Jump-out the toxins (Rebounding for lymph drainage).

Is it possible to jump and release toxins?

Yes it is, but its probably not exactly how you are picturing it. The toxins dont just spurt out of your body- you are actually facilitating your detox process. The method to doing this is called rebounding- which is jumping.

 

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My stubborn lymph system

I suffer from a sluggish lymph system and I try and try to get it flowing. I pretty much do all the suggestions below (which takes up a lot of time) and still I get symptoms daily. If you are like me, then it is going to be a process to get your lymph system working properly again, and it could be tied to some other condition- like my hashimtos. I also am slowly introducing a lymph homeopathic form my chiropractor.

Do you have a sluggish lymph system?

The answer is YES if you suffer from any of these symptoms.

Chronic illness

Autoimmune disorder

Thyroid imbalances (hypothyroidism)

Weak immune system (prone to infections and illness)

Sinus congestion/infections

Headaches

Consistant fatigue

Swollen lymph nodes

Poor circulation

Itching

Allergies

Cellulite

Overweight

Swollen face and/or limbs

“puffy eyes” in the morning.

Fluid retention (enema)

Swollen tonsils

Pressure in head, “full feeling”

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What is the lymph system?

The first thing you should know about the lymph system is that is moves very slowly. It has no pump, like your heart pumps your blood. Its up to you to “pump” your lymph fluid. Trust me, you will want to move by the end of this post!

Every wonder why you wake up with puffy eyes? That is because while you are sleeping the lymph fluid does not get to move as much, so the lymph fluid builds up. The fluid retention will be worse if your lymph system is under functioning because of a illness or disease (liver problems, hypothyroidism, edema, sinus problems..).

You have lymph vessels all over your body. Take a look at this chart to see what I am talking about. These vessels open and close. The lymph fluid moves away form gravity. When you jump these vessels open and close several times, allowing the fluid to move back and forth.

The lymph system removes excess fluid from the tissues and in between the cells. It also absorbs protein and gives it to the blood. Pathogens, toxins, and cancer cells are all removed my the lymph system.

This system absorbs fat soluble vitamins from your digested food. If you are interested in the lymph anatomy (like me) then take a look at these pictures of the face, head, and neck lymph system. Here is the whole body chart.

I bet you didn’t know..

You have main lymph valves in your arms and legs.

You have over 300 lymph nodes in your neck and head area.

The lymph nodes are designed to drain toxins before they reach your brain- so even more of a reason for these nodes to work better!

Your liver is packed with lymph vessels too which are activated when you rebound.

Lymph fluid cleanses and transports.

Lymph organs include bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus.

There is more lymph in your body then blood. You are the “pump” for your lymph system, no organ will do it for you! Move!

Most people with chronic illness have problems with their lymph system.

The body is separated into 2 parts -right lymph ad left lymph.

The left lymph covers most of your body. It is a very uneven proportion, look at a picture here. (notice the bluish color on the man’s right side and the neutral color on his left side.)

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What is rebounding?

It is simply jumping. A trampoline allows your knees and body to bounce back without stress. If I just jump around, my knees get sore. I would suggest a trampoline- I got mine  here (the reviews say it breaks fast, but I have had mine fore over a year without problems). It also makes you more inclined to jump!

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Unleash your toxins!

The lymph system needs help. It is sluggish. Bouncing forces the fluid to start moving. The fluid moves out toxins and debris and gets your detox organs to kick into gear.

You may feel a flush or rush of energy when you start to rebound. Your energy and lymph fluid are getting stirred up and flowing (this is good).

If you start to feel fatigued or any other detox symptoms, cut down on the time or stop. Rebounding is a powerful detox so play it safe and start slow. Allow your body to be the conductor- more is not always better.

Once the toxins are released your body has to get rid of them. Assist your body by taking a sauna or clay bath (instructions here). Just like any detox, you might feel worse before you feel better.

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How to jump?

Its simple-jump. Up and down. Lift off your toes. Nothing too strenuous. Watch this video to get a feel for exactly what to do. Use a trampoline. I bought a mini one from amazon (actually a kids one) that cost like $40. Mine has not broken and I have been jumping on it daily for 1 year. You will want to get one that is right for your body (weight) and durable.

