Sara Ivarsson works as a running trainer, yoga instructor and lymph masseur and was one of the first participants who attended Curam Recovery training. It turned out then that Sara had a big interest and great knowledge about lymph health, which we asked her to share with you.

How did you get interested of yoga and in lymph health?

I have always been active and liked sports and health. As a kid, I used to do a thousand different sports before I got caught up in running. I have competed a lot in running over the years before I started coaching. Now I have coached and trained individuals and groups for 15 years. As a youngster, there was more “No pain, no gain” and “Mind over matter” mentality and I pushed myself very hard. It was not sustainable in the long run and mainly created mental barriers and performance anxiety.

Thanks to my uncle, I came in contact with yoga and slowly the realization of wholeness and balance was awakened. This year I am celebrating my 10th birthday as a yoga teacher and my attitude nowadays is “Mind in matter”. I work both with yoga for cancer patients in my non-profit association Move Breathe Pause and in my company Everflow I am developing concepts around lymph yoga and lymph health.

My interest in the lymphatic system and lymph health was aroused when there was talk of lymphedema during a yoga training for cancer patients. I became curious to learn more and what a new world that was opening up for me! This was 4 years ago and since then I have resigned from my part-time job as a decorator to be able to work full time with health and wellness as a lymph masseur, scar tissue therapist and yoga teacher. I just started a education as a fascia therapist to be able to even better help my clients by creating more flow, strengthening their health, gaining more energy and living life to the fullest.

How did you come to attend the Curam Recovery training?

I have used dynamic cupping as a treatment method when I provide treatment for the lymphatic system for a long time. When I came in contact with Curam, I fell because it was a Swedish brand and thought it felt more fun and better to work with them compared to other cups. I also like that Curam is based on self care because it is something I also advocate a lot when it comes to the lymphatic system.

When I then saw the training in Curam Recovery, it felt natural. As I also work as a yoga teacher and running trainer, Curam Recovery was a perfect group class for recovery. The training gave me an opportunity to get to know more about the use of the static cups that I have not used so much before. Thanks to the cups, there will be a new focus for the participants and it is interesting to see the effects.

You talk a lot about circulation and the importance of flow, can you develop your view on this?

Flow is life simply and absolutely necessary for health. All cells in the body are surrounded by fluid and circulation is needed for this fluid to be healthy and fresh and give the cells a good environment to live in. Slow or stagnant flow in the fascia and lymphatic system produces cells that can not absorb oxygen and nutrients or dispose of their waste and slag products properly. And it simply creates a body that does not feel well and gives rise to inflammation, stiffness, aches, generally poorer health and disease.

Then there is also an interesting aspect about flow and flow when it comes to thoughts, feelings and the experience of life, and how it is related to health. You know, the difference between when thoughts and ideas just flow compared to when it feels like sausage stuffing in the brain. Or when you get stuck in your feelings and how we do not feel good about it. Emotions need to flow through us, have a beginning and an end. Feeling flow in life, creativity and inspiration go hand in hand with the flow in the body. The physical affects the emotional and mental and vice versa. It all fits together.

What is the function of the lymphatic system in the body?

The lymphatic system transports away excess fluid, slag products and waste from our tissues. The lymphatic system is also the immune system’s highways (lymph vessels) and analysis centers (lymph nodes) and they are full of patrolling immune cells that will find and neutralize bacteria, viruses, parasites and tumor cells. The lymphatic system also transports certain proteins, fatty acids and hormones that are too large for the blood vessels to absorb.

Because the lymphatic system largely ensures that the environment in which your trillions of cells live is as good as possible, it has a finger in every pie in all functions of your body – such as the cells’ nutrient exchange; the body’s resilience; inflammatory processes; and the health of the gastrointestinal tract, nerves and cardiovascular system. This means that if the lymphatic system is sluggish and can not do its job well, all other systems in the body also work worse.

How do you suggest to take care of the lymphatic system in the best way?

