BE WELL
Refresh and Reset A MASSAGE MENU CAN CARRY A HOST OF OPTIONS, and one that
appears to be gaining traction is targeted toward lymph drainage. DeAnn Larson has been a massage therapist for 18 years and operates Plymouth-based wellness center Tree of Life Therapeutic Massage. We turned to Larson to learn more about lymph drainage massage, one of the many types of massages offered at Tree of Life.
What does a session entail?
The process is slow, light, rhythmic
motions moving lymph fluid into areas of the body, so that they can be “dumped” or drained. Our lymph system does not have a pump or a way for it to move out the tissue on its own except for brisk walking, where your legs can work as the pump to move the lymph out of the system. What is lymph?
Lymph, which mainly contains white blood cells, carries digested/absorbed fat from the intestine and drains excess fluid from extracellular space back into blood and removes bacteria from the body. BY MADELINE KOPIECKI
14
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021
How long is the massage, and how do clients prepare for it?
The lymph drainage massage is one to one and a half hours. Some people want an overall lymph drainage session just for maintaining a healthy lymph system, and that is [a] full body [massage] and recommended for one and a half hours. If someone has had surgery and the lymph system has been compromised in a particular area, the session will be focused on the surgery area, removing excess fluid in the area of surgery.
ISTOCK.COM/KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ
Lymph drainage massage helps clear toxins out of your body.
