If you feel puffy, have “cortisol face,” are congested and feel like your body needs a reset, look no further.

You’re probably filled up with fluid that won’t leave until you address this.

Let’s talk about the LYMPH STAGNATION - why it is harmful & how to fix it:

The purpose of the lymphatic system:

Your blood vessels deliver nutrients to your tissues around your body from your heart.

Lymphatic vessels take the “waste” from your tissues, filter it, and bring it back to the heart.

Wherever there is blood flow, there is lymph flow back.

The lymphatic system has a few key functions.

Immune system: Immune cells (lymphocytes) mature and protect against infection in the lymphatic system

Waste clearance: Cellular debris, metabolites, toxins, etc.) need to be cleared after tissues use blood.

HOWEVER - unlike blood flow, there is no organ driving flow of lymph to its destination.

This means it is highly susceptible to getting stagnant - or stopping flow,

which means this lymph can stay built up in various tissues, causing edema (or swelling, puffiness).

Symptoms of lymph stagnation / accumulation:

Puffiness: from the fluid
Congestion: puts pressure on sinuses, increases risk of infection
Headaches: in the brain increases pressure, toxin accumulation, inflammation.
Fatigue: Decreases oxygen tension, needed for energy production

Lymph stagnation can also contribute to disease.

➞ Decreased toxin clearance in the brain can contribute to Alzheimer’s
➞ Makes it harder for the heart to pump properly, contributing to heart disease
➞ Drives chronic inflammation and fibrosis

HOW TO FIX IT:

Let’s start with massages, which is part of the standard therapy.

First region to focus on is the lymph nodes under the arms, which can be stimulated using this massage:

This technique will target the lymph nodes that sit under the neck by the collarbone.

Similar to the first one just in a different area, this will help to get the lymph going, especially out of the face and head.

We also have lymph nodes just behind the ears, which we can help stimulate by doing this:

Next is hitting the lymph nodes under the jaw, a common area of lymph swelling.

Now the lymph nodes have gotten work, it is time to encourage the flow of the lymph downward.

The vessels carry lymph from those areas out and downward, using gravity.

Encourage it like this:

If you have more facial puffiness and congestion, you can also target the lymph nodes and vessels in the face.

If you do, then be sure to repeat the previous technique to get all of that lymph out and down.

Finally, we also have lymph vessels and nodes running through the back of the neck from the brain, which can be targeted like this:

Another key to stimulating lymph flow is EXERCISE.

Proper movement can reduce symptoms like fatigue + puffiness from lymph swelling by ~50%.

Walking, yoga, and especially swimming.

Moving in water is excellent due to the pressure on the different lymph nodes

HUGE shoutout to youtube.com/@CancerRehabPT… on YouTube, she has a ton of great content on this and was featured in these videos.

Thank you for reading through this. Please consider reposting this post here if you enjoyed.

There are tons of other methods and ways to address this, this is just scratching the surface.

Let me know if you found this helpful and we can cover more!

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