Your Body’s plumbing System: It’s Lymphatic!
One of the most important things to do when empowering yourself with your health is to understand how your body works. This understanding unlocks so many doors for your health choices and what you want to do to achieve your optimal health. The human body is an amazing combination of systems and chemical reactions that help us to function everyday.
Did you know that your body has its own plumbing and garbage disposal system?! What? It’s true. As part of your immune system, the lymphatic system runs the entire length of your body and works with corresponding systems within your body to “take out the trash” and fight off any foreign invaders. Let’s dive into what exactly your lymphatic system does and the things that you can do to keep it running at its highest level.
what does the lymphatic system do?
The lymphatic system is made up of organs, tissues, and vessels that work together to pump 20 liters of a clear fluid called lymph through its system and back into your bloodstream. At any given time, your body is typically has 17 of those 20 liters circulating through the bloodstream, while the other 3 liters are in your body’s tissues. Inside this lymph are not only the extra fluid that is drained from your cells and tissues, but it also contains within it the infection fighting white blood cells (lymphocytes) that work in your immune system to fight off foreign invaders.
The main functions of your lymphatic system are:
Maintaining fluid levels in your body
Absorbing fats from your digestive tract
Protecting your body from foreign invaders as part of your immune system
Transports and removes waste products and abnormal cells from your lymphs.
The main organs associated with your lymphatic system are the spleen, thymus, tonsils and adenoid, appendix, bone marrow, and Peyer’s Patches. This intricate network of lymphatic fluid, lymph nodes (filters the fluid), lymphatic vessels, and collecting ducts work as part of your immune system to regulate your body’s fluid, take out damaged cells, as well as waste products from your body. Of course, this is an oversimplification of a complex process in your body, but it’s to show how all of this system works in tandem with each other to ensure adequate lymph in your bloodstream to keep things moving as they should. I encourage you to check out this amazing article from Livescience.com that shows the actual process of your lymphatic system through a short 2-minute video.
How can the lymphatic plumbing get backed up?
Like any drainage system, there are times that the drains can get “backed up” or even clogged, which in turn hampers the whole system and prevents it from flowing effectively and efficiently. The three most common conditions for a “back-up” in your lymphatic system are:
Enlarged (swollen) lymph nodes caused by infection, inflammation, or cancer. There are common infections, such as strep throat and mononucleosis that can cause your lymph nodes to swell.
Swelling or accumulation of lymph fluid can be caused by scar tissue from damaged lymph nodes or vessels. Commonly seen in your arms and legs, this condition can be mild to very painful given the severity of the blockage.
Cancers of the lymphatic system include Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Lymphoma cancer is when the lymphocytes grow uncontrollably in the lymph nodes.
what foods and activity help with your lymphatic system
As you know in Functional Medicine, we believe that food is medicine and allows our bodies to work at it optimal level. There are several foods that can be helpful for your lymphatic system:
Beets
Cranberries
Cherries
Raspberries
Pomegranates.
The red foods listed above help with the thinning of bile, which in turn increases the immune response. Consuming an anti-inflammatory diet is very beneficial when it comes to your lymphatic system. By decreasing inflammation, your immune system is boosted and on guard should a foreign invader make its way into your system.
Other foods that are helpful with your lymphatic system are: wild caught fishes (omega-3s), green tea, ginger, lemons and citrus, berries, fermented vegetables, bone broth, coconut, coconut milk and coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil and olives.
There are also other ways to improve your lymphatic drainage that doesn’t include the foods that you eat. Getting regular exercise is very beneficial for your entire body, but especially your lymphatic system. Massage is also a great way to keep the lymphatic juices flowing. Another excellent way of moving around the lymphatic fluid is doing dry brushing. Not only does this assist with stimulating the fluid, it also removes dead skin cells on your skin that could clog and interrupt your systems disposal system. Both sauna use and chiropractor visits assist with your lymphatic system to ensure it is performing at its best.
take care of your lymphatic system
Understanding how your body works is the best way to understand what it needs to function correctly. Today’s blog just scrapes the surface at how complex and amazing your lymphatic system is and what it does for the functionality of your body. As part of your immune system, it’s important to do what you can to ensure that your lymphatic system is working to its full potential. Hopefully, today’s tips on how to show your lymphatic system some love helps you in your quest towards optimal health.