A dysfunctional lymph system makes you weaker, more vulnerable to disease, and even increases your risk for cancer. There are many steps you can take to improve your lymphatic function. Before we delve deeper into those things you can do for great lymph function, let’s learn a bit more about the lymph system.
Exactly what is the Lymphatic System?
The lymphatic system is like a freeway with multiple stops, and lymph’s composition constantly changes depending on where it is on that freeway. When blood circulates, most of it flows back to the heart, but not all of it.
Some stay behind in the intestines and become interstitial fluid.
Once it is reabsorbed into the lymph nodes, it is called lymph or lymph fluid.
When lymph stops by the spleen, it flushes out bacteria that have been marked as dangerous by the immune system.
When lymph travels to your bone marrow, it picks up immune cells called lymphocytes and transports them to your blood to fight infections. At the end of this process, lymph is reintroduced into the bloodstream. Some of the blood plasma will become intestinal fluid, which is then reabsorbed into lymph nodes, and the process begins again.
The Benefits of a Healthy Lymphatic System:
Photo courtesy of Dayton Dandes Medical Center
There are many benefits of a strong lymphatic system. They include:
A stronger immune system – The lymphatic system keeps you healthy by increasing your supply of T-Cells and B-Cells. These cells mark and destroy foreign bodies, which might otherwise cause infection.
Lower risk of cancer –T-cells also prevent cancer, and they do this by kicking off the process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis.
All cells have a set time in which they are programmed to die. Cells that refuse to die can multiply out of control and become cancerous. T-cells tell old cells to die to keep them under control so that new cells can take their place.
Healthier blood – Healthy blood means healthy cells. Foreign bodies allowed to use the freeway of your circulatory system can make you very sick, very quickly. One of the functions of the lymphatic system is to catch these toxins, bacteria and viruses before they have a chance to circulate in your blood. Lymph vessels carry 75% of our cellular waste products. Old blood cells are also disposed of in the lymphatic system, increasing the oxygen density in your blood and making sure only healthy blood cells are allowed to circulate.
Balanced bodily fluids – The lymphatic system is responsible for resupplying our circulatory system with plasma, which would otherwise seep into tissues and throw off your body’s balance of fluids.
The 4 humors of Hippocratic medicine are black bile (Greek: μέλαινα χολή, melaina chole), yellow bile(Greek: ξανθη χολή, xanthe chole), phlegm (Greek: φλέγμα, phlegma), and blood (Greek: αἷμα, haima). Each corresponds to one of the traditional four temperaments. 4 humors bile – Bing video
The lymphatic system can be bogged down or clogged, such as when your lymph nodes become swollen or infected. To keep your lymphatic system healthy, we have to help it along, and there are many ways to do just that.
How to Maintain a Healthy Lymphatic System.
To promote healthy lymphatic system function, consider the following
suggestions for a proper diet and other healthful habits:
Six Ways to Stimulate Your Lymphatic System.
Author: Leonard Parker.
Avoid cow dairy, gluten, sugar and other processed foods – These food choices clog the flow of your lymphatic system and can lead to congestion. Regulate your consumption of these foods to prevent problems.
Load up on leafy greens, herbs, fruits, and other plant foods – A diet rich in fibers eases intestinal flow and movement. This makes it easier for intestinal fluid to move to your lymph nodes and transition into lymph fluid.
Hydrate regularly – Drink at least six glasses of water every day, the actual amount depending on your body size. Insufficient fluid intake makes lymphatic flow sluggish, which will make you feel sluggish and weak.
Massage and/or stimulate the skin – Many lymph nodes are found just below the surface of the skin. Many massage spas offer lymphatic massages, but even gentle skin brushing or rubbing of nodes like the ones below your jaw will go a long way.
Reduce stress – Stress can cause stasis (stagnation) or sluggish lymph flow. There are many relaxation techniques. One of the best stress management tools, exercise, is also essential for a healthy lymphatic system.
Perform jumping exercises – Lymph flows from destination to destination through a combination of internal and external pressure. Also, unlike the circulatory system, its flow is generally upward towards the neck, meaning it always has to fight gravity. Get the lymph pumping by doing jumping jacks or using a jump rope. If you are able to jump on a trampoline, or rebounder, that’s even better.
The Bottom Line:
For a long time, attention to the lymphatic system has played second fiddle to the circulatory system, when the truth is a healthy lymphatic system is just as vital to your health. As mentioned above, you can improve your lymph function by observing a healthy diet and with regular exercise. If you are interested in learning more about the exercise component, BeatCancer.org recommends this free eBook from Rebounder Zone that goes into detail on how rebounding can help improve your lymphatic health.
