Can I take capsules with juice?

Capsules can be taken with juice. It is not recommended, however, to drink citrus juice if a formula contains ginseng. For faster results, take capsules with a warm drink.

Signs of an Unhealthy Lymphatic System and What To Do

Sakinah Bellamy Holistic Health News 0

Fluid retention – Have you ever noticed that the heels of your feet often turn red? It could be due to poor circulation and a lack of fluid drainage, which causes blood to pool in your feet. Also, if you’ve experienced swelling in your arms and legs, it’s likely due to improper lymph drainage. Our body’s tissues can accumulate fluid, and the lymphatic system eliminates it. If our lymphatic system isn’t functioning correctly, it can result in fluid retention.

Stiffness when you wake up – It could be due to poor lymph drainage function if you find it difficult to get up in the morning. When your lymphatic system fails to drain excess fluids properly, you may experience stiff and creaky joints, soreness, and general achiness – especially when you wake up. This can lead to inflammation, poor circulation, and a lack of joint lubrication, which can cause these unpleasant symptoms.

“Lymphedema is a frequently occurring symptom of a blocked lymphatic system.”

Swelling, also known as edema or lymphedema, is one of the most common symptoms of a clogged lymphatic system. Lymphedema, or lymphatic obstruction, occurs when the lymphatic system is damaged and cannot return lymph fluid to the blood. While some cases of lymphedema develop slowly over several months, others can appear suddenly. Unfortunately, this condition is often overlooked or misdiagnosed as a weight problem or obesity. Given its prevalence, it would be beneficial to dedicate an article to lymphedema. My next article will delve into this condition in greater detail. For now, let’s discuss ways to preserve your lymphatic system.

What Causes Poor Lymph Drainage?

Unhealthy diet
Environmental toxins
Dehydration
Stress and anxiety
Infections
Inadequate exercise and long periods of sitting

How To Improve Lymph Drainage

Preventive maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your lymphatic system healthy. You can adopt healthy lifestyle choices such as exercising, deep breathing, healthy eating, staying hydrated, and drinking water to improve lymphatic functions and adequately maintain your lymphatic system. Caring for your lymphatic system can enhance your overall health and well-being.

Anti-inflammatory Diets – Foods and beverages that promote inflammation in the body are like Kryptonite to the lymphatic system because inflammation impedes the flow of lymph fluid, making it hard for the lymphatic system to function correctly. Avoiding high-inflammatory foods such as sugar, highly processed foods, processed meats, alcohol, fried foods, processed vegetable and nut oils, and refined grains reduces your chances of lymphatic congestion. Avoiding or at least limiting these Kryptonite-laden foods and beverages is crucial to a healthy and well-functioning lymphatic system.

Best Foods for Lymphatic Health

Now that you know what not to eat, let’s discuss what you can eat. What you eat is not only crucial for your lymphatic health but also for your overall physical and mental health.

Healthy eating produces less waste for your lymphatic to clean up.

Natural foods like dark green vegetables, ginger, citrus fruits, flaxseeds, and garlic are excellent for lymphatic cleansing.

Low-sugar fruits such as berries, next to leafy green vegetables, are the best cleansing food for the lymphatic system. Berries are great for lymphatic health because they contain antioxidants that help break down blockages in and around the lymph nodes. Berries are also rich in phytochemicals that help to protect the lymphatic system from oxidative stress and damage.

Protein, fiber, healthy fats such as avocados, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish may not necessarily cleanse the lymphatic system, but they are necessary for overall health.

Get Your Lymph Flowing: Physical Activity and Massage

Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system has no heart-like pump that keeps the lymph circulating. Physical movement is the only way to get the lymph moving. When you move your muscles and increase your heart rate, it stimulates the lymphatic system. Lymph moves within the vessels every time you move your body. According to MD Anderson, Senior Physical Therapist at Sarah Clevland, the contraction of your muscles becomes the pump that helps the fluid get around your muscles. Therefore, staying physically active and moving your body is crucial in allowing your body’s lymph to circulate efficiently and effectively. An actively moving body acts as a motor, pumping your lymphatic system and speeding up the rate at which lymph drains back into your blood, which improves blood circulation.

