Learn what our lymphatic system is, and why we need it to work effectively for good health.
Phew. Yesterday’s heat got me all puffed up! Does anyone else notice that their rings are tighter and their legs feel heavier on hot days? That’s because high temperatures can really muck about with your lymphatic system.
If you’ve been a long-time follower here, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of the lymphatic system and have posted about this vital system many times before.
But it seems like a good time for a refresh, so over the next few days or so, I’ll explain a little more about what our lymphatic system is, and why we need it to work effectively for good health.
The lymphatic system is involved in almost all bodily processes. It’s made up of a network of tissues, vessels, glands and organs that work very efficiently to get rid of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials from our bodies (like a very sophisticated garbage disposal system)!
The lungs, thymus, spleen, tonsils and bone marrow are all part of the lymphoid organ system.
Many of the lymph nodes are located in the gut so they can immediately tackle the waste that results from our digestive processes. However, it branches out to every part of our body. These lymphatic vessels follow the blood vessels around the body using their motion as well as the body’s movement (i.e. muscles and deep diaphragmatic breathing) to keep the lymphatic circulation moving.
We all know we’re made up of about 60% water right? Well, it’s the lymphatic’s job to ensure that that’s clean. The lymphatic system filters a whopping 15 litres (ish) of fluid every day. That fluid is called lymph & it consists of 95% water, and the rest is proteins, waste products, fats and other natural substances.
Maintaining this fluid balance in the body is called homeostasis. Tune in over the next free days to find out why maintaining homeostasis is so important for our well-being.
