Life in Balance, LLC

11/17/2025

Natural Antibiotics from a pharmacy person

11/13/2025

THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF A GRIEVER ❤️‍🩹
WOW!

THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF A GRIEVER — Post 1/30🌿

“When Grief Sits in the Body”

A healing series by Lymphatica

Tonight, I am not writing as a therapist.
Not as a practitioner.
Not as someone who teaches healing for a living.

Tonight, I am writing as a daughter.
A daughter who lost her mother.
A daughter who has carried a grief so heavy that her body could no longer hold its own weight.

Because there is a truth I cannot keep silent anymore:
My grief did not stay in my heart — it broke into my body.

And if you have ever lost someone you love, maybe your body knows this truth too.

🌿 When Grief Lives Inside the Body Before It Finds Words

There is a silence after losing someone that does not feel peaceful.
It feels like a collapse.
A drowning.
A falling into yourself with no way to stop the descent.

When my mother died, the world kept spinning as if nothing happened…
but inside my body, something shattered.

Before I even knew how to speak my pain, my lymphatic system was already speaking it for me:

My lymph nodes swelled.
My underarms became puffy.
My chest tightened.
My gut twisted.
My exhaustion became bone-deep.

I felt as if my whole body was carrying a sadness that had nowhere to go.

Only later did I understand:

Grief is not only emotional.
Grief is physical.
Grief is cellular.
Grief is lymphatic.

🌿 Why Grief Slows the Lymphatic System — The Science of Missing Someone

When the heart breaks, the body goes into a kind of survival that does not feel like survival at all.

1️⃣ Breathing becomes shallow.

Your vagus nerve tightens.
Your diaphragm locks.
Your neck and chest stiffen.
And these are the very places where major lymph pathways live.
When they tighten, they close.

2️⃣ The immune system becomes overloaded.

Cortisol rises.
Inflammation simmers quietly.
The lymph thickens.
Everything becomes heavy.

3️⃣ The nervous system freezes.

Not because you don’t feel —
but because feeling becomes unbearable.
The fascia traps emotion.
The lymph tries to carry memories, longing, pain…
and eventually collapses under the weight.

Your body mourns right alongside your heart.

🌿 The Part I’ve Never Said Publicly… Until Now

This is the hardest part to admit.

But I believe — with every cell in me —
that the grief I carried after losing my mother did not just hurt me emotionally.

It changed my body.
It changed my health.
It changed the trajectory of my life.

I cannot make medical claims.
But I can speak my truth:

I believe my grief contributed to the illness that followed—
to my thyroid cancer…
to the years of fear and uncertainty…
and eventually to the brain surgery that changed everything.

My body was not just “sick.”
My body was broken by longing.
Broken by trauma.
Broken by a sadness too large for the lymphatic system to carry alone.

I look back now and see it clearly:

The grief was too heavy.
And my body broke trying to hold it.

🌿 Grief Made Me a Patient Before I Was a Healer

There were months where I helped people heal while I was falling apart.
Where I drained lymph while my own lymphatic system was drowning in fatigue.
Where I taught breathing while I felt suffocated.
Where I stood strong for others while collapsing silently inside.

I have never felt more human.
More vulnerable.
More aware that even healers need healing.

Sometimes I still reach for my mother in small, automatic ways—
in victories, in moments of fear, in the quiet hours of the night.
And every time, a part of me aches:

“Mom, are you seeing what I am becoming?”
“Would you be proud of the woman I am today?”

This longing…
this unspoken conversation…
this ache that never fully disappears…

It sits in the lymph.
It sits in the tissues.
It sits in the breath.

🌿 Why This Series Matters

Because grief is not a moment —
it is a biology.
A chemistry.
A physical shift in the way your body survives.

If you have ever wondered:

“Why am I so swollen?”
“Why am I always tired?”
“Why does my chest feel tight?”
“Why does my body hurt more since I lost them?”

I want you to hear me:

💚 You are not imagining it.
💚 You are not weak.
💚 Your lymphatic system is grieving with you.
💚 Your body is trying to carry the love you lost.

And your body is allowed to mourn.

This series will help you understand
why grief affects your lymph,
why your symptoms feel heavier,
and how to gently guide your body back into safety —
not through force, but through tenderness.

