The Benefits of Lymphatic Therapy

At Healing Arts we help people detox, removing toxins from their body, while supporting their body with the right nutrition for better health.  In doing this, one of our main concerns is to make sure the lymphatic system of the body is moving toxins through effectively.  If the lymphatic system slows down then toxins get backed up causing all sorts of problems in the body.  

The lymphatic system is composed of vessels throughout the whole body that carry lymph fluid through lymph nodes and particular organs and then through more vessels in order for the lymph to be dumped and recirculated into the blood stream at the collar bones.  Unlike blood vessels which have a heart to pump blood, lymphatic vessels don't have a pump to move lymph.  Lymph moves by contraction of your muscles.  That is why exercise is important for detox among other things.

If the lymph gets backed up and toxins cannot be moved through the body to be detoxed headaches, brain fog, fatigue, mucus in the morning, recurrent sore throats, frequent colds, constipation, unable to lose weight,  joint stiffness in the morning, sore breasts, itchy skin and more can occur.  These toxins can literally reek havoc in all sorts of ways.    

To help the lymphatic system not get backed up with toxins dry brushing, oil pulling, and foot detox bath all help with the lymph and so does a lymphatic therapy session.  

Lymphatic therapy aims to improve the efficiency of not only your lymphatic system but also your circulatory system. By dropping the volume of retained fluid and the pressure this special type of treatment can also reduce the risk of impeded circulation. Lymphatic drainage therapy has the potential to improve your immunity and is really beneficial post-surgeries and postpartum.  Dr. Armitstead loved getting lymphatic therapy after delivering her daughters to help with recovery postpartum. 

We use the Lymphstar Pro Fusion machine which is an electronic instrument that is amazing at moving the lymph at a deep level. It uses low grade electrons to move the lymph and also improve microcirculation and general circulation by the massage therapist running bulbs across the skin. When the glass bulbs sticks to the skin there is lymphatic congestion and when the glass bulb smoothly glides over the skin there is no congestion. If the bulb sticks to your skin then the massage therapist slowly goes over the area until it no longer sticks. There are only a handful of these Lymphstar Pro Fusion machines in NYC and we are so happy to have one to give patients amazing results.

 Lymphatic Therapy Is Beneficial For:

• Cellulite fat accumulation
• Pre-Post Surgery Swelling
• Lymphoedema
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Swollen legs or arms due to fluid retention
• Hormonal & emotional imbalances
• Breast tenderness & congestion
• Post-mastectomy or breast cancer treatment
• Fibromyalgia & Lupus
• Depression & Anxiety
• Recurrent infections

Healing Arts offers 30 min and 75 min lymphatic therapy sessions to increase the lymphatic flow and circulation that is needed to help heal the body.  John Montalto will guide you through the session and follow up sessions as needed.  

Is Your Bra Harming Your Health?

We've all seen them, those television ads showing women how beautiful they can look in those tight underwire pushup bras.  Of course, no one is bothering to tell women that these same bras could be increasing their chances for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.  Dr. Michael Schacter, MD says in his article, The Prevention and Complimentary Treatment of Breast Cancer, "Over 85% of the lymph fluid flowing from the breast drains to the armpit lymph nodes.  Most of the rest drains to the nodes along the breast bone.  Bras and other external tight clothing can impede flow.   The nature of the bra, the tightness, and the length of time worn, will all influence the degree of blockage of lymphatic drainage.  Thus, wearing a bra might contribute to the development of breast cancer as a result of cutting off lymphatic drainage, so that toxic chemicals are trapped in the breast."

It's important to realize that nearly all underwire bras contain metal under wires, coated with plastic which creates even more potential risk for the wearer.  Metal acts an an antenna which will attract electromagnetic fields.  This can increase risks of cardiovascular disease.  Johns Hopkins performed research showing that there is a direct relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields and the speed and rhythm of the heart.  To see more on how electromagnetic fields affect your health, read here.

Sydney Singer and Soma Grismaijer, authors of Dress to Kill, conducted a study of over 4,000 women and found that women who do not wear bras have a much lower risk of breast cancer.  There findings included:

• Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of four chance of developing breast cancer.

