What is lymphatic drainage, anyway?

A new wellness trend focuses on stimulating the lymphatic system. What does this system do, and is there science to back these claims?

There’s a new wellness trend focused on an obscure capillary system that moves fluid around the body. Things like lymphatic walking, vibration plates, and compression boots have been touted as ways to stimulate the lymphatic system to combat bloating, flush away toxins, and generally promote health. 

So what is the lymphatic system, and what does it do? And is there anything to these claims? Flora gets some answers with the help of two experts: Timothy Padera, a researcher who has dedicated his career to better understanding how the lymphatic system works; and physical therapist Marc Miller, who treats cancer patients with manual lymphatic drainage. 

Guests:

Dr. Timothy Padera is an investigator at Mass General Research Institute and a professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School. 

Dr. Marc Miller is a certified lymphedema specialist and senior physical therapist at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.
 

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