References:
[1] The Lymphatic System. http://www.lymphnotes.com/article.php/id/151/
[2] Gilbère, G. Support the Lymphatic System. http://ahha.org/selfhelp-articles/support-the-lymphatic-system/
[3] Kimball, JW. B Cells and T Cells. http://www.biology-pages.info/B/B_and_Tcells.html
[4] Choi, I, Lee, S, Hong, Y-K. The New Era of the Lymphatic System: No Longer Secondary to the Blood Vascular System.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312397/
[5] The Lymphatic System Prevents Cancer – Bing video
This is a summary of the growth of Taoism.
This is extremely relevant to my topic and will be an important source.
Natural endorphins make the world go round. Move it or lose it.
“There is a direct correlation between physical exertion and mental relief.”
Yes. I highly recommend tai chi if I may. It’s like meditating and swimming without a pool, and you can practice it until the day you die.
I’m indebted to it. It’s accessible enough. You can emphasize the self defense aspect if you choose, but I’ve seen many older people take it up after knee or hip replacements just to keep moving. Like you said, move it or lose it. : )
Well, there are degrees of difficulty. I suspect you’d be fine.
My teacher was an older Chinese man (Mant Prowg). His ability to function so well in life was part of the allure. A holistic view means that we are interested in engaging and developing the whole person. You can think of this as different levels, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. It ‘s the concept that the human being is multi-dimensional.
We have conscious and unconscious aspects, rational and irrational aspects.
Being a Tai Chi teacher the question of which diet is healthier, one including meat or one excluding meat i.e. a vegetarian diet has led me to research the subject. My findings were surprising.
The word vegetarian is not derived from vegetables as most people think, but from the Latin word vegus which means “full of life”. Some of the world ‘s greatest thinkers eschewed meat, among them: Leonardo Da Vinci, Sir Issac Newton, St. Francis of Assisi and Albert Einstein who said: “It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.”
Pythagoras, who is generally given credit for its inception, praised vegetarianism – for its hygienic nature and the kinship it fostered between man and the animals. In the past most Doctors, nutritionists and those responsible for health education, have in the main stated that a diet which contained no meat, could not be a healthy diet because this kind of diet would be lacking in certain minerals and vitamins, especially the B group of vitamins.
In recent years the trend towards eating less meat has increased because the technology that has so successfully increased meat production is an unnatural method. The use of chemicals and the unnatural living conditions the animals are kept in, which in many cases are appalling, are designed to force growth. People are now becoming increasingly concerned about their intake of chemicals and fat via the Standard American Diet.
Living Peace – What is Yoga?
Yoga Firstly, let me get all the Yoga clichés out in this first paragraph….
Yoga means “Union” and it brings body, mind and spirit back into alignment. Yoga is so much more than just physical postures (asana) – it is a practice that uses the body and breath to return peace & equanimity to the mind, and bring you closer to your true divine nature. The philosophy and techniques of yoga are taught on the mat, but then are used off the mat out in the big wide world.
For example, noticing that you are competitive in class or have a tendency to push yourself too hard brings the realization that if you are doing that in a yoga class, then you are more than likely also doing it in your daily life. Yoga brings awareness… Yoga is not a religion, however it can enhance whichever faith you come from. Even if you don’t believe in God, it can help you be happier and live a more fulfilling life by teaching you to be more present and open hearted.
You do not have to be flexible, young, fit, strong or disease/illness-free to do Yoga. It is suitable for ALL people as each pose (asana) can be adjusted to suit your body’s needs. Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you what Yoga means to me. Over the years I have studied with many wonderful yoga teachers (Simon Borg-Olivier, Mark Breadner, Saul David Raye, John Ogilvie, Yoga With Adriene just to name a few), and have dived into various different styles such as Synergy, Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Viniyoga and Vinyasa. I have also enjoyed studying various faiths and traditions such as teachings from Ram Dass, Buddhism, energy healing (Ignite Your Spirit), Hinduism, Sikhism, Christian Music Playlist & Mercy Me Songs.
Tai Chi is a major branch of Chinese martial arts that is primarily practiced for its health benefits, including tension and stress, relaxation and as a form of self-defense.
The name Tai Chi comes from the Chinese words meaning “great ultimate.”
