Clean your Body’s Drains: How to Detoxify your Lymphatic System

Did you know that we are exposed to 82,000 different toxins, chemically-based products and processed foods in our environment weekly?

Detoxification is the body’s natural, ongoing process of eliminating harmful toxins from the body so that it can function at its best. Toxins are man-made chemicals found in the air, water, food, household cleaners and cosmetic products as well as waste products produced by normal cellular activity.

When toxins enter the body through the skin, nasal passage or mouth, the body prevents “pollution” by surrounding the toxins with fat and water and stores them in different areas of the body.  This can put a strain on our body’s own detox system (the liver, intestines, kidneys, lungs, skin, blood and lymphatic systems). These systems can become burdened as they try to safely excrete toxins.

Our bodies were not meant to work this hard to maintain optimal functioning.  By adding a  detox program to your wellness regimen, you can help pull these toxins, along with the excess fat and water, out of the body and improve your health quickly.

The Lymphatic System: Forgotten Hero

The lymphatic system is the most forgotten and least understood system in the body. It is critical to the detoxification process. The lymph travels parallel with the blood system and is responsible for the removal of wastes from every cell in the body, in addition to regulating the immune system. The lymph is thus a very important system to support optimal health.

Keep Your Body’s Drains Clean

The lymphatic system is like the garbage system of the body. Proper functioning of the lymphatic system is essential in order to properly eliminate wastes. Our lymphatic system can become and remain congested and stagnant for many years. Thus, we often live in an environment of toxins that weakens our immunity. Proper lymph drainage will eliminate these toxins and assist the body to function optimally.

Digestion: Where It All Begins

The body’s ability to detox starts in digestive system, in the villae of the small intestine.  The “lacteals” in the villae are part of the lymphatic system and they pull nutrients and fat-soluble toxins off the intestinal wall. If the gut is constipated or there is excessive reactive mucus bogging down the villi, the lymph and its white blood cells may not provide immunity or detoxification.

The highest concentration of lymph is found lining the outside of the gut wall and is called the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT). The skin of the intestinal tract is constantly being exposed to toxins and undesirable microbes that could present a problem. So, the body has an immunity army waiting in the GALT just across the wall of the gut.

Dr. Vodder’s Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)

Lymph vessels are also found under our skin throughout the body. These vessels support circulation, drainage of waste and immunity. When the lymph flow slows, the skin will appear dull and toxins will build up.

Since the lymph moves against gravity, it is common for the lymph and veins to congest, yielding an unsightly appearance in the feet, legs, thighs, hips, belly and arms.

Dr Vodder’s Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is a gentle rhythmical technique that gently works on the lymphatic vessels to enhance the flow of lymph throughout the body’s tissues.

MLD also helps to support the healthy function of the immune system and the autonomic nervous system, thereby reducing stress. The therapy cleanses the connective tissue of wastes, thus decongesting and reducing edema, pain and swelling.

Benefits of Manual Lymph Drainage Therapy

• Faster recovery and less scarring from surgery and other types of trauma by making lymph flow faster and stimulating the formation of new connections between lymph vessels

• Clears congestive conditions such as chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, acne, and headaches

• Strengthens the immune system

• Relieves heaviness tightness and swelling in those suffering from lymphedema.

• Increases overall relaxation by decreasing stress

• Relieves retention of fluids during pregnancy and menstrual cycle

• Decreases local edemas and hematomas from orthopedic surgery, cosmetic surgery scars, and burn scars; leading to a decreased in healing time and increase in client mobility

• People who suffer from insomnia, stress, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatism benefit greatly from MLD

Your Immune System Needs Support Too

The human body is a very vulnerable organism, except for the very strong line of defense that the immune system has thrown around it. Without the natural defense system provided by the immune system, the bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins, parasites, etc., would reduce the body to its chemical components in a few days.

That is what happens when the body dies and the immune system is no longer there. The human immune system works 24X7, though its work never comes to the limelight. The failure of the immune system is easily noticeable, though.

Although we inhale and eat thousands of germs every day, the immune system prevents them from causing diseases. When a germ breaks through the immune system occasionally, we wind up with a disease. Once the immune system learns about these germs, it will fight them, and we get over the malady.