In fact, many of the general health tips regarding exercise, diet, skin care and stress that are circulating today are good for the lymphatic system. Maybe it’s so that we feel good when we do those things precisely because the lymphatic system works better from them. Then the body can more effectively clear away inflammatory substances, toxins, slag products and bacteria. We simply feel better and do not get as sick when the lymphatic system works well – this applies to colds and eczema as well as cardiovascular diseases and pain problems.

5 simple tips you can do for your lymphatic system are:

1) Move evenly during the day. Movement increases lymph flow through muscle activity while sitting still causes the flow to stop. Movement does not mean exercise. Honest frequent recurring daily movements and less sedentary are far more important than a hard workout.

2) Breathe properly. Breathing works as a pump for lymph flow day in and day out and is SO important.

These two are the easiest and cheapest ways to keep the lymph flow going. Both movement and breathing act as pumping mechanisms for the lymph that does not have a heart like the blood has.

3) Eat lots of vegetables and fruits and drink enough water. Most are dehydrated today and then the flow in the body does not work well. Less coffee, alcohol and soft drinks, and more plain water. Avoid foods that create inflammation and strain the lymphatic system such as sugar, processed foods and foods with a lot of additives.

4) Review what you have in bathroom cabinets and cleaning cabinets. Reduce the amount of chemicals you expose your body to for example such as from skin care, deodorants and cleaning products. The principle behind this, and also the inflammatory diet, is that everything that enters the body must be cleansed of lymphatic system, liver and kidneys. With all the external toxins and debris we get in us, these organs and the lymphatic system become easily overloaded and do not have time = more slag products remain in the body.

5) Stress management. Stress and the secretion of stress hormones disrupt the flow in various ways, for example, the walls of the lymphatic vessels go into spasm and in the long term, the lymph tissue is broken. What can you do to reduce stressful situations and situations, and if stress is unavoidable, can you find ways to deal with it? It does not matter if it is yoga, a forest walk, talking and hugging a friend / partner, dancing, running, meditating, painting, playing music – find what works for you.

It is these “simple” everyday things that are more of a lifestyle that are the important basis. It will make a difference. If you get 1-5 in place, there will be other interventions such as lymph massage; cupping; and self-care for the lymphatic system etc. get so much better effect. Lymphatic massage is fantastically good and a great help on the way to better lymphatic health, but without 1-5 the result will not be long-lasting. For tips on self-care of the lymphatic system, follow me on instagram.

What is the result in our bodies with a less functioning lymphatic system?

A non-functioning lymphatic system can manifest itself in many different ways because its function affects all other systems in the body, but common examples of a poorly functioning and sluggish lymphatic system are:

You are swollen and feel tense and heavy in the body.

You are often ill or constantly suffering from small colds and mucus formation.

You are constantly tired and powerless.

You have problems with your stomach and digestion.

You have aches and pains, often a little unexplained that move around the body.

You are stiff and sore.

You experience tingling, numbness or ant insects.

Your skin is tired and dull or has problems with acne, eczema or other rashes.

You experience that wounds or injuries heal poorly.

When the lymph system, on the other hand, works properly, you have a lot of energy, an immune system on top, experience less stress, feel supple and light in the body, the skin has luster and you recover faster after injuries and operations.

Can you give tips on how to work with the lymphatic system on your own?

Everyone should give the lymph system a little more love, basically everyone needs it today. If you want to work with your lymphatic system, you can think of two things: firstly, how you can increase the speed of a sluggish flow, and secondly, if there is something in the way that impedes the flow.

In addition to breathing and moving, you can speed up the flow manually through gentle strokes over the skin. Many people usually take too hard, but lymph massage should be gentle because you work with the skin and fluid layer just below. The light pressure should go along the body part and not down towards the muscles.

