Revitalize Your Lymphatic System for Clearer Skin, Vibrant Energy & More Efficient Metabolism {Pure | Health & Wellness}

Revitalize Your Lymphatic System with Ayurveda’s Ancient Secret for Clearer Skin, Vibrant Energy & More Efficient Metabolism!

One of the key ways that your body is naturally designed to heal and find balance is via the lymphatic system. This body system allows for clearing wastes and maintaining healthy circulation. When the lymphatic system becomes congested or over-burdened you may experience symptoms ranging from cellulite to bloating to skin breakouts.

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What is The Lymphatic System?

The lymphatic system is an important part of your immune and circulatory systems which is made up of tissues that produce, store and transport white blood cells and body fluid. It involves a complex network of vessels, ducts, lymph nodes, the spleen, the thymus, the adenoids, and the tonsils. This expansive system travels throughout your body, helping to regulate the immune system and remove waste. 

Lymph fluid contains proteins, fats, fluids and sometimes bacteria or other foreign substances. It must flow freely to ensure that waste products do not build up in the tissues. Since the lymph system does not have its own pump, breathing and other muscle movements help to propel lymph fluid and transport it through many filtration points known as lymph nodes. These lymph nodes contain collections of white blood cells that identify and help destroy harmful pathogens or toxicants.

You Must Keep the Drains Open in the Lymphatic System for Health

This network of lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes acts like a giant drainage and filtration system for the body. To work properly and keep your body healthy, your lymphatic system needs to stay unclogged and flowing well. When the lymph flow becomes stagnant and congested, wastes and toxins begin to build up which can weaken immunity and contribute to a wide variety of health issues.

Poor waste removal in the lymphatic system can cause a variety of symptoms throughout the body. When your lymph drains become congested you may notice:

• Fatigue
• Water retention
• Cellulite
• Bloating
• Chronic sinusitis, sore throats, colds, or ear issues
• Stiffness, especially in the morning
• Brain fog
• Cold hands and feet
• Itchy and dry skin
• Stubborn weight gain
• Breast swelling with the menstrual cycle
• Swollen glands

Two Major Causes of Lymphatic Congestion

Although the body is naturally designed to cleanse itself of wastes and toxins, imbalances can throw off these natural processes and allow wastes to build up. Two major causes of lymphatic congestion that impair your ability to cleanse efficiently include stress and digestive imbalances .

Stress and Overwhelm

Biochemical and hormonal changes occur throughout the body during stress. Over time, this chronic stress chemistry contributes to inflammation that can injure cells and create waste which clogs up the lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system is also directly innervated by fibers of the sympathetic nervous system which is activated as part of the stress response. Animal studies show that chronic stress can even remodel lymphatic vasculature. This is believed to be one of the reasons that stress has been identified as an underlying contributor to up to 80% of chronic health issues.

Digestive Imbalances

The digestive system is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of stress, especially when it becomes chronic. Since the lymphatic system is closely intertwined with the gastrointestinal tract, stress, digestive health and lymphatic function are closely intertwined.

In fact, the largest collection of lymphatic vessels in the body surround the gastrointestinal tract. This system is known as the Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissues (GALT) and is located in close proximity to the intestinal villi where nutrient absorption occurs. The GALT can become congested when the intestines become inflamed or irritated by additives in food, food allergies or sensitivities or an overly-processed diet. This is a major cause of stagnant lymph flow, poor detoxification, digestive woes and impaired immunity.

A healthy intestinal lymphatic system is also necessary for maintaining a balanced microbiome and upholding the integrity of the intestinal lining. This barrier between your body and the outside world helps keep out harmful pathogens and foreign substances while selectively allowing for absorption of nutrients. Once dietary fats are absorbed across the intestinal lining, the intestinal lymphatics also play a key role in delivering them to the liver for processing.

Revitalize Your Lymphatic System for Clearer Skin, Vibrant Energy & More Efficient Metabolism

Decongesting your lymphatic system may hold the key to rejuvenating and rebalancing your body. Improving the function and flow of your lymphatic system may help clear up your skin, improve your energy and boost your metabolism. As with any cleansing or detoxification program, be sure to check with your physician before making changes that are appropriate for you.

Drink Enough Pure, Clean Water

Since lymph fluid is made up of about 95 percent water, adequate hydration with enough pure, clean water is crucial to keep it flowing freely. Ayurveda suggests that sipping warm water regularly throughout the day can help to dissolve ama or toxins that enter the body to heal and flush the GALT. 

