Are you puffy? It might be lymphatic congestion.
Feeling fatigued and swollen? Prone to itchiness, or infections? A congested lymphatic system might contributing. Your lymphatic system is part of your immune system and when it is congested, your defenses are down, rendering you more susceptible to illness. Like blood vessels, your lymphatic system deals with fluid, or ‘lymph’, which needs to run smoothly throughout your body.
Common symptoms of lymphatic congestion:
Fatigue and brain fog
Muscle pain
Joint stiffness
Bloating
Fluid retention
Weight gain and cellulite
Swollen glands
Dry and/or itchy skin
Headaches
Frequent colds or sore throats
Tonsil inflammation
Blocked sinuses
Blocked ears or ear issues
Cold extremities
Menstrual breast swelling
What is lymph?
Your lymphatic circulation is essentially a network of vascular tissue used for drainage and clearance. Lymph is the fluid that runs through your lymphatic vessels, carrying glucose, salts, proteins, and substances that might be harmful. Lymph nodes are located all over the body, and when lymph passes through them carrying potentially harmful substances, the nodes trigger lymphocytes (white blood cells) to destroy the risky microbes. Other lymphatic organs are the spleen, tonsils, adenoids, thymus and bone marrow. You cannot feel well and have good health unless your lymphatic system is functioning and lymph is able to flow.
How is water retention involved in lymphatic circulation?
The lymphatic system also works to keep your body fluids balanced. If your lymphatic circulation is functioning well, then you won’t experience swelling or water retention. Most of your lymphatic system lives around your intestines and is referred to as GALT (Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissues). When your digestive system is burdened by inflammation or toxicity, this impacts lymphatic flow, detoxification and overall immunity. Dehydration can also affect lymphatic flow and ironically, cause swelling.
Stress and slowed lymphatic flow.
Stress = more stress hormones = more waste products in the body = more clearance work for the lymphatic system. When stress is chronic, this can lead to congested lymph. Similarly, when the body is fighting chronic inflammation, lymph nodes can become overworked due to the excess production of white blood cells, causing swelling. Sufficient physical exercise and water intake is paramount to getting your lymph flowing right, along with the obvious addressing of chronic inflammation and/or chronic stress.
How do you address lymphatic congestion?
Lymph depends on muscle relaxation and contraction to move it around the body, as it doesn’t have the heart to pump it like your blood circulation does.
Ways you can get lymph flowing again are:
Proper consistent hydration
Regular sipping of water
Regular exercise
Not remaining sedentary for too long
Jumping on a trampoline
Addressing gut health
Avoiding inflammatory foods
Increasing antioxidant foods
Breathwork and deep breathing
Dry brushing
Hot and cold therapy (ice baths, saunas)
Alternating hot and cold in the shower
Lymphatic massage
Managing stress
To receive personalized care and the support you need to get your immune and lymphatic system feeling strong and flowing well, please reach out to arrange a one-on-one online health consultation with Sarah. A tailored health and nutrition plan will get you on the right track and prevent the progression of symptoms.