🌿 **Tonight, I honour my mother…

and the body that survived losing her.**

And if you have ever lost someone —
no matter how long ago —
I want to whisper this:

Your lymph remembers them because your love was real.
Your body aches because the bond was deep.
But your body can heal, slowly, softly, beautifully.
And you do not have to walk this journey alone.

I am walking it with you.
With grace, gentleness, faith, and understanding.

Bianca 🤍
Lymphatica 🌿

11/13/2025

Another reason sleep is so important

🌊 What Is the Glymphatic System?

The glymphatic system is the brain’s unique waste clearance network, functioning similarly to the lymphatic system in the body—but with a twist. It was only discovered in 2012 by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, and it has since changed how we understand neurodegeneration and brain inflammation.
This system relies on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flush out waste products from brain tissue through perivascular pathways, facilitated by a type of glial cell called astrocytes. These cells regulate the flow of interstitial fluid and act as a conduit for metabolic clearance during deep sleep, especially in slow-wave sleep cycles.

🔥 When the Glymphatic System Is Inhibited: The Inflammatory Storm

When the glymphatic system is impaired, neurotoxic proteins—like beta-amyloid, tau proteins, and inflammatory cytokines—begin to accumulate in the brain's interstitial spaces. This accumulation triggers:
* Microglial activation, leading to chronic low-grade neuroinflammation
* Increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β
* Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction within neurons
* Blood-brain barrier permeability ("leaky brain") and further immune dysregulation

Over time, this chronic inflammatory state can manifest as:
* Brain fog, memory issues, and cognitive decline
* Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
* Increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
* Worsened systemic inflammation due to vagus nerve signaling disruption

🛌 Sleep, the Glymphatic Switch, and Circadian Health

The glymphatic system is most active during deep sleep, particularly during non-REM slow-wave phases. When sleep is disrupted—whether due to stress, screen exposure, sleep apnea, or erratic sleep cycles—the brain cannot engage in glymphatic flushing.
Sleep deprivation has been shown to:
* Increase extracellular beta-amyloid by up to 43% in a single night
* Decrease the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels in astrocytes, impairing fluid transport
* Heighten markers of neuroinflammation, including NF-κB signaling and glial activation

🧬 Systemic Inflammation and Glymphatic Dysfunction: A Two-Way Street

Interestingly, inflammation itself suppresses glymphatic flow. Research shows that systemic infections, autoimmune flares, and even gut dysbiosis can produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that reduce CSF dynamics and glymphatic activity.
Conversely, poor glymphatic clearance can worsen systemic inflammation by:
* Disrupting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis signaling
* Altering vagal tone and the gut-brain-liver immune axis
* Impairing clearance of immune-modulating neurotransmitters like glutamate

🌿 How to Support Glymphatic Health

1. Prioritize Deep Sleep
* Aim for 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep in total darkness
* Use magnesium, L-theanine, or glycine to support non-REM sleep
* Avoid screens and caffeine 3+ hours before bedtime
2. Rebound, Stretch, and Move Your Spine
* Movement of the spine and neck enhances CSF circulation
* Manual lymphatic drainage may also indirectly stimulate glymphatic function
3. Hydration & Electrolyte Balance
* CSF production is heavily dependent on fluid status
* Add trace minerals or electrolytes to water to support fluid dynamics
4. Nutraceutical Support
* Resveratrol, turmeric (curcumin), omega-3s, and NAC reduce neuroinflammation
* Melatonin not only promotes deep sleep but enhances glymphatic activity
5. Cranial and Cervical Lymphatic Drainage
* Facial and neck MLD can relieve interstitial congestion
* Techniques like craniosacral therapy or vagal nerve stimulation may further support this network

🧠 Final Thought

The glymphatic system is a vital yet vulnerable detox engine for the brain. When impaired, it doesn’t just affect cognition—it can unleash a cascade of inflammatory dysfunction that spreads throughout the entire body.

By supporting this system through sleep hygiene, lymphatic stimulation, and anti-inflammatory practices, we lay the foundation for resilient mental, neurological, and immune health.

©️

11/02/2025

I Strongly recommend Velia

✨ Testimonial Thursday ✨
Reclaiming your energy is one of the most powerful acts of self-love. 🌿 When you stop leaking energy through old patterns and start honoring your inner strength, everything begins to shift.

