Now that the weather has changed, the cold and flu season is among us. Nobody wants the headaches, chills, fever or body aches that come with the illnesses, so plenty of you are doing what you can to avoid them.
Cold and Flu Season
Resting well, washing your hands regularly, eating right and getting plenty of exercises are some of the most commonly known forms of prevention. But one you might not know so well is how vital Chiropractic is. Atlanta’s Chiropractors can help you avoid cold and flu by making sure your lymphatic system is running efficiently.
Lymphatic Flow
Think of your body as a swimming pool. The water is pushed into a circular current for it to flow through a filter, which helps rid it of pollutants. Otherwise, it gets filled with gunk and exposes you to illness.
Well, the lymphatic system is your filter. A clear fluid made up of your immune cells called lymph is pushed through a series of ducts and lymph nodes to be cleansed, and that filters out harmful substances within the body.
When you visit a Chiropractor to complain about cold or flu symptoms, checking your lymphatic system by feeling under your jaw is one of the first things he or she will do. Our Atlanta Chiropractor looks for swollen lymph nodes because those are signs of your lymphatic system attempting to rid the body of a harmful substance.
Lymph nodes are naturally drained through lymph ducts, and some of those can be found along your spine, up into your neck. A malalignment of either your neck or spine from an injury, tension within your muscles or some other musculoskeletal condition can raise the chances of those ducts becoming clogged or blocked.
Atlanta’s Chiropractors Can Help
A Chiropractor will give you a non-invasive adjustment to fix whatever malalignments you have, which relieves pressure on the blocked lymph duct. That helps clear it up so lymph can flow more easily to help prevent cold or flu. Such can be seen in one study of cancer patients, as it found that those who received such adjustments had a 200 to 400 percent stronger immune system than those who had no adjustment.
Adjustments aren’t the only form of care, either, as periodic lymphatic massage can help maintain optimal health and relieve cold or flu symptoms should you already have them.
Lymph Support Guidelines
- Receive periodic lymphatic massages
- Maintain proper alignment with chiropractic adjustments
- Get plenty of sleep
- Flush out toxins by drinking plenty of fluids
- Avoid tobacco, alcohol and processed foods
To help regulate lymph flow and avoid cold and flu, contact one of our offices to make an appointment by calling (404) 889-8828.