It is also known as Tai Chi Chuan meaning, “great ultimate fist.”
Among martial arts, there are two basic types, one is called hard martial arts and the other one is soft martial arts. Hard martial arts are like karate and martial arts. The soft martial arts are BaGua and Tai Chi.
Simplified Tai Chi Chuan With Applications (YMAA) for Beginners.
The study of Tai Chi Chuan is unique in the sense that it marks the historical event of many centuries of Taoist study known as Chi Kung (“excellence of Energy”). People who practice tai chi believe that it can promote physical health because it enhances the flow of qi.
As being both healing art and martial art, Tai Chi is based on the internal condition of the study, which is the main point.
This shows that the true focus of the study is not only, nor even mainly, on the physical level, but places the importance of the practice more on the mental and energetic levels. The mental part is really the most important because the number one condition that limits an individual from achieving excellence in anything, including his or her own health, is a state that traditional Chinese medicine refers to as being “weak-minded”.
This “weak-minded” state shows that the person is easily confused or distracted.
So the first quality to be developed in Tai Chi is the strengthening of one’s concentration,
or better known to martial artists as being centered. So basically to sum up this paragraph, Tai Chi was created as a form of mediation and mental exercise in which students learn to center and focus their mental powers.
The skill and purpose of centering the mind is to keep the mind interested and involved in what’s happening at the present moment. This is understood to be the substructure of Tai Chi because from this state of attention comes the likelihood to change, correct, and heal. To promote this process, Tai Chi uses a physical location, the lower abdomen, which is called the Tan Tien in Chinese.
Meditation can destroy the stress accumulated during the day and bring you inner peace. Now we’ll show you how easy it is to learn to meditate when you need it most. If you stress seems anxious, tense and worried, consider that you start to meditate. Just a few minutes of meditation during the day can soothe and reduce stress levels. Anyone can practice meditation. It’s easy and cheap and does not require any special equipment.
You can meditate wherever you are – whether you walk, take the bus, wait for the doctor, or even in the middle of a busy business meeting.
Understanding of meditation.
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. When he emerged, meditation was supposed to help better understand the sacred and mystical forces.
They can vary depending on what type of meditation you choose or guides that teach you meditation.
The most common features of meditation include:
– Focusing – focusing attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. It helps to free the mind from thoughts that you turn away from meditation and cause only stress and worry. Concentrate on one particular object, image, or mantra only on your breathing.
– Relaxed breathing – a technique that involves deep, even breathing by straining the diaphragm to expand the lungs. The purpose is to slow down breathing, inhale more oxygen and relax your shoulders, neck and upper chest while breathing, so practically more efficient breathing.
– Quiet environment – if you are a beginner, meditation will be easier if you are in a quiet place, where no one and nothing will disturb you, including off the TV, radio and mobile phone. Journaling or Blogging are great forms and as you become more adept at meditation, you can do that anywhere, especially in very stressful situations, where meditation is most used, for example, while waiting in a long line or in a traffic jam.
Taoism And The Philosophy Of Tai Chi Chuan
1) http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Philosophy/Taichi/taoism.html “Taoism and the Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan.” Taoism and the Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan. N.P., N.D. Web. 01 Nov. 2015. This is a summary of the growth of Taoism. This is extremely relevant to my topic and will be an important source.
2) http://www.crystalinks.com/taoism.html “Taoism – Crystalinks.” Taoism – Crystalinks. N.P., N.D. Web. 01 Nov. 2015. This is an explanation of the philosophy of both modern and ancient Taoism. The section on modern Taoism is not as relevant as the ancient philosophy.
3) “Eastern Philosophy- Taoism.” Eastern Philosophy- Taoism. N.P., N.D. Web. 01 Nov. 2015. This article compares Taoism to other eastern philosophies.
This will be helpful in comparing Taoist beliefs and other eastern religions.
These differences may hold valuable insight for how Taoism spread.
4) “Taoism and the Arts of China (Art Institute of Chicago).” Taoism and the Arts of China (Art Institute of Chicago). Not very much synthesis here but there is a large amount of raw material. Short essays, art, maps, and other such resources may prove helpful.
5) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/ BBC News. BBC, N.D. Web. 01 Nov. 2015. A guide to the ancient religious philosophy of Taoism.
This source includes many important details on the history of Taoism.
6) http://www.taoism-directory.org/ Taoism Directory is a site where you can get all the information that you need to know about ancient Chinese practice. The information that we provide about Taoism will help you lead a better and healthier life.