The Most Underrated System in the Body: Unlocking Your Lymphatic Vitality

Lymph has always been on my clinical radar. However, since having major surgery and losing a whole bunch of abdominal lymph nodes and acquiring extensive scar tissue, I have become the barometer of just how important lymph health truly is. It is commonly the most undervalued and least understood body system.

Our filtration system: the river of life

The lymphatic system is complex and consists of a network of vessels, nodes, and organs such as the thymus and spleen and also bone marrow. The appendix, commonly thought by conventional medicos to be a ‘dead-end, pointless tube’ has since been upgraded to being an important part of the lymphatic system.

It is our internal river that plays a crucial role in maintaining the body’s overall health via fluid drainage and transport and stimulating disease resistance. It is known as the ‘distribution network’ of the immune system.

We have almost twice as much lymph as we do blood. Every other system in our body is dependent on our lymphatics i.e., immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems but also including the brain and the nervous system (yep, it even affects our psychology). It contains white blood cells, proteins, nutrients, and waste products and bathes every single cell of our body. 

Lymph is fluid that has been forced out of the bloodstream during normal circulation which is then filtered through lymph nodes to remove bacteria, abnormal cells, and other biological debris. This fluid is then transported back into the bloodstream via the lymph vessels to prevent oedema and maintain blood volume and pressure, making it crucial for life!

Nutrients in, waste out: the flow of lymph

SUPPORTING HEALTHY FLUID LEVELS by filtering and accumulating excess fluid from your body’s tissues and returning it to your bloodstream. Lymph only moves in one direction, toward the heart.

GUT-LYMPH CONNECTION with the millions of lymphatic vessels, known as lacteals, lining the gut that collect fluid and fat molecules (A, D, K, and E) from your small intestines to be transported to your bloodstream. Fat molecules, being too large to be absorbed through your capillaries like other molecules, are dependent on your free flowing lymph.

IMMUNE FUNCTION, protecting your body against invaders. It produces and type of white blood cell (lymphocytes) and other immune cells that seek and destroy pathogens — such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Swollen glands when you have an infection, while making you feel icky, is a sign your lymph system is doing a great job.

REMOVAL OF WASTE from the tissues. Lymph also destroys old or abnormal cells (cellular debris) your body doesn’t need, sending it to the bloodstream to then be eliminated via excretory channels. When this doesn’t happen, the tissues become swollen. Swollen lymph nodes are a sign of common infections.

FILTERING AND PURIFYING. Lymph nodes are small, roundish structures distributed throughout the lymphatic system which trap and destroy pathogens and foreign substances, preventing the spread of diseases.

 Signs of a sluggish lymph system:

• Fluid retention and puffiness (including breast swelling during your cycle)
• Muscle stiffness and joint pain
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Headaches and migraines
• Excessive cellulite (some cellulite is perfectly normal!)
• Cold extremities
• Weight gain
• Skin rashes/eruptions
• Sinus congestion

 How do we keep our lymph system healthy?

When lymph circulation becomes sluggish it can lead to conditions such as lymphedema (where the limbs swell dramatically due to the accumulation of excess fluid), an increased susceptibility to infections, and even cancer.

The lymph system has no pump, so it depends on gravity, breathing, and movement of the body to function as a pump (the heart is the pump for the cardiovascular system). This can be achieved by exercise, deep breathing, and manual lymphatic drainage techniques (lightly sweeping the skin towards the heart).

Simple habits to stimulate your lymphatic vitality:

Hydration is your lymph’s best friend, so drink up! An ayurvedic method that is especially good for opening lymph channels is drinking very warm water throughout the day (adding lemon juice makes this a wonderful choice for extra cleansing). Herbal tisanes (tea) are also a good option and I love personalising blends based on my client’s needs, with fennel often the star of the lymph show. In hot weather, coconut water, which is full of electrolytes, is a fantastic hydrator. Alcohol is the enemy of lymph by the way.

Deep breathing is the next most important step. The movement of your thoracic cavity against the diaphragm activates deep lymphatic function, improving the circulation and health of the lymph whilst lowering the levels of cortisol (stress hormone in your body). This method of breathing also improves the function of the Cisterna Chyli, a large lymphatic reservoir that sits behind the diaphragm responsible for temporarily storing lymph to filter digestive fluids and fats.

Elevating your legs – circulation will be hindered by long periods of sitting, causing oxygen-depleted blood in our legs to work against gravity to return to the heart, so legs up the wall, shoulder stand, or any method of elevating your legs will help.

Dry skin brushing is another ayurvedic approach to stimulating blood and lymph circulation while gently exfoliating the skin, helping improve the texture and appearance of the skin.

Rebounding/bouncing/stamping feet – sends a ripple effect of energy throughout the body, supercharging the lymphatics. Shake it out!

Dancing – especially swiveling hips and waving arms in the air!

Nurture your sacred river

Just to impress on you the importance of healthy lymph, if it were to stop functioning, we would die within a day or so. While this is unlikely to happen, it demonstrates how quickly our health can deteriorate if we do not give our lymph the proper love.

So, make sure you are giving plenty of love to the approximately 800 lymph nodes in your body that constantly strive to remove toxins, waste, and pathogens. Nurturing your lymphatic system is a deep act of self-care.

If you have already become unwell, there are still positive options for your lymphatic health, even post-operatively. The good news is that the lymphatic system is regenerative.

For more in-depth and personalised healing of the lymphatic system, homeopathy will be your go-to, it has been priceless for recovering my own lymphatic health and dissolving scar tissue. Please reach out if you would like to care more for your sacred river delta.

Aude sapere.