Ensuring your body effectively identifies and safely excretes toxins that enter your system is a major part of staying healthy. Your body contains many systems comprising of different organs and glands to ensure this occurs. Because of clogged lymph, the operational state of many of these systems is compromised to the extent of complete dysfunction.
As an elaborate drainage system, the lymphatic system consists of the spleen, lymph nodes, thymus gland, and tonsils. By absorbing excess toxins, fat, and fluids from body tissues and into your blood, it cleanses your cells. Your liver and kidneys will then filter out the blood. We however increasingly pollute this system with our nutritional deficiencies, toxic burden, and relative inactivity.
The following are common signs clogged lymph needs serious cleansing:
• Skin conditions
• Unexplained injuries
• Digestive disorders
• Sinus infections
• Excess weight or cellulite
• Headaches
• Arthritis
• Chronic fatigue
Factors you should consider to help you cleanse your lymphatic system:
1. Exercise
Consistency and starting slow on exercises is the best strategy if your lymphatic system is toxic. You can always include more vigorous and intense workouts after gaining more energy. Rebounding is one of the safest, easiest, and most profound exercises to incorporate. The movement of bouncing up and down lightly on a trampoline is perfect for stimulating lymph flow. It is also ideal for toning other detoxification organs.
2. Alternative treatments
You might want to add some additional body work or exercising might not be your thing. Fear not, a few alternative treatments can also get the lymph flowing. By stimulating circulation, lymphatic drainage massages offer easy lymph detoxification. Acupuncture also helps to open up pathways in your body, stimulating lymph flow and contributing to the removal of toxins from your body. Using an infrared sauna leads to the excretion of sweat through your skin. This helps to release your lymphatic system’s toxic burden, enabling optimal performance.
3. Hot and cold showers
Hot water dilates your blood vessels while cold water contracts them. These alterations create a pumping action, forcing any stagnant fluid out of the system. Your clogged lymph system does not feature its own central pump. As such, this therapy and any other that stimulates a similar action are great solutions for proper flow. However, be cautious if you are pregnant or have a heart condition.
4. Dry brushing
Use a natural bristle brush to brush your dry skin in circular motions before you take a bath. Start with your feet, moving towards the torso and from your fingers towards the chest. Direct the flow similar to your lymph circulation, which is towards the heart. Dry brushing stimulates enhanced lymphatic system performance and helps to open up your skin pores, enabling easy removal of toxins.
5. Drink enough clean water
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You can actively add to your toxic burden by improperly sourcing your water. Ingesting the easy to absorb toxins present in water such as chlorine, fluoride, and VOC’s adds to your toxic burden. Invest in a high-quality and proven water filtration system or source your drinking water from approved sources free of such contaminants.
6. Avoid restrictive clothing
Tight clothing often impacts proper lymphatic circulation, causing the occurrence of blockages and buildup of toxins in different areas of your body. For women, your bra might be too tight around the axillary lymph node area. Over time, tight-fitting underwear could result in future problems in the inguinal lymph node area. As such, it is important to avoid excessively tight clothing as much as possible.
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7. Take deep breaths
Deep breaths help to pump your lymph properly. Your body contains three times more lymph fluid than blood. Taking deep breaths is, therefore, increasingly important to ensure proper absorption of toxins into the blood for detoxification by the liver and kidneys. Exhale smoothly after breathing deeply to facilitate this process.
8. Eat foods the enhance lymph flow
Promote healthy lymph flow by ingesting clean, nutrient-rich foods such as:
• Ground flaxseed
• Algae
• Brazil nuts
• Walnuts
• Seaweed
• Almonds
• Low sugar fruits
• Chia
• Garlic
• Avocados
• Dark leafy greens
• Cranberries
These foods provide minerals, vitamins, EFA’s, and enzymes necessary for a more effective cleansing.
9. Avoid everything that causes lymph stagnation
Providing your system with enough power to fight is half of the cleansing battle. It is, unfortunately, impossible to accomplish this if you continue polluting your body with toxins. Opt for more oxygen-rich environments and stay out of heavily contaminated areas. You should also avoid products comprising of petroleum, parabens, and phthalates. Enhance your lymphatic health by avoiding:
• Conventionally raised meat
• Conventional dairy
• Refined grains
• Baked foods
• Soy
• Sugar
• Table salt
• Artificial sweeteners
• Preservatives and additives
• Processed foods
10. Take lymph flow stimulating herbs
Because they are great natural stimulators, appropriate use of herbs helps to kick-start your clogged lymph. Herbs to consider include:
• Goldenseal
• Parsley
• Astragalus
• Pokeroot
• Echinacea
• Wild indigo root
• Cilantro
• Red clover
Conclusion
A multi-faceted approach is usually the only way to cleanse any system effectively, your lymphatic system included. As such, ensure you layer in all the factors mentioned above for a comprehensive cleanse.
