Healing Family Eats

notes from an autoimmune kitchen

  • About
    • About Me
    • About The Autoimmune Protocol?
  • Well-Being
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks
    • Meat
    • Reintroductions
    • Salads
    • Savoury
    • Seafood
    • Soups and Stews
    • Sweet
    • Vegetables
  • Cookbook
    • PRINT COOKBOOK
    • eBook
  • Work With Me
    • 1:1 Coaching
    • RESTART® Program
  • Freebies
    • AIP STARTER PACK
    • 10 SIMPLE RECIPES FOR AUTOIMMUNE HEALING EBOOK
    • BODY SCAN AUDIO
    • AIP REINTRODUCTION JOURNAL TEMPLATE
  • Contact

Ten Ways to Improve your Lymphatic System and Aid Detoxification

April 13, 2019 By healingfamilyeats 10 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to learn about what this means.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Improve your Lymphatic System and Aid Detoxification

As the new season gets under way we may be turning our thoughts to spring cleaning our homes. Traditionally it's a time for letting stagnant air out and welcoming fresh energy in. So this is a great excuse to do a thorough spring clean of our bodies too, right?

Wrong!  A deep "cleanse" is the last thing you should be thinking of doing right now. Particularly if you're dealing with chronic illness, as you can actually end up doing more harm than good.

Before you start any type of deep cleanse, it is essential that your elimination pathways are open. If the main elimination pathways are not open, your body could be recirculating toxins rather than getting rid of them. This means we need to be producing a bowel movement at least once a day to eliminate waste via the stool. Adequate hydration is necessary to allow the body to flush toxins through the kidneys via urine and skin by way of perspiration. We need access to fresh, clean air to help us to expel stale air from the lungs.

The body stores toxins in fat tissue so when weight loss is involved, those toxins are mobilized into the blood stream.  Once there, toxins can find their way anywhere throughout the body - including the brain.

Toxins accumulate at a faster rate than we are able to detoxify. Therefore regular gentle detoxification that helps the body to eliminate naturally and slowly is a sensible idea. Today I want to pay special attention to the lymphatic system since it's a major player when it comes to detoxification.

The lymphatic system is a vital piece of the immune system and the body's first line of defence against disease. A network of thin tubes and nodules that run alongside the blood vessels in our body, the lymphatic system doesn't have a pump like the cardiovascular system, so it relies on a kind of osmosis system where blood is filtered through the lymph and then recycled back into the blood stream. This is why the lymphatic system is called the body's waste disposal. Lymph nodes collect the "waste", aka toxins, and pass it through to the liver which prepares it for elimination. Water retention, bloating, cellulite, poor circulation, blocked ears, swollen glands and brain fog are all signs that your lymphatic system is in need of some assistance.

Notice any of these symptoms?
Then try these ways to increase your own lymph flow -

  • Rebound - jumping on a mini trampoline for 5 - 15 minutes each day is perfect, not just for stimulating the flow of lymph fluid, but you'll be strengthening your bones as well. If you don't have a trampoline, run up and down the stairs (careful on the way down of course), or get yourself a skipping rope instead
  • Massage - a lymphatic drainage massage will help release any swollen lymph nodes and get toxins flowing easily. Gently does it though, since the lymph nodes are just below the skin. Alternatively, try this DIY method.
  • Gua sha neck drainage - my latest obsession (along with jade rollers) is also relaxing, firming and reduces any puffiness. I also can't get enough of these videos. If you think about the neck being the highway between the brain and the body, you'll get why this is important
  • Movement - encourages the lymph nodes to squeeze, thus keeping the lymphatic system open and flowing rather than pooling in the arms or legs
  • Breathe deeply - moves and pumps fluid through the Lymphatic System at the same time as providing fresh oxygen to the lungs
  • Hydration - drinking water helps the lymphatic system to circulate white blood cells around the body. It also transports toxins to the lymph and liver for elimination. Whatever your body weight is in pounds, you should drink a minimum of half that in ounces. Try starting the day with a glass of warm remineralizing lemon water as opposed to coffee
  • Dry skin brush - exfoliate dead skin, allow skin to breathe and stimulate lymphatic drainage all at the same time. Start with a light touch, brushing towards the heart and avoiding sensitive areas such as the chest and groin. Once you're more accustomed to the practice, apply more pressure and build up to what feels good to you. Best to do this in the morning since it's stimulating, then follow with a warm shower to wash away the dead skin
  • Alternate hot/cold showers - heat expands and cold contracts, resulting in the vessels squeezing lymph fluid along, pushing waste through the nodules and enabling drainage. Target the nodules which are located in the mammary area, neck, groin, and right behind the crease of the knee
  • Lymph essential oil blend - my favourite blend to help encourage lymph flow. I swear by this! Put a drop on the neck, under the arms and along the bikini line. Use before rebounding and it'll be even more effective
  • Ditch the underwire bras - the wiring restricts lymph flow under the breasts, making the fluid stagnant. Choose a wire-free bra wherever possible. Also do some of your rebounding bra-less once in a while to get that stretch of the lymph system circulating efficiently

Note: Having a bowel movement at least once every day is very important. If you are releasing toxins they need to go somewhere. An effective way to speed up a sluggish digestive system is to take magnesium in the short term but should not be seen as a long term solution as isolating minerals can create an imbalance. Magnesium citrate is not super absorbable but it is very useful for getting the bowels moving. Just be sure to avoid the flavoured versions, since they often contain corn.

