LYMPHATIC SPRING CLEANING

This time of year is, in my opinion, the best time to be doing any type of lymphatic drainage. Spring is the season to cleanse, our bodies, our homes, our energy fields - whatever feels right. It is also the season where we have allergies popping up all over (excuse me while I sneeze as I write this) and where we hold onto water. In Ayurvedic medicine, Spring is Kapha season, which is the season of “wet and damp.” As we move from Spring to Summer we need to wring out some of that water, that puffiness and that stagnant energy within the body. Personally, being in this season prone to sinus allergies and also being pregnant, I am feeling not only congested, but like I am holding onto a lot of extra water (spoiler alert: I am)

The lymphatic system is our body’s sewer system. Here are some key functions that makes it so important:

• It is made up of small pipes and vessels that move fluid
• It is our body's circulatory system

• It is responsible for filtering and removing waste and toxins from our bodies that could potentially cause disease

• It absorbs fat and fatty acids from the gut and transports them to the bloodstream to be properly absorbed

• It restores excess protein molecules and interstitial fluid

• It maintains fluid balance within the body (filtering, purifying, and draining excess fluid)

Here are some of my favorite lymphatic practices:

1. Cupping Massage & Gua Sha  - I usually will do this daily if time allows for my practice, but weekly is okay if that is all that fits into your schedule. I usually do it at night time before bed. Here is a video on cupping + here is a link to my cupping set. 

 

1. Dry Brushing - Similar to cupping, I try to do this everyday before I take a shower or bath. It helps to flow the lymph under the surface of the skin, as well as exfoliates the skin. Here is a video on dry brushing + here is a link to my dry brush

 

1. Jumping/Shaking or Rebounding - This is a If you have a rebounder at home, great! If not you can put on music and jump or dance on your own. The reason this works for lymph flow is that when we jump the lymph will move upwards but it does not come back down, the jumping motion can move any toxins in the lymph where they need to go which is OUT. (*This is not one that I do while pregnant!)

 

1. Deep Belly Breathing - We have surface lymphatic tissue and we have deep lymphatic tissue within our gut and other bodily systems. To reach this deeper tissue, I really like to do breathwork. Deep belly breathing can help the body detox and access this deeper lymphatic tissue. 

​I also like to change up my diet to be more seasonally appropriate during this time. In the Spring, it is a great time to consume fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, especially those with bitter or astringent properties to help the body detox for Summer. 

Here are some superfoods to help things flow:

• Leafy greens
  • dandelion
  • arugula
  • kale
• Berries
  • Raspberries
  • Cranberries (pure juice no concetrate)
  • Tart cherries
  • Blue berries & Blackberries
• Citrus
  • Lemons & limes
• Spices
  • Ceyenne Pepper, garlic, oregano, turmeric

• Herbs
  • Siberian Ginseng
  • Japanese Knotweed
  • Calendula
  • Astragalus
  • Cordyceps
  • Burdock
  • Rhodiola

I hope you find this post helpful! I also have a virtual class offering called Go with the FLOW for anyone looking to dive deeper into this topic!

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