Practical Ways to Accelerate Your Lymphatic System

Unlike the circulatory system, in which the heart acts as a pump, this system has no pump.  But there are certain things that you can do to activate and accelerate your lymphatic system to get it flowing in order to remove toxins.

How can you accelerate the flow of the lymph through your lymphatic system?

The human body is made up of several organs and glands that are responsible for excreting poisons from the body. The lymphatic system refers to this network of organs and glands. Unfortunately, most people’s lymphatic systems get blocked and do not work correctly. A person’s lymphatic system can get out of balance due to dietary inadequacies, a high intake of processed foods, and a lack of physical activity. 

1) Stay hydrated

This is probably the most simple yet most important part of the process for boosting your lymphatic system. Much like the plumbing in your house carrying out waste, your lymphatic system works better with water to move it along.

Dehydration is the most common cause of an under-productive lymphatic system. A good way to make sure you are getting sufficient water intake is to drink half your weight in water daily measured by ounces.

If you want to add a little alkaline oomph, you can squeeze some lemon in that first glass of water when you wake up. Just use a straw though to protect the enamel of your teeth. 

2) Breathwork

By now we know the Lymphatic System works in many ways to process and expel toxins, bacteria and other villains of our health.

Breathing is another way to pick up those chemicals and carry them outside of our bodies. The key to deep breathing is to take in air using your diaphragm and pushing your belly out.

Deep breathing increases oxidation of the blood. It also pushes out your lungs which in turn massages your lymph nodes and opens up air ducts which will allow the lymphs to enter the blood stream.

Deep breaths also activate the parasympathetic nervous system due to the relaxed sensation you get from the intake of air. For an added massage of the lymph nodes and blood stream, try giving your arms a stretch as you take in those deep breaths.

3) Bouncing

This is one of my favorite ways to improve lymphatic flow. All you have to do is literally bounce up and down. You could use a mini-trampoline to jump up and down or just stand on your toes on the ground and let your heels bounce up and down. You can also use an exercise ball.

When you bounce, breathe in and out through your nose and imagine your entire body relaxing.

Bouncing is easy, accessible, and doesn’t take very long. You could do it every morning or as a warmup before your workout.

Bouncing provides the double benefits of both helping to pump lymphatic fluid through the system and stimulate fascial tissue (the connective tissue surrounding all your inner body parts holding them in place).

4) Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy means alternating between hot and cold water on the skin. The hot water will help you to relax and reduce stress, The cold will help to reduce inflammation and stimulate the lymphatic system to remove toxins. 

Other benefits can include reduction in muscle tension and increased circulation. This is going to give an incredible boost to the immune system as well as metabolism.

You might have to work yourself up to the cold water component of this mix, so try doing 5-10 second bursts until you get comfortable going for longer.

5) Dry Brushing

Use a handheld natural bristle brush of medium firmness

Make sure your body is dry. Dry brushing can be done right before a shower.

Sit down and start at your feet and brush each side 8 – 10 times with quick firm strokes (like whisking) taking care not to press too hard. The lymphatics are stimulated without the need for deep pressure – use soft strokes.

Brush up the legs and then the thighs, front, back and sides.

Spend a little extra time brushing on the groin area and behind the knees, because there are lymph nodes that reside there.

Brush the hands and forearms and then the upper arms, towards the heart. Spend extra time under the arms, because there are lots of lymph nodes under the arms.

Brush the arms, always stroking towards the heart. As indicated above, the thoracic vessels empty into the large thoracic ducts at the center of the chest, right under the sternal knotch (the dip between the two collar bones, in the neck).

Brush from the neck down, very gently – or better yet, get a small, softer brush for your neck and face. Brush across the dip in the collar bones, right and left – always towards the center of the sternum.

Brush over the belly, towards the heart. Brush your back, as much as you can reach.

The whole process should take 5 – 6 minutes and it makes your skin feel very good.

Dr. Wirth will help you discover the root causes of your health challenges and deliver a personalized treatment plan to restore proper body function and provide hope to achieve your best future.

Your body functions best when you balance the basic elements of health. They are as follows: alignment/posture, nutrition, movement, rest and the belief your body can heal itself once the nerve interference is removed. When all your systems are functioning properly your body will be able to heal itself in what may seem like miraculous ways.

At STANCE Chiropractic we follow the groundbreaking principles of Postural Neurology. Dr. Wirth will evaluate you thoroughly to understand what’s going on from the standpoint of the cranial nerves that control your balance and posture. You will learn the process of Neuro-Rehabilitation movements both in the office and at home.

Many of our patients experience life-long results as they implement small changes every day and begin to move better, live better and achieve things they never thought possible.

Call 972-802-8812 to book an appointment today.