The Lymph Initiatives

10/20/2025

Typical conversation between a client and their lymph therapist...the struggle is real! Love what I do! Gen xx

10/15/2025

What is lymphatic congestion?
Think of your lymphatic system as your body's second circulatory system—its main job is to collect waste, toxins, and junk cells (like a garbage disposal) and flush them out. It also brings nutrients such as proteins, fats, water and immune cells to help repair tissues.
When it gets congested, that "garbage" backs up. Since the lymph - the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system - is rich in proteins, not only does the waste start to accumulate, but protein plaques starts to buildup as well. Your body sends the immune system on a reconnaissance mission to try to see what's going on and bam - inflammation.
This starts a whole process that will eventually create changes in your tissues - we're talking adipose (fat), muscle, fascia and skin. This can be changes in your health such as digestive issues, headaches and sleep issues, or dermal damage such as wrinkles, acne, crepey skin, and more.
At The Lymph Initiatives, I am here to help you not only manage Lymph Congestion but also reverse the dermal damage associated with it. Because not all dermal damage can be reversed by the body, and it often needs support.
All this without unnecessary damage or inflammation, without considerable risks or restrictions, and with little to no downtime.

09/08/2025

What a milestone! Today 10 years ago I decided I wanted to go in business for myself. Of course there was a lot of ups and downs, but I wouldn't have it any other way. As early as 2016, not even one year later, the universe would nudge me into the world of lymph. And for the past 6 years, that has been my focus because I believe lymphatic health is the key to optimal well-aging & longevity.
This 10 year anniversary of the business is also extra special because The Lymph Initiatives will be welcoming someone new that will be a perfect match and I can't wait to introduce her! I am honestly pinching myself! We are working on the final details TODAY (out of all days!) and I will share as soon as its official!

09/07/2025

The ninth full moon of 2025, the Corn Moon, rises today. Why are the moon phases important when it comes to your lymph? When you consider the moon’s gravitational pull on the earth, which is powerful enough to affect the ocean tides, there is some reason to believe that we, as humans, are impacted too. After all, our bodies are made of up to 60% water, and our lymphatic system transports that water! We are not separate from nature, and if there is one thing I have learned is that the more we live in harmony with nature, the healthier and better we will be.
However, there is also another more "biological" explanation for how the moon affects us, and it links back to hormones. Light exposure, wether it is from artificial light or a bright full moon, can interfere with the melatonin rising at night to help calm us down, and can also cause serotonin (a hormone that regulates mood) to be higher than it normally would, because of the relationship between melatonin and serotonin.

Not only can this cause mood and sleep disturbances, it also stimulate parasites, because they feed on substances such as serotonin and lay their eggs around the full moons. Yes, most people do have parasites and they produce many toxins that burdens and messes with our lymph system.

Now that we have established that the moon cycles are relevant to our lymph, let's move on to the topic of this post, the Corn Moon!

The Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA coined the term corn moon, according to the Maine Farmer's Almanac, since this was the time for gathering their main staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans and wild rice. The corn moon is a farewell to summer, a luminous symbol of harvest, abundance, and the beauty of change. 🌽✨

The Corn Moon is the perfect time to practice gratitude and release:
- Journaling to reflect on gratitude and what needs to be released
- Cleansing bath to release negativity
- Meditation to ground energy and connect with lunar cycles.
- Cleansing your home to invite positive energy
- Simplifying routines to find balance

09/06/2025

I am so sorry everyone, I will not be able to attend the Salisbury Fair this week-end due to sickness. I was really looking forward to it and I am extremely disapointed that I won't be there! Please do not hesitate to reach out for questions about products and I will get back to you when I can xx

08/18/2025

So glad modern science is finally catching up! Can you imagine??? Breakthrough discovery!!! There are lymphatic vessels right beneath the skin of the face!!! 😱 In all seriousness, I am loving how the lymphatic system is now being "discovered" and we can finally get confirmation of all its benefits and connectedness. When a Vodder therapist works on your face, we are also helping your brain!

