Bouncing to Feel Better!

October 9th, 2013 by Paul Fassa

Lymph nodes provide antigens for purifying fluids containing anything from allergens to cancer cells. That fluid is called lymph. There is more lymph in your body than blood, but there is no pump for lymph. If lymph doesn’t move out of small lymph nodes through their ducts into the kidneys and liver, it backs up like a clogged sewer line.  So what’s the solution?

Anyone who eats and drinks processed food and sodas or alcohol while leading a sedentary lifestyle even while working is stuck with a compromised immune system from lymph that needs to be drained. The answer is simply to exercise, sweat, and improve your diet.

Simple: Walking
Surprisingly, in this era of hyper-exercising, many health experts are realizing the importance of walking to move that lymph around. This is not leisurely strolling, but brisk walking. Walking should be done outdoors in as natural a setting as possible with trees, grass, and open fresh air.

The walk should take 20 minutes or more, about 4 times each week. Start out as briskly as you can, then move into power walking if possible. Since there are so many lymph nodes in the upper body, armpits, neck and shoulders, arm movement should be more extreme than usual.

This is especially important for women who wear bras and use underarm deodorants containing toxins. Those toxins leech into abundant lymph node areas nearby and just beneath the skin.

Another aspect of walking is that it is a weight bearing activity. Gravity helps move lymph each time one steps briskly with a slight bound to the ground. The sudden stops of each step with your full weight create additional gravitational pulls, which helps pull the lymph downward.

Rebounding Moves Your Lymph
Speaking of gravity, that’s why rebounding on a mini-trampoline, around four feet in diameter, works well for draining lymph. It’s close to the ground, so all you do is step up and bounce up and down for 10 to 15 minutes, indoors or outdoors.

Each time you bounce you increase the gravitational pull on your lymph. You’re getting low level “Gs”or increased gravitational pulls similar to what you feel from sudden changes of vehicular speed or carnival rides. With intense walking or rebounding, the “G’s” are in vertical alignment with your body and its lymph system. Here is one rebounding guide.

Herbs for Purifying Lymph
Herbs such as Cleavers herb and teas can be used to purify the lymph. Cleavers herb in particular is used in many lymph formulas. It can be purchased as an extract or tincture, or as loose herbs to make teas or tinctures. Indigo is another herb suited for detoxifying the lymph system. Some recommend goldenseal and Echinacea as well.

Drinking plenty of purified water is essential with all of these recommendations.