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The inner workings of the Lymphatic System

How much do you really know about your lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system plays an important role in your overall health, partnering with your immune system to protect you from illness and infection. It is made up of a complex network of vessels, nodes and organs that extends throughout the body to transport lymph, a clear fluid containing lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. They circulate freely throughout the bloodstream and the lymphatic system to combat infection and defend against disease. There are two types of lymphocytes, B cells and T cells. Healthy B cells react to a new infection by turning into specialized cells called “plasmacytes.” These plasmacytes then produce antibodies to fight the infection, targeting both toxins and bacteria. This is what lets the body identify and destroy the foreign invaders, also called antigens.

Bacteria will sometimes outsmart B cells by hiding inside other cells, which is when the T cells get called in. T cells directly attack foreign bodies like bacteria and viruses to eliminate them from the body. Luckily, our LYM 1 product can help clear mucus build-up and alleviate inflammation of the digestive tract. After the foreign body has been neutralized, the B and T lymphocytes that survive the battle become specialized memory cells that live in the lymph nodes, ready to attack if more of the same antigen subsequently appears.

Some studies* credit the lymphatic system with coordinating the balance of antigens and immune cells — a vital job indeed!

To do this, however, lymph needs to circulate freely within the body. Thankfully, there’s a quick and easy way to make sure that happens: get moving! Lymph circulates from node to node, as each contracts and releases in response to the movement of the muscles around them. In other words, if you want to get your lymph flowing, get out that mini-trampoline and start jumping!

 

* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551392/

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