Lymphatic Health: The Key to Respiratory Function and Immunity

Lymphatic health equals respiratory health. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Adults breathe about 15 to 20 times a minute, and babies breathe twice as many times as adults.Although breathing is an automatic action, handled by our parasympathetic nervous system, it is actually a complex process andlymphHe also subtly contributed his own strength during this process.

The diaphragm is a thin piece of muscle that sits below the lungs and is constantly moving to keep the lungs functioning (just like a heart pumps to pump blood). When you inhale, your lungs expand to take in oxygen from the air; when you exhale, your lungs compress to expel the carbon dioxide you took in from the air, a process called “gas exchange.” If your breathing is too shallow, carbon dioxide will accumulate in the body, and over time, it may even lead to serious consequences such as respiratory failure.

Taking a few deep breaths a day will not only allow your lungs to get more oxygen, improve the performance of the lungs and respiratory system, but also improve your digestion.When you take a deep breath, the contracted diaphragm changes the pressure in the chest cavity, pushing the lymph in the lower body up the chest tube and toward the heart.Beyond that, focusing on your breath is a form of meditation, which research has shown increases the parasympathetic rest and digestive response, a state in which the body begins to repair and heal itself.

Your lungs protect themselves from toxins and bacteria in a special way. The lining of your bronchi is lined with what appear to be tiny hairs called cilia. These cilia wiggle back and forth, sweeping the mucus inside the tube down the throat so the body can expel it. This action helps to keep the lungs clean, as it removes all kinds of substances that should not enter the lungs, such as dust, bacteria, etc.

The lymphatic system in the lungs also monitors airborne particles and drains pathogen-laden lymph fluid into the mediastinal lymph nodes located on the sternum. Whether you promote lymphatic flow near the lungs through deep breathing or self-massage, it helps your body remove excess toxins and drain fluid that accumulates in the lungs into the venous system, allowing them to re-enter the bloodstream.

The lymphatic drainage path of the lungs is quite complicated, passing through two sets of closely intertwined lymphatic channels, the so-called “bronchomediastinal trunk”. Lymph nodes in your lungs and mediastinum (the membrane between your lungs) filter lymph, which is then returned to the bloodstream through these lines.

The core function of lymph nodes in the lung is of great academic interest. Current research shows that almost all lung diseases are associated with changes in the lymphatic system. In 2008, the article “Lymphatics in Lung Disease” published by the National Institutes of Health stated that “from a biological point of view, lymphatic circulation seems to have an important impact on the health and disease of the lungs. If we can understand the role of the lymphatic system in human lung diseases, it may help to understand the pathogenesis of lung diseases and find novel therapeutic targets.”

At the beginning of 2020, the new crown pneumonia swept the world. Since then, people have become more concerned about the health of the lungs. Lung infections can be caused by many things, including viruses (which are difficult to treat because antiviral drugs usually don’t help them), bacteria (antibiotics are mostly helpful), molds, and poisons like asbestos. When we get a nasty illness like the flu or COVID-19, which can lead to pneumonia, the air sacs (or alveoli) in the lungs become inflamed and fill with a lot of mucus or fluid, making it hard to breathe.

Some people with severe COVID-19 have pre-existing health problems such as diabetes, asthma, autoimmune diseases, emphysema, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or have been exposed to chemicals for a long time. Old smokers and breast cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy near the lungs are also considered to be more likely to become a group of severe diseases. These people are likely to have a pretty rough road to recovery after beating COVID-19, especially in terms of respiratory function, because their lung tissue will be heavily scarred.

As I write these words, scientists around the world are also looking for a solution to the new crown pneumonia. They are committed to understanding the state of lymphocytes in the blood of the sick, trying to find out the mechanism by which this new virus affects the operation of the human immune system .Several studies have shown that patients with severe COVID-19 have decreased lymphocytes in the blood, a so-called “lymphopenia”. Low lymphocyte counts not only put you at higher risk of infection, but are also linked to the course of conditions like cancer, AIDS, and recurrent infections.Therefore, unraveling the relationship between lymph and this virus may allow scientists to think about treatment methods from a different perspective.

Many researchers are now studying how the lymphatic system helps the body fight pathogens on its own by making antibodies. One of them is Dr. Ziv Shulma, a researcher at the Department of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, who is familiar with how the body responds to infection. Experts in antibodies (once you have antibodies, you will not get the same disease again, which is the basis for the protective effect of vaccines on the human body). BioSpectrum, a biotechnology company, wrote in an article published in April 2020: “It is the first time for him and his laboratory to fully display the antibody-forming cells in healthy lymph nodes. This achievement also allows the world to understand for the first time The “manufacturing process, type, timing and location” of those protective antibodies, and the key role played by lymph nodes. These small pockets will strictly screen the types of antibodies, and only the most effective against Antibodies against invading pathogens are sent to the battlefield.” In order to enable us to have a better defense against deadly pathogens such as new coronary pneumonia, scientists hope to imitate the role of lymph nodes and create synthetic antibodies that are most effective against specific pathogens for humans .

Still, until scientists create the synthetic antibodies or antiviral drugs that are most effective against COVID-19, your health will still have to rely on your lungs’ innate defense mechanisms. I believe that “your immunity is your most powerful shield”, and taking care of the vitality of your lungs and immune system will enable them to maintain a strong defense. It’s not hard to do, and by taking a few simple actions, you can effectively maintain cellular health and oxygen levels in your body. For example, adopting a diet dominated by anti-inflammatory foods is an affordable way to change the state of your lung health. Many herbs that are antioxidants also have antibacterial and antiviral properties.I encourage you to understandEucalyptusIt is very helpful in clearing mucus from the lungs and clearing the airways.

Taking care of your lymphatic system is like taking care of your immune system. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

At this point you have a better understanding of the lymphatic system, how it connects with all the systems and organs in your body, and how important it is in improving immunity and eliminating excessive inflammation. Next, it’s time to learn the basic principles of self-lymphatic massage. Always remember that these massage techniques are backed by science, and taking care of your lymphatic system is like taking care of your immune system.

Get back in top shape with self-lymphatic massage after beating COVID-19

Sunny, a woman in her fifties, asked me to see her via videoconsultation three months after beating COVID-19. By then her overall health had stabilized, but she still had some lingering symptoms of COVID-19, such as constant tiredness and a lot of mucus in her chest. She had checked with her cardiologist that there was nothing wrong with her lungs, so she was pinning her hopes on her lymphatic system to find something that would help her get back to her best.

I explained to her the role of the lymphatic system in relieving depression and its influence on respiratory health, and told her that lymphatic massage was originally designed to relieve common colds and flus. Then I recommended her to do several sets of self-lymphatic massage, namely “strengthening cardiopulmonary function”, “blocked nose and allergies”, and “abdominal massage”. I also recommend that she take some steam with eucalyptus oil, take regular Epsom salt baths, and take several anti-inflammatory herbs.

Two months later, Sunny wrote me a letter, saying that her symptoms of the new crown had all disappeared, and she had completely got rid of the remaining poison of the virus in her body. She said that the advice I gave her was the main force behind her recovery. During that time she took all my advice and did self-lymphatic massage three to four times a week, and she plans to continue to use these advices to maintain her health in the future.

This article is excerpted from Caishi Culture Publishing House “[Unarmed X Diagram]The Complete Book of Lymphedema Massage: 7 Techniques x 25 Frequently Asked Questions, massage for 3 minutes a day, the body will be light and the spirit will be better! , by Lisa Levitt Gansley.