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Lymph cancer is on the march. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is now one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the United States, having more than doubled in incidence since the 1970s. The American Cancer Society estimates that 66,670 men and women will be diagnosed with lymphoma in 2006, with one third of them dying from it. A perverse paradox indeed, considering that one of the key roles of the lymph system is to protect your body from those very cells that are now overwhelming it and causing such a high mortality rate. A system designed to handle the worst of the worst our bodies face, the lymph system works hand in hand with the immune system to protect your body from attacks -- both intrinsic and extrinsic. But now, thanks to a combination of bad diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and a toxic environment, this vital system is being pushed past the breaking point The lymph system is one of the most under appreciated systems in our bodies. So let's take a few moments to get a better understanding of where it comes from, what it does, how it works, and what can go wrong with it -- before we look at how we can turn things around.
What it does
Put simply, the lymphatic system (lymph system for short) serves as a collecting duct for excess fluid and as a filtering system to screen out foreign organisms. Yes, even the dirt particles from the taxi's exhaust you breathed in last week find their way into the lymph system. In essence, the lymph system is a network of tubes throughout the body that drains fluid (called lymph) from tissues and empties it back into the bloodstream. The main roles of the lymphatic system include managing the fluid levels in the body, filtering out bacteria, and housing certain white blood cells. Lymph fluid is filtered through the spleen, thymus and lymph nodes before being emptied into the blood. Lymph Fluid Lymph comes from the Latin word lympha, meaning "clear water." Slightly yellowish but clear, lymph is any tissue or interstitial fluid that enters the lymph vessels. It is similar to blood plasma, but contains more white blood cells. Lymph originates as blood plasma lost from the circulatory system, which leaks out into the surrounding tissues where the lymphatic system collects this fluid through a bio-chemical process called diffusion -- moving it into lymph capillaries and ultimately back into the circulatory system. Once in the lymphatic system, the fluid is called lymph and has almost the same composition as the original interstitial fluid. Lymph also carries other substances, the composition of which depends on where it is found in the body. In the limbs, lymph is rich in protein, especially albumin. In the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus, lymph contains higher concentrations of white blood cells. And in the intestine, lymph contains fats absorbed during digestion. Interestingly, lymph fluid does not travel the same road or by the same mechanisms as your blood. In fact, this is an open system that travels in only one direction (toward the heart), orchestrating many players throughout your entire body to work together to protect your delicate systems. So let's take a closer look at each player before we talk more about the workings of this essential ensemble. The Lymph Vessels Lymph vessels, also called lymphatics, carry lymph in only one direction -- towards the heart. Throughout all the tissues of the body, lymph vessels form a complicated, spidery network of fine tubes. The smallest vessels, called lymph capillaries, have closed or dead ends (unlike vessels in the cardiovascular system, which form a circuit). The walls of the lymph capillaries are composed of only a single layer of flattened cells. Material in the interstitial fluid passes easily through the gaps between these cells and on into the capillaries Lymph capillaries in the villi of the small intestine are called
these cells and on into the capillaries. Lymph capillaries in the villi of the small intestine are called lacteals. These specialized capillaries transport the fat products of digestion, such as fatty acids and vitamin A. The Lymph Capillaries Blood capillaries cannot absorb proteins and other large molecules dissolved in the interstitial fluid. But because the walls of lymph capillaries are much more permeable (allowing material to pass through easily), these large substances enter the lymph capillaries and are eventually returned to the blood. This function of lymph capillaries is particularly important in the small intestine. Whereas carbohydrates and many other nutrients are small enough to pass directly from the intestine into the bloodstream, fats are not. Lacteals (the lymph capillaries in the small intestine) are able to absorb fats and other nutrients that are too large to enter blood capillaries. After digestion, the lymph in lacteals contains as much as 1 to 2 percent fat. Milky-white in appearance, this thick mixture of lymph and tiny fat globules is called chyle. It becomes mixed with the blood after lymph drains into the thoracic duct. The exchange of materials (oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes) between the blood and the cells in the body occurs through the lymph capillaries. In the body of an average person, over the course of an average day, roughly 25.4 quarts (24 liters) of plasma fluid are forced out of the capillaries into the interstitial fluid surrounding the cells. After bathing the