Lymphatic Drainage Massage: An Overview

Lymphatic drainage massage is a modality of massage therapy that focuses on the lymphatic system, which is responsible for removing waste products such as excess fluid, dead blood cells, pathogens, and other toxins from the body, among other functions.  The lymphatic system contains a clear fluid called lymph, which runs throughout the system, collecting waste products in a way similar to how blood runs throughout the circulatory system distributing nutrients.  Lymph is clear; sometimes, when the skin is cut, lymph can be seen before bleeding begins.  Actually, it originates as plasma, the clear, fluid portion of blood, and is distributed throughout the body to become lymph, also known as intercellular or interstitial fluid.

Aside from interacting with the circulatory system to drain toxins and waste products from the blood and redistributing lipid (fat) cells into the body, lymph distributes immune cells called lymphocytes, which protect the body from infection.  Several points throughout the body called lymph nodes filter toxins from the lymph as it passes through; lymph nodes also contain many white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off infection.  When a person is fighting off infection, lymph nodes swell with white blood cells, trying to fight off the infection.  This usually results in swollen lymph nodes, which are easy to feel on either side of the neck directly underneath the beginning of the jawline anytime a person is sick.

Usually, when a person is becoming sick, any type of massage is discouraged for this very reason; massaging various points over the body distributes waste that has collected in the lymph nodes, thus releasing toxins into the bloodstream that make the person feel even sicker.  However, lymphatic drainage massage works to help the lymphatic system function better, without making the person feel worse.  Lymphatic drainage requires a trained practitioner who knows exactly how to apply slow, gentle pressure in the direction of lymph flow, helping to facilitate flushing of waste and therefore detoxification of  the body.

Lymphatic drainage is especially useful for  those who experience lymphedema, which results when lymph nodes become blocked or “clogged,” so to speak.  Lymphatic drainage has been shown to be effective in reducing overall swelling, facilitating faster healing from almost any injury or surgery, and is very beneficial for individuals suffering from side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.  Some even claim that lymphatic drainage massage played a major part in removing cancer cells from the body and allowing a full recovery.

Warm Your Soul With Infrared Sauna

Saunas have traditionally been used in several cultures throughout the ages. Most notoriously the Finnish and other Northern European countries have found use for them in their often-freezing climates, however both Native American and Asian cultures have also been known to use steam and saunas for numerous health benefits, detoxification of course being a key one.  Traditional saunas, often called rock or Finnish saunas, use heat-stable stones over a heat source to heat the room, which is usually made of wood, to temperatures ranging from 169 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.  Water can also be thrown over the stones to create steam.  Sitting in a sauna even for a short time will cause the body to heat up and sweat;  certain herbs or oils are sometimes thrown on the rocks during a steam to produce other effects while the body sweats.  When the heat becomes intolerable for the person taking the sauna, he or she leaves to rinse off in a cold shower or, as in Finland, to jump into a frozen lake.

Infrared saunas, whose heating technology was developed and patented in 1965 by Dr. Tadashi Ishikawa, a member of the Research and Development Department of Fuji Medical, differ from traditional saunas in that they use an infrared heater in a small portable room.  The infrared heater produces radiant energy; the same, in fact, as that from the sun, only without harmful ultraviolet rays.   This energy penetrates the skin to warm the body (feeling very similar to laying in the sun) rather than traditional saunas, in which the surrounding air warms the body.  Because of this penetration, it can be argued that infrared saunas offer many more benefits than regular saunas; for example, studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis experience a reduction in pain, fatigue, and stiffness as a result of infrared sauna therapy.  Similarly, a Canadian Study in British Columbia showed that patients with type II diabetes experienced a reduction in weight, belly fat, and blood pressure.  These benefits are touted by natural health professionals as being a result of detoxification from the infrared energy itself.  In addition to the sweating alone, which speeds up the body’s metabolism and creates a loss of water weight, infrared energy is said to help remove heavy metals from the body as well as promote decongestion of internal organs (through increased circulation), skin rejuvenation, and weight loss through a phenomenon known as “resonance,” in which the body absorbs infrared energy and uses it to revitalize cellular activities.

Infrared saunas are now becoming increasingly popular as additions to people’s homes, with cautious encouragement from well-known alternative health professionals such as Dr. Andrew Weil.  There is certainly no harm in trying one, as long as one stays hydrated and keeps in mind the contraindications.

