What is the Lymphatic System?

Today, I wanted to share some of the general basics about the lymphatic system. If you are interested in learning more, sign up for me FREE masterclass Love Your Lymph on Tuesday, September 13th at 7pm. or join my FREE 5 day Nourish Your Nervous System Challenge.

What is the Lymphatic System?

• An organ system that helps get rid of toxins, waste and unwanted products

• Second circulatory System: It runs parallel to our circulatory system.

• The sanitation and recycling system of body

• Filters and removes excess waste from your body

Why is it important?

• Essential part of the immune system

  • produces white blood cells to destroy harmful pathogens

• Garbage collector

  • filters out bacteria and toxins That can cause disease

• Aids digestive system

  • absorbs fat and fatty acids from gut and transports back to bloodstream, making available for the cells to use as fuel

• Maintains fluid balance in the body

  • collecting, purifying, draining excess fluids so your issues don’t swell

• Connected to every other system in the body

  • The nervous system

  • Digestive system

  • Neurological system

• Each day fluid seeps of your blood capillaries and into the interstitial fluid

  • Some is absorbed into capillaries

  • Job of lymph system is to collect the extra fluid (lymph load)

  • Prevents an accumulation of toxic debris in your tissues

Why do we need to pay attention?

• There is no central pump

  • The Cardiovascular system has the heart which pumps the blood throughout the system

  • The Lymphatic system does NOT

  • Lymph flows in one direction→ toward the heart

• Lymph flow relies on the pulsing of nearby aretiers, skeletal muscle contractions and breathing

  • This is why self massage breathwork and exercise are PILLARS of lymphatic system health

• Daily Lymphatic System maintenance is a pillar of good health

Superficial vs. Deep

• Superficial layer:

  • Located in the dermis, just under the epidermis(the outermost layer of hte skin)

  • Most of these lymph vessels are located above the muscle beds

  • Exist alongside your blood capillaries

  • This is where your hands will be accessing most of your lymph in your self massage sequences

• Deeper lymphatic network

  • Drains organs and deeper regions of your body

  • Made up of trunks and ducts

  • Takes fats from your gut and the fluid from your lower limbs

  • Stimulated using deep diaphragmatic breathing and abdominal massage

How can you maintain a healthy lymphatic system?

• Self massage techniques

  • Strokes are horizontal

  • Works on superficial layer of lymph

  • Gentle, soft touch, towards the heart

• Diaphragmatic Breathing: 

  • Stimulates the deeper layer of lymphatic network

  • Moves fluid from organs and abdominal region

• Dry Brushing

  • Using a dry brush to lightly stimulate the lymphatic vessels

  • Brush towards the heart

• Exercise

  • Skeletal muscle contraction (IE: muscle squeezing) helps the lymphatic vessels pump back to the heart