I'm sure you don't lose sleep over the composition of lymph... but I do! 

Lymph is always changing... depending on the environment and the situation.

For example, after the Covid vaccine rollouts, I was obsessed with the idea that I could potentially be fast-moving that stuff through the body via the lymph system by doing a lymphatic massage. Without adequate long-term testing, I had no idea what that was doing to my clients. On the side of caution, I advised that if you recently had the vaccine, simply wait for a couple of weeks (just a guess) before having a manual lymphatic drainage massage. Incidentally, now that we know the mRNA does NOT stay in the arm like we were told, I can only cross my fingers that this was a good call. (Too much finger-crossing these past two years, IMO).

I also received requests for lymphatic drainage to help with the harmful effects of the Covid vaccines. Could lymphatic massage help process whatever it was that was causing pain and...

As I was massaging a client recently, she referred to her abdomen as "The Cauldron of Lymph Nodes." 

Kudos to her for being so in touch with her body, but...

Are you picturing an iron pot over a fire, in which green, steaming soup boils with snakes and floating eyeballs? I can't say I blame you... I did, too! 

The truth is, your guts are teeming with lymph nodes doing hard work. Picture a smattering of organized, beautiful nodules filtering gunk like an elite, well-trained army of goodness and efficiency. That's exactly what it is!

You may have heard that your gut is your second brain. It's the main host to your microbiome and a key player in your overall health. It's also crucial for regulating inflammation and immunity.

Understandably, when your tummy feels gross, it's pretty hard to ignore.

It's not uncommon to sometimes resent your tummy's sluggish turmoil –– or experience a degree of self-loathing for eating those tacos so...

Sluggishness could mean you're on the right track.

No one wants to feel tired after a massage or other complementary healing modality. We want to feel on top of the world, light as a feather, strong and vital... but sometimes, the body has other plans.

Sometimes after a massage -- very occasionally, and for only a small percentage of people -- you feel a bit fatigued. Under-the-weather. Bushed.

The fact is every human lives in a physical body that is the receptacle of all sorts of toxins and abuse. Your body is your home, and sometimes you can put healing off psychologically because our spiritual and mental athletes rally when we need to. We're so tough, we can actually ignore the very vehicle we're traveling in.

We say to ourselves, " I have a vacation coming up in June; I'll relax then," or " I will get back to the gym after this new job training is finished," or "Next week will be a dry week, with no sugar and alcohol..." Etc. The mind and will are strong and can carry the...

Who doesn’t love a fresh start?

Turning the page from one calendar year to the next can feel like a chance to reset. The most popular new year’s practices aren’t resolutions so much, but a commitment to purge. Cleaning out closets, getting rid of subscription apps you’re not using, or donating toys to charity feels good because it’s like you’re releasing clutter that’s been choking off your best life. Purging what you don’t need is akin to breathing air and freeing up extra space. 

That’s why the notion of a full-body detox is so alluring. All the junk in your body gets a send-off and you get back on good footing with a new feeling of health and clarity. With a good, cleansing detox, you reset your body’s natural ability to function at its optimal best.

There are a lot of good plans for detoxification that include a restrictive diet and supplements, herbs, teas, etc. Limiting what you eat feels great. I did a 30-day...

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a gentle and safe massage therapy technique. This protocol effectively reduces pain and soreness in tissues and joints, and mechanically reduces swelling and bruising of tissues after surgery. It's also effective in preparing you for surgery because it activates the lymphatic system before the trauma of surgery. As a general maintenance measure, regular MLD flushes the lymphatic system of toxins. On top of that, it's the most relaxing massage you can get!

There are very few contraindications for MLD. Lymphatic massage can be included in the treatment of an abundance of pathologies. However, a few absolute contraindications are worth noting before you schedule an MLD session with your certified manual lymphatic drainage therapist.

1. Acute cellulitis is the inflammation of the skin, caused by bacterias staphylococcus or streptococcus, often located near surgical wounds or ulcers. It is characterized by redness, pain or tenderness, enlarged...