The Best Herbs For The Lypmphatic System

These statements have not been approved by the drug administration and are not intended to treat or cure a medical condition. Always consult your healthcare provider to see what is best for you! I do not claim to be a healthcare practitioner or doctor.

The lymphatic system is a very important system of the human body. It’s responsible for cleaning the blood and getting rid of toxic waste. Lymphatic health is incredibly important and plays an essential role in our everyday bodily functions. If our lymph is not flowing properly it can lead to inflammation throughout the body as an immune response. In this post we will go over medicinal herbs that are great not only for the lymph system but the entire body.

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I’ve been a lymphatic therapist for the past 7 years and while I don’t practice anymore, I’ve learned so much about the lymphatic system. I’ve helped so many people who struggled with lymphatic congestion and swollen lymph nodes. Not many people realized the lymphatic system plays a big roll in detoxification. When you realize how important this system is, you realize it affects other normal bodily functions that are optimal for our overall health. Thankfully there are so many great herbs that can be used to support the lymphatic system. If you have swollen lymph nodes or congestion, you’ve come to the right place!

Why Herbs For Lymphatic Health?

Herbs are a great way to support not only our lymph fluid but other bodily functions. The herbs that support the lymph also have so many medicinal benefits for the whole body and play a very important role. They contain vitamins and minerals that we may not be getting from our food, so there’s an added bonus when consuming them. Herbs such as red clover, cleavers, dandelion root, burdock root, and cayenne are the top herbs for optimal lymph health. These herbs can all be a crucial part of the immune system and the support our overall health. There are so many great ways to incorporate these natural herbs into your daily regimen.

What is the lymphatic system

Unlike the heart, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a constant pump that keeps it moving. In order to move the lymph in our body, it relies on us to move it. This can be done by any type of movement and is an important function of the lymphatic system. Which is why, exercise is SO great and necessary for our lymphatic system. 

The lymphatic system is responsible for a healthy immune system and is responsible for keeping our blood clean by filtering out waste products within our body. It keeps the bad guys away and fights off infection. If our lymph isn’t flowing at it’s full potential, it can cause inflammation within the body and lead to excess fluid. A sluggish lymphatic system can be looked at as a traffic jam. If one thing is stuck, there’s a lot of other things that are stuck too. Once we have a healthy lymphatic system, we can then have healthy lymphatic flow with healthy lymphatic vessels replicating health immune cells.

Supporting the Lymphatic system naturally

There are so many ways to support our lymph system naturally. Lymphatic herbs, essential oils, dry brushing (with natural bristle brush), deep breathing, and a little love all go a long way when supporting this amazing system in our body. In my recent post I share all about lymph drainage and ways you can incorporate it at home but in today’s post I wanted to go over herbs for lymphatic support. Many of these herbs can easily be found in your backyard which is absolutely incredible to me! You can download an the Seek App to take pictures and make sure that you are picking the correct herbs. Once you realize what you’re working with, you can then make herbal teas or a liquid herbal supplement known as a tincture or syrup. This may be a different way than most would expect, but herbal medicine truly is a blessing.

Ozonated Lymphatic Salve

As lymphatic therapist, my husband and I felt it necessary to incorporate lymphatic support for our online store. We created an ozonated lymphatic salve that not only supports lymphatic health but helps your body to get flush out clogged fluid. We’ve had so many great testimonies of people with swollen lymph nodes, constipation, swelling, pain, and so much more. We love to use it especially during cold and flu season to keep our lymph moving and healthy. You can check out our Ozonated Lymphatic Salve here and get 15% off by using code BLOGFAM

Where To Find Good Quality Herbs

I personally love the quality Mountain Rose Herbs offers. They have a wide variety of herbs that are organic as well. Every herb you can think of, Mountain Rose Herbs has. They have loose leaf teas, single herbs to buy in bulk, and different tools you can purchase for tincture making and tea making! You can check them out here!

Red Clover

Red clover is an incredible herb that usually pops up around spring time. It has a beautiful red flower and can easily be spotted. It is known as an alterative herb meaning it stimulates the lymphatic system and helps to improve the quality of our blood. It’s full of vitamins and minerals that are not easily accessible these days. Red clover can be made into an infusion by taking 1/2 cup- 1cup of the clovers and pouring boiling water over them in a mason jar. Let it sit overnight and then strain in the morning, this infusion can be sipped on throughout the day. This article also explains the other medicinal benefits of red clover.

Burdock Root

Burdock root is amazing for stimulating lymphatic drainage and detoxification. I found this statement about burdock root from Indigo Herbs: “Burdock Root acts on the blood and circulatory system and contains active compounds such as arctiin and lignans which have matrix-stimulating properties, thus promoting supple and younger looking skin. It can also be beneficial for eczema due to its blood purifying activity. As a natural detoxifier, Burdock Root can also help to clear the body of harmful toxins that can damage the skin.”

