The latest health trend all over wellness social media has recently been “lymphing.” People participate in activities meant to stimulate the lymphatic system to lower inflammation, improve blood sugar and more. While the videos are almost pure nonsense, at their core, there is some truth.
The videos are correct in saying that the lymphatic system plays a large role in health. It is balancing fluid, cleaning out waste and aiding the immune system all the time! A lot of the videos show people doing massages to help that process, and that’s where they go wrong. If you aren’t ill and your lymph nodes aren’t swollen, then your lymphatic system doesn’t need a topical massage! If your lymphatic system is having problems draining, a self-massage with gua sha won’t fix it and could be harmful. You need a medical professional’s help.
Using a gua sha might be “the best and cheapest facial you can get, because you can do it right there at home,” according to Tori Harsha, a licensed massage therapist, but you should avoid your lymph nodes.
The thing the videos don’t address is that the lymphatic system isn’t limited to the neck, armpit and chest. “It’s spread throughout the body, including the abdomen and groin, and involves organs such as the tonsils, spleen, appendix, and bone marrow. These components work together to circulate lymph, a fluid that removes waste, toxins, and inflammatory mediators, back into the bloodstream,” said the Director of Internal Medicine of CK Birla Hospital, Dr Manisha Arora.
Dr. Arora said that peak lymphatic function may reduce chronic inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity. And he added that, “The lymphatic system may also support glucose uptake in tissues, further linking it to metabolic health.”
But, the way to help your lymphatic system function isn’t massages, according to Dr. Arora. He said that lymph moves through muscle contractions. Exercises that involve the core, upper and lower body aid health. He said that a balanced diet of whole foods, rich in fruits and veggies, is essential. And he finished by pointing out that lymph is mostly water, so proper hydration is key to keeping lymph circulating.
Lymphing will go down as another flash in the pan health craze. There is almost no science behind it, and what science there is, it gets wrong. Don’t try to massage your own lymph nodes if you aren’t trained to. But do take care of your lymphatic and overall health, to fight inflammation and blood sugar.
