Lymph is our unsung hero. One of the wonders of Kinesiology is how it helps balance the lymphatic system for improved health and well being.
There is a lot of information and knowledge in the media on keeping our blood healthy and preventing it from getting thick or sticky. Yet few people know about lymph and the importance of a healthy lymph flow.
6 Facts about our lymphatic system
- The lymphatic system is our second circulatory system.
- It is made from our blood to get to the parts of our body that are too small to receive blood.
- The lymphatic system is responsible for lymph flow. It is a series of vessels and nodes, distributed throughout the body.
- Lymph is a clear fluid which contains infection-fighting white blood cells, it feeds and cleans these areas and then returns to the blood, so they work as a team.
- We have twice as much lymph as blood in our body, yet the blood has the help of the heart to get it around, whereas the lymph relies on our movement.
- Lymph is a big part of our immune system. It helps to destroy potentially dangerous bacteria and cancer cells. It also filters waste and toxins.
Any movement will allow the lymphatic fluid to move. The best ways to maintain a healthy flow is to take brisk walks, run and jump. Jumping on a rebounder or trampoline is the best. 5 mins on a rebounder are equivalent to a 15 min run. The ultimate recommendation is 12 mins a day, as this exercises the heart. Experts say if you double your heart rate for 12 mins a day your chances of having a heart attack are highly unlikely.
The reason jumping helps so much is that the lymphatic system has a network of one-way valves to stop it falling back, thus keeping it moving one way. When we jump it gets pushed around the body in a very effective way.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Having clean flowing lymphatic fluid also relies on us drinking plenty of pure still water. 2 litres a day is ideal. This needs to be AWAY from food. We recommend drinking water up to 15 mins before food on an empty stomach and at least an hour after eating.
1 litre of water is needed for the respiratory system (breathing) and the other 1 litre is needed for the rest of your body.
If you do not drink enough water the body ends up having to ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’. Which means that some areas of the body get deprived, as breathing comes first. Those who don’t drink any or very little water will develop symptoms even if they feel they are unrelated to drinking water. We do get some hydration from fruit juices, however, tea and coffee have a diuretic effect.
Kinesiology also has a profound effect on the lymphatic system. When an imbalance is found through muscle testing, we are able to rub lymphatic points to alert and move the lymph to that particular area to feed and clean it immediately. This usually gives instant benefits. The benefits of working on the lymph improve with drinking more water, the right exercise and maybe taking some supplements to help too. Each consecutive balance coupled with the recommended lifestyle changes will have a longer and longer lasting positive effect.
3 Easy steps for a healthy Lymphatic system
- Movement – brisk walking, running (on grass), swimming and best of all jumping on a rebounder/trampoline.
- Drinking pure water – 2 litres a day.
- Kinesiology – It is truly preventive and helps to keep health problems away. However, if you have stiffness, aches, pains, joint problems, immune or hormonal issues, Kinesiology can get you and your lymphatic system back up and running and then help you keep it there.