The Lymph System and Autoimmune Disease

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I have been seeing an alarming increase in auto-immune responses in the last 5 or 6 years.  What this refers to is the response when the body's immune system sends out a message to attack the bodies' healthy tissues and cells.

Normally the immune system sends white blood cells to attack foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses and toxins.  In an auto-immune response the body does not differentiate between healthy body tissues and foreign invaders.  What follows is an immune response attacking the normal body tissues.  This response is similar to an allergic reaction.

In allergies, the immune system goes to battle with an outside substance that it normally ignores.  In an autoimmune response, the immune system battles healthy body tissue that it normally ignores.

A few examples of auto-immune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, hashimotos and chronic fatigue.

When someone asks what causes auto-immune responses the most common answer is that the cause is unknown.  I am not a doctor or a scientist but as a highly experienced body worker I believe that part of the issue lies in the health of the lymphatic system.  No doubt there are many factors that go into the creation of auto-immunity and it would certainly be pie-in-the-sky to say you can get a massage and cure all of this, but I believe that in addressing the issues that are contributing to the lymph slow down, you improve your chances of healing your immune system.

This would be a good place to reiterate that I am not a medical doctor and am not qualified to diagnose or to treat medical conditions.  The opinions in this article should not take the place of professional medical care.

Now let's look at the lymph and it's function in relation to the immune system. The Lymph fluid carries white blood cells that defend against the aforementioned germs.  The lymph nodes and spleen are two examples of places in the body where white blood cells fight infection.

The lymphatic system is an important part of how the body clears away infection and keeps the body fluids in balance.  When this system is not working fluid builds up in the tissues, resulting in swelling.

Most people have lymph slow down that is caused by musculoskeletal displacement most commonly found in the neck, ribs, low back and hips. When joints are out of place or muscles are tight over lymphatic chains it creates a lymph blockage.  Because the lymph system has a vacuum effect, each blockage, no matter how small, causes the lymphatic to slow down throughout the body.

Here are a few ways you can support your lymphatic health:

1. Get lymphatic massage or lymphatic drainage
2. Increase the amount of quality water you drink (no tap-water)
3. Do Yoga (this is one of the best exercise you can do for your lymph)
4. Start a conscious breathing program

I have recently been impressed by certain teachers of Kundalini Yoga and if nothing else you can learn to do what is called the breath of fire.  It has been said that if you do the breath of fire for 3 minutes it will purify all the blood in your body.  When I have clients do this prior to coming in for lymphatic massage the drainage is increased exponentially.

Here is Carolyn Cowan teaching breath of fire:

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Why and How: Castor Oil Packing

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

By Jan Olds, Licensed Massage Therapist

I intend for this to be one in a series of several pieces on the use of Castor oil. My purpose for writing this blog is to give clients a working knowledge of the physical body that is easy to understand. With that in mind...this article may not be the most comprehensive but it will give you a place to start.

The mention of Castor oil often conjures up images of torture and punishment for many people. My mom was often forced to drink it as a little girl and had nothing good to say about it. Mussolini used it to torture political prisoners. Yet for all of its bad press...Castor oil is a unique substance with deep healing properties and has been used by healers for many years.

It has a very peculiar chemical composition. Almost 90 percent of the fatty acid in the Castor oil is made up of something unique called ricinoleic acid. This acid is not found in any other known substance on the planet. Ricinoleic acid is highly poisonous and this may be why it is so effective in correcting the lymphostasis I talked about in previous postings.

What is so exciting about Castor oil is that it can be used externally in a variety of areas and has been shown to gently detox that area and stimulate deep lymphatic flow. This is done by using something called a Castor oil pack on various body locations. The following is a list of the way Castor oil packs have most commonly been used:

• Gently detox and stimulate the liver
• Reduce liver and gallstones
• Reduce inflammation
• Improve lymphatic circulation
• Improve intestinal disorders
• Increase eliminations
• Improve nutritional assimilation
• Reduce arthritis
• Relieve Pain
• Reduce Headaches
• Reduce Bursitis
• Optimize nerve networking
• Treat bunions and calluses
• Treat Warts
• Hatch Parasite Eggs (Aids in eliminating them)

Some have claimed that Castor oil can be used to treat cancerous tumors as well...but this is controversial and I have not done enough research to stand behind an opinion. Please remember that I am not a doctor and that it is not legal for me to make any medical claim. My advice should not be a substitute for professional medical care.

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack

Materials:

• Wool Flannel (Wool Flannel works best but 4x4 gauze can be used)
• Castor Oil
• Plastic covering (to keep from staining anything...can use a grocery sack or plastic wrap)
• Heat source such as a heating pad or hot water bottle

Tip: If you use the wool flannel sold for Castor oil packing the instructions are on the package

Steps:

1. Prepare your material and fold it to desired thickness

(When determining how thick to fold your material first assess the location as

different locations require different thicknesses. For example if you are packing

a joint or a place on the arm/hand/foot/head it will not require much thickness

because the area is shallow. For the core of the body several layers are required

for maximum absorption.)

2. Put Castor oil in a warm water bath (crock pot works nicely)

3. Soak the material with the oil until it is saturated but not dripping

4. Place the pack on the desired area

5. Cover with plastic to keep staining to a minimum

6. Put heat source on top of pack for about an hour

Using a pack from 5-7 days in a row is recommended to treat a particular condition or for detoxing. To increase blood circulation use the pack three times a week for three months and repeat if/as needed.

Where to place your Castor oil pack:

• Right side of the abdomen under the ribcage to stimulate and detox the liver.
• Just under the liver (right side of abdomen approximately 3-6 finger widths below the ribcage to increase small intestine's ability to capture nutrients from food.
• Left side of abdomen just under rib cage to stimulate and detox the spleen and boost your immune system
• Left side of abdomen 5-8 finger widths below the ribcage to detox and stimulate transverse colon. This is an optimal placement for hatching parasite eggs.
• Inflamed and swollen joints, bursitis, and muscle strains.
• Anywhere in mid/lower abdomen to relieve constipation and other digestive disorders.
• Lower abdomen in cases of menstrual irregularities and uterine and ovarian cysts.
• Lower back, shoulder or any body location where you are experiencing pain.

Helping you to select a location based on what I can palpate is something I routinely offer during the course of a massage.

Warning:

Castor oil is brilliant for increasing flow. If you are bleeding...it will increase the bleeding. It is generally not recommended for use during menstruation. Do not use if your are pregnant or nursing. Use on cancer tumors is controversial...until I know better I would caution against it. I do not recommend drinking it...it is very gentle when used externally but used internally it can be quite violent. It will probably make you tired the first few times that you use it so I recommend scheduling your packing when you have some down time.

If you have questions feel free to give me a call at 801-856-1474

Happy Packing!

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

copyright © 2010 Essential Stillpoint