The word lymph is short for lymphatic fluid which is a clear watery liquid that helps your immune system filter out the bacteria in your body. Some specific yoga poses can be used as a form of holistic health and may help that lymphatic fluid circulate through your body correctly. Yoga teacher training can show you which poses may be more beneficial with this idea in mind.
The lymphatic system carries proteins and lymphocytes to your tissues. The way that this works is through the movement of your body because this system does not have its own pump to move the fluids through your body. There are certain poses in yoga that help this better than others. Yoga teachers can set a complete class session around a cleansing idea and help you with yoga poses that will help move the fluids through your body.
Inversion Poses
Inverting your body will help to reverse the effects of gravity. This type of posture can help you stimulate the lymphatic glands such as your thyroid and could also relieve stress and reduce fatigue. The headstand is also a great pose for your pituitary and pineal glands. The shoulder stand is good for your prostate and reproductive organs. Yoga teacher training instructs to make sure when you are practicing this types of poses that you have the support of a good folded blanket and follow the pose to avoid injury.
Standing Forward Bend
The standing forward bend can help you bring the extra lymphatic fluid into the lungs for cleansing. If you begin in standing position and bend your knees slightly. Then touch your fingers to the floor while lifting your tailbone up towards the ceiling. If you cannot reach the floor with your fingers bring your fingers down to a block or chair in front of you. Then relax your head down and hold the position for 30 seconds, rest and repeat.
Shoulder Stand
When practicing the shoulder stand make sure you have an experienced yoga teacher to ensure that you have proper alignment and to help prevent injury to your spine. Begin while lying on your back and bring your knees into your chest. Then place the palms of your hands on your pelvic rim and leave you upper arms against the floor for added support. Slowly lift both of your legs up and slowly bring your pelvis over your shoulders. Slowly work up to holding this pose for three minutes.
Downward Facing Dog Pose
Begin the downward facing dog pose by beginning on your hands and knees. Slowly lift your knees off the floor and move your body into and upside down V shape. Your feet and arms should be hip-shoulder width apart. Disperse the weight evenly in your hands while keeping your spine straight. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Yoga teaching explains that this pose is good to build up your immune system.
Bridge Pose
The bridge pose can help you improve the flow of lymphatic fluid and build up your immune system. Start this pose by lying on your back with your knees bent. Pressing your feet into the floor slowly lift your pelvis up as high as you can. Then relax your neck while keeping your knees hip width apart and holding the pose for at least 30 seconds. There are modifications that can be made to this pose you just need to check with a yoga teacher.
Twists
Yoga teacher training will also include twists into a beneficial practice. Twists can be done while sitting on the floor or in a chair. There are simple seated twists or more advanced twists. Yoga teaching tells us that twists help to stimulate the energy in our body and spine and massage our internal organs. They also stretch out our backs, hips, should and can be a great tool to relieve stress.
Backbends
Backbend poses, like the inversion poses, help reverse the effects that gravity have on our body. The backbend poses have similar benefits as the inversion poses. They help us stretch out our entire spine and open the front of our bodies. These poses will also help build flexibility of your spine and stimulate abdominal organs, opening the heart and lungs and relieving stress and fatigue which builds congestion in our lymphatic region.
Dynamic Poses
Yoga teacher training shows us some of the more dynamic poses that help us keep the body moving. The sun salutation is a series of 12 poses that flow one into the next while moving with breath.
Yoga teacher training guides us through the poses and breathing techniques which later help us bring balance to our body. Yoga exercises which involve movement of our legs and arms are great poses for moving the lymph fluid through your body and cleansing it at the same time.
