You may have heard of the lymphatic system, and perhaps fairly recently. It’s not new, but it’s newsworthy. There was active interest in this system centuries ago – Hippocrates wrote about it in the 5th century B.C., lymph nodes were mentioned in a text in the 1st-2nd century A.D.. and in 16th and 17th century Europe, initially Italy, there was a flurry of discoveries for nearly two hundred years. With the exception of a few important discoveries in the 1800-1900’s,lymph moved into the shadows.
Only recently has the lymph taken center stage, in part because it has now been found circulating around the brain, and gut lymphatics turn out to be pretty darned important. Why did the lymphatic system live in the shadows for so many centuries, when most other body systems were getting lots of attention? Mostly likely because the lymphatic vessels are so much more difficult to i.d. in a cadaver that they can literally go unnoticed.
The lymphatic system is integral to most of our body systems and has so many jobs!
And yet! The lymphatic system has its finger in every pie, as it were. It is intimately interrelated with and supportive of blood circulation and the fluid in and around every cell. In fact one of its primary jobs is maintaining fluid balance throughout our bodies.
And then there is immunity. The lymphatic system and immunity are nearly synonymous. It is through the lymph cells, nodes, fluid, and vessels that waste, hormones, and potentially harmful elements are removed and recycled. And something like 70% of that immune activity takes place in the digestive system. Gives one pause.
Yet another stellar job performed by the lymph is the transport of partially broken-down fat from the intestines to the heart and then on to the liver for processing. Where would we be without our lymph lacteals? (fat-absorbing capillaries in the gut)
And now we know that the lymph carries waste products from the brain, including through lymphatic interconnection with the CerebroSpinal Fluid, together termed the “Glymphatic System”, which is active during deep sleep. So let’s see…that functionally makes the lymph a part of or indispensable to the circulatory, immune, digestive, endocrine, and nervous systems, and to the skeletal system, if only because lymph cells are born in the bones.
Pretty darned impressive. Also impressive is the huge lymphatic variation in us – two thoracic ducts, or two termini on the left and none on the right, or only one lonely little node in a spot while someone else has three. And on and on. Does any other human body system have such variation?
Lucky for us, we can get hands-on and personal with our own lymphatic systems. I delight in the fact that we can actually touch and feel many of our nodes. And that we can have a huge effect on lymphatic flow and thus improve well-being. We can uncork bottlenecks, do some gentle directing, create a little extra pressure from the outside, and the lymph responds.
What can change? Just about anything, because the lymph is so central. For example, some of what I have witnessed: bags under the eyes gone, cleared sinuses, brighter faces, clearer thinking, improved sleep, better gut function, healthier breasts, speedy injury-healing, colds averted, lowered blood pressure – the list goes on.
Whereas I used to think of the lymph as just another member of the community of body systems, I now consider it the fluid foundation that must be flowing for all else to function; the astute cleaning crew; the undersung medical worker; the 24/7 fat ferry; the friend you would not want to be without. The lymph is still quietly working behind the scenes but is no longer in the shadows. We’re finally celebrating you, lymph!
Stimulate your lymph for better health
If you would like to learn how to support your health by stimulating your lymph to be it’s leveling best (get it?), tap the “Contact Us” button and pop me a message. We can set up a private online session for you to learn a 2-minute protocol you can use and share always, and I will notify you about future lymph workshops and videos.
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