Acupuncture: Unblock Your Qi

Acupuncture, an ancient healing technique employed by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is a practice that aims to promote healing and balance in the body through the stimulation of certain pressure points.  Pressure points are stimulated through the insertion of tiny needles by a trained practitioner; these needles are often manipulated by the hands of the practitioner or with an electrical current.  This is done to unblock the flow of qi (pronounced “chee”), the vital energy force which TCM is based on.  According to TCM, qi moves throughout a myriad of pathways in the body known as meridians; when toxins build up in the body as a result of lifestyle, injury, disease, or condition, the flow of qi is blocked, causing pain or discomfort.  The pressure points stimulated connect to the affected meridians, and when qi is unblocked, the balance of yin and yang can begin to be restored, thus relieving the body of pain or discomfort.  TCM bases the body’s health on this balance.

As stated above, acupuncture works to detoxify the body by clearing blocked qi; when qi is unblocked, toxins flow freely through the body and exit through the urinary tract.  This natural diuretic effect allows for quick and effective detoxification.  TCM practitioners also believe that when more pain is felt during needle insertion and manipulation,  more toxins are present in that particular area.  The pain is not considered to be real pain but solely an indicator of toxicity; it subsides shortly after the session ends and stays relieved until toxins build up again.  Acupuncture has a natural way of preventing this; it is a natural appetite suppressant.  When an individual regains his or her appetite, he or she will feel less drawn to the foods that cause toxic build-up.

Brought to the U.S. in 1971 by N.Y. Times reporter James Reston, acupuncture is now widely regarded as an effective treatment for internal detoxification as well as a wide variety of other conditions; migraines, various injuries, infertility, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance addiction, and fibromyalgia, to name just a few.  In fact, many U.S. insurance companies cover acupuncture treatment costs.  In China, acupuncture is even used in place of general anesthesia during certain surgeries, and often in place of epidurals for women during childbirth.  Chances are if you have an ailment, this ancient practice, backed up by thousands of years of experience as well as standards set for treatment in the U.S., can relieve your pain and detoxify your body.

Internal Detox: An Overview

Do You Need to Detox? This may or may not be a question you’ve ever asked yourself.  The subject of internal detox is becoming more and more popular these days, especially as people examine their options in a country where many can’t afford healthcare even though health problems such as cancer and heart disease run rampant.  In response, more and more are turning literally inward for the answers, attempting to become healthier by focusing on organics, superfoods, and alternative forms of medicine with the idea that true health comes from the inside out.  From this comes the notion of internal detoxification, a natural process in which the body removes biochemically-caused waste products through the liver, colon, lymph nodes, and skin.

The body has natural ways of doing this; however, provoking this process through other means is something many people believe to be necessary.

The idea of internal detoxing is not new; across many cultures, different methods have been used for thousands of years.  For example, fasting, which is the complete abstinence from all food substances except water, has been used since the times of the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians.  Fasting is referred to in many religious texts including ancient Persian writings, the Old Testament and the Quran.  Colon hydrotherapy, a self administered colon cleansing method intended to rid the colon of toxins and “old” waste, thereby promoting healthier digestion as well as overall body function, originated around  14th century B.C. in Egypt.  Another example is ayurvedic medicine, originating in India thousands of years ago and including such detoxification therapies as Panchakarma, a five-part purification process undergone to purify and balance the body’s systems and provide elimination of the body’s toxins, mentally, physically and emotionally and including such practices as nasal therapy, therapeutic vomiting, purging and enemas.

Today our bodies are being exposed to newer types of toxins: free radicals in the form of cigarette smoke and pollution, pesticides and even (some would argue) harmful ingredients in our cleaning and personal care products.   Therefore, although the body detoxifies itself in many ways, many people are willing to go the extra mile and use additional methods. Types of internal detoxifications range from the very extreme (panchakarma and the Master Cleanse being good examples) to the very gentle and mild: lemon juice squeezed into hot water, for example, or taking a sauna.  As the subject has become more and more publicized and the trend to want to be healthier has grown, more and more detoxification products have been popping up on the shelves of health food stores, promoting benefits such as weight loss, clearer skin, mental clarity, and better digestion.

Are these practices really necessary?  Quite a few respected health professionals think not, and some even consider the practice to be harmful.  However, people are still willing to try new methods and are claiming to feel much better, so something tells me detox methods are here to stay.