Cold and flu season is here. The fever, headache, chills and overall body aches are coming. How can you avoid it?
You know that eating right, exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep—and of course, washing your hands frequently—are key to staying healthy all year long. But did you know that chiropractic care is important, as well? Chiropractic can help you avoid colds and flu by ensuring your lymphatic system is working optimally.
Lymphatic flow
The lymphatic system is your body’s drainage system, made up of a network of ducts and lymph nodes that filter out bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances through lymph, a clear fluid made up of your immune cells.
Your lymphatic system is one of the first things your doctor checks when you’re complaining of cold or flu symptoms: When she feels your neck under your jaw, she’s checking for swollen glands (which are actually enlarged lymph nodes), an indication that your lymphatic system is trying to clear your body of an infection or imbalance.
Normally, whatever your lymph nodes collect gets drained out through your lymph ducts, some of which are located in your neck and along your spine. When your neck and spine are out of alignment from muscle tension, injury or other musculoskeletal condition, your ducts can easily become blocked or congested.
Chiropractic: the best decongestant
A non-invasive chiropractic adjustment puts the neck and back into proper alignment, alleviating pressure on the congested lymph ducts and allowing them to flow more freely to protect you against colds, flu and other illnesses. (Though it’s difficult to quantify, one study of cancer patients found that those who had chiropractic adjustments had a 200 to 400% stronger immune system than those patients who had no chiropractic adjustment.1)
Periodic lymphatic massage also helps maintain optimal health all year long. Healing Hands offers 30 or 60 minute Lymphatic Massage specifically to help increase the lymph flow and remove harmful substances from tissue and increase immune function. And if you do happen to get a cold or the flu, massage and chiropractic adjustment both help lessen the severity of symptoms so you can feel better sooner.
Lymph health tips
- Ensure proper alignment with a chiropractic adjustment
- Have periodic lymphatic massagesto maintain lymph flow
- Drink plenty of fluids to continually flush out your system
- Eat well and avoid toxins from sources such as tobacco, alcohol and processed foods
- Get plenty of sleep
- Avoid restrictive or binding clothing that can block blood and lymph flow
At Healing Hands Chiropractic, we help our clients maintain a healthy, balanced body through musculoskeletal adjustments and manipulations, massage and guidance on nutrition and vitamins. Contact us today for a consultation. Click here or call 508-752-5150.
1 Pero R. “Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results.” The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.
Tags: cold remedy, Cold Season, flu cure