So what is it exactly that the lymphatic system does, and why is it so crucial to our body’s proper functioning? According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, lymph nodes produce cells that help the body’s immune system fight infection and also filter the lymph fluid to cleanse the blood of foreign substances such as waste and bacteria. They do this by stuffing your lymph nodes with more white blood cells to fight off whatever harmful material has entered your body. In other words, they increase manpower. This is why when you feel a cold coming on, parts of your neck can feel a little swollen and sore. It’s a sign that your lymph nodes are swelling up with white blood cells to protect your body.
If our lymphatic system is this critical to our well-being, then it must be important to keep it clean and working properly. Luckily, this doesn’t take much! No expensive medicines, strange New Age therapies or demanding detoxification rituals are required. All you need is a pair of lungs, a pair of healthy legs and maybe a friend to keep you company.
According to the Well Being Journal, walking is one of the best and most effective ways to improve physical health. Our bodies, though living in a modern world of modern technologies, are genetically still stuck in the Stone Age. We were designed to walk for several miles a day in search of food, water, etc. Our largely sedentary lifestyle is damaging our health because we were never meant to live that way.
Power walking helps invigorate the lymphatic system with every step by stimulating the flow of lymphatic fluids. Though our circulatory system relies on the heart to pump blood through our veins and arteries, the lymphatic system relies on gravity. Walking at a steady, brisk pace for 20-30 minutes does for our lymphatic system what our hearts do for our circulatory system. If walking outdoors, the clean, fresh air of nature can have a wealth of other benefits as well. The air around beaches and mountains is, according to Natural Society, brimming with negative ions. Negative ions, as opposed to the positive ions found in the air surrounding cities and suburbs, generate biochemical reactions in the body that increase serotonin levels and give you that much-needed boost of energy.
You already have all the tools you need at hand to create and maintain a healthy, happy and functioning lymphatic system. So do yourself and your body a favor and go on a walk today.