The lymphatic system is a part of the immune system. It is composed of organs, ducts and nodes, including your tonsils and bone marrow (1).
Your lymphatic system transports lymph, a fluid made of white blood cells, proteins and fats.
This fluid helps distribute immune cells throughout your body, which protect against viruses and bacteria.
In combination with your circulatory system, the lympathic system also helps remove waste produced by your cells such as excess fluid, dead blood cells, cancer cells and toxins.
Here are a few useful tips in maintaining a healthy lymphatic system.
1. Avoid Soda
Soda is full of artificial colors and flavours as well as preservatives. These things can be quite toxic to the human body, which puts more strain of your lymphatic system.
Sugar is also very acidic, which is known to cause tumour growth and spread (2, 3).
2. Drink More Water
Proper hydration is important to keep lymph moving throughout the body (4).Make sure to drink between 6 to 8 glasses of filtered water a day.
3. Sip On Herbal Tea
Certain herbs can help cleanse and detoxify your body. They can also help support your immune system through their antimicrobacterial and anti-inflammatory properties (5).
Try astragalus, echinacea, cleavers, goldenseal, pokeroot or wild indigo root and see what works best for you.
4. Exercise Frequently
Your lymph won’t move unless you do!
Unlike your cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a central muscle pushing it along (6). Lymph is propelled by muscle contractions. Regular circulation happens through breathing and small body movements.
Exercise makes this process 2 to 3 times faster.
5. Apply Castor Oil
Castor oil is known to improve digestion and circulation of lymphatic fluid. It stimulates the creation of more lymphocytes, which target toxins and reduces inflammation (7).
Castor oil has also been proven to suppress tumour growth (8).
How To Make a Castor Oil Pack
What you will need:
- A bottle of cold-pressed castor oil
- A large bowl
- A long piece of clean, natural fabric (cotton works best)
Instructions:
- Fold cloth into several layers
- Soak in oil until saturated
- Apply directly unto skin near the abdomen
- Leave on for a few hours or overnight
- Remove and refrigerate for future use
6. Breathe Deeply
Breathing through your belly can help keep you calm, which reduces stress-induced inflammation. This also keeps your lymphatic fluid moving during periods of rest.
Try these techniques to get more out of each breath.
7. Eat Nuts And Seeds
Your lymph transports fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins from your digestive system into your bloodstream (9). Increasing your intake of nuts and seeds helps maintain optimal fat levels in your lymph to ensure proper circulation.
Try eating more:
- walnuts
- almonds
- hazelnuts
- macadamia nuts
- brazil nuts
- flax seeds
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
sources:
[1]https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002247.htm
[2]https://www.math.ucsd.edu/~ebender/Health%20%26%20Nutrition/Foods/acidity.html
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19276390
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1402607
[5]https://www.livestrong.com/article/483175-what-herbs-detox-the-lymph-nodes/
[6]https://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/rehabilitacion-adulto/exercise_and_the_lymphatic_system.pdf
[7]https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/28/castor-oil-to-treat-health-conditions.aspx
[8]https://ijt.sagepub.com/content/26/3_suppl/31.short
[9]https://courses.washington.edu/conj/bess/fats/fats.html