What Exactly is a Healthy Lymph System?

I have been hearing about the lymphatic system in my daily life for the past few months and decided to learn more. I am currently taking a course on lymphatic drainage and it's utterly fascinating. I am on the last day of lessons and I WANT MORE!

Upon quickly perusing my inbox earlier I see this email from a company that is not whom I am taking the course through, yet it is also talking about the lymphatic system so I immediately clicked the link to find out more.

After devouring this quick read, I wanted to share the article here for I found it to be an easy read that gives a very general introduction to the lymph system. In fact, the article was written over 10 years ago but still is very relevant in today's world. I hope you like it too!

"The Lymph and Vein Connection"

Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP

December 21, 2013

Benefits of a Healthy Lymph System

In western medicine, the word lymph immediately conjures up images of scary visits to an oncologist. Ayurveda, on the other hand, is friendly with the lymph. The lymph is the very first system evaluated to support optimal health.

The lymphatic system is the largest circulatory system of the body with many roles, and yet it is rarely talked about in the west. Many common symptoms that are uncomfortable but often lived with go back to a root cause of stagnant lymph. Most people don’t know that these symptoms are manageable once we give the lymph a little boost!

Let’s take a look at the many hats the lymphatic system wears.

Four Systems in One

As a digestive and detox system, the lymph starts as small lacteals that run along the inside of the digestive tract absorbing good and bad fats. Bad fats have begun to take a major toll on the lymph, as environmental toxins, pollutants, pesticides, preservatives and heavy metals are all fat-soluble. The lymph gets the first crack at them.

As a circulatory system, the lymph vessels are the drains of the body supporting the more popular venous system. If these get congested, the body will have difficulty draining the waste out of the body, putting unhealthy pressure on the veins and circulation.

The lymph is also the carrier of the body’s immune system and is typically located just across from any skin that is exposed to the outside world.

Lymph Headquarters

The highest concentration of lymph is found lining the outside of the gut wall, and is called the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT). The skin of the intestinal tract is constantly being exposed to toxins and undesirable microbes that could present a problem. So, the body in its infinite wisdom has an immune army waiting in the GALT just across the wall of the gut.

Similarly, lymph vessels are found waiting under our skin, adjoining the respiratory tract, and everywhere else that the body has skin supporting circulation, drainage of waste and immunity. When the lymph flow slows, the skin will appear aged and toxins will build up. Since the lymph moves against gravity, it is common for the lymph and veins to congest, yielding an unsightly appearance in the feet, legs, thighs, hips, belly and arms.

Citrus for All Your Circulatory Systems

New research is showing that a flavonoid called diosmin, found in certain citrus fruits like oranges, has a strong effect on moving and decongesting the lymphatic system. In fact, diosmin seems to affect all the circulatory drains of the body supporting the healthy function, strength, and competence of the lymph, capillary and venous systems. (1)

Diosmin has been shown to support and prolong healthy venous tone when impacted by stress chemicals such as adrenaline or epinephrine, (2) as well as support the circulatory system’s antioxidant systems. (3-6)

Placebo-controlled human trials support the use of diosmin for the maintenance of healthy metabolic parameters, microcirculation, fluid balance, lymph system function, and albumin retention. (7-9) Results suggest that diosmin specifically supports normal capillary filtration, lymphatic albumin resorption, and fluid balance at the cellular level. (10, 11)