage may include:
- Swelling and pain in a limb, or one side of the body
- Stiffness, aching, heaviness, or discomfort
- Repeated infections due to lowered immunity
- Slow healing of wounds
- Inflammatory skin conditions like eczema or dermatitis
- Digestive issues like bloating, constipation or abdominal pain
In severe cases, blocked lymph drainage can increase risk of chronic infections and serious complications. Seeking medical attention is recommended if you experience any severe symptoms.
Now let's look at some ways to get lymph moving again:
1. Promote Lymph Flow With Exercise
The lymphatic system depends on movement and muscle contraction to circulate lymph fluid. Lack of exercise leads to sluggish, congested vessels.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio like walking, swimming, or jumping rope daily to boost overall lymph flow. Jumping on a mini-trampoline or rebounder provides an extra lymph-stimulating effect.
2. Try Yoga Poses for Lymph Drainage
Your lymphatic system relies on physical movement and contraction of muscles to keep lymph fluid flowing. Certain yoga poses and stretches are especially beneficial for stimulating healthy lymph drainage throughout the body.
A clogged lymphatic system is detrimental to your health and practicing these poses promotes detoxification by moving lymph. Not sure where to start when it comes to using yoga for lymphatic drainage?
Try these beginner-friendly poses:
Moving between cat pose and cow pose gently massages the lymph vessels along the spine. Arching the back in cow pose gently compresses the vessels, while rounding the back in cat pose stimulates flow.
Follow these steps:
- Get on hands and knees with a flat back.
- Inhale and drop belly toward the floor, lifting chest and tailbone (cow pose).
- Exhale and arch back up toward the ceiling, tucking your chin in (cat pose).
- Repeat for 30-60 seconds, moving with each breath.
Rotating the shoulders in big circles moves lymph fluid around the shoulder joints and down through the arms. This helps prevent lymphatic congestion and swelling in the hands and arms.
Follow these steps:
- Sit or stand with shoulders relaxed and arms at your sides.
- Make big backward circles with both shoulders simultaneously.
- Do 10 circles then switch to forward circles for 10 rotations.
- Focus on using the full range of motion and keeping circles smooth.
This chest and abdomen opening pose mimics deep breathing to create internal pressure. This pressure gently pushes lymph through the vessels.
Follow these steps:
- Lie on your stomach with palms flat beneath shoulders.
- On an inhale, slowly lift the chest off the floor by straightening your arms.
- Keep hips and legs relaxed, pressed into the floor.
- Hold for 5-10 breaths before lowering back down.
Bridging lifts the chest and hips to improve drainage along the spine while providing a gentle stretch to the chest and lymph areas. Keep the neck relaxed and avoid pinching vessels.
Follow these steps:
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart on the floor. Arms at sides.
- Inhale and lift hips up until thighs are parallel to floor. Clasp hands beneath back.
- Hold 5-10 breaths, then lower hips and spine slowly back to the floor.
Elevating the legs straight up against a wall helps drain excess lymph fluid from the lower body while the heart is lower than the legs. Remaining still also allows the vessels time to fully empty.
Follow these steps:
- Sit sideways next to a wall with legs extended up the wall and glutes close to the wall. Back relaxed on the floor.
- Option to place a pillow under hips or small roll under lower back for comfort.
- Hold pose 5-10 minutes with deep belly breathing.
Twisting postures like a revolved chair gently compress lymph vessels to stimulate drainage throughout the core and along the spine. Go slowly and focus on deep breaths.
Follow these steps:
- Sit up tall with feet on the floor. Inhale and lift your arms up.
- Exhale and twist the torso to the right, bringing the right hand to the outside of the left thigh. Place your left hand behind your back.
- Turn your neck and gaze back over your right shoulder. Hold for 5 breaths.
- Inhale back to center then repeat on the left side.
Inversions like downward dog gently reverse fluid pressure and use gravity to encourage lymph to flow upward and improve drainage bodywide.
Follow these steps:
- Come to hands and knees then tuck toes. Send hips up and back to an inverted "V" shape pressing into hands and feet. Arms and legs straight.
- Allow the head to hang to fully reverse pressure. Hold for 5-10 long deep breaths.
Gently massaging and compressing the abdomen in the happy baby pose moves lymph fluid congested around the belly, appendix, and reproductive organs.
Follow these steps:
- Lie on your back and bring both knees into the chest. Grab the outer edges of your feet with knees wide and shins parallel to the floor.
- Gently rock hips side to side massaging abdomen. Can also bring knees up and down to compress.
Combine these yoga poses that stimulate lymph flow with massage, rebounding, dry brushing, and using Lure Essentials' Lymph Cream for optimal lymphatic health.
3. Use Lymph Cream to Unclog Lymph
After a rejuvenating yoga flow focused on lymph movement, keep the benefits going with Lure Essentials' Lymph Cream. This powerful topical cream is specially formulated to support lymphatic drainage and optimal immune health.
Yoga poses like twists, hip openers, and inversions help stimulate the flow of lymph through gravity and muscular contraction. Dry brushing and rebounding offer gentle physical stimulation to nudge lymph along. Lure Essentials' Lymph Cream complements these activities by providing immune-boosting and lymphatic-cleansing botanicals right where your skin needs them most.
Our carefully selected botanicals work to activate lymphatic flow, reduce swelling, and modulate immune responses in the skin and lymph nodes.
For full-body lymphatic support, make Lure's Immune Defense Lymph Cream part of your self-care ritual. Use it in tandem with yoga, dry brushing, and rebounding to clear toxins, reduce inflammation, and support immune health from the inside out.
Give your lymphatic system the natural assistance it needs with the power of plants.
Add Lure Essentials' Lymph Cream to your lymphatic cleansing regimen today and feel the refreshing difference.
