The lymphatic system helps us to detoxify the body, it aids the organs in carrying and eliminating waste. The tissues and organs, including the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes help to fight infection and disease. The channels that carry lymph and the lymph fluid are all part of this intricate system.
The importance of lymphatic drainage often goes over looked by many health care practitioners… I can’t tell you how lymphatic drainage has saved me in more than one area while kicking cancer’s ass. If you have had surgery of any kind you can look to lymph drainage work-outs and massage to increase circulation and open up wound sites in such a way that you may heal 10 times quicker than you would with no stimulation. Lack of circulation/stimulation creates stagnant blood flow thereby creating a frozen or stuck area. I once had a client who sprained his ankle; it was black with bruising and swollen to double its normal size. I refused to use ice, which I feel constricts, instead I used lymphatic massage lightly with my fingers adding Traumeel and Arnica. As I stimulated and encouraged the blood flow with slow easy lymphatic movements, he was virtually healed within three days!
If you have undergone radiation, lymph drainage massage can cut down swelling and the side effects by half. If you have had any lymph nodes removed from any area of the body, which occurs during most surgeries such as mastectomy, hysterectomy and even simply a trip to an oral surgeon. In all surgical procedures the lymphatics are being disturbed and must be nurtured and restored with proper stimulation. When going through weight loss lymphatic work is a must to dig into the belly, legs and hips where the long standing toxic adipose once was, it will aid in releasing toxins thereby assisting the bodies ability to keep weight off.
Dena offers lymphatic stretching and exercise here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xK-Ld_2icw