Do you ever marvel at the miracle that is your body?
I mean really! How on earth does it keep up to all of the assaults on it?
Think all of the exposure in everyday life to chemicals in cleaners, skincare, the chemical waste we breathe in, chemicals on our food, chemicals IN our food, and so much more!!
Enter the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is the most magical system in the body, in my humble opinion It’s a series of over 500 lymph nodes, or little kidney bean-shaped sacs, that are located all over the body. There is a high concentration of lymph nodes in the neck, underarm area, and groin.
Lymphatic fluid is stored in the nodes and then pumped through lymphatic vessels throughout the body to be removed as waste. Unlike the blood that moves through veins via an internal pumping system, the lymphatic system needs manual pumping to clean.
Maybe you’ve noticed an occasional tender area under your arm or a little swelling in your neck? This can be a build-up of lymphatic fluid that is not moving.
The key is to keep everything in the system moving, moving, moving, in order to clean and rid the body of waste and not let it collect in these nodes, causing discomforts and ultimately sickness.
There are several ways to do this and most are surprisingly gentle and hardly like work at all.
One of the best things for the lymphatic system is a gentle massage. There are RMT’s who specialize in this and they are worth their weight in gold if you ask me.
When massaging the lymphatic system, you want to be gentle and you want to be massaging towards the heart. This can be as simple as using a rollerball of essential oils under your arm to encourage movement. You can gently massage under the breast area, into the underarm to encourage movement towards the lymph nodes there.
Here’s a little video describing one of my daily health practices for healthy breasts.
When using essential oils in lymphatic massage, I recommend using oils that increase flow. Cypress is the oil of motion and flow. Use it diluted in a gentle massage of the area. Citrus oils like Lemon, Orange, or Grapefruit, are also good choices, again, diluted for sensitive areas. Hormone balancing oils are an excellent choice as well. Think Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, and Geranium, especially in the underarm area.
Walking also encourages the lymphatic fluid to move throughout the body by gently massaging the feet as they roll. It’s our built-in mover and shaker! The biggest job of the lymphatic system is to clean, remove waste and keep the immune system in tip-top shape by fighting off offenders. Anytime you’re fighting off a bug, you may want to ramp up your lymphatic support system by drinking more water, using doTERRA essential oils in gentle massage, and walking often.
Dry brushing is another practice that’s said to encourage the movement of lymphatic fluid by increasing circulation and promoting the flow of lymph, along with blood flow. It’s a practice that unclogs pores, exfoliates dry skin cells, and stimulates even the nervous system. You want to use a natural bristled brush with a long handle to reach those hard-to-reach areas. Dry brushing before your shower is best so you can clean off the dry skin cells in the shower. Start from your feet and work your way up in long, gentle strokes or in a circular motion. Be gentle with sensitive areas. You may love to say a mantra while you’re dry brushing such as “I lovingly care for my body” or “ I am healthy and well”
When you are finished, give your body some extra love with a moisturizing, chemical-free, body lotion and your favourite doTERRA oils. A combo that I absolutely adore is Frankincense and Wild Orange with some Yarrow Pom Serum.
New to essential oils? Let’s take 30 minutes to chat through what the best oils are for your needs. You can book me here
