Lymphatic Congestion/Stagnation
Swollen Lymph Nodes, Sore Throats, Tonsillitis, and Related Ailments
By Steven Horne

Until the latter part of’ the 20th century, the role of the lymphatic system was not clearly understood. The lymphatic system is a complementary system to the circulatory system.
The circulatory system delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells, while the lymphatic system is responsible for cleaning up cellular waste and debris.

The lymphatic system permeates every part of the body. It draws fluid from the tissue spaces and carries it through a series of lymphatic ducts and nodes back to the circulatory system. The lymph nodes are primary sites of immune activity, where lymphatic fluid is purified before being returned to the circulatory system. When the lymphatic system is overloaded with debris, the lymph nodes will become swollen and inflamed, and the lymphatic system will become congested. Most people have felt swollen lymph nodes (also called lymph glands) in their neck when they have had a sore throat, as sore throats always involve some degree of lymphatic congestion and stagnation.

[Ladies: please read the article below: "Wearing bras & the lymphatic system" ]

Lymphatic congestion is at the base of many common health problems besides, not only sore throats, but tonsillitis, earaches and ear infections, breast swelling and tenderness, some cases of prostate swelling, and chronic sinus problems. Some clues that indicate lymphatic congestion may be present include a heavy coating on the tongue and a rolling or slippery pulse. Another way to determine if lymphatic circulation is sluggish is to depress the skin on the back of the hand with the thumb. If the skin takes three or more seconds to return to normal color after being depressed, the lymphatics are probably sluggish.

The first key to reducing lymphatic sluggishness is to make certain you are drinking an adequate amount of water. Moderate dehydration will contribute to poor lymphatic drainage. A second key to improving lymphatic drainage is activity. Because the lymphatic system has no pump (unlike the circulatory system which is actively powered by the heart), it depends on physical movement lo create flow. Lymphatic flow greatly increases with even moderate exercise.
One of the best forms of lymphatic exercise is gentle bouncing on a mini trampoline. If a person is unable to stand on the mini tampoline, he or she can still obtain benefit by sitting in a chair next to the mini trampoline with his or her feet on the trampoline. Another person stands on the mini trampoline and gently bounces up and down. This passively moves the lymphatics as the seated person’s legs move up and down. If you don’t own a mini trampoline, don’t worry, just walking and breathing deeply will greatly enhance lymphatic circulation, as will any other form of moderate exercise.

Many herbs that can help enhance lymphatic drainage. These include mullein, lobelia, echinacea, red root, red clover, yarrow, calendula, plantain, ocotillo, stillingia, and cleavers. Although these herbs can be used separately, they are usually more effective as part of a formula. Four capsules of mullein taken with one capsule of lobelia is a powerful combination for reducing swollen lymph nodes, even in extreme situations such as the mumps.

Red root and echinacea are also a powerful team for shrinking swollen lymph nodes, especially when there is a low grade infection in the body. Two formulas that can help with lymphatic swelling and low grade infections are Lymph Gland Cleansea. These formulas both contain yarrow and echinacea as lymphatic cleansers and infection fighters. The regular version of this formula contains goldenseal, while the HY version of the formula exchanges myrrh gum for goldenseal. It was designed for hypoglycemics who do not tolerate the blood sugar lowering effect of goldenseal very well.

For chronic lymphatic congestion and swelling, the improved Lymphomax formula is very helpful. This is an excellent formula which contains seven of the lymph moving herbs previously mentioned such as mullein, plantain, cleavers. echinacea. yarrow, lobelia and red root. This is a very effective blend for swollen lymph nodes, chronic sore throats, breast swelling and tenderness, and chronic respiratory congestion due to lymphatic congestion.

A gentler, but equally effective, lymphatic remedy is the Lymphatic Drainage Formula. It contains three lymphatic herbs such as cleavers, red clover, and stillingia along with the circulatory enhancing herb, prickly ash. This herbal extract can be added to water and sipped frequently throughout the day to improve drainage in the lymphatic system. Being in a liquid form, it is an excellent lymphatic remedy for young children and the elderly.

Keeping the lymphatic system flowing freely is one of the fundamental principles of maintaining good health. Using the two keys to increasing lymphatic movement (water and physical activity), along with some of the lymph-moving herbs we’ve
discussed, can keep this vital branch of the circulatory system working properly.

Selected References
The Book of Herbal Wisdom by Matthew Wood
The Golden Seven Plus One by C. Samuel West
Herbal Therapy and Supplements by A. Kuhn and David Winston

Wearing of Bras & The lymphatic system

Linked to Breast Cancer January 24, 2000, Health Musings by Clifford S. Garner, Ph.D.

Are you aware of the fact that women who do not wear a bra are 22 times less likely to get breast cancer than bra wearers? Some women have experienced the disappearance of neck and shoulder pain when they stopped wearing bras. Even lumps in the breast have sometimes vanished after stopping bra use.

Some breast lumps and congestions arise from insufficient blood and lymph flow in the breasts and armpits and/or from blocked milk ducts (whether lactating or not), both of which are favored by bra wearing.

In PKP Kinesiology, in which I am certified, there is a breast lymph release procedure which I teach the client to use at home which is wonderful for relief of congested breasts, including those with painful knotty areas or for their prevention. Dr. David Williams in the October 1997 issue of his “Alternatives" newsletter has a 2-page discussion of breast cancer prevention, including his specialized lymph massage self-treatment (if you are interested you can order this issue or subscribe by calling l-800- 527-3044). Incidentally, he quotes a further study by Sidney Singer of two groups of Fiji women with the same diet, environment and lifestyle, half of whom wore bras and the other half not. Those wearing bras had the same rate of breast cancer as women living in the USA, whereas the braless Fiji women had practically no breast cancer.

The weight of braless breasts causes the breasts to swing and bounce naturally as the person moves, which pumps the lymphatic tissue; rebounding on a trampoline is good for breast lymph release, although not as good as the breast lymph release procedures mentioned above.

As a woman, if you feel you must wear a bra, consider wearing it as little as possible, and use a bra that allows some breast motion, without cutting tightly under and along the outer edges of the breasts where the milk ducts are located. Yes, the hippy girls of the 1960s had the right idea when they burned their bras!

Although I think it's a little sad that so many small-breasted women spend so much time and money trying everything from massage to breast implants to increase the size their breasts, when medical astrology suggests, just as we choose the stars under which to be born, we choose the general characteristics and proportion of our physical body before embodiment.

However, I suppose I should mention while on the subject of breasts, that research at the University of Houston and elsewhere has definitely shown that women can use visualization and relaxation techniques to add two inches and a full cup size to their breasts.

Incidentally, routine mammograms on women in their 40s produce false positive results in over a third of the tests, usually leading to anxiety, unnecessary biopsies, scarring and distortions of the breasts, further impeding the accuracy of later tests.

Also, 25% of malignant tumors in women in their 40s and 10% in older women are missed. A recent Australian study revealed that more than half of breast cancers in younger women are not detected by mammograms. Actually, 98% of women in their 40s apparently get no benefit from mammograms, and the other 2% have their lives extended statistically by only 200 days on the average.

If women start getting regular mammograms at age 40 more cancers will be found because more cancers will be induced by the resulting X-radiation to radiation-sensitive breast tissue.

Between 50 and 60% of breast cancers are discovered by women themselves, either by accident or through regular self-examination.