I've been mostly raw for the past couple of years thanks mostly to the advice and information here. I'm having a problem, I was hoping some of you could weigh in on... For the past several months, I have had swollen lymph nodes in various places (groin, arm pits, neck variably). I think my lymphatic system is overloaded.

Any suggestions specific to lymph cleaning? Cleansing in general?

I have tried and cannot stomach things like drinking olive oil and salt water. That sort of thing just makes me puke. It's not that I'm unwilling. I'm incapable. I can't afford professional colonics. I'm really willing to try almost anything but am limited in terms of spending.

Herbs? Foods? Massage? (Yes, good massage is usually expensive but I've discovered a very inexpensive option from a Chinese guy who barely speaks English. He's probably not licenses or certified but he's good and he's cheap! A couple of my friends go to him too. Don't get me started on how governmental licensing is no guarantee of excellence...)

I work full time and can't water fast until vacation (next month!) but am open to any suggestions right now. Would water fasting help or would that just overload my lymphatic system even more? Or... ? I just don't know.

I have medical insurance that covers chiropractic and acupuncture and am doing chiropractic every two weeks (that's all the insurance covers). Would acupuncture help?

Thanks so much for all your help.

Lee,

Your lymphatic system being overloaded may not be affected by a water fast, and a liver purge using olive oil, etc., won't help. Your body is trying to remove toxins, but also perhaps old pathogens, and you need to allow it to do so gently. If you can consume lots of green juices; specifically lettuce, parsley, celery, that would help you. And absolutely go for acupuncture, since splenetic and lymphatic disorders seem to respond well to this protocol. But do make sure the practioner is certified in OM--don't go to a quack! Good luck.

The lymph fluid dosn't have a pump like the blood system has a heart. Instead it relies on movement like walking to slosh the fluid around. Its been said that the body should come with an instruction book and one of the instructions should be to "shake well before using" meaning that the body needs daily movement to work well. Some movement has been touted as being especially effecting in getting the lymph fluid moving. The most notable of these "touted" movements is the rebounder or mini-trampoline because its change in direction with a "zero gravity" pause between the movement directions is kinda like shaking a liquid in a bottle. Another such movement is swinging on swings like you see in playgrounds because it also has that "zero grav" pause in direction change that moves the fluid. Another is using an inversion table and lightly swinging between the upright and inverted positions to shake up the fluid. But when it comes right down to it its pretty much any movement that will cause movement of the lymph fluid such as "jumping Jacks", jumping rope, jogging, walking, playing basketball etc. Good luck.

Hi Lee_123:

I don't know much about acupuncture, but I have a condition called lymphedema in my left arm. It swells up with lymphatic fluid sometimes, and my fingers are fatter on my left hand - complication of breast cancer, but what works for me might be helpful to you. (goodbye wedding ring!)

For me, healthful eating is very important - when I falter and drink alcohol or eat horrible food choices, I usually swell up a bit shortly after - amazing how easily I can impact that.

But the effect of food is nothing compared to the effect of exercise. The fitter I stay, the better I keep this under control, and during dragon-boating season, I have it so well under control, that people don't even notice it any more. So, I would have to second EZ rider's advice to keep active.

Good luck!

Sapphire,

What is dragon-boating, pray?

skin brushing gets the lymph system flowing

and keep active ! =)

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

hey i found this site today looking for something else and it has a free audio of stuff to help lymph check it out

[www.rdnmovement.com]

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I just got home from a SAD BBQ -- I brought two watermelons and ate half of one! No one else touched any so I didn't feel too bad about that. The SAD people ate store bought cake for desert. I had watermelon for lunch and desert.

I do need to get moving! You are so right there. I've been working too much and not working out enough. I'll also look into acupuncture. I love my green smoothies and will try and up the green part in them. I wish I had a juicer! Maybe next fall...

I am skin brushing. But sometimes I do it really quickly and am not really savoring the moments. More like going through the motions.

Thanks again for the quick feedback. This had had me worried. Around the time this started, I started feeling really tired. My blood work, by conventional standards, is supposedly fine.

Any other thoughts, please share them. I really appreciate the help and guidance. MY GP is nice enough but doesn't think diet has much effect on health. Most doctors get through medical school on caffeine and fast food and think of themselves as model human beings.

apparntly the kundilini breath of fire pose moves more lymph through the system in a few minutes than the whole body does in 24 hours !

certainly easy to do and worth a try

[www.youtube.com]

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2009 11:24PM by Jgunn.

Breath of Fire is tough, but the afterglow is AMAZING! Highly recommend it, Lee!

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. I just watched the video linked above and several others. I'm going to try that tonight!

I really appreciate all the suggestions and help. I so need to get back into yoga and hiking and MOVING!

Tamukha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sapphire,
>
> What is dragon-boating, pray?

My team is lane 2 - one of the rare races we have ever won, but what fun!


[www.youtube.com]

Sapphire,

Whooo! That was invigorating to watch! Thanks so much for posting/explaining! Fun!

whaow!!!!Thank you Sapphire!

Thanks!!

Initially, a doctor from Vancouver BC did an experiment to see if dragon-boating (he chose that particular sport because of the upper body exercise) could have a positive impact on people living with lymphedema or at risk for developing lymphedema after breast cancer treatement. The results were very positive. The original team was called "Abreast in a Boat" [www.abreastinaboat.com]

Since that time, teams have been formed all over the world, and my team has travelled from Canada to as far away as Singapore and Australia among other places to compete.

This is not just for breast cancer survivors though, and when we go to races there are teams from all kinds of fitness levels, from the very buff teams of young men and women who look like they spend every minute of their lives in the gym, to the little old ladies like my team! If you know anyone who could benefit from this sport, there may very well be a team in your community who would be happy to let you come out and try it. Anyone can do it!

A lot of ladies don't do enough upper body exercise, especially as we get older, so I would highly recommend trying it. I have never done a team sport before this, and I can't believe how much I like it - who knew!