So, you think you’re all set for a healthy lifestyle with your clean eating plan and exercise routine all planned out. What more could you need for keeping your body hale and healthy? Have you ever given thought to how toxins are flushed out of your body? Sweating when you exercise is one way, but you should definitely take note of your lymphatic system’s role in removing your body’s waste and keeping your body clean and free from toxins.
As the waste elimination system of the body, the lymphatic system receives way too little attention for playing such an important role. Not many people are aware of what the lymphatic system does and how it helps in removing toxins from your body. Even fewer people are aware of how to keep the lymphatic system in great shape. This month, we give you the low-down on this unsung hero of the body and explain how you can give it some TLC so it will be able to efficiently remove waste products out of the body and keep you in the pink of health.
So the next time you embark on a detox plan, do include a Lymphatic Drainage Massage! Your body will seriously thank you 😉
What is the Lymphatic System?
The lymphatic system is a network comprising various tissues and organs in the body that help clear toxins and waste from the body. What the lymphatic system mainly does is to transport lymph throughout the body. Lymph is a fluid made up of white blood cells.
The lymphatic vessels are connected to lymph nodes, where lymph is filtered of all the waste material it has picked up throughout the body. There are hundreds of lymph nodes which are both located deep inside the body (such as around organs like the lungs and heart), or closer to the surface (such as under the arm or groin).
Unlike the cardiovascular system which we are more familiar with, where blood flows in a continuous loop, pumped by the heart, lymph flows in only one direction: upward toward the neck.
What is Lymphatic Drainage Massage
This is why the lymphatic system is prone to stagnation and why lymphatic drainage massage is an excellent way to help keep lymph flowing well, hence making your body more efficient at removing toxins.
Other forms of massage that you may be familiar with involve intense pressure or lots of kneading to help relieve tension in the muscles. Lymphatic drainage massage is unique in its intent. Done specifically to encourage the natural drainage of accumulated lymph, therapists use very gentle pressure and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.
The therapist will gently stretch the nodes in the direction of the lymph flow so as to manually encourage the lymph to flow and release any blockages causing pooling of lymph.
What are the benefits of Lymphatic Drainage Massage?
Some of the key benefits of this massage are:
- Increases the carrying capacity of the entire lymph system: boosting its capacity by up to 10 times its usual fluid load!
- Increases the flow of lymph fluid through the lymph nodes – which are in charge of filtering out waste products, dead cells, and toxins from the body’s tissues.
- Increases the production of white blood cells, which boosts the immune system and helps your body to resist infections.
- Relaxes your entire body from head to toe.
- Rejuvenates you and leaves you feeling more energetic and refreshed.
Have we gotten you convinced yet? The good news is that you can give your lymphatic system a gentle massage here at Cheryl W. We’ve got a few treatments focusing on the lymphatic system. A relaxing session with our skilled therapists will be sure to give your lymphatic system that much needed boost to help your body detox well! Happy holidays, ladies!