It's common to overlook the lymphatic system as it functions completed involuntarily and functions without notice. That is until you feel some swelling in areas of your body. Did you know that there are approximately 800 lymph nodes in the body? These lymph nodes are always active in filtering and removing unwanted pathogens by maintaining the body’s fluid levels. Wow, the bodies superpower gets me more excited every time. Once realizing that my body can do that without my awareness, I got super curious to find out how I could potentially support this incredible system.

Inflammation just may be the root cause of nearly every chronic health condition, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It can progress by lifestyle factors such as chronic stress, toxin exposure, and poor diet. If you have swelling of the lymph nodes, give your mind some peace and know that lymph nodes are particularly designed to swell and resolve.  The swelling may be a sign that your body is doing its job to fight off any potential infection, viruses and or bacteria. Nevertheless, the cause of inflammation that results from the dirty work of your lymphatic system and its potential causal role in contributing to potential diseases, may remain unknown.

Your lymphatic health can make or break how your body feels and functions day-to-day. Because the lymphatic system does not have its own autonomic pump like the cardiovascular system, we can assist to dissolve some congestion with Red Light Therapy (RLT) with the assistance from the musculoskeletal system. We can encourage healing by giving the body what it needs to generate new healthy cells that function properly, as opposed to healing by making sick cells recover. 

Combat inflammation and potentially inflammation - related diseases with RLT. By using RLT you have an opportunity to change the course of a potential illness and the trajectory of your health by supporting your lymphatic system.

Understanding the healing properties of RLT and your Lymphatic health

The body’s lymphatic system regulates your inflammatory response by the transport of fluid from tissue that may have become inflamed from invaders. Red light penetrates the surface of the skin and provides the cells with usable energy providing multiple benefits such as an increase in ATP production. It's also been found in numerous clinical trials to increase the body’s natural antioxidant response. 

If the detoxification and drainage are not addressed in lymphatic health, toxins may be reabsorbed back into your body. Now that’s something I would like to avoid if possible. 

By dissolving inflammation, you can simultaneously stimulate your immune response. A chance to increase your immune response to the things you engage with daily. 

As I wanted to learn more and more about how low lever laser therapy (LLLT) can support lymphatic health, Immune health kept shining through as well. This 2011 published review dives deep into the significance of LLLT and this quote outlines just how important the connection is between immune and lymphatic health:  

“Immune cells, in particular, appear to be strongly affected by low level laser therapy. Mast cells, which play a crucial role in the movement of leukocytes, are of considerable importance in inflammation. Specific wavelengths of light are able to trigger mast cell degranulation, which results in the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-a from the cells.” 

When there is no lymphatic movement due to secondary effects such as toxicity and poor cellular communication, we tend to see an increase of inflammation and it may be difficult to pinpoint the root cause. With red light therapy we can gently assist the body by causing a detoxing effect that can assist the constant movement that needs to take place in your lymphatic system. As the lymphatic system identifies, destroys and dumbs unwanted toxins from the body, we can see just how much immune health can benefit from and strengthen with the assistance from the lymphatic drainage that takes place. Additionally, in this study, the effects of red and near-infrared light therapy played a role in boosting immune health, ultimately resulting in an increased lifespan.

I hate to get off track, but I just had to point out the connection between these two spectacular systems. Now back to our oh so amazing lymphatic system. 

Inflammation related diseases such as multiple sclerosis can have debilitating symptoms and the future of your health may be unclear. However, I came across this study that focused on multiple sclerosis and it concluded that low level laser therapy blocked “neuroinflammation” by reducing the amount of inflammatory cells present in the central nervous system, known as “lymphocytes.” 

Furthermore, this published experiment states: “Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, using far red/near IR (FR/NIR) laser light (630–1000nm), offers promise as an effective treatment for chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration.”

Exposure to common indoor air pollutants, such as formaldehyde, can be unavoidable. Red Light Therapy can assist in decreasing inflammation that may have been caused by pollutants. In this 2015 study we can see a positive effect from low level laser therapy and a reduction in lung inflammation that was caused by such pollutants. 

In this fascinating study the authors used the term, “inflammaging” to characterize aging and identify inflammation as a high risk factor for morbidity. The article states,“as most if not all age-related diseases share an inflammatory pathogenesis.” The authors described the connection between inflammation and age beautifully and really outlines the importance of decreasing unnecessary inflammation to promote longevity. 

With the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, over the counter or prescribed, its important to note that studies have also shown that red and near-infrared light therapy can have an anti-inflammatory effect as well. Pain be gone! 

By now, I am sure you can see that my curiosity with RLT and the lymphatic system lead me to some eye opening benefits you may find comfort in. Primarily red and near-infrared light therapy has been shown to decrease inflammation all over the body. Contributing to the profound implications for its potential to optimize cellular function and improve overall health and wellness.

By understanding your lymphatic health, it is important to understand whether treatments such as Red Light Therapy, can harmonize your inflammation and may be assistive in your healing journey.

In order to assist your body’s innate intelligence to heal, we need to be able to support the wisdom of our bodies healing capabilities.

I would love to end off this blog post with this beautiful quote by a German physician named Franz Mesmer. It draw’s attention to the meaning of health and your lymphatic system: 

“Health is the free flow of the process of life through thousands of channels in our body, disease is caused by obstacles to this flow" (Memser, German physician 1734-1815).