What is the Lymphatic System?
Image Source Your lymphatic system is found circulating throughout your body. It is made up of tissues, organs, and fluids that work together to eliminate toxins and waste. It does this by transporting lymph, a white blood cell filled fluid. It is also made up of lymph nodes that produce extra white blood cells to fight off infections. The lymphatic system is unique in that it does not have one organ in charge of pumping lymph throughout your body (like the heart in the circulatory system). This is why when your body has an excess of toxins, your lymphatic system can become overwhelmed and inefficient. Take a look below at some of the best ways to detox your body and get your lymphatic system up and running again.
How to Detox Your Lymphatic System
1. Massage
Lymphatic massages are designed to clear the lymphatic system by applying light pressure and circulating lymph. You can even perform these detox massages at home. If you prefer, however, getting a professional massage can also help drain the lymphatic system and rid your body of toxic buildup.
2. Hot-Cold Shower
In a hot-cold shower, you constantly change the temperature of the water. Start out really hot and then drop the temperature to cold. Go back up to hot and back down to cold. Do this at least twice during your daily shower. How does this help? The hot water has a relaxing effect on your body. The cold water interacts by stimulating the lymphatic system and reducing inflammation.
3. Stay Hydrated
One of the best ways to detox your system is by staying hydrated. Dehydration is one of many factors that can lead to a congested lymphatic system. Drinking water helps your body flush toxins through your liver and kidneys. Try to get the recommended 64 ounces every day. Eating fruits with high water content like watermelon, strawberries, and cucumbers can also help.
4. Exercise
You already know you should be exercising every day. In addition to keeping your heart healthy and your body in shape, exercise also gets the lymph fluid circulating through your body and into your kidneys and liver. These 2 organs are crucial for expelling toxins and unwanted chemicals. Try taking a quick walk every morning and hitting the gym whenever possible. If you don’t have time for that, there are some lymphatic draining exercises you could try. Shoulder shrugs, for example, are one way to drain the lymphatic system. To do this, just inhale and pull both shoulders up to your ears. As you breathe out, lower your shoulders to the normal position. Do this 5 times.
5. Breathing Techniques
Don’t forget to concentrate on your breathing. Deep, focused breathing can help calm the nervous system and slow down the heart rate. Practicing deep breathing also changes your brain waves, leading to an overall calming effect. Try breathing deeply through your nose and out your mouth to boost your body’s oxygen levels. Oxygen is another way to detox your body of impurities.
6. Raw Fruit
As always, diet is important to staying healthy. Raw fruit, in particular, is an excellent way to activate the lymphatic system. To do this effectively, eat the fruit on an empty stomach. This allows the enzymes in the fruit to reach your lymphatic system more quickly. Try it with citrus fruits for the best results. Don’t like eating citrus fruit on an empty stomach? Squeeze some of the juice into a glass of room temperature water and drink that instead.
7. Skin Brushing
What is skin brushing? It’s the practice of taking a brush and lightly rubbing it around your skin, all over your body. This helps to detox your skin and body of waste and other toxic effects left behind by skin care products. As an added bonus, it helps exfoliate dead skin cells.
8. Laughing
Ever heard that laughter is the best medicine? There’s truth to that statement. When you laugh, you take deep breaths and stimulate your body’s circulation. Circulation boosts organ functioning and works in harmony with your lymphatic system, draining your body of toxins. This might be the easiest detox method yet! That’s it! 8 easy ways to detox your body by stimulation of the lymphatic system. The more of these you’re able to do every day, the better you’ll feel! Featured photo credit: Kira_fotografie via pixabay.com
