1. act like a 'garbage collection' service for the body, filtering the bloodstream of toxins and waste;
2. fight infection - as we have already mentioned, the lymph nodes contain high levels of white blood cells that engulf bacteria. If we have an infection, the nodes closest to the site enlarge as the white blood cells multiply inside them. This is why lymph nodes (for example in the neck, armpits and groin) often become inflamed during illness - this means they are doing their job!
So with this in mind, it is easy to see how the lymphatic system plays a crucial role in removing toxins and pathogens from the body and thereby generally supporting the immune system.
Keep that lymph moving!
One of the most important things to know about the lymphatic system is that it does not have a circulatory 'pump' equivalent to the heart. However, given that it is a collection point for many toxins and waste products, it is obviously important to keep these undesirable substances moving, ultimately heading for elimination out of the body.
You might be surprised to learn that we have approximately three times the amount of lymph fluid in our bodies than we do blood. In contrast to blood, which is pumped around by the heart's contractions, lymphatic fluid generally flows around our body against gravity. But how does this happen?
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