It’s not rude to show your arm pits

Why?

Because when you stretch the skin under your arm and around your breast,
you are stimulating lymphatic flow.

And why would that matter?

Because lymph fluid cleans your body!

Lymph fluid travels throughout your body and cleans you up, removing harmful toxins and waste products (such as dead cells and excess proteins or fluids) from your tissues.

No one needs garbage hanging around just waiting to invade your body!  Lymph nodes are strategically placed filters along the lymphatic system that trap bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and other unwanted substances, and then safely eliminates it from the body.

White blood cells, which identify and attack bacteria, viruses, fungi and cancer cells circulate through the lymphatic system and are stored in lymph nodes. One of the important ways you can stay healthy is to support your lymphatic system in its work.

And a good way to do that is to come to Nia class!

How can Nia encourage proper lymph flow?

The lymphatic system does not have a central pump like the heart, so lymph circulation is dependent on other factors including stretching, muscle contraction and deep breathing.

The Nia Technique is uniquely designed to around sensations of functional fitness (flexibility, agility, mobility, stability and strength) which can promote lymph flow and overall circulatory health.

Stretching helps lymph circulate

Stretching stimulates lymph circulation. In fact, since 70% of the lymphatic vessels are located just underneath the skin and are attached to the skin with small elastic fibers, when you stretch the skin, you’re manually pumping the lymphatic vessels at the same time. Not only are lymph nodes located in your underarms, but they can also be found in/around your chest, lungs, intestines, posterior abdominal wall, groin, head/neck, back of the lower legs and around the perineum or genitalia/pelvis. Fortunately, we can help to improve the circulatory efficiency of the lymphatic system through stretching in and around all of these areas.

Nia stretches your muscles, your tendons, your skin as well as your imagination!

Muscle contraction helps lymph circulate

When muscles contract and relax repeatedly, lymph circulation inside the muscle increases and in a sense the muscle is scrubbed clean. There is a rich bed of lymphatic vessels just below the skin and any movement that moves the skin, such as rebounding, walking, swimming, running or dancing stimulates lymph vessels to open and absorb fluid from your tissue cells.

Every time you use your own body weight in Nia class, you’re contracting your muscles to support lymphatic flow.

Deep breathing helps lymph circulate

According to the “Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology,” exercise significantly increases lymph flow through the thoracic duct,  the largest lymph vessel which is located in your chest between your lungs. Deep breathing, whether you are exercising hard enough to breathe deeply or doing breathing exercises, squeezes the thoracic duct. When you exhale, pressure on the thoracic duct releases and more fluid is pulled in from the rest of the lymphatic system.

Nia will get you breathing deeply and fully keeping the lymph system flowing and doing it’s cleaning job!

Keep moving (and showing your arm pits) to keep your lymphatic system healthy!

Nia will you keep your lymphatic system flowing and promotes circulatory health through deep stretching, muscle contracting and the opportunity to breathe fully and deeply. And, it’s just fun!

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Thanks to the following articles for inspiring and informing this blog post:

http://www.thelymphnodes.com/underarm-lymph-nodes.php

http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14639

http://stessily.hubpages.com/hub/Easy-Yoga-Stretch-for-Healthy-Chest-and-Lymphatic-System