• Women who wore bras more than 12 hours per day, but not to bed, had a 1 out of 7 risk.

• Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 52 risk.

• Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer.

  Singer and Grismaijer also found that about 90% of fibrocystic patients improve when they quite wearing bras.  

Of course while some women would be happy to have any excuse to burn their bras, breasts can be heavy and having insufficient support can cause some women a great deal of discomfort.  Fortunately there are more and more options for women which will give them great support without restricting flows.  There is a whole series of new bras on the market which don't restrict the lymphatic flow.  Some places simply call them "wireless" bras.  Several examples of these bras include the Genie Bra, the Wire Bra and the Ahh Bra, but there are plenty more options like them.  Sports bras also work.  It may take some time to find the right wireless bra but do it for the health of it!

Why You Need to Detox

To achieve health in the office, our goal is to get rid of toxins and with the right nutrition, the body can heal.  Healing is all about detoxing.  There are two types of toxins: external toxins (exotoxins) and internal toxins (endotoxins).  It is normal to have a certain amount of toxicity in the body.   A healthy body, toxins in, toxins out for we have our natural detox pathways where toxins end up in urine, bowel movements and sweat.  But when these pathways get overloaded by too many toxins and we can't eliminate them fast enough an imbalance occurs.  It first occurs as inflammation at the cellular level.  If this imbalance is not fixed at the cellular level then it increases to inflammation of the tissues and then inflammation of the organ.  When the organ is inflamed we start feeling symptoms. All disease starts with inflammation.  High toxicity can cause any symptom, it just depends on where it is in the body.  Manifestation also depends on the person's weak link which is determined by genetics.  Most commonly toxicity can cause digestive issues, skin reactions, feeling tired or unfocused or headaches.

Endotoxins are by-products of normal, everyday metabolic activities, but they can also be the result of destructive thoughts, emotions or stress.There are fleeting thoughts and then there are those bigger, all-consuming emotions you push aside.  You think they're gone because you're not actively thinking about them, but in fact, they may be impacting your immune, digestive or nervous systems.  Stress, anxiety and other negative emotions have a real impact on your health and so a key part of detoxing is not only nourishing the body, but also nourishing the mind.  

What creates endotoxins?

anger and resentment
anxiety
bacterial end products
bowel toxins
fear
free radicals
jealousy
hormones
self-criticism
metabolic waste
pessimism



Exotoxins enter your body when you ingest them in food or drink, or inhale them into your lungs.
What creates exotoxins?
air pollution
alcohol
skin care
cleaning supplies
food sensitvities
heavy metals

We know these toxins come out through the urine, bowels and skin but how do they get there?  Through the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a complex network of vessels and nodes that carry lymphatic fluid throughout the body, like the way arteries and veins circulate blood.  In fact, lymphatic vessels flow alongside your blood vessels.  Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system does not have a pump (the heart).  Instead it relies on muscle movement to push fluid through its channels.  This means exercise and massage aren't just important for soothing your mind and muscles; they're also essential for a healthy lymphatic system.  

Lymphatic fluid carries white blood cells called lymphotcytes.  These cells disable harmful foreign invaders picked up from your blood.  When you are sick your lymphnodes can be swollen because they are working overtime to rid your body of foreign invaders.  

Your GALT is also part of the lymphatic system.  The GALT is the intersection of our gastrointestinal system, immune system, and nervous system and it is made up of a network of immune cells and membranes that line the inside passages of our body.  Think of it as our "inside skin".  The functions of the skin are to absorb nutrients and provide a barrier that protects toxins from getting into the body.  The GALT works similarly, but it lines the inside passages of our body including the sinuses, nose, lungs, mouth, esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, colon, vagina, urethra and bladder.

So your GALT protects you from toxins leaky from those areas into the rest of the body but when the body is overloaded with toxins the GALT barrier won't work well and toxins start to leak out in other areas of the body.  When this happens to the digestive system it is known as Leaky Gut Syndrome.  

More on the GALT and Leaky Gut Syndrome next blog.