Friday
10Apr2009
Lymph Stimulating Herbs
“There’s this gal at my grandson’s school who sells what she claims is a lymph stimulating formula. It’s supposed to stimulate the lymph system. Could something like that really work?”
No, it couldn’t, and you’re 100% right to be skeptical of her claims. The reason nothing can “stimulate” your lymph system is that your lymphatic system—unlike your circulatory system—doesn’t have a “pump”.
It relies solely on muscle contractions and other bodily movements to move the lymph from one area of the body to another. Muscle movements, your heartbeat and even just breathing are all ways your body moves lymph throughout the body.
Now, there are certainly herbs and other “functional” foods that are capable of supporting your body’s own natural immune system but they don’t really speed up the flow of lymph. In my opinion, the best way to “stimulate” lymph is simply to get up and get some exercise.
I think you’re very smart to be skeptical of anything said to you by a representative of one of those door-to-door vitamin companies. Despite what they sometimes claim, their “credentials” are often no more than a piece of paper gained by sitting through a 2 hour sales presentation. (After all, if they had real credentials, would they really be accosting other parents at after-school events to sell a bottle of herbs?)
Oh, and don’t let someone convince you that lymph relies on gravity, either. This argument is sometimes made to sell those “detoxifying” foot pads. According to them, the lymph is pulled by gravity to your feet where it pools overnight. Don’t you believe it. It’s just another way to sell you something you don’t need—in this case, lymph stimulating herbs.
No, it couldn’t, and you’re 100% right to be skeptical of her claims. The reason nothing can “stimulate” your lymph system is that your lymphatic system—unlike your circulatory system—doesn’t have a “pump”.
Now, there are certainly herbs and other “functional” foods that are capable of supporting your body’s own natural immune system but they don’t really speed up the flow of lymph. In my opinion, the best way to “stimulate” lymph is simply to get up and get some exercise.
I think you’re very smart to be skeptical of anything said to you by a representative of one of those door-to-door vitamin companies. Despite what they sometimes claim, their “credentials” are often no more than a piece of paper gained by sitting through a 2 hour sales presentation. (After all, if they had real credentials, would they really be accosting other parents at after-school events to sell a bottle of herbs?)
Oh, and don’t let someone convince you that lymph relies on gravity, either. This argument is sometimes made to sell those “detoxifying” foot pads. According to them, the lymph is pulled by gravity to your feet where it pools overnight. Don’t you believe it. It’s just another way to sell you something you don’t need—in this case, lymph stimulating herbs.
Fri, April 10, 2009
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