Breathing exercises help stimulate lymph circulation.
The lymphatic system is a key part of your immune system. Lymph vessels absorb fluids from your tissues such as your skin, muscles and membranes -- and then process that fluid through lymph nodes where toxins are destroyed, then return the purified fluid to your cardiovascular system. White blood cells in lymph tissue recognize bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites and then destroy them. They also create antibodies which protect you if you are re-exposed to those toxins. Lymph circulation is vital to good health. You can do a lot to stimulate lymph circulation and enhance your overall health.
Instructions
1. Learn to breathe correctly. When you inhale your lungs compress the thoracic duct, which is the largest lymph vessel in your body. When you exhale, the pressure on the thoracic duct relaxes which creates a partial vacuum inside the vessel. This pulls in more lymph fluid from other lymph vessels. It stimulates the movement of lymph throughout your entire body. Place your hands on your chest above your breasts. As you inhale notice whether your upper chest expands. Exhale and then place your hands on your ribs beneath your breasts. As you inhale, notice whether the ribs expand. Exhale, and then place your hands on your abdomen. When you inhale, notice whether your abdomen expands and pushes your hands outwardly. To breathe correctly air needs to fill the upper and lower lungs, and doing so will push the abdominal organs down making the abdomen expand.
2. Exercise every day. When your muscles contract, they squeeze the lymph vessels inside the muscles, emptying them. When the muscles relax, pressure on the lymphatic vessels relaxes too, and they absorb more fluid from the muscles. You need repetitive exercise like walking which makes your muscles alternately contract and relax, over and over, to scrub your muscles clean.
3. Keep moving. Gentle movements like yawning, blinking, stretching, walking and fidgeting all make your skin move. The majority of your lymph vessels are located right under the skin, not inside your muscles. The smallest are constructed with overlapping cells that are attached to nearby tissues with fibers. As you move your skin, it pulls on those fibers and opens the overlapping cells so that fluid can move out of the tissues into the lymph vessels. It just requires gentle ordinary movements all day long.
4. Drink water. The lymphatic system is a fluid-based system -- and it requires water. Dehydration can affect lymph circulation and contribute to infection. Drink the minimum of eight 8 oz. glasses of water every day and more than that if you have been very active or you are thirsty.
5. Use gravity. Tissue fluid responds to gravity. That's why you might get swollen ankles if you stand a lot during the day. Swelling increases pressure inside your tissues and actually inhibits lymph circulation. If you are on your feet a lot during the day, lie down for a few minutes in the middle of the day with your ankles higher than your knees and your knees higher than your hips.
6. Get a massage. Look for an experienced massage therapist with at least 500 hours of training in massage including 40 hours of training in lymph drainage massage. You can also learn lymph drainage massage techniques yourself -- the techniques are simple and the principles easy to understand.
Tags: lymph circulation, lymph vessels, your hands, your muscles,