Over the last few years medicine has been recognizing a subtle system that has been overlooked since the dawn of modern medicine. The lymphatic system.
What is the Lymphatic System and more importantly, what the heck does it do? The Lymphatic System is actually part of your circulatory system. It follows the venous pathways in the body and is a second pathway back to the heart. (1) It is essentially the “waste disposal system of your body”. It is a fluid system designed to detox your body of the waste that escapes from your blood stream. Lymph fluid is a clear, transparent or yellowish liquid, similar to blood without red blood cells and platelets.
The lymphatic system has a very subtle rhythm. It runs superficially between the top two layers of your skin (The derma–epidermic junction). These pathways then run deep in your body through all of your organs and almost all of your tissues. It originates in most tissues, in feather fine, capillary type vessels. It leads into a larger vein like vessel, moving to larger pre-collectors, trunks and ducts, until it reaches node centers where the particles picked up by the lymphatic system can be broken down and carried out of the body through the organs of elimination.
In the chemical and stress laden world we live in today, our lymphatic systems have become stagnant. Our bodies have a toxic demand on them that we have never before seen in history. There are chemicals in our food, our water supply, and the air we breathe. Most skin care products have highly toxic chemicals in them. At least 85% of what you put on your skin ends up in your bloodstream. This is why we are so particular about ingredients in the products we use at Flow. We are just now understanding what the chemical revolution has done to our generation.
In truth we have dug a hole so deep that most of us need help climbing out of a place of dis-ease in our body. Manual lymphatic drainage can aid in the deep detoxification of your organ systems. Many of us have blocked pathways that need help releasing fluid, tension and sometimes emotions.
Autoimmune disease is rampant, mental illness is off the charts these days and our children seem to be allergic to everything…. why? Our lymphatic systems are stagnant, our digestive systems are a mess and these two systems are the key to the proper function of the most important system in the body, our immune system. With regular maintenance we can create better circulation in our lymphatic systems, improving our overall health and well-being.
Our therapists at Flow Massage and Wellness are trained to a find the stagnant areas in the body and create movement and detoxification. The lymphatic treatment is very gentle using feather light pressure. The goal is to release the stagnant fluid that runs superficially in the body. Deeper pressure is sometimes applied to the abdomen and main node centers to release deeper node centers but even this deeper work is very gentle and slow.
In addition to booking a manual lymphatic drainage massage, there are some daily practices that can help to stimulate lymph system. Exercise, especially swimming, yoga and rebounding, dry brushing, drinking plenty of water, limiting caffeine and alcohol and intentional breathing are some great ways to create some movement on your own. We also teach classes on self-treatment between sessions.
Everyone can benefit from Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Regular treatment can keep the body in optimum health and prevent dis-ease from manifesting in the body. Here are a few body issues that manual lymphatic drainage can aid in:
There are many other applications for Manual lymphatic drainage, feel free to call for more information on your specific needs! We are here to help you on your journey to optimal health!
~ Namaste
