Lifestyle Factors & Lymphatic Health

​Lifestyle factors may not be top of mind when it comes to supporting the lymphatic system.

​What we put into our body in terms of foods obviously plays a role, but what about what we see, think, do or feel? What about those things that we can’t see or feel?

There are many things that we encounter in our daily lives that can have profound effects on our lymphatic system, and depending on how we approach them, they can have either positive or negative effects. Below are some areas in our life that may be impacting our lymphatic flow and actions you can take to improve the functioning of our lymphatic system;
 
 
Electronic Pollution – Most of us are not surrounded by electronics 24/7! This can impact our health in a variety of ways. While studies don’t show a lot of specific, concrete evidence, we do know that many people experience poor health outcomes with too much exposure. These radio waves also keep our boy in a fight or flight sympathethic state which impairs the flow of lymphatic fluid. Look for ways to decrease use of electronics, and exposure to wireless radiation, such as turning off Wi-Fi at night, leaving your phone at home and getting out into nature and using copper shields on your devices. 1
 
 
Restricting body movements – Choose loose fitting and comfortable clothing that allows full range of motion and doesn’t dig in or rub. Move frequently throughout the day; change positions frequently when sitting, and get up for a walk at least every hour if you work at a desk. 2
 
Emotions – Our body cannot tell the difference between stress we have through thinking negative thoughts or experiencing negative emotions, and the stress induced by a physical situation such as the proverbial lion stalking you on the savannah. Therefore, it’s extremely important to get in touch with your emotions, and find ways to process them. This may entail therapy or counselling, or there are many great books that can help you do so, for example check out the book Feelings Buried Alive Never Die.
 
Toxins & Heavy Metals – Toxins and Heavy metals that enter the body must be processed by the immune system. This just so happens to take place in the lymph nodes. Our body can process small amounts effectively, but, in today’s world we are exposed to toxins and heavy metals far too often. They can be found in cosmetics, household products, food, water, kitchen appliances and other products, furniture, clothing, materials used to build our homes and in agriculture. A few things that you can do to lessen your exposure include choosing gentle, natural products whenever possible, read labels and ask questions so you know what is in the items you’re bringing into your home. 3
 
Dry brushing – Dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like; brushing the skin while it’s dry. This is an effective strategy that you can implement before your daily shower. If you remember from my earlier posts, the lymphatic system has both deep and superficial vessels. These superficial vessels just below the skin are what benefit the most from the gentle pressure of dry brushing. If you’d like more details on how to dry brush visit the following link Dry Brushing How-To.
 
Other effective techniques include sauna which increases circulation and helps to expel toxins through sweating, as well as lymphatic drainage massage which helps to get lymph fluid moving and promotes the release of toxins.