I love the lymphatic system and have spent years studying how it really works in the body.

After many years of health challenges and few answers from our western health care system, I came to this love of the lymphatic system as an advocate, wanting to improve my own health living with Lymphedema, which is a chronic disease, often progressive over time. What I wanted to know was how can I improve my impaired lymphatic flow? What could I do to help repair my body and help it heal, or lessen the burden where possible?

Over the years of happily digging through books, research articles, and courses in herbalism, I have learned about the many subtle, yet profound and gentle ways that can affect our lymphatic system and bring our body back into balance or support our health the best we can. When we help our Lymphatic system, it can help bring our whole body back into balance because of how interconnected and supportive of a system it is. 

I also happen to LOVE wild plants and like to look to the plants for medicines as well as energetics in addressing lymphatic health and wellness. As a herbalist and nature lover, I believe that there is an incredible amount of beauty as well as healing right beneath our feet in the common plants all around us.

"When you consume the nourishing plants where you live, the plants in turn nourish you where you live" Robin Rose Bennett.

At PLANTiful Apothecary, I forage, grow my own, and buy fresh/dried herbs from local farms because there is nothing more amazing than working with locally grown plants when making our herbal medicines! Using locally grown plants is great for both our wild spaces inside and around us.

From a wholistic health perspective, I approach health and wellness from the mindset that the lymphatic system does indeed feed all the other systems like its recognized in Ayurvedic medicine. IT is though to be the very first tissue tissue that is built in the body, the rasa. the strength and health of our rasa or lymph, determines the strength and health of all our other tissues. Every living cell needs water to carry out its functions in the body.  Lymphatic health -- Immunity -- Digestion -- Skin health are all interconnected in my mind.  After all we are 70% water.

Lymph is the river of life that flows beneath our skin, nourishing our cells with water, fats, proteins and other nutrients, taking away the waste, and fighting off invaders. It carries our life force energy, our Prana, our Chi to all our cells.

Keeping it flowing is an important part of our overall health and it's up to us to move it through active muscle movement and deep breathing. That is why there are clusters of nodes at each of our joints. They are there by design, and depends on us to move in order to flush and clean then, so they can work their best. Herbal medicine can help address issues of lymphatic stagnation and assist in getting things flowing. 

Our products are made with nourishing, locally grown ingredients that support the Lymphatic system in several ways. They are:

• toxin-free (inside & out)
• contain lymphatic plant compounds
• pH-balanced to be slightly acidic like our skin's acid mantle
• restorative & nourishing to the skin
• detoxifying to help keep that lymph moving! 

We love combining our products with different techniques to assist with lymphatic drainage. Here are some examples:

• Use our facial serum after a Gua Sha facial tool and give yourself a nourishing boost after the lymphatic cleanse effect of the Gua Sha tool on the facial and neck area. It's divine!
• For a lovely morning ritual, combine oil pulling/swishing, tongue scraping and brushing your teeth with our clay toothpowder to help remineralize your enamel and detoxify your mouth.
• Use our Detoxifying or Pain Relief body oils for Abhyanga self-love body massage!
• Our clay deodorants go the extra step by helping to actively detoxify your pits through the drawing nature of the clays present in the deodorant which also help absorb moisture. A double-win in our books. So, putting on our deodorant and getting your sweat on is always a good combo for getting the lymph moving!

Better lymphatic flow = healthier + happier body and mind.  

References:

Lad, V. (1986). Yoga of Herbs: Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine. [book].