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Lymphatics 101

As the superhighway of your immune system, the lymphatic system is responsible for moving the traffic flow along. Instead of four- or 18-wheelers, the traffic consists of lymphatic fluid, which flows throughout your entire body, bathing all internal tissues. This fluid sifts out waste products and chemicals, sending these toxins back to your liver, where they're detoxified and excreted through the kidneys.

The adult circulatory system distributes about six quarts of blood at any given time. Double that figure, and you have the amount of lymphatic fluid being quietly and unobtrusively shuttled throughout lymphatic vessels. As preoccupied as many of us get with the circulatory system, we don't usually even think about all that's happening on the lymph's massive interstate. After all, when we're cut we don't "bleed" lymph, and we tend to ignore body components that we can't see. Not Dr. Lemole.

One component he has studied intently is lymph nodes, which are located in various parts of the body, most notably the neck, armpits, and groin. These are necessary stops on the lymphatic highway, where impurities are filtered out. If you've ever experienced “swollen glands,” then you know what these nodes feel like when impurities back up—pretty painful.

Your lymph nodes are connected to lymphatic vessels that, like your circulatory system, merge to form larger lymphatic trunks that gradually empty into the large thoracic duct, which traverses the entire chest. Fluid in the thoracic duct is pumped along by your breathing.

Take a moment to bring in a deep breath of air. Inhale through your nose until your belly expands. Exhale slowly through your nose. Now, take a second, slower breath, counting 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold it, and then slowly exhale again. You've just massaged your thoracic duct and encouraged more generous lymphatic flow through it. Even as you read this, your thoracic duct is emptying lymph into its final destination, your veins, where it then becomes part of blood plasma and recirculates.

This information is beyond merely interesting. As you'll soon see, detoxification of the lymphatic system is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease and cancer—and even reverse these unhealthy states. You'll also be much better equipped to resist cold and flu bugs.

Lymph and Your Health

Dr. Lemole maintains, and I agree, that clearing lymph throughout your thoracic duct is an essential part of preventing disease. Flow through the thoracic duct is dependent on changing pressure in the pleural space, the enclosed fluid cavity that surrounds your heart and lungs. Intrapleural pressure is negative on inhalation, and positive on exhalation. Deep breathing increases the flow of lymph through this cavity, and shallow breathing limits it.

I'm fascinated by this because I believe the quality of the breath is an indirect effect of the “heart-brain hotline.” I often observe that my cardiac patients don't breathe deeply. Ever notice that when you're tense, anxious, depressed, or under chronic stress, your chest wall and abdomen hardly move? You are not breathing fully. And you're not fully alert during these emotional states, either. Your mind is so preoccupied with concerns that you miss much of what's going on.

It's a well-known fact that folks who are depressed or chronically stressed are more likely to get sick—from any illness—than people who aren't. I think Dr Lemole may be on to something in terms of explaining and quantifying at least part of the link between emotions and disease.

On the positive side, this understanding of the lymphatic system also helps explain why activities that promote deep breathing—vigorous exercise, yoga, and massage—can all increase lymph flow by as much as 270 percent. Remember the sea of toxins I discussed at the beginning of this article? Promoting pulsation in your lymphatic system also keeps those toxic substances trucking right on through your body—until they're safely excreted.

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