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How I jump

I grabbed my sister to have her demonstrate rebounding for you. It was a good study break for her to get the blood moving to her brain :). Rebounding is pretty simple. This is how I usually do my jumping. I alternate between the little toe jump, the regular jump and the tuck jump. I like to mix it up so its fun. I also like to move my arms. Im not very coordinated so I just let them fly around :).

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Happy organs/body.

Digestion: Expect your insides to feel jiggly (hey you are jumping). Rebounding stimulates your digestion, allowing the food to well…evacuate faster! My sister says it feels like a “body reset” every time you jump.

Intestines: There is a special name for the lymph in the intestines- chyle. Its role is to hold the absorb the fat from your food.

Muscles: Rebounding is in fact engaging tons of muscles, even though it seems so easy and fun…wait till you jump for 10 min. After a few weeks you will notice your muscles might have more definition or are just stronger and more flexible. You are using muscle groups that would not normally be used.

Liver and detox organs: As you jump, the lymph fluid gets circulating around your liver. More blood and lymph fluid = more oxygen & more nutrients. As the blood gets shunted to your liver and detox organs, they can preform their task more efficiently (which is detoxing!) Allowing your liver to function better will put less stress on your lymph organs like the spleen.

Lungs/Brain: I always feel like I can breath better after a rebounding session. The increase in oxygen and allowing your lungs to fully expand gives your brain the oxygen it has been asking for. So much of our life we don’t breath fully and are really starving our brains as well. If you need a “work or study break” just jump. I sometimes stop my siblings when they are studying really hard and have them jump to get their brain working better!

Mood: I cant say exactly what increases someones mood, but when you jump, it sure works. I mean, how could it not after reading all these positive benefits for the body. If your body is happy your mood is happy. I challenge you to rebound without cracking a smile…its hard!

Metabolism/circulation: People seem to love this word, right? Rebounding does help to reboot your metabolism because all your other organ systems are being recharged. If your body is working, you metabolism will follow. If you have cold fingers and toes (like I do) rebounding will become your best friend. I wake up in the morning eager to jump to get some warmth in me.

Immune system: Your lymph system is directly connected to your immune system. It helps remove destroyed cells, debris, toxins, and cancer cells. Your thymus (a lymph gland) plays a key role in your immune system and fighting infections as well.

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Liver lymph connection:

The key to a healthy lymph system and drainage is keeping the liver in tip-top shape. (I know I have some work to do with my liver- dandelion greens here I come!)

There is a big connection between a healthy liver and a properly functioning lymph system. That is because 25-50% of lymph that flows through the thoracic duct is produced by the liver. The thoracic duct is the main duct (from you neck all the way down your abdomen) in your body for the lymph system. It transports most of the lymph to the bloodstream.

The lymph in the thoracic duct carries nutrients from the intestines into the blood stream and draws lymph from both halves of the body. If that much lymph comes from your liver and flows into the main “vessel” of the lymph system then it makes sense why a healthy liver=healthy lymph.

There are countless ways to get your liver functioning properly. I prefer to focus on gentle ways that wont stress the body too much in the process. Liver detoxing with dandelion greens, milk thistle, burdock, healthy fats, eating grass fed liver, caster oil pack, acupuncture…There are countless ways to clean up your liver and give it that extra boost so it can do what it does best -detox and produce lymph! Glutathione is important to help detox your liver as well.

Good news is that your liver has the ability to regenerate. The liver is comprised of certain types of cells that actually rebuild and replicate to form a healthy liver- even after injury to the liver. This “regeneration” mechanism has been studied and witnessed since ancient times. A liver can grow and adapt in size and mass. As little as 25% of a liver can regenerate back into a whole liver.

There have been studies done that show liver regeneration actually can be compromised by chemicals (we have plenty of those in our world). Despite this, there is hope with your liver, but that doesn’t mean you can be “mean” to it and drink and eat all the bad food you want.

When you support your liver with herbs and exercise, detox is natural. Cleansing will come before rejuvenation and it can take a few moths to many years (depending on the condition you liver is in now). If you care for your liver, all your other systems and organs (gallbladder, lymph, colon, etc.) will benefit and create a healthier body overall.

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How else to get lymph system moving

Dry skin brushing. I do this every day, and I actually look forward to it. There are special techniques so read about it here. Sometimes I even brush my skin with my shower brush, but dry brushing is more effective then wet. I use this brush.

Massage/Face massage. My mom massages my neck and shoulders when they are tight or if my ear won’t drain. It gives immediate relief too. I like this link for face massage instructions. Trust me these techniques work- I stroke my face and neck every morning like this video explains and I see a difference in my face. Here is a good book to learn more.