• Stay well-hydrated by sipping warm purified water throughout the day to help keep your lymph flowing well. A water filter bottle (this is the one I use) can help you stay hydrated safely on the go so you always have access to clean, pure hydration.
• Adding some freshly-squeezed lemon to your water first thing in the morning (or try this refreshing lemon cucumber water) is another practice which can help to flush toxins out of your system that may have built up overnight. 
• Avoid sugar-laden soft drinks, processed juices, sports drinks, and alcohol, which burden on the body as well as too much caffeine which dehydrates the body and can stagnate the lymphatic system.

Dress Smart

Since the lymphatic system does not have a mechanical pump to propel lymph fluids through the body, it relies on natural muscle movements and unrestricted passageways to keep flowing. Wearing tight-fitting or restricting garments, like a snug underwire bra or skintight jeans, can restrict the drainage of lymphatic fluids from surrounding tissues. Therefore, one simple way to prevent restricted lymphatic flow is to avoid tight clothing.

• Opt for looser fitting clothing in natural fabrics like organic cotton, well-fitting waistbands and wireless bras.
• Some of my favorite options are organic cotton bralettes and tees from Pact. You can save 20% off your first purchase of their soft, organic clothing that is ethically and sustainably made here (affiliate link).
• It is especially important to choose unrestricted clothing when sleeping since the body carries out extensive detoxification activities during sleep.

Breathe Deeply and Remain Mindful

Physical and emotional stress can throw the entire body out of balance and contribute to lymphatic congestion. Therefore, it is important to have an effective routine for coping with daily stress.

• Two of my favorite ways to relax and boost lymphatic flow are laughter and deep breathing. Slow, deep breathing (like these guided meditation exercises) not only helps to relieve tension and anxiety but also moves the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to push lymph fluid through the lymphatic vessels.
• In addition to deep breathing exercises, there are many other mindfulness practices to help you minimize the impact of stress on your lymphatic system, digestion, and overall health:
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Tai chi
  • Spending time in nature

Heal Your Gut

To keep your lymphatic system flowing well, you need a healthy gut and balanced nourishment. A sluggish digestive tract contributes to congestion within the lymphatic system, so removing factors that cause irritation and imbalance, repairing the gut lining and balancing the microbiome within the gut help to keep everything flowing well.

• Follow a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet which is individualized for your unique needs and sensitivities.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, leafy-green veggies, fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and balanced probiotics can often help heal the intestinal lining, reduce inflammation, and provide a diverse array of beneficial bacteria (learn more about why the microbiome is so important here). This makes your digestive tract more resilient to the harmful impacts of stress and keeps the GALT healthy.

Eat Lymph-Cleansing Red Foods

In particular, Ayurvedic medicine suggests that naturally red foods like beets, berries, pomegranates, cherries and, cranberries keep the lymph moving freely. The naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants and bioflavonoids in these raw fruits and vegetables help to break down toxic buildup, keep bile flowing freely for healthy fat digestion and combat free radicals. The fiber in produce also promotes regular elimination and cleansing of the intestinal villi to keep the intestinal lymphatic system and GALT healthy.

• Beets appear to be especially promising for reducing inflammation and supporting lymphatic system health. Enjoy raw beets grated in this salad for lymph-cleansing benefits.
• Make a natural lemonade punch with acerola berry powder for a boost of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Move Your Lymph with Yoga

In addition to avoiding unnecessary restriction from tight clothing, you can boost the natural movement of the lymphatic fluid with physical activity, yoga and massage. You may notice that fluid builds up and your legs get swollen when you sit for long periods of time. This is due to stagnation of lymph flow and can be prevented by frequent moving, massage and stretching. The rhythmic tensing and relaxing of the muscles during physical movement compresses the tissues to propel fluid through the lymphatic channels. 

• Inverted yoga postures reverse the effect of gravity to help drain lymphatic fluid. Depending on your individual needs and body (avoid inverted postures if you have health issues like neck problems, glaucoma, hypertension or hernias) poses like Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall pose) in combination with deep breathing pranayama can help propel lymphatic fluid through the body.
• Poses that involve twisting the abdomen can also stimulate the flow of lymphatic fluid up through the core of the body and allow fresh lymphatic fluid to flow back in as the twist is relaxed. If appropriate for your unique body (do not attempt these postures if you have sciatica or problems with your back or spine), poses like Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist) provide compression and twisting of the abdomen. 

Incorporating these daily habits into your routine can help to keep your lymphatic system flowing well, helping your body to come into balance!

Do you practice yoga to help your lymphatic flow?

What is your favorite recipe using beets?

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