The Lymphatic System and Your Immune Health

As we move towards the fall with cold and flu season, many people start to think about boosting their immunity to avoid getting sick. Much of the conversation often centers on well-known immune booster’s such as Vitamin D and C.  But what about the lymphatic system? The lymphatic system, although a key player in immune health, seems to exist in the background. This is a shame given that immunodeficiencies are a sign of lymphatic malfunction. These include: recurrent sinusitis, head colds, chronically swollen lymph nodes and migraines. 

Supporting this complex system is essential not only to immune health but for overall health, especially for those with a “lymphatic constitution” (more on this below!) Let’s start with some lymphatic system basics.

The WHAT?

Lymph is a clear, water-like fluid that has a similar makeup to blood plasma.  Thomas Mann describes it as “the blood’s own milk” because “blood under pressure sweats an extract through the arterial walls and into the tissues”.  Lymph is transported through lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes which concentrate in the groin, armpits and neck.

We always talk about the heart pumping the circulatory system but what pumps the 600-pathway lymphatic system?  Lymphatic vessels do constrict but the system relies heavily on muscular activity through movement to create enough pressure to pump the lymphatics. Running, skipping, and rebounding are the best ways to move your lymphatics.  If these activities are not in the cards for you then lymphatic massage, dry skin brushing and hot/cold showers can help reduce lymphatic congestion.

The WHY?

Although the lymphatic system works in the background, it is has a multitude of functions in the body.  Its main functions include drainage, transportation and immune function.  The drainage function cleanses the tissues and thereby ensures the transportation of nutrients and information to all cells in the body.   If the drainage of tissue is not functioning properly, congestion with swelling and pain results.  Inflammation can be the result and, in cases of chronic inflammation, resolution can be extremely slow.

We’ve all felt those swollen lumps on our necks when we’re feeling under weather. Did you know those are actually lymph nodes?  In these filtering stations of the lymphatic system, lymphocytes (immune cells or white blood cells) are produced and released along with other immune cells that then destroy foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus.

If your lymphatic system is stagnant or congested, these important functions can lead to chronic or recurrent inflammation and infection.

The “Lymphatic Constitution” Connection

The constitution in bioregulatory medicine refers to the sum of your inherited characteristics that are influenced by various factors such as environment.  Certain populations are susceptible to certain diseases based on their constitution. Genetics has replaced the idea of the “constitution” in medical thinking – the two are related. 

The Constitution is like the foundation of a building…the types of materials used combined with the environment where the building is constructed will determine where the cracks might appear in time.

Your constitution can be determined based on:

• Your history of disease manifestations
• Eye color and complexion. 

Knowing the constitution of a patient can help us solidify the foundation in order to prevent cracks from happening OR to postpone them for as long as possible. 

Individuals with a lymphatic constitution are individuals who have fair hair and fair eyes and who often suffer in childhood from eczema, which then evolves to recurrent “ITIS’s”, such as tonsillitis and other inflammations in the mucus membranes. Here is a chart to simplify the overarching characteristics of the lymphatic constitution:

The Lymphatic Constitution

If you are interested in an analysis of your general health and/or more information on lymphatic health and your constitution, consider booking an appointment with our homeopath and live blood microscopist Andrea Hauser.