Welcome
Hello Friends.
Thanks for tuning in to Twelve Minute Health Bits. This is your host, Christen Hull, providing health and wellness support for the 21st century. We will be talking about using simple methods from today and centuries ago to keep our bodies healthy. Our goal is to daily stay “Above the Wellness Line.” In this podcast I will be giving you tips and tricks on how to daily make small changes to your life in order to keep your body well.
Episode 13 - The Lymphatic System - How to Detox
Did you know that the word lymph means clear water in Latin? Basically it is the fluid found in the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes. The lymphatic system has three major roles in our body. I will get to those roles in a minute. If you have cypress or grapefruit essential oil, I want you to grab it and put about a teaspoon of V6 carrier oil (or other carrier oil) in your palm with about 4 drops of cypress or grapefruit and run this from the bottom of your earlobes down to your chest massaging the lymph nodes in your neck. This provides a very gentle lymph node detox and can be the beginning of cleaning out your system.
Purpose of the Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is responsible for returning fluids to the heart, helping our hormone and lipid molecules that are larger enter the bloodstream, and also acts as a watchdog to make sure our immune system is in check. The network of tissues and organs in the lymphatic system is also part of the circulatory system that helps rid the body of wastes and other unwanted material. The main role of the lymphatic system is to move the lymph (or fluid with white blood cells) around in the body. These white blood cells help to fight infections such as cancer. Working together, the lymphatic and immune systems destroy waste and debris, pathogens, toxins, and cancer cells (11 steps to detox your lymphatic system, n.d.).
Keeping our Lymphatic System Clean
It is incredibly important to keep our lymphatic system clean and toxin free in order to keep our immune systems in the best shape possible. A healthy immune system helps us fight off yuck that may come our way. Some signs that your lymphatic system might be a little bogged down with chemicals or other pathogens may be fatigue, eczema, cold limbs, bloating, or headaches.
Keeping your lymphatic systems clean and detoxified is just one more way you can help support your health naturally. Doing some of these things can definitely help your health in the long run. If you are experiencing a symptom from an overrun lymphatic system, remember it is important to remove the toxin just as much as we need to cleanse the system. For example, if you have a deodorant that contains heavy metals, you should first get rid of the deodorant before detoxing the lymphatic system or immediately afterwards. If you detox and then add the synthetic chemical or heavy metal directly back into your system, you are not going to see a ton of progress. That is why it is so important to check your personal care products to make sure they are safe and clean with ingredients that are not going to continue to add toxins to your body.
Sweat - The Perfect Detox for your Lymphatic System
Detoxing your lymphatic system can be incredibly fun and easy to do. One of the easiest ways is to get some moderate exercise every single day. Exercise stimulates circulation transporting oxygen to the different areas of the body. Sweating is also a great way to detox the lymphatic system. Exercising hard enough where you sweat out toxins a couple times a week is great for your overall health along with sitting in a sauna (11 steps to detox your lymphatic system, n.d.).
Exercise to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
Have some fun with your exercise and movements. Get outside and go on a walk with your family or friends, play catch with your kids, etc. One of the best forms of exercise for the lymphatic system I have found is the rebounder. A rebounder is a small trampoline that you use to work out on. It helps to increase the detoxification process. When you bounce you have a shift in gravity that benefits your muscles and cells. This also increases the lymph flow by as much as 15 times through opening and closing valves in the lymphatic system. This movement has been shown to boost immunity, remove toxins, and slow the aging process. Some studies have even shown that it can help destroy cancer cells in the body by draining the lymphatic vessels of bacteria or damaged cells (David, n.d.). Rebounding has many more health benefits, and is really a fun form of working out. I love my rebounder and make it a point to use it four to five times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes each session. The kids also use it for their schoolwork. Instead of sitting at the table all day long they jump while reading sight words to me, or while skip counting, etc. If you do purchase a rebounder, please make certain you do not skimp on quality. Poorly manufactured rebounders can have detrimental effects on your joints. I purchased the Fit Bounce Pro II, but I have heard the Cellusiser is also a great brand.
Herbs and Spices to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
There are several herbs and spices that can assist in cleansing the lymphatic system. Some of them include: cilantro, dandelion, milk thistle, black walnut, peppermint, eucalyptus, black pepper, cayenne, and stinging nettle (11 steps to detox your lymphatic system, n.d.). There are several recipes for teas and even using them to cook with is also helpful.
Dry Brushing to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
Another fun thing that truly supports the lymphatic system is called dry brushing. Dry brushing promotes circulation and detoxification. It also removes dead cells from the skin's surface. The reason our lymphatic system needs extra help and support to get the toxins moving outward is because the fluid in the lymph system moves against gravity or uphill relying on muscle contractions to keep it flowing. Back ups can occur, and a dry brush can help to stimulate that movement and encourage detoxification.