Any exercise. Rebounding is just the most effective for lymph. Exercise is hands down the most effective lymph system “pumper or drainer”. You cannot live without it! I find swimming or yoga are 2nd best to rebounding for lymph movement.

Chiropractic care. If you get the right alignment, the fluid can drain properly. I always get immediate results with this.

Oil pulling. Swishing a spoonful of oil (coconut, olive, sesame) in your moth for 20 min each day will aid in lymph flow in your sinuses. Nothing feels better to me then clear sinus. I find that it also unplugs the mucus in my ears as well as reduces the swelling the lymph nodes under my chin. I use coconut oil.

Acupuncture. The lymph organs (spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes) all have special meridians which can be stimulated. I get my lymph points needled and I find relief. Acupressure also is helpful too.

Drink water. Clean water of course. Without water the lymph system cannot flow properly. Not too much though.. don’t over do it (you can be over hydrated, trust me, I was). I use a berkey with ceramic filters.

Inversions: Headstands, downward dog, “legs crawl up the wall” are all simple positions the let your head hang. Inverting your body uses gravity to help your lymph system drain. Go do a handstand..or work on it anyways.

Deep breathing. Seriously just do it. Right now. Fill those lungs and make sure your shoulders don’t move (your belly should). My sisters in choir taught me how to breath. First start by laying of your back. Breath. Do you see you stomach rise. Now try it sitting. Its harder isn’t it? Just practice. This link will help you.

Poop/enema: Yes getting your colon moving is a good idea. Remember its not all about fiber but the good bacteria that helps you eliminate too. A coffee enema or colon cleansing can give your liver a nice detox (don’t be squeamish or scared- your body may need it), which is going to help the lymph system in return.  I wrote a whole post to help you here. I bought this nontoxic enema bucket. When your colon is cleaned up, this puts less stress on your other organ, especially your detox (liver, kidney, lung) and lymph (spleen) organs.

Loose clothing: Constrictive clothing (especially in the lymph node areas) can block lymph flow. That includes underwire bras- so just wear them only when you have to. Here is a good bra without wires and is cotton.

Sauna: The heat gets your blood and lymph fluid flowing (hence the sweat). It is healthy to sweat because it releases toxins in each sweat droplet. (I used to not sweat and I knew my detox and lymph system were impaired. But after a few months on detox baths and sauna’s I am now sweat. I bought this sauna. I also use a near infra red light with this holder.

Castor oil packs: Applying a castor oil pack/with heat on your liver draws more blood to flow around your liver and helps it function better. Remeber a healthy liver = more lymph flow! You need flannel and the castor oil.

Food. Proper nutrition is key too. Your body relies on nutrients to keep the body healthy in all aspects. Take out foods you are sensitive or allergic to, because they can but a big toxic burden on your whole body and mind. For me, food and environmental allergies cause face puffiness and fluid retention in my body.

Magnesium oil: Proper magnesium (do you use magnesium oil?) and calcium balance help with muscle action by “squeezing” the lymph system along its way. I use this oil spray and these magnesium chloride salts. You can also use epson salts (magnesium sulfate) too.

Herbs/essential oils. I just ordered some essential oils that are suppose to be good for lymph drainage. Cypress, orange, grapefruit, rosemary, ginger, peppermint, lemon. I take a few drops internally or apply them onto my lymph glands under my neck or arms. Homeopathics made from a mixture of herbs can be very effective too.

Clay baths. Detox-Clay baths not only deeply cleanse the body’s largest organ (the skin), but they stimulates the lymphatic fluid. See step by step pictures on how to take a clay bath here. I use this clay and love it!

 

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What to expect?

Expect your body to feel more “balanced”. All you organs are being worked, its like an organ workout! Toxins will be released, so make sure to drink some water afterwards. A clay bath can help too- to soak up all the toxins. Wear comfortable clothes. Feel prepared to think and feel better. Have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Resources:

http://www.lymphnotes.com/article.php/id/151/ http://www.soulhealer.com/anatomy-imm.htm http://www.starbounding.com/35_lymphatics.htm http://www.akealife.com/helping-your-lymphatic-system-to-help-you/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18484610 http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/T/thoracic_duct.html

 

Photo credits:

http://www.stockfreeimages.com

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

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