cells, providing them with nutrients, and picking up their wastes, this fluid is drawn back into the capillaries. However, only 85 percent of the total fluid is drawn back into the bloodstream. The remaining 15 percent, roughly 3.8 quarts (3.6 liters), remains in the interstitial fluid. If this small amount of fluid were allowed to accumulate over even a brief period of time, massive edema (swelling caused by excessive bodily fluid) would result. If left unchecked, the body would blow up like a balloon, tissues would be destroyed, and death would take place. This condition is prevented by the presence of lymph capillaries, which run alongside blood vessels in most tissue spaces. The lymph capillaries act as "drains," collecting the excess fluid and returning it to the venous blood just before the blood reaches the heart. The Lymphocytes Lymphocytes, the primary cells of the lymphatic system, make up roughly one-fourth of all white blood cells in the body. Like other white blood cells, they are produced in the red bone marrow. Lymphocytes constantly travel throughout the body, moving through tissues or through the blood or lymph vessels. There are two major classes of lymphocytes: T cells and B cells. The letter T refers to the thymus, where those lymphocytes mature. The letter B refers to the bone marrow, where that group of lymphocytes matures. About three-quarters of the circulating lymphocytes are T cells. They carry out two main defensive functions: they kill invaders and orchestrate or control the actions of other lymphocytes involved in the immune process or response. In addition, T cells recognize and destroy any abnormal body cells, such as those that have become cancerous. Like T cells, B cells are also programmed to recognize specific antigens on foreign cells. When stimulated during an immune response (such as when foreign cells enter the body), B cells undergo a change in structure. They then produce antibodies, which are protein compounds. These compounds bind with specific antigens of foreign cells, labeling those cells for destruction. The Lymph Nodes Scattered along the pathways of lymph vessels are oval or kidney bean-shaped masses of lymphatic tissue called lymph nodes. These nodes are the filters of the lymph system. They range in size from microscopic to just under 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in length. The smaller lymph nodes are often called lymph nodules. You have most likely heard of lymph nodes in the context of cancer since these masses trap cancer cells that try to pass by and are a good gauge of the health of adjacent systems. Between 500 and 1,500 lymph nodes are located in the body; most of them usually occur in clusters or chains. Principal groupings are based in the neck, armpits, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and groin (at the top of your legs). Some (those in the neck, armpits, and groin) you can feel and some (those in the abdomen, pelvis, and chest) you cannot. The lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, and groin are especially important because they are located where the head, arms, and legs (the extremities) meet the main part of the body (the trunk). Most injuries to the skin, which allow bacteria and other pathogens (disease-causing organisms) to enter the body, are likely to occur along the extremities. The lymph nodes at the junctions of the extremities and trunk filter out and destroy the pathogens before they reach the main part of the body and the vital organs. Each lymph node is enclosed in a fibrous capsule. Lymph enters the node through several small lymph vessels. Inside, bands of connective tissue divide the node into spaces known as sinuses. The specialized tissue in these sinuses harbors macrophages and lymphocytes, both of which are types of white blood cells. Macrophages engulf and destroy bacteria and other foreign substances in the lymph. Lymphocytes also act to identify and destroy foreign substances. (If foreign invaders are abundant and macrophages and lymphocytes have to increase in number to defend the body against them, the lymph node often becomes swollen and tender.) Once the lymph has been filtered and cleansed, it leaves the node through one or two other small lymph vessels. Tonsils, Adenoids and Peyer's Patches
Tonsils, Adenoids and Peyer s Patches Tonsils, Adenoids and Peyer's patches are small masses of lymphatic tissue (some sources consider them specialized lymph nodes). These tissues serve to prevent infection in the body in areas where bacteria is abundant. There are five tonsils: a pair on either side of the inner wall of the throat (palatine tonsils), one near the rear opening of the nasal cavity (pharyngeal tonsil, AKA adenoid), and a pair near the base of the tongue (lingual tonsils). This "ring" around the throat helps trap and remove any bacteria or other foreign pathogens entering the throat through breathing, eating, or drinking. Peyer's patches, which resemble tonsils, are located in the small intestine. The macrophages of Peyer's patches prevent infection of the intestinal wall by destroying the bacteria always present in the moist environment of the intestine. The other organs involved in the lymph system Spleen Your spleen is under your ribs on the left side of your body. Though considered to be part of the lymphatic system, the spleen does not filter lymph (only lymph nodes do that). Instead, it filters and cleanses blood of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. It also destroys worn or old red blood