Wake up your lymph system

Recently I flew to California for a meeting, taking two plane flights - from Spokane to Oakland, and then on to Orange County. Well, you know how you feel after you sit for prolonged periods of time. Your legs get stiff and your ankles look like they are two sizes too big for you. This is a time when you really need your lymph system to be up and running, so not all this fluid collects just because you are sedentary.

The lymph system is an important system for your daily function. It works together with the cardiovascular system and the immune system to absorb, collect and transport fluid and protein molecules. It has an important role against infection and tumor growth.

There are four easy ways to make sure your lymph system is up and running everyday, but it means you have to find time in your day to take care of yourself.

1) Exercise - Exercise activates the muscle pump to enhance the flow of your lymph system. An example would be when you fly; you should do ankle pumps and ankle circles. You need to slide your foot back and forth bending your knee to pump the lymph nodes behind your knee. Then stand in the aisle and squat up and down for two minutes. These things as simple as they are keeping are lymph system up and going.

2) Breathing - Deep belly breathing is an easy thing to do throughout your day. You can do it in any position, sitting, standing, or laying down. Stop now and put your hand on your tummy just over your belly region. Inhale deeply and slowly to the count of four, and then exhale slowly to the count of four. This deep breathing stops the stress response and stops the cycle of the release of cortisol, which is hard on the body when too much is being released into your system everyday. As those of you who do yoga know, this slows down your heart rate and decreases your blood pressure and you can take a mini vacation anywhere you are.

3) Skin massage - Gentle massage of your skin towards your heart. Take 10 minutes everyday. Do it while you put on your lotion in the morning and at night. Your lymph system likes this gentle motion and stretch of the skin; it stimulates the body to mobilize any debris hanging around.

4) Arterial perfection - All this means is that we want to increase the blood flow to all our body parts which in turn will help motivate our lymph system to be more efficient. Walking, biking, and swimming are easy ways to accomplish this. All you need is 30 minutes a day. The lymph system especially likes swimming. The water makes a natural pressure gradient that keeps the lymph system very happy.

Here's to your lymph system. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.

Sheree DiBiase, PT, and her staff can be reached Lake City Physical Therapy (208) 667-1988 for further instruction in how to keep your lymph system up and running in a daily healthy way.