Let me know how you get on with these suggestions. Which one do you enjoy the most?

Are you interested in working with me to address your health symptoms on a deeper level? Take a look at my Work with Me Page.

« The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen: Q&A with Mickey Trescott and Broccolini Scallops
Mr Jay's Crispy Meat 'n Veggie Tray Bake {AIP, Paleo, Whole30} »

Comments

  1. Kay says

    April 14, 2019 at 10:01 am

    I used to rebound but have a ton of hardware in my ankle now, so I'm afraid to do it anymore. I've recently started doing an exercise program from Teresa Tapp that is about muscle activation and it's supposed to help move the lymph. it's called T Tapp. Have you heard of it?

    Reply
    • healingfamilyeats says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:49 am

      Thanks Kay, I hadn't heard of T Tapp but it sounds intriguing. I'm going to investigate!!

      Reply
  2. T says

    April 14, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    The link to the lymph essential oil blend states ‘page not found’. Just FYI...

    Reply
    • healingfamilyeats says

      April 14, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      Thanks T, I appreciate you telling me. Not sure what happened, but here's the link to the company.

      Reply
  3. Enily says

    May 07, 2019 at 3:59 am

    Do you have any recommendations for showing how to do dry brushing? I’ve come across conflicting information on how to do it in terms of which direction in certain areas (ex: from the back of your pelvis to front or vice versa). Thanks!

    Reply
    • healingfamilyeats says

      May 08, 2019 at 10:19 pm

      Hi Enily, I use long sweeping strokes towards the heart, starting at the feet and moving upwards. I go clockwise around the belly button area. Hope that helps.

      Reply
  4. N8 says

    August 16, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    Great article

    Reply
    • healingfamilyeats says

      August 16, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      Thanks N8
      ❤️

      Reply
  5. Julia says

    April 12, 2021 at 1:46 am

    I’m so glad you sent this email out again so I could read this amazing post! I think this is one of the areas I need to focus on for healing. I often get swollen lymph nodes behind my ears so I tried the lymphatic massage and neck gua sha last night before bed and it’s smaller and less swollen today! I started my day off with a hot shower with an icy blast at the end and felt I had more energy than I usually do in the mornings and I was able to do a light workout. Thanks so much for these really helpful tips, I’m definitely going to keep going with this!

    Reply
    • healingfamilyeats says

      April 12, 2021 at 9:33 am

      This is fantastic to hear. Such immediate results, I'm really happy for you Julia

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
I’m Kate, mother of two, wife of one! I’m also a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Restorative Wellness Practitioner, AIP Certified Coach, qualified chef and author of The Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction Cookbook. I'm also crazy about The (US) Office and living the dream in Vancouver, BC. I’m passionate about the health of myself, my family and YOU. It’s great to have you here, make yourself a mug of bone broth and hang out with me for a while.

PURCHASE MY COOKBOOK

JOIN MY AIP SUPPORT GROUP

Favourite Skin Care Offer

logo
Health Ads by

Watch FB Live Cooking Tutorials

logo
Health Ads by

My E-Books

AIP Indian Cookbook!

AIP Coffee!

liver support with essential oils

histamine support with essential oils

SHOP MY BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

 data-recalc-dims=
 data-recalc-dims=
</div>
		</div></section>
<section id=
</div>
		</div></section>
<section id=
 data-recalc-dims=

logo
Health Ads by

I'm Kate Jay, mother of two, wife of one! I'm also a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Restorative Wellness Practitioner, Certified Gluten Practitioner, Certified AIP Coach and qualified chef, living the dream in Vancouver, BC. I'm passionate about the health of myself, my family and YOU. It's great to have you here, make yourself a mug of bone broth and hang out for a while.

Recent Posts

Seafood and Cauliflower Gratin
Banana Chocolate Muffins
Cauliflower Mac n Cheese, Bacon Rosemary Topping
AIP Liver Blueberry Muffins
AIP Beef Rendang
Paleo AIP Reintroduction Rustic Apple Cake

Shortcuts

  • DISCLAIMER
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS
  • MISSION AND VALUES STATEMENT

Copyright Healing Family Eats © 2023 · Log in