To begin dry brushing you will need to purchase a natural bristle brush, quality is important, but brushes are fairly inexpensive. Make sure to clean your brush with soap and water before and after using it. It is best to dry brush right before a hot shower. The heat from the shower will encourage further detoxification. When you brush, make sure you use long sweeping motions toward your heart. Start at your feet and gradually move up your torso, arms, neck, and face. Go over each area several times and overlap the previous spot you were just brushing. It is okay to skip a spot if it feels too sensitive or uncomfortable. Every day is ideal to dry brush, but if you can do it even three times a week, that is helpful (Elmore, 2019). Make it fun! I love to dry brush with my three year old. I brush her feet and she brushes my feet. We both have a lot of fun with it.
Massage to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
Another incredible way to detox the lymphatic system is with a lymphatic massage. Ideally, you would want to dry brush, take a hot shower, then do a lymphatic massage.
To make a blend for a lymphatic massage you will want to mix up:
½ cup of a carrier oil
10 drops cypress essential oil
10 drops frankincense essential oil
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
Use a diagram to locate the lymph nodes in your body and massage the oil blend in the areas of the body where your lymph nodes are located in a circular motion for 10 seconds or more. If anything is tender, be gentle. Follow up with lots of water to continue the flushing process (Elmore, 2019).
Bath to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
A detox bath is another great way to detox your entire body. This detox bath recipe is made using the oils in the Raindrop Massage Technique (Elmore, 2018).
To make this bath soak take:
6 cups epsom salts in a large bowl
Add 10 drops of each essential oil:
oregano
thyme
basil
wintergreen
marjoram
white angelica
aroma siez
cypress
Stir
Store in a large glass or stainless steel container
Add 1-2 cups of the mixture to your bath
Soak for at least 20 minutes in the bath
Healthy Weight to Detox and Support your Lymphatic System
Another important thing you can do to keep your lymphatic system in tip top shape is to maintain a healthy weight. A 2016 (Hespe et al.) study found that obesity can lead to inflammation and lymphatic dysfunction.
Intricately Created
It amazes me how our bodies are so woven together. Everything is linked to some degree. This is how we were designed by a loving Creator. I hope today’s episode gave you a few more ideas on some small changes you can make to help your body be well. If we look at Psalm 51:7 it says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Let’s clean house my friends, and get rid of those toxins building up. Let God wash you whiter than snow, physically, and spiritually. Our positive affirmation of the week is, “I can use the tools I have to clean my body of toxins that build up over time.”
Products Featured on Today’s Broadcast
Visit www.twelve-stones.net to place an order
Essential Oils
Cypress
Grapefruit
Frankincense
Oregano
Thyme
Basil
Wintergreen
Marjoram
White Angelica
Aroma Siez
V6 Carrier Oil
Supplements
Rebounder
Epsom Salt
Conclusion
Hey Friends.
Thank you for tuning in to this resource from Twelve Stones Health and Wellness with Christen Hull. If you have an idea for an upcoming episode, send it my way, I would be happy to explore the topic. If you are interested in more information on becoming a member of Young Living and receiving the benefits of synthetic chemical free living in your home, please talk to the person who shared this podcast with you or, visit my website at www.twelve-stones.net. If you find this resource helpful, I encourage you to enjoy and share this podcast. Please do not alter the content in any way or charge for this resource.
References
11 steps to detox your lymphatic system. (n.d.). Retrieved from Longevity Wellness Worldwide website: https://longevitywellnessworldwide.com/longevity-blog/11-steps-to-detox-your-lymphatic-system/
David, J. (n.d.). 17 benefits of trampoline exercise. Retrieved from Just Bounce Trampoline Club Inc. website: https://justbounce.ca/17-benefits-of-trampoline-exercise/#:~:text=Rebounding%20causes%20the%20valves%20in,slow%20down%20the%20aging%20process.
Elmore, L. (2018, October 3). Raindrop detox bath. Retrieved from Lindsey Elmore website: https://lindseyelmore.com/raindrop-detox-bath/
Elmore, L. (2019, May 22). DIY lymphatic tune up. Retrieved from Lindsey Elmore website: https://lindseyelmore.com/diy-lymphatic-tune-up/
Hespe, G. E., Kataru, R. P., Savetsky, I. L., Garcia Nores, G. D., Torrisi, J. S., Nitti, M. D., ... Mehrara, B. J. (2016, August 1). Exercise training improves obesity‐related lymphatic dysfunction. The Journal of Physiology, 594(15), 4267–4282. doi:https://doi.org/10.1113/jp271757
