I've always turned my nose up at lymphatic drainage due to its links to ‘debloating’ and ‘instant weightloss’, which GLAMOUR is not here for. That was until I met Flavia Morellato.
Flavia is renowned among London's wellness set for her healing hands and over the years, she's taught me that lymphatic drainage is about so much more than weightloss.
After my first session with Flavia at her Harvey Nicholls residency, I learnt how the lymphatic system (which, truthfully, I had zero prior knowledge of), forms part of the body's immune system and as a self-confessed walking toxin, my body needed all the help it could get. At 31 weeks pregnant and resembling an immobile slug, I was desperate for an energy boost to get through long days at work and early mornings and late nights with a toddler charging around.
“The lymphatic system is the body’s first line of defence and plays an important role for our immune system in transporting proteins, lipids and hormones around, while fighting off viruses, bacteria, cancer cells and other harmful toxins,” she explains.
“The human body is made up of 60% water - and 70% of that water is held outside of cells, waiting to be collected and drained out through our lymphatic system. That’s why it is so important to keep the flow moving.”
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Flavia's method involves physiotherapeutic manoeuvres based on the foundations of a gentle massage which can be firm around the gastric area, maintaining rhythmic strokes and specific compressions - but I didn't find it to be at all painful. In fact, I was so relaxed that I nearly fell asleep.
Flavia worked on one side at a time, and encouraged me to lift the limb she'd just worked on to compare how light it felt compared to the other. As someone whose not been the most active of pregnant people (read: I sit or lie down for circa 22 hours of the day), it was exactly the energy boost I needed. I felt lighter and brighter and it helped my digestive system (which has been quite sluggish due to a batch of iron supplements). I wish I could afford weekly sessions to cancel out my sofa sessions.
Curious about the treatment? We caught up with Flavia to give us a full rundown of the treatment everyone's talking about...
So what exactly is lymphatic drainage?
Lymphatic drainage is a type of gentle massage that encourages the movement of lymph fluids around the body. The lymph system is part of the body's immune system and helps remove toxins, waste, and other unwanted materials. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body.
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Who can benefit from lymphatic drainage?
Anyone can benefit from lymphatic drainage. Those looking for a detox, speeding up blood circulation, metabolism, lymphatic system; those feeling tired, puffy, bloated, constipated, facing menopause, PMS, hormonal imbalance and other pregnancy, postpartum and post-surgery treatments.
What are the main health benefits?
Some of the benefits of full-body lymphatic drainage include - but are not limited to - speeding up the lymphatic system and body circulation, detoxing the body, and boosting the immune and digestive systems, therefore, making you feel lighter and healthier. It also helps reduce swelling, speeds up surgical recovery, improves immunity, digestion and gut health (including decreased bloating and constipation) and, of course, boosts relaxation. No wonder it's such an in-demand treatment RN.
It is becoming popular during pregnancy, how does this work and what are the benefits?
Lymphatic drainage is highly recommended during any time of pregnancy; however, it is most recommended after the first trimester.
It is very common to have oedemas in pregnancy because of the pressure the uterus puts on the pelvic and cava veins (those which receive blood from the inferior body parts). This slows down blood circulation, and with a slower blood flow, the pregnant woman's body sends more water to these parts of the body, increasing the volume of liquids, which causes accumulation of fluids and swelling. Typically, the most affected areas are the legs, ankles, and feet, but arms and hands can also be affected.
Liquid retention can also occur due to hormonal alterations caused by pregnancy itself, which facilitates the absorption of sodium and leads to problems such as varicose veins and obesity due to the heat or even due to the use of tight clothing and shoes.
Lymphatic drainage will help to stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory systems, promoting the hormonal, water and toxins excess to be driven towards the heart, where it's going to be mixed back in the bloodstream, filtered by the kidneys and flushed out through urine. This will bring more comfort, ease pains during the gestation period, make mothers feel better and allow them to enjoy some self-care before the baby is born.
Is there anyone who shouldn't have lymphatic drainage?
It is not recommended for people with uncontrolled cardiovascular deficiencies, renal failure, uncontrolled hypertension, open wounds and thrombosis due to the effect it has on the lymphatic and circulatory systems.
