I just can’t take it anymore – the commercials, the misinformation, the damage people are doing to themselves. ARGH!
What has me so frustrated? First let me get you on the same page. Let’s say you have a sink, like your kitchen sink. And let’s say that this sink backs up and there is water sitting in your sink because the drain is clogged. Would you drink that water in the sink? NO, it is wastewater that, if left in your sink, will eventually pollute the kitchen and attract bacteria.
So, in our bodies we also have a drainage system – our lymphatic system. This system works hand in hand with our circulatory system to keep our tissues and organs alive and healthy. It is the lymphatic system’s job to make sure that the fluid around the cells don’t become sluggish or, even worse, at a standstill.
Most people know very little about their own lymph system, even though it is the only system that permeates their entire body. Amazingly, the nervous and circulatory systems don’t even do that. This fact alone should tell us that this system is absolutely essential to our basic health. And yet, many people are walking around with clogged lymph systems. Yuk!
What is our lymph system supposed to do for us? Lymphatic fluid circulates through an interconnected system of spaces and vessels between tissues and organs. Our lymph system is supposed to eliminate any excess lymph fluid from the tissue spaces, purify it of cellular debris and return it to the circulatory system, in the process removing bacteria and other pathogens that cause infection.
Just like our sink, without the lymphatic drainage working properly, the tissues in the body become like a clogged kitchen sink, a trash-laden back alley, or a stagnant swamp. Whatever analogy we use, none of our cells can survive without a constant influx of fresh lymphatic fluid – and a clogged lymph system is not a healthy condition.
The lymphatic system detoxifies the whole body, providing it is working properly. When the lymphatic system does not remove the waste and toxins from the body, the nerves become irritated and damaged, which can cause pain, and other illnesses.
Signs that your body’s lymph system is clogged: allergies, bloating, breast problems, cysts, tumors, earaches or ear infections, fatigue or exhaustion, weak immune system, over acidity causing arthritis pain, prostate swelling, respiratory conditions, skin conditions, sore throats, spleen problems, stressed kidneys or bladder, or swollen lymph nodes.
Okay – so now we are on the same page. Let’s say that someone told you that you could purchase a product that would prevent your lymph system from flushing properly. Would you purchase it? Millions of people do everyday – they are called anti-perspirants. The definition of anti-perspirants is “stop perspiring or sweating”. Okay, so where are all those toxins supposed to go now? Well, if your other elimination systems are blocked up also – and many people’s are – they typically stay in your body, causing inflammation, pain, and many other illnesses listed above.
A few months ago I was sitting in my office with a customer and the newsman came on the radio to say that they had discovered anti-perspirant ingredients in breast tumors. Duh! Where did they think they were going to go? And why did everyone act so surprised? Oh, and they followed-up the news article saying that “but anti-perspirants don’t cause breast cancer” – Oh please! Let’s see, let’s stop an important body function from working properly and efficiently – but there isn’t any damage from doing that. Yeah, right.
Ok – so I was upset, but I got over it. Then a few months ago, in Oprah magazine, which I am typically for because it is a very empowering magazine to people, women specifically – I became upset again. The March 2005 issue, in the Ask Val section, which is about beauty – someone had written in about a sweating problem that they had – they were sweating right through their clothes – “how embarrassing” the article read. And Val recommended that the person use a “really strong anti-perspirant with a high percentage of aluminum” – with no concern that this will clog up her lymph system, or that there have been so many studies where aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s. I know that Val is not a doctor – but she should have recommend this women see a health professional of some sort – because excess sweating is also an indicator in many illnesses – especially glandular imbalances. She didn’t recommend that she change her diet, or flush her lymph system to unclog her lymph system – just STOP IT UP MORE! Argh!!
Okay – so I got over that one also. And then I was watching the news, which I rarely do. And there was a woman who was getting married this June, and didn’t want to sweat during her wedding. So she was getting underarm Botox injections “which block the signals that trigger sweat production.” – Oh, that sounds healthy doesn’t it?
Mark my words – the women who use these – will get some form of cancer: breast, lymph or other. You can’t stop an important elimination system in your body and not expect something to result from it.
Whew – thanks for letting me vent.
Now that I got that out of my system, let me educate you on what you can do to have a healthy lymph system.
First – Drink water. Drinking water helps to flush the lymph system by providing clean fluids to flush toxins. Even moderate dehydration contributes to poor lymphatic drainage. Many health professionals consider the lymph system our third kidney. Keeping your kidneys flushed properly with water can help to put less stress on your lymph system as well.
Second – Exercise. One of the best exercises for the lymph system is the mini-trampoline. If a person is unable to stand on the trampoline, they can still benefit from sitting in a chair next to the trampoline with their feet on the trampoline. Another person can then bounce gently up and down. This exercise moves the lymphatic tissue. If you don’t have a trampoline – walking and breathing deeply and any other exercise can help as well – as these all move the lymphatic system as well. Deep breathing means to sit and relax; and take 3-5 deep controlled breaths. Do this as often as you like, in fact, the more often the better. It is great for so many body functions, and helps with stress as well.
Third – STOP USING YOUR ANTI-PERSPIRANT – use a deodorant instead. The definition of a deodorant is to “stop odor.” There are many natural deodorants on the market – we sell probably 5 different kinds, roll-ons, rocks, essential oil sprays, enzymes sprays, etc. These are all natural and help to kill the bacteria that causes odor. Remember it is important to sweat, but you don’t have to smell. Many people need to rotate products to find what works for them.
Remember also, that if your lymph system is toxic, it may take awhile to flush it out completely. Many people take 3-9 months before they see a change in the amount of sweat they are producing. Once you stop clogging up your system, and open the drainpipe, your body will take advantage of that and flush everything out for you – this is normal.
If you absolutely must use an anti-perspirant for a special occasion – fine – but when you get home, wash it off as much as possible. Otherwise when you are sleeping all night it is preventing your body from flushing normally.
Fourth – Change your diet. If you stop putting toxins in your body, you won’t have to worry about them coming out at another time. We had a customer a few weeks ago that I thought said it all. He was going to purchase an organic deodorant we sell. And then at the last minute he said, “I don’t want this – I’ve decided to eat better instead – because when you eat correctly your body doesn’t stink.” Amen to that!
Fifth – Change your perceptions – In most other countries in the world, people do not use anti-perspirants – and it does not make us more civilized to use these products, it just makes us more clogged up and causes more disease than all these other countries combined.
Sixth – Pay attention to what you put on your skin in the first place. Everything you put on your skin goes right into your lymph system. Why do you think there are so many patches on the market? Because we absorb things more effectively through our skin than we do through our digestive systems. So think about how much lotion do you use? Have you actually looked at the ingredients? Do you know what all those ingredients are? Where they are from? And what they actually do to help or hurt your body? Why are you putting it on your body if it can hurt you? A good resource for this information is Ruth Winter’s book, A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. This can help educate you on what you are being exposed to on a daily basis.
Seventh – Stimulate your lymph system to flush naturally; one way is by sweating on a regular basis. Saunas, steam rooms, exercise, and Ginger baths (2 Tbsp ground ginger in a hot bath) all can help you to flush your lymph system effectively. Dry brushing is another inexpensive and very effective way to stimulate your lymph system to flush effectively. Use a dry brush that is only used for this purpose. Brush your skin towards your heart everyday at least once a day. One of my customers had tumors on her inner thighs and only did dry brushing and within a few months they were gone.
Optimizing the lymphatic system is a very powerful tool that can help your body to eliminate toxins that lead to pain and other health issues. Why not help instead of preventing your lymph from working effectively. Your body will be good to you later because of it.