This SIMPLE Squeeze/Release Exercise Improves Lymph System Function.

We have all heard it:

Sitting is the new smoking….

Today- The simplest way to counteract the negative impact sitting has on your body.

Squeeze all your muscles and then release them in quick succession.

Done repeatedly squeeze/release will support the improvement of your lymph system function.

How long do you have to squeeze/release?

Less than a minute.

Squeeze/Release 60 times quickly– one rep after the other.

Try it!

How can something so simple work to improve lymph system function and:

• Protect us from illness.
• Help maintain body fluid levels
• Assist in the absorption of fats
• Remove cellular waste more efficiently.

It works because skeletal muscle contraction helps move lymph.

Squeeze/release contracts your muscles and creates pressure changes in your breathing.

Pressure changes in breathing and skeletal muscle contractions help move lymph.

You are doing both while you squeeze-release.

👉🏼 And of course you are moving lymph when you are doing the 🔗 chair routines.👍🏻

The combined pressure changes and skeletal muscle contractions is how the SIMPLE action of Squeeze/Release improves lymph system function.

It’s that Simple!

Your biggest hurdle: Remembering to do it throughout the day.

This is especially true in the beginning.

To overcome this hurdle maybe place a stick’em/post-it note on:

• your computer
• refrigerator
• dashboard
• an electronic that you pick you throughout the day
  

or

• maybe set an auto reminder on your phone- a quick 📱 ‘ping’ each hour to remind you.

Squeeze/Release is easy to do everywhere!

• Sitting in your chair.
• On the floor.
• In a plane, the beach, your car….

The key to making squeeze release work is:

Squeezing ALL your muscles from head to toe.

It is often easier to practice squeezing all your muscles when in the position shown here.

In the beginning this particular position will bring awareness to the muscles you may leave out when sitting in a chair.

Take a moment to give the squeeze release a try and then ask yourself:

Did you remember your feet muscles?

Pelvic floor muscles?

Jaw?

Abs?….

Once you have the hang of it you can squeeze/release sitting, standing, lying down…

And there are good reasons to squeeze release in all those positions.

For instance the squeeze release also directly benefits your:

• Circulatory system (especially your veins)
• Your nervous system
• Your muscle skeletal system

and those benefits have the domino effect of improving all your body systems.

Today’s Simple Self Care tip that fits into our busy lives:

Squeeze/Release.

It is efficient, effective and will exponentially, positively impact ALL your body systems.

Want to dive deeper into Lymph:

Some resources for you:

Liao, Shan, and P Y von der Weid. “Lymphatic system: an active pathway for immune protection.” Seminars in cell & developmental biology vol. 38 (2015): 83-9. doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.11.012

Liao, Shan, and Timothy P Padera. “Lymphatic function and immune regulation in health and disease.” Lymphatic research and biology vol. 11,3 (2013): 136-43. doi:10.1089/lrb.2013.0012

Lymphatic pumping: mechanics, mechanisms and malfunction. Joshua P. Scallan, Scott D. Zawieja, Jorge A. Castorena-Gonzalez, Michael J. Davis MJ. Lymphatic pumping: mechanics, mechanisms and malfunction. J Physiol. 2016 Oct 15;594(20):5749-5768. doi: 10.1113/JP272088. Epub 2016 Aug 2. PMID: 27219461; PMCID: PMC5063934.

Zawieja, David C. “Contractile physiology of lymphatics.” Lymphatic research and biology vol. 7,2 (2009): 87-96. doi:10.1089/lrb.2009.0007

Lane K, Worsley D, McKenzie D. Exercise and the lymphatic system: implications for breast-cancer survivors. Sports Med. 2005;35(6):461-71. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535060-00001. PMID: 15974632.

I’m including a great video resource today: