10 facts about the lymphatic system that everyone should know
You know you need to take care of your lymphatic system… and that we never stop talking about it. But what do you really need to know to begin to understand what the hype is about? Here’s your quick guide for understanding why we’re obsessed with lymphatic health and why you should be too.
Find them at your joints.
You have lymph nodes throughout your body (400-800 lymph total). They tend to be near areas with joints - like hip, elbow, shoulder, and waistline bends. These bends help to pump the fluid (see number 10)
It’s an essential system.
The lymphatic system is often overlooked by doctors, but if it stopped working we would die within 24-48 hours.
It’s larger and does more volume than our circulatory system.
It is twice the size of the blood circulation system and manages almost double the volume of fluid daily. Lymph starts its life as plasma, the watery component that makes up over half our blood volume.
Lymph nodes constantly monitor and filter the lymph to remove toxins, waste, and other body ‘trash’.
Imagine how gross your kitchen would be if you didn’t take out the trash.
They tell us a lot about our health.
Swelling of the lymph nodes (or ‘glands’) in the neck is an indication that the body is struggling with infection or a build-up of toxins. Body sculpting and holistic practices like cupping work to break up and move stagnation of toxins.
Your immune system relies on a healthy lymphatic system.
It has been described as the ‘distribution network’ of the immune system and works seamlessly alongside it to fight bacteria, viruses, and any other undesirables that make their way into the body
It fuels the body - literally.
The gut is lined with millions of lymphatic vessels (called lacteals) that absorb the fats and fatty acids that we ingest and transport them directly to the heart where they enter the circulatory system as fuel.
It is considered the most important body system in Ayurvedic medicine, which considers it to be the ‘water of life’.
In Ayurvedic medicine, it is taught that when not flowing freely, the mucus membranes – an important part of our immune system – become dry, losing their ability to resist disease. The skin will lose elasticity and structure and the digestive system becomes congested and constipation if your lymphatic system is compromised. The result? The mind also becomes ‘cloudy’.
It has to be supported by daily rituals.
Unlike the circulatory system, it is a one-way system and has no ‘pump’. The system relies totally on movement, gravity and breathing to keep flowing. So if you’re not intentional about moving your lymphatic fluid, it’s probably not moving.
The major lymph nodes align with qi points in the body.
Qi, pronounced “chee”, points are acupuncture points that help to promote the flow of energy in the body and remove stagnation. Since ancient times, these points have been essential to healing the body physically and energetically.
Want help supporting your lymphatic system? Come in to see us for any of the following….
