Detoxify with MLD: Using Manual Lymphatic Drainage to boost and detoxify your immune system
It’s that time of year again! We bring in the New Year by recovering from our end of year celebrations. We set goals and intentions to help guide and motivate us into the best year possible. We’ve made exceptions to our routines, eat things we normally wouldn't, had that extra serving, wore those elastic waist pants to dinner, maybe had an extra cocktail or 2, we were celebrating! We celebrate family and friends, celebrate the year that passed, and bring in the new year to come. It is a joyful time and I believe that we should indulge in what brings us pleasure, all with balance and all with the understanding that we may pay the price later. In addition to the indulgence that comes with the holiday season, we are still dealing with Covid, and this wave is a doozy. Our immune systems are working over time.
So how does eating, drinking, and staying up late in excess have to do with covid or any other virus circulating throughout the community?? All target the immune system, all invite unwanted toxins into our systems. All can lay us flat on our backs for weeks on end or potentially worse. When we overindulge we spark an inflammatory response in our bodies that can be felt in all systems: bloating, achiness in the joints, the feeling of fatigue and malaise. Inflammation can be brought on by eating inflammatory foods (sugar, trans-fats, dairy, red and processed meat, alcohol, refined grains, fatty and processed food,) not sleeping enough, and added emotional stress. There are so many contributing factors involved in how our immune system functions optimally and so many things we can do to support it, especially when we’ve beat it down. Unwanted inflammation in the body weakens the immune system. It redirects our immune fighting cells to deal with the inflammatory response allowing unwanted external visitors to attack and overwhelm our cells, like viruses, bacteria, and free-radicals.
How do we recover? We get back into a healthy routine. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of water, and stay active, but if this isn’t doing the trick or you’ve really done a number on yourself or just just want to give yourself a little push (or shall I say pump) into the right direction, book yourself in for a Lymphatic Drainage massage. A full body Lymphatic Drainage massage can help boost your immune system by detoxification and increasing the production of immune-competent cells. The lymphatic system is a slow moving system, it has no pump to help move the fluid throughout the nodes and ducts. It relies on smooth muscle contraction from diaphragmatic breathing and physical movement to help move fluid throughout. On its own, the lymphatic system can move 1.5 - 2 L of lymph fluid a day. After a full body manual lymphatic drainage massage, lymph circulation increases by 15-30L a day and after 24 hours the body produces 20% more immune-competent cells.
A Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage is not your typical massage. In fact, it does not address the musculoskeletal system directly at all. It is a gentle, slow moving treatment that is very relaxing, almost guaranteeing the recipient to fall asleep. The therapist uses a gentle hand to help mechanically pump the lymph fluid into the thoracic and subclavian ducts for detoxification before being redistributed throughout the body. It will address the musculoskeletal system indirectly by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing for deep relaxation and decreased tension throughout.
There is an optimal time to receive an MLD treatment and a time to avoid MLD. If you are under the weather, wait until you are on the mend before receiving this treatment. It will most definitely push that virus into your system, possibly overloading your immune fighting cells, leaving you feeling very unwell. Avoid MLD with malignant tumors and a doctor's approval is requested if living with cancer or in remission. No MLD with Thrombosis or Phlebitis (blood clots) as we do not want to move the clot.
MLD is amazing pre and post surgery, with acute injuries, lymphedema, sinusitis, dentistry, dermatology, GI conditions, and any inflammatory conditions. It can benefit even the healthiest individual by assisting in your immune support. In this environment we all could use a little boost.
As gentle as this treatment is, it delivers a big punch. It is best not to have a busy day planned after receiving this treatment. Post Manual Lymphatic Drainage can leave you feeling tired, sometimes achy, sometimes a headache, and sometimes diarrhea. These are all potential side effects all depending on how your body is feeling and how healthy you are. They are all clear signs that the treatment is working. With ample rest and water, you will be feeling amazing.
See Melanie at Align in Camana Bay to book your MLD treatment today. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email: melanie.gillians@align.ky.
Author - Melanie GIllians