The Lymphatic System

“The lymphatic system is the most important organ system in the life of humans and animals”
– Cecil Drinker, MD., first American Lymphologist, Harvard Medical College

It is important to consider that approximately 65% of the human body is comprised of a fluid similar to seawater.  This fluid bath nourishes and cleanses our vital organs, receiving essential molecules (oxygen, nutrients, hormones and immune cells) via the circulatory and lymphatic vessels.  Cellular waste and toxins are removed from the tissue by these vessels.  The lymphatic system plays an essential role in the health of the human ecosystem.

The lymphatic system is a powerful regulatory system which acts as our internal vacuum cleaner and sanitizer.  It is comprised of a group of organs, vessels and cells, distributed throughout the body providing immunity against disease and removing toxins and metabolic waste.  The lymphatic organs are the bone marrow, thymus, spleen, lymph nodes and aggregates of lymph cells including the tonsils and appendix.  Their primary function is to manufacture and store antibodies, lymphocytes and other immune cells.  The lymphatic vessels are an omnipresent network of capillaries and vessels intertwined with the arterial and venous networks of the circulatory system.  The arterial network supplies tissue with nutrients, hormones and oxygen via blood.  The venous and lymphatic networks provide two types of drainage.  The venous capillaries are capable of reabsorbing only the very small molecules from tissue back into blood, namely gases (primarily CO2), sugars, salts and water.  The initial lymphatic vessels, on the other hand, open wide to allow very large molecules to enter including fats, proteins, cellular debris, pathogens and toxins.  Lymph is the fluid and molecules collected in the lymphatic vessels.  Lymph is transported to the lymph nodes which filter and destroy pathogens, toxins and waste.  After the lymph is purified in the nodes, the cleansed fluid is returned to the bloodstream.  Lymph nodes are distributed along the entire network and are especially concentrated in the neck, armpit and groin.

The most important function of the lymphatic vessels is to transport protein away from the tissue.  If the lymphatic system is impaired, excessive protein builds up in the tissue leading to water retention and swelling (edema).  Edema slows both the arrival of nutrients to the tissue and the elimination of waste opening the door to complications and disease.  Edema can be temporary or chronic, mild to severe and local or systemic.  If edema remains in the tissue too long, the water and protein combine to create a gelatinous colloid.  Eventually, if the colloid is not softened and reabsorbed, it becomes fibrous, hard and permanent.  When the lymphatic system is damaged or compromised, a condition called lymphedema can develop, which can be disabling if not well managed.