The major parts of the immune system are the thymus, spleen, lymph system, bone marrow, white blood cells, antibodies, complement system, and hormones (1).

The immune support system displays dual characteristics: self or non-self-recognition, general or specific, and natural or adaptive, cell-mediated or humoral, active or passive, and primary or secondary. Some parts of the immune system act against specific antigens. These parts are called antigen-specific. Other parts of the immune system are systemic, working throughout the human body rather than restricting themselves to the initial infection site. Still o, hers recognize antigens in order to an attack them more vigorously next time they pose a threat. These parts of the immune system are said to possess a memory.

We are all born with a genetically based natural defense system. The skin is the most important organ of our natural defense system. An injury is a gateway for germs to enter the body. This, or the presence of a foreign object within the body, causes the immune system to act, getting rid of the invaders, while the skin takes care of the wound. When this process does not take place, it results in an infection.

Another sign of the functioning of the immune system is when we get a rash or a bump on the skin after a mosquito bite.

The body would cease to be without the immune system. Just take a look at some of the few things that could go wrong with a sub-optimal immune system:

Self or non-self-recognition in the immune system occurs when every cell displays a marker based on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). If a cell does not display this marker, the immune system considers it as a non-self and attacks it.

A breakdown of this process results causes the immune system to attack the self-cells. Multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, types of diabetes and arthritis are all autoimmune diseases caused by the immune system attacking the self-cells (2). Allergies are the result of the immune system overreacting to certain stimuli.

Diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas and destroys them. Rheumatoid arthritis is also the result of the immune system causing trouble in the joints. The immune system also creates problems during organ transplants; it often refuses to accept the new organ.

Keeping the immune system in proper working order, especially with the increasing amounts of toxic pollutants in the environment, is becoming a tough task. Recent research is leading scientists to believe that certain carbohydrates represent the next frontier in the search for non-toxic compounds that support the immune system.

Eight of these essential sugars, called glyconutrients, have already been discovered. Only two of these are found in our daily diet though. These eight essential sugars supply the body with glycoforms that are needed for cell-to-cell communication. Four of the last eight Nobel Prizes in medicine have been awarded for research into Glycobiology. A steady supply of glyconutrients is necessary for keeping the immune system working well. It has been found that the body recovers and heals faster when glyconutrients are used when administering chemotherapy and radiation.

Trouble is, the same toxins in the environment that weaken our immune system also affect the body’s ability to synthesize these glyconutrients (3). Which is why we should ensure a steady supply of these glyconutrients through glyconutritionals or food supplements containing glyconutrients.

We are living in an increasingly polluted world. The body is increasingly finding it difficult to combat the ill-effects of these through its natural processes. It is up to us to use our intelligence to tap our advance medical knowledge for the body’s help. Because, ultimately, it is a question of our existence itself.

1. https://medlineplus.gov/autoimmunediseases.html
2. http://immunedisorders.homestead.com/toxins.html

Humans INTUITIVELY avoid others who carry disease, even before they become conscious of symptoms

The next time your instincts tell you to avoid someone, it may just be your brain protecting your system from contagious diseases. A new study has found that the human brain can detect diseases in other people even before symptoms manifest, ScienceDaily.com reported. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that the human brain is better at reading signals and discovering early-stage diseases than scientists previously thought. More than that, the study also found that humans act on the information, showing less preference for people infected with disease.

In carrying out the research, the scientists focused on two groups of participants. They activated the immune response in the first group of participants, injecting them with harmless sections of bacteria. They then developed symptoms of disease, such has tiredness, pain, and fever. The symptoms only lasted for a few hours, during which time photos, videos, and smell samples were recorded from the participants.

The smells, images, and videos were then shown to the second group of participants, along with samples and recordings from healthy people without symptoms. The second group of participants were asked to rate how much they liked the people, as an MR scanner tracked their brain activity. Afterwards, the second group of participants were asked to identify based solely on the photographs which of the people looked sick, which they thought were attractive, and which they would want to socialize with.

The results showed that there was a remarkable difference in the way people respond to healthy people compared to sick people, with participants showing a preference for healthy people.

“The study shows us that the human brain is actually very good at discovering this and that this discovery motivates avoidance behavior,” lead investigator Mats Olsson, professor at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Clinical Neuroscience.

“Common sense tells us that there should be a basic behavioural repertoire that assists the immune system. Avoidance, however, does not necessarily apply if you have a close relationship with the person who is ill,” Olsson explained. “For instance, there are few people other than your children who you’d kiss when they have a runny nose. In other words, a disease signal can enhance caring behavior in close relationships. With this study, we demonstrate that the brain is more sensitive to those signals than we once thought.”

There are many ways that the brain protects the rest of the body from being physically compromised. Apart from alerting the body to potential threats (i.e people carrying diseases), the brain can also impact how the body recovers once a disease is already contracted. There are studies that show that the simple act of positive thinking can help speed up recovery from surgery and even manage serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and AIDS, PsychCentral.com said.

Scientists suspect that the healing powers of positive thinking go back to the strong connection between the mind and the immune system. For instance, one study showed that first year law students who expressed optimism at the start of the school year were found to have better-functioning immune system cells than the students who were worried. Conversely, pessimism can trigger the release of stress hormones in the bloodstream.

Evidently, the power of the brain over the rest of the body is unparalleled, with new discoveries of its effects on the body coming up every day.

Get more updates like this on Healing.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.comPsychCentral.com

Home Remedies for Acid Reflux

Imbalance of digestive liquids in the stomach appears with the symptoms of bad breath, nausea, stomach ache, heartburn and common belch. Acid reflux equally affect both sexes, men and women and it is a sign that your body is asking for help. The main causes of having an acid stomach are eating too much spicy foods, bad eating habits, too much stress, consumption of alcohol excessively and eating almost zero amount of fresh fruits and veggies. However, there are several home remedies that are alkaline in nature and can help to solve this problem. Here is the list:

– Ginger:

This healthy root can easily solve acid reflux while it stimulates the production of more saliva in your mouth. You can chew a few slices throughout the day or you can make a cup of ginger tea in the morning. Add some honey or lemon in your ginger remedy for a better taste.

– Basil Leaves:

Basil leaves contain compounds that stimulate mucus production, which is great for decreasing the level of acidity in your stomach. Rinse 5 to 7 basil leaves and chew them as soon as you finish lunch and dinner. To reduce abdominal pain and belch, blend 10 leaves with a cup of lukewarm water and drink it after your meals.

– Cloves:

Another way to elevate hydrochloric acid in the stomach is consuming cloves. Since low stomach acid can also be a reason for acidity, you can chew three cloves a day so that the herbal juice can release into your body.

– Cinnamon:

This incredibly healthy herb works as one of the best home remedies for acid reflux since it’s a antacid that dispels the accumulating gas in your stomach. Add a cup of cinnamon powder in you’re a cup of lukewarm water. You can also add a teaspoon of honey and drink the liquid before breakfast. The combination of cinnamon and honey helps to clean your intestines and relieves the symptoms of bloated stomach, gas and indigestion.

Source:

Medical News Today

Health

Purple Cabbage Juice That Beats Hypertension, Cancer, Removes Toxins & Heals Gut Naturally

If you don’t like to juice green cabbage, try juicing the purple cabbage instead. Purple cabbage has a vibrant beautiful color when juiced and tastes quite sweet, unlike green cabbage which can be a tad more bitter. Cabbage is absolutely loaded with goodness. It contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s wonderful for heart health, helping to reduce cholesterol by binding bile acids in the intestine. The lactic acid in cabbage also acts as a potent colon cleanser.

This recipe is a master healer to the gut and digestive system, beats hypertension, prevent cancer and loaded with phytonutrients known to guard against cancer and cleanse your kidneys too.

Purple Cabbage Juice Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

3 plums
1/4 small purple cabbage
1 beetroot (beet)
2 sticks of celery
1 orange

DIRECTIONS:

Wash all produce well.
Remove the stones from the plums.
Chop the desired amount of cabbage; I used a small purple cabbage.
Peel the orange.
Juice ingredients.
Pour over ice and enjoy!

Why Are These Ingredients BENEFICIAL?