cells. As blood flows through the spleen, macrophages lining the organ's tissues engulf and destroy both pathogens and worn red blood cells. Any remaining parts of decomposed red blood cells, such as iron, are returned to the body to be used again to form new red blood cells. Other functions of the spleen include the production of lymphocytes, which the organ releases into the bloodstream and blood storage. When the body demands additional blood (such as during stress or injury), the spleen contracts, forcing its stored blood into circulation. Thymus Your thymus is a small gland under your breastbone that helps produce white blood cells. Your thymus continues to shrink as you age. In a fetus and infant, immature or not fully developed lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow (the sponge-like material that fills the cavities inside most bones). A certain group or class of these lymphocytes travels to the thymus where thymic hormones change them into T lymphocytes or T cells. While maturing and multiplying in the thymus, T cells are "educated" to recognize the difference between cells that belong to the body ("self") and those that are foreign ("nonself"). Each T cell is programmed to respond to a specific chemical identification markercalled an antigenon the surface of foreign or abnormal cells. Once they are fully mature, T cells then enter the bloodstream and circulate to the spleen, lymph nodes, and other lymphatic tissue. To summarize The lymph system has three main jobs: 1. Balance fluids 2. Filter lymph 3. Fight infections
Other causes of edema can be a chemical imbalance in the body caused by liver disease, diabetes, or a variety of other ailments. This type of edema is called lymphodynamic edema, and requires other forms of therapy due to the fact that it is caused by a chemical imbalance. (Kasseroller, R., Compendium of Dr. Vodder's Manual Lymph Drainage, Haug, Heidelberg, 1998) Glandular Fever (mono, Epstein-Barr) Infectious mononucleosis, commonly known as glandular fever, is a viral infection, which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It is characterized by a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and extreme fatigue. Young people aged between 10 and 25 years are most vulnerable to this infection, which is also sometimes called the "kissing disease." According to the National Institutes of Health, Epstein-Barr causes 85 percent of mono cases. Incidentally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 95 percent all people have been infected by Epstein-Barr by the ages of 35 to 40. Hodgkin's Hodgkin's lymphoma begins in a lymph node (usually in the neck), causing swelling and possibly pain. After affecting one group of nodes, it progresses on to the next. In advanced cases of the cancer, the spleen, liver, and bone marrow may also be affected. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas encompass over twenty-nine types of lymphomas. Their exact cause is unknown.) Tonsillitis Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils in the mouth and often, but not necessarily, causes a sore throat and fever. Most tonsillitis is viral in origin and is quite frequently caused by the Epstein-Barr virus in fact. Infection/HIV HIV and AIDS are directly connected to the lymphatic system. In fact, one of the conditions used to identify HIV infection is a condition called persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. This is defined as having two or more enlarged lymph nodes that are not next to each other and are not in the groin. This area is excluded because lymph nodes are commonly enlarged there. The lymph node swelling is caused by the rapid multiplication of the virus itself at these sites. Later in the course of the illness, the lymph nodes actually shrink. Ultimately, the ability to effectively control HIV will require increased knowledge of the lymphatics. Continued research will lead to an understanding of how infectious organisms invade the lymphatic system and overcome its normal protective role. Heart Disease The lymphatic system allows the body to more efficiently clear excess cholesterol out of the arteries. When the lymph system is clear, cholesterol can travel easily thereby reducing any build up in the arteries. Excess cholesterol is carried through the lymphatics to the veins and then to the liver, where it is broken down and discarded.
The high levels of toxic chemicals and heavy metals we are exposed to overwhelm the ability of the lymph system to deal with them. Lack of Exercise A sedentary lifestyle creates a stagnant lymph system. Lymph circulation depends solely upon your breathing and muscle movement. Physical exercise and diaphragmatic deep breathing are critical to lymph cleansing and to healthy immune response. Thus, the sedentary lifestyle not only contributes to obesity (now epidemic) in first world countries, but also to the onset of cancer, likewise epidemic in first world countries.
adenoids to swell temporarily at around age 8 -- normal, that is, in children eating large amounts of wheat, corn, and dairy.
Conclusion
The bottom-line is that if you give your lymph system a helping hand by living and eating pure and smart in addition to making a habit of cleansing and exercising, then this essential ensemble (your lymph system) will serve you well, protecting and defending your entire body in return. Resources: http://www.faqs.org/health/Body-by-Design-V1/The-Lymphatic-System.html http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/body/the-lymphatic-system