Lymphatic System
Did you know that your lymphatic system is your immune system? It is also the “trash” removal system similar to the liver’s function, and it also grows lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, to grow (mostly in bone marrow) and then those cells are dispersed through the body & into lymph nodes to break apart anything that might make you sick (germs/viruses/cancer cells/pollutants, etc). There is no pump pushing lymphatic fluid around the body, so one of the best ways to flush your lymph system is to move your muscles. All of the lymphatic fluid flows up to two veins at the throat (subclavian veins). These veins connect in the heart & lungs with the circulatory system. The cleansed lymph travels through the body a second time mixed in with your blood. Much of that flows through your kidneys for a final filtration, and then is removed from the body through urination. So, we all do “lymphatic drainage’ every time we use the bathroom!
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a very gentle therapy of skin stretching in a slow, rhythmic manner to cause the cell walls of your lymphatic vessels under the skin to open momentarily allowing escaped fluid to be sucked back into the vessels and sent on its way to the throat.
Almost everyone can have Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). It’s beneficial for anyone wanting to boost their immune system, if they are feeling sluggish and tired, if they have bronchitis or sinusitis, bloating, if they have gut malabsorption, mold toxicity, auto-immune disorders, congestion in breast tissue, Lymphedema, Lipedema, or for post-surgical patients, including cosmetic surgery patients.
You can either hire a therapist to come to your home to do MLD or you can go to a therapist’s treatment room. Some clients have a 1-hr session divided between massage and MLD. Only see a Vodder method Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist or Certified Lymphedema Therapist. There are many fake therapists who claim that they do “Lymphatic Massage” but they are not Vodder certified and they push lymph fluid the wrong way, use oil, and often use too much pressure which blocks lymph.
I am one of only 3 mobile certified Lymphatic therapists in the San Fernando Valley and the only one covering the Santa Clarita Valley. Give me a call to schedule your sessions: 818-421-0597.
Click the links below to read more about the Lymphatic System and to see diagrams and videos!
–Lymphatic Drainage Fact Sheet
—An image of the lymphatic system
—Video of lymph flow up the ankle during MLD
—Video of lymph flow up the arm #1