Our lymphatic system: what is it, exactly?
The lymphatic system is our secret river of longevity. And yet most of us only hear the word ‘lymph’ in the same context as cancer …
Our lymphatic system is made up of nodes, vessels and fluids. It’s a web of very thin channels that run throughout the entire body close to the surface of your skin, deep within the torso and around every organ. In fact, there are around 700 lymph nodes concentrated in the groin, neck, armpits, around the heart, lungs and intestines.
This vital system influences all aspects of our health because it acts as our body’s waste removal system, transporting toxins, bacteria and viruses from cells to lymph nodes. Otherwise, the result is an accumulation of gunk and we begin to feel stiff, swollen, heavy and lifeless. This is lymphatic congestion, which you’ve probably experienced when sitting for hours at your desk or on a long flight.
Unlike blood which flows throughout the body in a continual loop, the lymphatic system has no pump of its own so it relies on the muscular skeletal system to do the circulating – which comes down to guess who?? YOU!
A good lymphatic flow means a healthier life
One of the main reasons we know so little about our lymphatic system is because we can’t measure it to see if our flow is good or bad. But one thing’s for certain: when there’s a strong lymphatic flow, the body functions better and is in chorus with our other systems.
The lymphatic system is very much linked with our immune system, with early research showing that it can help prevent cancer, heart disease, brain problems, and improve gastrointestinal tract issues.
How to improve your lymphatic flow
By now, you’re probably wondering, “Why is my Pilates teacher talking about the lymphatic system?”. Joseph Pilates once described Pilates as a ‘cleaning’ system for the body: exercising, how you breathe, meditation, relaxation, what you eat and even laughter and spirituality can all improve the health of your lymphatic system.
I’m therefore running a special 1.5 hour-long Lymphatic Workshop – live and on Zoom – to help you ensure your personal secret river is flowing properly. In other words, that your lymphatic system is the best it can be.
I will teach you how to improve your lymphatic system through the following:
discussing how a combination of low-level cardio, muscular strengthening with a balance of Pilates/yoga is so essential. This is the reason why I offer all of these classes on my Zoom timetable.
quick tips, a variety of movements, and tapping and breathing exercises to easily incorporate into your daily routine, requiring just 5-10 mins of your time to keep up the good work.
a short meditation, which is so necessary for the perfect balance enabling your lymphatic system to run freely through your body.
My Lymphatic Workshop is suitable for everyone, and especially ideal if you:
are in front of a computer for hours every day
go on long car journeys
are taking a long flight and want to avoid swollen ankles and legs
suffer from lymphoedema.
How to book my Lymphatic Workshop
This is not an exercise class so why not bring a partner or friend ... maybe someone you know who’s loathe to exercise – it could be the first step to getting them moving more!!
This one-off 1.5 hour workshop will run on Saturday January 14, 2023 at Roko, Chiswick and on Zoom on Saturday 4th February, 9:30am to 11am. Please stay in touch for details of further workshops. It’s £20 if attending live (you don’t have to be a Roko member to come along) or else £15 if attending online.
(I’ll also be running this workshop on this year’s Ibiza retreats, with the theme ‘Detox to Retox’.)
To find out more or book, please get in touch (details are on my contact page here)
