7 Question Health Quiz

Previously by Margaret Durst: Insulin – Too Much of This Is a Really BadThing!

You are what you eat and do not eliminate. Now that can be a troubling thought when you consider all of the chemicals we take in that are foreign to our body. One great hiding place for toxic waste is our lymphatic system, which is the pathway for cellular waste to leave our tissues to be eliminated from our body.

The lymphatic system is a network of nodes, glands and tubes that relies on muscle movement to flow and drain properly. Unlike our circulatory system, the lymphatic system has no pump to move the fluid. So if you are a couch potato, or just live a sedentary life, you probably have a congested lymph system.

The lymphatic system will back up if you eat foods that don’t agree with you. The whole-body bloat that comes from eating foods with too many chemicals or foods that you react to is lymphatic congestion. The standard American diet tends to do this to people. Anyone who has dieted knows that when you start eating really healthy with lots of fresh vegetables and no junk, you lose at least 3 to 4 pounds of water. This is backed up fluid from your lymphatic system.

If this lymphatic congestion is chronic, parasites and other critters will move in because you will have become a great home for them. Leaky gut also trashes out the lymphatic system. This is caused by chronic constipation, poor diet and or parasites that cause waste to escape your intestines and move into body tissues where it doesn’t belong: over time, this will result in autoimmune conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, etc.

Here is a short quiz to take to help you decide if your lymph system needs to be cleansed.

Are you overweight?

Do you have cellulite or fatty deposits?

Are you prone to lumps and growths in your body?

Do you feel bloated or have areas in your body that feel heavy?

Do you have aches and pains?

Have you been diagnosed with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, or other chronic immune disorders?

Are your eyes puffy?

If you answered yes to any of the above question, your lymphatic system may need a tune up.

There are many ways to do this. A whole body cleanse will help – I recommend these at regular intervals. There are also enzymes that help break down some of the toxins stored in the fluid.

If weight loss is a concern, the absolute best diet to clean the lymph system is The Fat Flush Plan by Ann Louise Gittleman. This diet uses unsweetened cranberry juice to help break up toxic deposits in the lymph ducts along with exercise which gets the fluid moving out of the body.

The best exercise to drain the lymph system is jumping on a trampoline. Since the lymph system is a series of valves and ducts without a designated pump, the movement of jumping up and down on a trampoline accelerates the flow of the lymph fluid through the system and out of the body. It is a wonderful tool when combined with the right diet for weight loss and better health.

Margaret Durst owns The Green House, a vitamin, herb and health food store in Mason, Texas.