Many of you hear me talking about the lymphatic system and Manual lymphatic drainage massage and how important it is, so I thought this would be a great topic for my second news letter. I think we can all agree that the last couple of years most of us have experienced more stress than usual, Covid – Long Covid symptoms and the flu, which is why MLD is one of the most important treatments to schedule
It can be a bit confusing to understand a system you can’t see so I’ve tried to simplify this below. This is something I wish I knew earlier in my life and I’m so pleased to be able to share this information with you.
Snapshot The Lymphatic System –
We can’t see our lymphatic system like we can our back, neck and shoulders so I’ve put a simple image here so you can visualise the system throughout our bodies, our entire body is coved in lymph fluid.
Image our bodies have their own sewerage system, I know if doesn’t sound nice but the rubbish always has to be taken out, whether its at home or in our own personal house our precious bodies that take us everywhere.
This system is so very important to your health, its job is to filter out cell wastes, bacteria, viruses, excess fluid,– it’s your own personal waste disposal unit which is so nice to know we are being protected, but like any dishwasher it needs to be cleaned, serviced and ensure there is a water supply attached.
There are many reasons for the lymph system running slow and these can include stress, fatigue, pollution, infection and emotional shock,
Imagine if the lymphatic system becomes clogged (Perry Nickelston likens the bodies lymphatic system to the bodies aquarium filter – I like this, as if you have ever had a fish tank that needs cleaning you can see what a good filter can do). The body will struggle to transport the fluids from the tissues and organs in the body, toxins will accumulate, and the immune system will be impaired. And you can’t call the plumber!
How you can support your lymphatic system, one of my teachers once told me to plan a MLD drainage massage every season, that way it is easy to remember. MLD is the term from Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
MLD is a delicate, gentle extremely relaxing and specific technique, a lighter form of treatment encouraging the lymph flow, which helps to eliminate waste and toxins that cannot be absorbed through the blood capillary vessels. Its a form of gentle and rhythmic skin stretching to manually stimulate the lymph system. This treatment is recommend to alleviate swelling for cellulite, detoxified, and water retention.
During MLD massage the lymph flow increases significantly, there is about 6-10 litres of lymph in the body compared to 3.5-5 litres of blood- About 1.5 -3 litres of lymph circulates around the body in a day. Driving out this excess fluid makes the body healthier.
If you would like to check availability to schedule your Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage here is the link.
Here are some things you can do to help at home to help
Improve your Lymphatic System
1. Sleep
The quality of sleep It is important to try to stick to a healthy routine. This may include going to bed at a sensible hour and no stimulants before bedtime. As the body repairs cells and tissues whilst we are sleeping, it’s also important that we get good quality sleep to recover faster from the flu, Covid or long covid.
2. Hydration
Drinking plenty of water is advised to help the body’s systems work efficiently, as it helps remove toxins and waste through the Lymphatic System.
3. Movement
It is important to incorporate movement into your day, because The Lymphatic System relies on muscular movement and deep breathing, which helps move fluid from the tissues through the Lymphatic system and the removal of waste.
4. Healthy Eating
Natural food sources support the immune system and recovery, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, proteins and healthy fats. Highly processed foods, which can also be inflammatory, cannot be broken down and removed as easily.
5. Lymphatic Drainage Massage
As it encourages lymph to be moved through the lymph vessels to the nodes where toxins and waste are broken down. After this, lymph can be removed from the body, allowing the Lymphatic System to recover faster.
I hope this information has been helpful, feel free to contact me should you have any questions, Some clients have chosen to combine a mixture of Hotstones Remedial Massage and MLD combination, this does require a longer appointment for the combination.
