Tip #5 for Looking and Feeling Younger Longer

What is Lymph anyway? Lymph is a colorless fluid containing white blood cells that bathes the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system*

You too can keep your lymphatic system functioning properly just by:

• exercising and building and maintaining muscle strength and lean body mass; muscle contraction forces tiny one-way valves of the lymphatic system to open and close and push the fluid through the system;
  

• walking (or rebounding); as a weight-bearing activity each step you take lightly pounding the ground, floor or pavement, creates pump-like gravitational pulls on the lymphatic system;
  

• practicing yoga or stretching helps direct lymph through the deep channels of the chest;
  

• practicing deep breathing; the act of breathing creates a lymphatic pump in itself helping to direct lymph through the chest; deeper more mindful breathing is the most important facilitator of lymphatic function while consistent shallow breathing leads to lymphatic congestion (for help with a proper breathing exercise, check out the Balance of B’ing in my Club Corridor)
  

• receiving a manual lymphatic massage from a licensed lymphatic massage therapist or receiving a facial** and full body drainage treatment performed by a Phyto5 trained professional using the BioRhythmic Drainer;

• staying hydrated to help prevent lymphatic stagnation; lymph get thicker and more sludgy when you’re dehydrated but will flow well when hydrated;
  

• avoiding processed foods and bad fats; these can cause inflammation and lead to lymphatic system congestion;
  

• eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables especially green vegetables because chlorophyll not only purifies the blood, it purifies lymph;
  

• avoiding chemical laden skin and body care products, cleaning products and pesticides which impede the body from immediate detoxification (AgeLess LaCure is a pure choice);
  

• learning how to resiliently respond to stress; the waste products of stress-fighting hormones are acidic and acidity leads to lymph congestion;
  

• refraining from wearing tight fitting clothing including underwear and underwire bras because both restrict the flow of lymph;
  

• avoiding unhealthy habits like smoking.

Endnotes:

*the network of vessels through which lymph drains from the tissues into the blood

** In 2015, the well-known Japanese cosmetics company, Shiseido, found impaired dermal lymphatic vessels to be an integral cause of sagging skin. Before 2016, sagging skin was mainly attributed to collagen loss. Their press release states:

“Shiseido Co., Ltd., through joint research with Professor Nobuyuki Takakura of the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, has revealed for the first time that impaired function of dermal lymphatic vessels lead to accumulation of subcutaneous fat, which ultimately causes ‘sagging’ of the skin.”

Zolla, Valerio, et al. “Aging-Related Anatomical and Biochemical Changes in Lymphatic Collectors Impair Lymph Transport, Fluid Homeostasis, and Pathogen Clearance.” Aging Cell, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Aug. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4531072/.

Dr. Baumann, Leslie. “The Connection Between Lymph and How You Look.” Miami Herald, July 21, 2014. www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/skin-deep/article1976385.html.