That is truly so amazing! We know detoxification plays a vital role for our entire body. Burdock can be made into an infusion as mentioned above or into an herbal tea. There are also companies that sell it in the form of a capsule. photo courtesy of Mother Earth Living

Cleavers

Fresh cleavers is an herbs that shows up around spring time when ours bodies need that extra support. If you’re anything like me, I struggle in the spring time with my skin and allergies. So these herbs that show up sure are helpful in these seasons. Cleavers has a lymph cleansing action and enhances the immune function which we know is important for good health. it is the ultimate spring time herb. It helps to get our sluggish lymph moving as it promotes the function of our lymph and it’s ability to flush out toxins.

Dandelion Root

Dandelion was first mentioned in traditional Chinese medicine as late as the 7th century. The greens can be used in salads. The root and flowers can both be used to make a tea or you can make an infusion with the flowers. It has bitter compounds which is incredible for lymph flow and digestive health. Dandelion root is great for some of the organs involved with the lymphatic system such as the digestive tract, liver, and kidneys. This herb can also be easily found during spring time, most likely in your backyard.

Cayenne

I just recently learned that cayenne is good for the lymphatic system. I’ve always known that it is great for blood circulation which in turn does relate to the lymphatic circulation. This statement by indigo herbs really amazed me: “Cayenne contains the phytochemical “capsaicin” which is responsible for the heat in this fiery spice. It works by binding to the neuroreceptors which increase calcium influx, triggering a host of cellular responses such as increasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes and decreasing pro-inflammatory protein expression. This in turn helps to flush out toxins and increase the metabolic rate.”

Cayenne can be found in the form of a spice or in capsules. You can also buy cayenne peppers at the store to incorporate them while cooking but beware, they are super spicy!

Calendula Flowers

Not only are they beautiful but they also have medicinal benefits for the lymph system. They help to maintain a healthy flow of lypmathic fluids keeping a consistent supply of immunological components and prevent infection from spreading. Calendula helps to mobilize white blood cells, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and decrease the inflammation of lymph nodes. It is also great for wound healing. It can be infused in oil to make a salve to put on topically if you have swollen lymph nodes or any areas of irritation of the skin. You can also make calendula tea by steeping the flowers in boiling water.

Poke root

Poke root can be found in your backyard as well but there should be caution with it as it is considered safest when it is boiled in three changes of water. It should only be picked when the plant is less than a foot tall if you’re eating the greens cooked. This article has more on how to safely handle and harvest poke weed. it is considered great as an alternative to at antibiotics for when immune or lymphatic stimulants are needed. It’s used for swollen gums, respiratory infections, swollen lymph glands, and breast cysts. I’ve read that the best form of this herb is a tincture, salve, or oil.

Lymphatic Cleanse Tea Recipe

Now that we’ve gone over a few herbs that are great for the lymphatic system, here is a lymphatic cleanse tea recipe. This tea can be used when you feel your lymph is clogged or maybe if you tend to get swollen lymph nodes. If you are someone who maybe struggles with skin issues, acne, swollen armpits, or sluggish digestion you may want to give this tea a try. There are so many great herbs that support health lymph flow and immune system health.

What you will need:

• Loose leaf tea of:
• 1 tsp Dandelion root
• 1 tsp Red Clover
• 1 tsp Calendula Flowers
• 1 tsp Burdock Root
• 1 tsp Cleavers
• Boiling Water
• French press or stainless steel tea infuser
• Local Raw Honey (I like a tablespoon, but you can use how much you prefer)
• 16 oz or 32 oz mason jar. (The smaller the jar, the stronger the tea will taste) You can also use your favorite mug.

How To Make Lymphatic Cleanse Tea:

• Start by boiling your water. (preferably 8-12 oz)
• While the water is boiling, add in a tsp of each dried herb in your French press.
• Add the desired amount of boiling water in your French press and let it steep for 5-10 minutes.
• Press the bar down on the French press slowly.
• Pour into your favorite mug or mason jar and add desired amount of honey.

Variations Of Lymphatic Cleanse Tea

I like to add honey and lots of ice. If honey isn’t your thing you can always add maple syrup instead. You can enjoy it hot on a nice cold day. I’ve also frozen my tea and love when it starts to defrost, it reminds me of a slushy! If you do freeze it make sure you leave at least an inch or two of air at the top to allow the liquid to freeze, if not your jar will break. ( Ask me how I know haha). If you like lemon, you can squeeze some fresh lemon juice in your tea for added detoxification benefits!

Have you tried herbs for your lymphatic system? Which herbs did you find that helped the best? Let me know in the comments below, I love to hear from you guys!