support your lymphatic system for hormonal balance
By now, many of us are on the facial massage train for lymphatic drainage.. The results are supposed to make your face less puffy and your complexion more clear and dewey. And they’re not wrong! I love how my skin looks after a good gua sha session. But the lymphatic system isn’t just useful for beauty. It’s actually key for overall wellness and hormonal balance.
First, a quick explainer. The lymphatic system is crucial for detoxification as it collects excess fluid, waste and unwanted materials from the body and gets it all out through the bloodstream and when you go to the bathroom. But unlike your heart, the lymphatic system doesn’t have its own built-in pump to keep things flowing so it requires manual stimulation.
When flowing properly, our lymphatic system can do its job of gently and efficiently removing what no longer serves us. When blocked or stagnant, it’s unable to eliminate things like endocrine-disruptors and the natural buildup of excess hormones and hormone by-products. Cue the issues. We’re talking fatigue, acne, painful periods and more.
So, we want to keep the lymphatic system moving along, yeah? I shared some ideas to accomplish this on Instagram and here’s a little more info on each. Keep in mind that the lymphatic vessels are close to the surface of your skin and too much pressure can collapse them. The key is gentle, not smashing.
Massage: Either from a therapist who’s familiar with lymphatic drainage or done on yourself. Self massage of the belly is really nice and easy to do for a minute or two before bed (pulse the groin area then make clockwise circles around the belly button).
Facial rolling or gua sha: Always open the passageways down the neck, pulse along the collar bone and then begin your facial work. Use light pressure and finish with long strokes down the neck and towards your armpits.
Dry brushing: I recently learned that you shouldn’t just brush towards the heart. You need to open up the major lymph nodes as you go in sections. So that would mean brush circles around the groin, then brush up knees to ankles. Next brush circles around the back of the knees, then brush up ankles to groin. Same concept from the upper body and down.
Yoga: Get the lymphatic fluid moving and circulating. Incorporate inversions (like downward facing dog, handstands, legs up the wall) to combat gravity and encourage drainage from the legs.
Rebounding: Who doesn’t want to jump on a mini trampoline in the name of wellness?! The bouncing movement acts like a lymph pump *and* it heals your inner child. Win-win.
Limiting constrictive clothing: Stop wearing your tight sports bras and leggings all day, everyday. They constrict the lymph nodes around your breasts and legs.
Breathwork: Yet another reason to breathe fully and deeply - the motion of inhalation and exhalation pumps important lymphatic structures in your diaphragm.
Want more? Here are some resources I love to learn from:
And remember - explore what’s speaking to you from this list and leave the rest. Let your intuition guide you to the most nourishing, lymphatic-supporting practices to make your soul and hormones happy.