Lymphatic System 102

The human body needs two systems to operate optimally to support healthy cell reproduction. Those two systems are the cardiovascular and the lymphatic systems. Unfortunately, in today’s practice of allopathic medicine, the emphasis is solely on the cardiovascular. By ignoring the lymphatic system we are missing a huge opportunity to prevent and better manage most chronic conditions.

Certainly we are all extremely reliant on the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries to feed and nourish cells for healthy reproduction. But just like with any system, every set of inputs creates output. It is the lymphatic system’s job to remove the by-products and wastes in the body. If the clean-up crew doesn’t show up, the garbage won’t be taken out and we all know this doesn’t provide for a very pretty picture.

What does cellular garbage look like? Well, it probably doesn’t LOOK like much on its own, but it is acidic waste and the list is long on what it DOES to your body–damage to your cells, tissues and organs–and lots of it. Everything from moderate symptoms such as acne and yeast infections to the serious chronic conditions of our times—obesity, auto-immune issues, fertility issues, Alzheimer’s and cancer—are results of accumulated waste.

So, while giving the heart all the credit it deserves, I want to keep your focus on your lymphatic system if you, like me, want to stay on the side of preventing dis-ease not having to overcome it.

While I shared an overview of the lymphatic system in my Lymphatic System 101 post, I want to discuss this graphic in further detail, as I will be referring to it over an again in future issues.

Lymphatic Cisterns

Today I want to draw your attention to two areas that seem to accumulate lymph and are most often seen as the “pain” centers of the body. These two cisterns can become lakes of built up waste when the system is not functioning optimally.

Low back pain sufferers take note…the greatest accumulation seems to occur here in the cisterna chyli located right between our two kidneys. This dilated sac in the lumbar region of the abdominal cavity is meant to be a temporary hold for the fatty lymph from the intestinal tract. In a healthy system, this fluid transverses from the lower body upwards. But when there is stagnation, the fluid collects and causes inflammation and inflammation equals pain.

Anyone who suffers with headaches, neck pain, or sinusitis might not be surprised to hear the other cistern is located in the head. Within the subarachnoid space there are actually a series of smaller cisterns all which collect lymph at the base of the brain. When I discuss acidosis of the head these are exactly the areas affected that must be drained. While headaches and sinusitis are painful, left untreated the acidosis can lead to much deeper chronic dis-ease such as migraines, Parkinson’s, and autoimmune conditions.

Realizing that the body has these overflow areas for stagnant lymph may help you better understand chronic localized pain and come to see that you don’t have to live with it. Awareness is always the first step in healing and when you are ready for the next step I have a place for you to start.