If you’re ready to start your healing journey, I’d love to walk beside you.
📞 Call me at 760-221-3147
📧 velia@coachvelia.com

11/02/2025

Ringing in your ears? Tinnitus? Give this a try

10/10/2025

Interesting sky last night with rolling thunder and lightning

10/10/2025

This is the protocol I use. RLD

The Healing Touch Beneath Your Feet:

Reflexology Lymph Drainage and the Legacy of Sally Kay👣💚

When we think of the lymphatic system, we often picture gentle hands moving across the body in rhythmic motion—stimulating detox, relieving swelling, and supporting immunity. But what if some of the most powerful lymphatic stimulation could begin… at your feet?

That’s the beauty and brilliance of Reflexology Lymph Drainage (RLD)—a specialised reflexology technique developed by British therapist Sally Kay, whose work has changed the landscape of lymphatic care. 🌍✨

Who is Sally Kay? 🧠🌱

Sally Kay, a reflexologist based in Wales, developed RLD while working with cancer patients suffering from secondary lymphoedema (especially post-mastectomy). Her goal was simple yet revolutionary: to support lymph drainage using reflexology, a modality that stimulates points on the feet corresponding to organs and systems in the body.

What she discovered was extraordinary:
Not only did RLD reduce swelling, but it also improved pain, movement, and wellbeing—without needing to physically touch the affected limb. 🙌

Her work has since gained recognition across clinical, complementary, and international health sectors.

What is Reflexology Lymph Drainage (RLD)? 💆‍♀️💧

RLD is a gentle, structured sequence of movements performed on the feet (or sometimes hands) that directly target the reflex points of the lymphatic system. These movements are inspired by manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) but translated through reflexology zones.

The technique follows the lymphatic map of the body, focusing on:
• Thoracic duct
• Lymph node clusters (cervical, axillary, inguinal)
• Spleen & liver
• Diaphragmatic flow

All without needing to physically touch these organs. 🌿

Clinical Benefits of RLD: 🩺🌸

Research and clinical case studies have demonstrated RLD’s effectiveness in:
• Reducing lymphoedema volume, especially post-surgical or post-cancer
• Improving limb mobility and range of motion
• Decreasing pain, tension, and heaviness
• Supporting detoxification and immune response
• Promoting deep relaxation and emotional release

Because it’s non-invasive and deeply calming, RLD is especially helpful for clients:
• Who have undergone surgery 🏥
• With fragile tissues or nerve damage 🧬
• With emotional trauma stored in the body 💔
• Who are unable to receive full-body MLD

How It Works: A Gentle Path to Flow 🌊✨

The feet house a microscopic map of the body, and when reflex points are stimulated, they trigger a neurological and energetic response in the corresponding organ or system. In RLD, practitioners use specific, repeatable techniques to mimic the pumping and sweeping of lymphatic fluid.

What makes RLD unique is its ability to:
• Influence lymph flow without direct limb manipulation
• Activate parasympathetic nervous system (rest and repair mode)
• Address both physical and emotional stagnation in the system

RLD and Emotional Healing 🕊️🫶

The lymphatic system is often called the “emotional river” of the body—carrying not just toxins, but also the residue of trauma, grief, and stress. RLD, like MLD, offers clients a safe space for emotional release as well as physical detox.

Many clients report:
• Feeling lighter (emotionally and physically)
• Reduced anxiety 🧘‍♀️
• Clearer thinking
• Improved sleep 😴
• Restored connection with their bodies 🩷

Why Choose Reflexology Lymph Drainage? 🌿💫
• Gentle yet effective
• Ideal for those who are sensitive, post-operative, or recovering from illness
• Can be offered alongside MLD, oncology care, or holistic protocols
• Backed by ongoing research and clinical support 📚

And most of all—it’s a treatment that honours the whole person, not just the symptoms. 🌈

The Legacy of Care: Sally Kay’s Ongoing Impact 👏📖

Sally Kay’s vision has led to thousands of practitioners worldwide being trained in RLD. Her work bridges the gap between clinical precision and compassionate touch, reminding us that even the smallest contact can spark big healing.

Reflexology Lymph Drainage is not just a therapy. It’s a quiet revolution in the way we support the lymphatic system—with presence, precision, and peace. 💗

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider or certified therapist before starting any treatment protocol.

©️

09/19/2025

Another good podcast!

Is your daily routine ruining your health? Is THIS habit silently triggering dementia? Vitamin D Expert Dr. Roger Seheult reveals how sunlight exposure, caff...