The Lymphatic System

Calendula flowers in bloom

Herbal trends come and go, and with the rise of social media, they seem to come with a storm and leave with a vengeance. Right now, one of the trends I'm seeing is a lot of marketing towards lymph detoxes, lymph drainage, and cleanses.

So I thought I'd put in my two cents.

Lymph fluid is a clear plasma that flows outside of blood vessels in and surrounding the tissues. Lymph fluid carries all of the antibodies that are produced by the body, including platelets, B cells, T cells, and Natural Killer cells, among others. About 80% of your body's lymphatic fluid is produced by your liver and digestive tract, while the immune cells are primarily produced by lymph nodes, which are located throughout the entire body.

Lymph nodes filter out anything that is targeted by the white blood cells to be excreted from the body. This is why lymph nodes will swell when you are sick- they are full of bacteria and virus bits that need to be removed from the body. An important thing to note here- lymph fluid is not moved through a pump like blood from the heart. It exists in the tissues throughout your body, so therefore it needs to be physically moved. This is done through movement of muscles. The more you move, the more the fluid will surround the virus or bacteria you are fighting, and the more it will be moved through lymph nodes.

There are many things that support lymphatic health and most of them are pretty simple.

• Regular movement

• Deep breathing

• Adequate hydration

• Good sleep

• Managing inflammation

• Supporting overall circulation and tissue health

Now, herbalists have traditionally used herbs, sometimes called lymphatic herbs or alteratives- such as cleavers, calendula, red clover, violet, and burdock- to support the body's natural processes. These herbs aren't draining toxins though, rather they are used as part of a holistic approach to supporting healthy elimination, immune function, and tissue health. Many of the products being promoted tell you that these herbs will somehow magically detox and cleanse a dirty lymph system, but the truth is a bit more complicated than that.

So, how does one truly know if they need lymph support? One of the challenges here is that there isn't a simple symptom or test that tells most healthy people they need it. The lymphatic system is involved in fluid balance, immune function, and waste removal, so concerns such as persistent swelling, unexplained edema, recurrent infections, or lymph node changes should be approached with a holistic approach- one that may include consulting a healthcare professional. As with most things, you'll need to look at the whole picture, often over a long period of time, to determine if there is an underlying issue with lymph.

As with most things in herbalism, there is rarely a magic herb or quick fix. The goal isn't to force the body to detox- it's to support the body's innate ability to maintain balance.

Healthy lymph flow starts with healthy daily habits. Herbs can be wonderful allies, but they work best when paired with a foundation of wellness.