Plums

-Fight against infectious agents, counter inflammation and free radicals.
-Vitamin A found in plums is also known to protect from oral and cavity cancer.
-Eating three servings of this fruit daily can lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

Celery

-Beneficial to the digestive tract.
-Great sources of antioxidant and phytonutrients.
-Provides a fair amount of dietary fiber.

Purple Cabbage

-Purple cabbage is rich in these antioxidants which has also been found to make skin supple and clear.
-Purple cabbage is an alkalizing food. It helps regulate the pH in our system.
-Cabbage aids in digestion and elimination Cabbage can dramatically lower bad cholesterol and helps lower blood pressure.

Orange

-Rich in Vitamin C, B6, A, E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
-Aids in digestion.
-Purify blood naturally.

Beets

-Super Antioxidant for a Long, Healthy, Pain-Free Life
-Beetroot ingestion can be one of the useful means to prevent lung and skin cancer.
-The betalains in beets have been used in certain treatments of depression.

Sources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/410758-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-red-cabbage-vs-green-cabbage/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082903/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307081409.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7700983

Hit the dirt: An ultra-clean house may be bad for your child

Dirt is essential to the development of a child’s immune system, claim scientists. According to Drs. Jack Gilbert and Rob Knight, the children of today may be too clean to the point where it’s harmful to their health. In their book, Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System, the scientists and co-author Sandra Blakeslee have laid out a simple hypothesis. They’ve asserted that early childhood exposure to some germs and microorganisms will help the immune system learn how to control its reaction to “everyday invaders” like dust.

Gilbert, Director of the Microbiome Center and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago, noted that our better understanding of disease-causing microbes has led us to adopt more intensive hygienic practices. “We’ve deliberately separated ourselves for reasons of comfort and reasons of fear of disease,” Gilbert has told NYTimes.com. Though the benefits have been many, the excessive zeal for cleanliness has resulted to some negative consequences for children. A report by DailyMail.co.uk took note of the growing cases of eczema, hay fever, asthma, and childhood diabetes among children who rarely played with animals or rolled in the dirt.

“We used to live in much dustier environments,” stated Marsha Wills-Karp, a Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. “Studies have shown that priming or seeding of the microbiome in the child is absolutely critical. While you don’t want to go out and expose your child to aggressive infections, you don’t want to create such a sterile environment that their immune system doesn’t develop normally; it puts them at risk of developing immune diseases.”

Gilbert was one of the authors of a 2016 study comparing the immune systems of Amish children who grew up on small, single-family farms, and Hutterite children who are genetically similar but grew up on large, industrialized farms. The Amish children, who were living in environments “rich in microbes”, were found to have “exceedingly low rates of asthma and distinct immune profiles that suggest profound effects on innate immunity.” (Related: Study: Children who eat their own boogers may have stronger immunity than peers)

“There are definitive ways to embrace the controlled exposure or uncontrolled defined exposure to that rich microbial world early in life,” Gilbert said. Indeed, there are many safe ways to get children dirty. A good number of them, according to HuffingtonPost.com, calls for letting children do what they do best: be kids.

• Encourage outside play: Perhaps one of the best ways to introduce kids to dirt. The outside world is full of dust, mud and grasses—all of which can boost the immune system greatly. Having other children around makes things even better, because this allows children to be exposed to each other’s skin and sweat.
• Meet animals: Taking children to a local farm is both fun way to expose them to beneficial germs and bacteria, and a nice bonding activity for the whole family. Keeping pets around can also help. Dogs, cats, and even fish can bring helpful living organism into the home.
• Feed them all kinds of cultured foods: The bacterial cultures in food preparation can also contribute to the strengthening of a child’s immune system. Foods like yogurt, pickles, and kefir are just some of the foods rich in useful microbes.
• Don’t bathe or shower everyday: Bathing daily is good, but it doesn’t hurt to skip one bath day. The stink and stain can be washed off easily, but the stimulus made on the immune system will stay.

Exposing children to dirt may be one of the best favors anyone can do for them. Learn more about what is and what isn’t good for the immune system by visiting Immunization.news.

Sources include:
DailyMail.co.uk
NYTimes.com
NEJM.com
HuffingtonPost.com