Better Business Breakfast meeting
I had the honour of being guest speaker on the 3rd of May at the Better Business Breakfast meeting in St Michael’s Theatre, New Ross, Co Wexford. The group meet twice a month bringing together local businesses from New Ross town and district.
Talk on what I do
Let me introduce myself I am a qualified nurse, specialising in Oncology care and a trained Manual Lymph Drainage therapist. As I said on the morning I love talking about the lymphatic system, how it is so important, the role it plays in supporting life and how to help support it. There is something magical (I think so) about the treatment. Firstly it makes sense, we all have a lymphatic system and although it is delicate it is resilient, it doesn’t have its own pump, however it makes up for this by using other activities and actions of our bodies to aid in its function. Secondly, it is so gentle and well tolerated. And, people do get results sometimes during the treatment but mostly afterwards, pain reduces, skin may becomes softer or clients report that they can feel like something is draining inside their bodies. By the way the treatment does not involve any pipes or bodily fluids, it is a gentle skin technique that works with the body to cleanse the body from the inside.
I gave a very brief overview of the lymphatic system, how it works and ways in which we can support this under appreciated system within our bodies. Research is increasing around the lymphatic system, which is wonderful. More information on the lymphatic system can be found at https://bit.ly/2IyL7Tv or http://goo.gl/BLKxJk
Swollen Legs
Its that time of year again, summertime, heat, flights and swollen legs. Not a great combination. If your legs start to swell and you have shortness of breath or severe pain in the calf of your leg, cardiac failure and clots need to be out ruled. If you are concerned and have these symptoms contact your GP or seek medical advice immediately.
Swollen legs can present as swelling that increases during the day and reduces overnight. The legs can feel heavy and tight leading to reduced mobility and ability to do things. Clothes may feel tighter and general tiredness can increase. The skin on the legs can become discoloured, shinny and very stretched. Your doctor may have prescribed diuretic or water tablets and these may have worked for a period of time but not now. Water tablets only remove the fluid build up but they are not removing the attraction in the first place.
What do I mean?
Protein is transported around the body in the lymphatic system. If this transport system is not working properly it allows protein to travel into the tissues and sit there. Water is now attracted to this protein and travels to the area resulting in swelling or fluid retention. So the water tablets get rid of the water but not the protein.
People often ask should they decrease their protein intake if they have swollen legs and the answer is no, its got nothing to do with the amount of protein in the body but rather the transport system which is causing the swelling
Manual Lymph Drainage
And this is where Manual Lymph Drainage or MLD plays a role. The treatment encourages the protein to travel from the tissues back into the circulatory system of our bodies to be used or excreted natural. Once the protein is removed from the area the water follows and the affected areas reduces in size. The treatment improves the health of the tissue, reduces the volume, associated symptoms and the risk of wounds and infections. Part of the treatment is to educate clients about how they can manage their swollen legs. This can include movement, deep breathing, increasing heart rate, skin care, wearing flight stockings or compression stockings when travelling and protect the skin from insect bites.
Worried about swollen legs and like to get some help then get in touch, email info@wellbeingtechniques.ie or phone 053 9106190
