The label on an organic fruit or vegetable at the grocery store will contain a “9” in front of the PLU code (the bar code identifying the product). [5] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source In the US, “organic” describes raw or processed agricultural products and ingredients that have been organically farmed. These foods also cannot be farmed with: synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, sewer sludge fertilizers, genetic engineering, growth hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients, or synthetic additives. [6] X Research source
Vitamin A should be consumed in the amount of 700-900 mcg/day. It works in the gut to help prevent germs and viruses from entering into the body. Vitamin C’s recommended daily allowance is 75-90 mg/day. Vitamin C has been hypothesized by Linus Pauling to boost the immune system and prevent infection from viruses. Vitamin E has a recommended daily amount of 15 mg. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant and prevents redox reactions that can potentially be harmful to the arteries and the lymphatic system from occurring. Vitamin Bs are a class of vitamins that help with energy and boost the immune system. Zinc is a mineral that works to boost the immune system through protein production.
You should also avoid using chemically laden beauty products on your skin. Most commercially available lotions, toothpastes, creams, and sunscreens are full of chemicals that can end up in your lymphatic system. Buy natural, organic beauty products with limited to no chemical by products. You can also make your own chemical-free beauty products at home.
Walking, running, and playing sports that involve a lot of movement are all great activities for stimulating lymph flow. Try to complete 150 minutes total of moderate exercise a week in intervals of at least 30 minutes to one hour of exercise a day.
Try to incorporate Dry Skin Brushing after a soak in a warm bath or while in a warm shower. If in the shower, take advantage of cool/ warm transitional hydrotherapy. When dry skin brushing, use a natural, bristle body brush, preferably with a long handle. Use long gentle strokes, but not too harm. This will stimulate your skin and remove dead skin. Brush your entire body, in the same directional format as your MLD massage that was conducted by your MLD specialized health practitioner. You can also incorporate salt into the massage by applying sea salt and a small amount of aromatherapy oil on the brush before you begin the massage. This will stimulate your skin.
To do Utkatasana (Twisting Chair): Stand with your feet hip-width apart on a yoga mat. Place your hands in prayer at the heart center, or middle of your chest. Inhale, then exhale and place your left elbow on the outside of your right thigh, just above your knee. You should be twisting to the right, with your prayer hands facing the right side of the room. Check that your knees are in line with each other and your hips are square to the front of the room. Use your left elbow to press against the outside of your right thigh and help you twist further to the right with each inhale and exhale. Hold this posture for 5-6 breaths and then return your prayer hands to the middle of your chest. Complete the same posture on your left side, with your right elbow sitting against the outside of your left thigh. To do Marichyasana 3 (Seated Twist): Sit on a yoga mat with your legs extended straight in front of you, toes flexed towards you. Bend your right knee and draw the foot to the inside of your left thigh. You can keep your right foot on the inside of your thigh or cross it to the outside of your left thigh for a deeper twist. You can also keep your left leg straight or bend it at the knee and draw your left foot back to the outside of your right hip. Hug your right knee towards your chest with your left arm. Raise your right arm and rotate your body to the left. Place your right hand about a few inches behind you on your mat. Continue to hug your right knee towards your chest as you twist to the left. To deepen the twist, press your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh. Inhale to lengthen your spine and exhale to rotate further to the left. Hold this post for 5-6 breaths and then repeat it on the other side.
Lay on a flat surface, like a bed or a yoga mat on the floor. Take a deep breath through your nose. As you inhale, tilt your head back and point your feet away from you. Hold the breath for a count of 5, taking in as much air as you can. Exhale slowly through your nose, and at the same time point your feet towards your head. Tilt your head so your chin moves closer to your chest. Repeat these deep inhales and exhales for 8-10 breaths, breathing through your nose only. If you get lightheaded, don’t be alarmed as this is a natural response to deep breathing. Try to practice deep breathing at least once a day, for 8-10 breaths.
After a long soak in a sauna or steam bath, be sure to drink lots of water to flush out toxins in your body and to allow your lymph system to do its job.
One of the major focuses of acupuncture is on de-clogging your lymphatic system. Before you undergo lymphatic system acupuncture, check that the acupuncturist is a trained and certified practitioner. [12] X Research source Side effects of acupuncture can include infections from unsterilized needles and a partial collapse of your lung due to accidental puncture of your lung with a needle. If your acupuncturist has the correct training and hygiene standards, these side effects should be minimal.
You can take digestive enzymes with your meals and take systemic proteolytic enzymes between meals. Proteolytic enzymes are the primary tools your body uses to digest organic debris in your circulatory and lymph systems. Supplementing this improves your body’s ability to do this. Proteolytic enzymes also help to remove Circulating Immune Complexes (CICs) from your body. As CICs accumulate in your body, they can trigger an allergic response from your immune system and overwhelm it. Taking proteolytic enzyme supplements eases this burden on your body and frees up your immune system to do its real work: prevent disease and illness.
Choose one juice you’d like to drink for the full three days: apple, grape, or carrot. The only other juice you’ll be drinking during the cleanse is prune juice. In the morning, have one glass of water, followed by 8-10 ounces of prune juice, mixed with the juice of one lemon. This will promote bowel movement. Sip the juice slowly and chew it so it mixes well with your saliva. Drink alternating glasses of your chosen juice and filtered water all day until you have consumed close to 1 gallon of juice and 1 gallon of water. You can add lemon juice to the water or the juice. Mix together 1 tablespoon wheat germ, flax seed, or borage, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon kelp or dulse powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Drink this 1-3 times a day. By the end of each day, you should consume 2 gallons of liquid. You can also consume anti-microbial herbs like garlic and echinacea. Your bowels should be eliminated each day. If your bowels are sluggish, drink another glass of prune juice with lemon before bed to stimulate them. During the three day detox, it’s important to stimulate your lymph system with 30 minutes - 1 hours of exercise. But if you feel tired during the cleanse, don’t push yourself too hard. As toxins are released from your body, you may experience physical side effect such as nausea, headache, backache, or dizziness. These symptoms are a sign of the toxins being eliminated from your body and should lessen after the first day of the cleanse.
Echinacea is also theorized to help the immune system work better. If you are on other medications, speak to your doctor or a herbalist before you try an herbal cleanse. You should avoid herbal teas and herbal cleanses if you are pregnant or lactating.