Rebounding is a low-impact exercise that involves elastic leverage and is usually performed on a rebounder or mini-trampoline device. While any form of physical movement will stimulate the lymphatic system, rebounding is particularly effective. When you rebound, every single cell in your body is affected, making it the only exercise that does so. Jumping or moving up and down on a rebounder or mini trampoline defies gravity, which builds strength. Research shows that when defying gravity, you experience two additional forces: acceleration and deceleration. As a result, the gates that make up your lymphatic system open up and get stimulated. The gravitational effect is why rebounding is so beneficial for lymphatic health.

Specialized massages- Effective lymphatic drainage is essential for basic tissue detoxification and is a fundamental part of any healing process. Massages that promote lymphatic drainage will aid in clearing up a congested lymphatic system and get fluid flowing again.

Manual lymph drainage massage: You can get a lymphatic massage without any equipment needed! Give yourself a massage by performing a range of massages on different areas of your body. While it is helpful to have a trained therapist help you, you can also try self-massage techniques. There are numerous online resources available in the form of YouTube videos and articles that can help you learn self-massage techniques.

Deep breathing– Moving the diaphragm muscle through deep breathing aids in circulating lymph fluid.

Hydration– Staying hydrated with water is crucial. Should you become dehydrated, very little fluid will flow through your tissues, and things can become stagnant. Keeping liquids flowing through your system will filter out toxins.

Tools To Improve Lymphatic Drainage

In addition to techniques, some tools can fight the good fight when it comes to improving lymph drainage and keeping it healthy, such as lymphatic pumps, dry brushing, roller-wave slimming, paddles, lymphatic Gua sha flusher, and densely bristled brushes, to name a few. The purpose of these tools is to:

Improve blood and lymph circulation.
Push the residual lymph toward the lymph nodes.
Remove lymphatic oedema (swelling of legs or feet) and exudates (mass of cells and fluids seeped out of the blood vessels or an organ).
Improve the nutrition and oxygenation of the skin and other tissues.

A lymphedema or pneumatic compression pump is a device that treats chronic edema (swelling) and venous disease with the use of forced air into a sleeve or garment. The compression garment is divided into separate chambers that can be adjusted to apply specific levels of pressure or compression to targeted areas of the body.

There are too many tools to improve lymphatic drainage to mention in this blog. “If you’re interested, I encourage you to conduct further research on this topic.” Also, check with your local salon or spa to see if they provide services to improve lymphatic health. Many spas offer different services, and they vary from state to state.

Detoxing and Cleansing

Adequate lymphatic drainage is essential for basic tissue detoxification and is a fundamental part of any healing process. I recommend taking steps like those mentioned in this article before starting a cleansing or detox program. Please remember that exercising, eating healthy, and getting lymphatic massages are all a part of cleansing and detoxing the lymphatic system. Once you have a routine in place that you are following, I highly recommend adding a lymphatic cleanse like our Skin Healing and Nourishment. Our lymphatic cleanse is an herbal blend meticulously formulated to assist the body’s natural ability to reverse skin disorders and restore the skin to a healthy state. The herbs work together to re-establish the bodily organs’ functions to efficiently flush out toxins and waste, thus improving circulation and encouraging healthy cell growth. To learn more or purchase, please visit our products page by clicking the following link: Skin Nourishment & Healing (Lymphatic Cleanse).

It’s Up To You To Take Care of Your Lymphatic System

Please take action to improve your lymphatic health, which will enhance your overall physical and mental health. However, understand that there is no magic pill or detox that is going to keep you healthy or return you to homeostasis if your health is currently challenged. The pathway to holistic health involves balancing various practices, including healthy eating, exercise, stretching, deep breathing, meditation, detoxification, hydration, restful sleep, exposure to sunlight, grounding, fasting, and forgiveness. Yes, I said forgiveness; holding on to anger and hurt can cause blockage in the body, leading to sickness, but this is a discussion for another day. Stay tuned for future articles that will dive even deeper into the consequences of having poor lymphatic health. Until then, adopt healthier lifestyle choices and be well. See you soon.

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