A breakthrough discovery from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has revealed lymphatic vessels lying just beneath the skin of the face and neck. Once thought buried deep in the body, these vessels play a vital role in draining cerebrospinal fluid, which clears toxic proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

In mice, scientists used a gentle device that stroked the face and neck, tripling cerebrospinal fluid flow within a minute. Remarkably, this restored older animals’ brain fluid movement to youthful levels, a change that could have major implications for slowing age-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.

Early experiments in monkeys show similar promise, raising hope that simple, non-invasive stimulation could one day support human brain health. By enhancing natural drainage pathways, this method might become a powerful new tool for preventing neurological diseases. Source: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Research.

08/02/2025

Excellent article! I like that the author interviewed 2 Vodder mld therapists, and I especially like this tidbit:

"Unfortunately, I could not get in to see the renowned expert and favorite of the stars, Rebecca. And to be honest with you, after seeing some videos online of the "Brazilian lymphatic drainage" technique, I was a little wary. For one, I did not want to focus on a before-and-after or any sort of weight loss component; for two, I wanted to see someone I knew and trusted, if possible." 👏👏👏

Just a reminder to everyone, Brazilian Lymph Drainage is NOT lymph drainage, it's a great sculpting massage! So if you are looking for a temporary sculpt and a great aggressive massage, it's excellent. If you are looking for health & wellness benefits and true lymphatic drainage benefits, look for a certified manual lymph drainage therapist!

Experts gave us the lowdown on the latest celeb trend, and we tried it ourselves, too!

07/29/2025

In my last post, I discussed the difference between lymph MOVEMENT and lymph DRAINAGE. Today I'd like to dive a little deeper as to why, although different, both types have their place in the bigger picture of lymphatic health.
Treatments that temporarily and forcibly displace lymph (such as reflexology, gua sha, cupping and pressotherapy), although not lymph DRAINAGE treatments (they do not support the more efficient elimination of lymph) DO still have OTHER benefits.
They help improve connective tissue health. See, the lymph flows through fascia, which is part of the connective tissue network. Anything that helps improve connective tissue health will indirectly help with better detoxification & regeneration throughout the body. And that's always a plus.
However, if you do want to help support the body in successfully moving excess lymph out of the area and eliminating lymph & fluids more efficiently, you will need manual lymph drainage. If you go get a reflexology treatment that was promoted to you as lymph drainage, thinking it will be lymph drainage, you will just end up disappointed. Will you get benefits? Absolutely! But those will be CONNECTIVE tissue benefits, not lymph DRAINAGE benefits!

07/25/2025

I want to take the time to address the difference between lymph MOVEMENT and lymph DRAINAGE.
Yes, there is a difference, and yes, it is important.
Due to the recent popularity of the lymph and lymphatic system, many services, products and techniques are being promoted as lymph drainage when it is just lymph movement. Reflexology, gua sha, cupping, brazilian lymph drainage (not drainage but rather a sculpting massage), etc. are all great at aggressively MOVING lymph, as part of many other benefits.
But where does the lymph go after its been moved around? Right back in the same spot. Those techniques do not open up lymph channels strategically, and do not direct it to where it can be eliminated. If you want to truly MOVE and DRAIN lymph for lasting relief and lasting results for swelling, detoxification, nervous system regulation, etc. you need MANUAL lymph drainage techniques (Vodder, Chikly, Foldi, Godoy-Godoy, Casley-Smith). Anything else promoted as lymph drainage has great benefits and just happens to also temporaily move the lymph around.
Every week I see people who have been missing out on the full benefits of true manual lymph drainage because they were lead to believe that that's what they were getting.
So I will keep talking about this until I am blue in the face ✌️

07/23/2025

NOTHING in our body is useless...NO-THING. The appendix is a lymphatic organ and plays a vital role is overall health. When the appendix gets "infected", something very serious is going on with the gut microbiome.

New research reveals the appendix isn't useless; it stores beneficial bacteria, contains more neurons than the spinal cord, and independently coordinates immunity. Removal may weaken gut-brain communication and microbiome resilience.
Disclaimer: This news is shared for journalistic and informational purposes only. Please consult your physician before making any medical decisions.