Mindful movement is key to supporting your lymphatic health. The reason? Exercise helps move lymph fluid to your lymph nodes, where it’s filtered and detoxed. We curated five easy exercises you can incorporate into your day to give your lymphatic system a natural kickstart. Bonus: they’ll boost your energy and help calm your mind, too. Ready?
Breathe deeply
The simple act of deep breathing helps boost detox flow. The key is to use a technique known as diaphragmatic breathing, where you’re breathing consciously, paying attention to the “in and out” flow of your breath, and really engaging your diaphragm. This creates a pressure variation in the abdomen that helps move lymph fluid to your lymph nodes.
Start by placing one hand on your stomach, just above your belly button. Inhale deeply through your nose and think of filling your belly with air (the hand that’s on your stomach should move outward as you inhale). Next, exhale thought your mouth, visualizing your belly button drawing back towards your spine. Practice this breathing technique for 5 minutes. (Bonus: Diaphragmatic breathing also stimulates the vagus nerve, which lowers your heart rate and helps you feel calmer.)
Bounce!
Jump for joy, and jump for lymphatic health! Bouncing on a trampoline or rebounder is a super-effective way to kick your lymphatic system into high gear. The jumping action moves lymphatic fluids along 4x faster than walking, and you’ll get an instant energy boost as well. Start out with just a few minutes, and gradually increase to your personal comfort level. Anywhere from 5-20 minutes has beneficial detox effects.
Salute the Sun
Sun Salutations aren’t just a great way to wake up your body, they’re also the perfect way to wake up your lymphatic system. The lunges and folds that you perform during Sun Salutations help increase circulation, and breathing mindfully during your yoga practice also stimulates detox flow. Start by standing in Mountain Pose, raise your arms up, then fold into a Forward Bend. Lower to half-plank, then push up to Upward Facing Dog. From there push to Downward Facing Dog. Return to Forward Bend, raise your arms up again, and return to Mountain Pose. Move at your own pace, relaxing into the poses, and remember to breathe!
Squat & Breathe
Squats are an amazing way to build strength (not to mention tone your legs and booty!). When you add an element of breathwork, this simple exercise becomes even better for boosting lymphatic flow. From a standing position, inhale deeply as you raise your arms. Now do your squat, exhaling at the same time you bring your arms down. Aim for two sets of 8, and feel free to add extra reps/sets if you’d like. Want to boost the intensity? Just loop a Love Your Body Band around your thighs to add resistance.
Don’t Neglect Your Neck
If you spend hours sitting and staring at the screen every day, it’s especially crucial to get your lymphatic system flowing. If you can’t get up for a break, take a moment to mindfully move your neck and shoulders—these small movements will help prevent stagnation, and you can stay seated while you do them.
Start with simple shoulder shrugs. Inhale as you draw your shoulders up to your ears, and inhale as you lower them back down. Aim for 10 repetitions. Next, do some easy neck rotations. Inhale as you turn your head slowly to the right. Hold for 5 seconds, then turn back to the front as you exhale, and repeat on the left side. Aim for 5 rotations on each side.
1 comment
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