In addition to the strokes that increase the flow, it is important to loosen stops that may occur along the lymphatic pathway. Fibrosis is common, which is a thickening and stagnation of connective tissue (fascia), lymph fluid and slag products. The fibrosis stops the lymph flow even more and other techniques than the soft coats are needed to loosen them. Here, the cups can be a great help! The copper works with the fascia and can help to release tensions and stagnations that make the flow of lymph fluid narrower and more difficult. It helps to get the flow and circulation going simply.

All your lymph fluid goes to your collarbones. Just behind your collarbones, the large lymph vessels attach to veins in the blood system. The fluid from the lymphatic system must be emptied into the blood system, the two systems cooperate with the circulation in your body. In principle, this means that fluid from the head and neck drains down towards the collarbones and all fluid from the body goes up to the collarbones.

If you have swollen ankles or hands, it can sometimes feel tempting to stroke and massage there to get rid of the swelling. But we must loosen stagnation and ensure that there is free flow above the swellings first. So whether you want to work with your foot or leg, you start at the collarbones. Liquid flows where there is lower pressure. If you start stimulating at your collarbones so that the lymphatic system can more efficiently drain the fluid into the blood system, the fluid pressure up there decreases. Then the fluid in the rest of the body has somewhere to go and can flow more efficiently towards the collarbones.

Then you work your way part by part all the way out, eg collarbones, armpits, sternum, abdomen, groin, thighs, knee creases. Part at a time to loosen any stagnation and give free space for the lymph fluid to constantly flow where there is less pressure.

If you want a more detailed description, check out Sara’s blog www.everflow.se

During the training day, you told me that you offer scar treatment, you can tell us a little more about it!

Scars play a big role in the flow in the body and I have almost not a single customer who does not have scars from an operation or injury – although they primarily come for lymphatic massage and not scar treatment. So the work with scars I started with to improve the flow for my customers but it gives so much more. For example, I have a customer who had a scar along the lower abdomen after an emergency operation and a small 30-year-old scar on the foot. With just one treatment of the scar on the foot, the mobility improved enormously and she felt a completely different contact with the ground and how she could use the whole leg, for example during training. The scar on her stomach gave her a lot of discomfort and she hardly wants to see or touch either the scar or the stomach. After treatment, her stomach feels like a part of her again.

Another woman who was completely numb around her entire breast after an operation due to breast cancer has regained the feeling. What I wish more people knew is that it is possible to do something about problems that come from scars in various forms, regardless of whether it is a change in feeling, limited mobility, swelling or aches, tingling and pain. I remember the reaction from the woman who had had breast cancer after the treatment. She was very emotional and wondered why no one had told her that there was anything to do, why the care did not give her any information. The care may not have the resources at the moment (they should have, however) but at least they should be able to tell patients about the possibilities that exist when problems arise after operations and treatments.

Something that should also be present in healthcare is better knowledge of the lymphatic system. In some countries, healthcare offers lymphatic massage before and after surgeries as it improves healing and recovery. I have had several clients who have had operations abroad and have been told by the doctor to book a lymph massage when they return home. I have never heard that recommendation from the Swedish healthcare system.

How do you use Curam masage cups?

I use Curam’s cups both privately on myself and when I treat clients. A given everyday thing is to use the dynamic cup in the shower. It is always ready on the edge of the bathtub so it is easy with selfcare in the shower after I have been running or been out with my mountain bike. If I want to give the body a little extra love, I do a longer routine with the dynamic cup and Curam’s body and massage oil, perhaps with lit candles and nice music. The static cups are often located at the neck and shoulders or lumbar spine. These are the areas that are affected both when I work in front of the computer and treat. Under the soles of the feet with your feet on the coffee table in front of the TV is also a favorite after a long day on your feet with treatments.

With clients, I mainly use the dynamic cup in order to increase the lymph flow and to loosen the pressure in the fascia. I have recently added Curam Recovery Signature Treatment to the services I offer, and then it will be a combination of the two cups.

What is your best health advice?

Laugh a lot! Some of the best and most beneficial there is, on so many levels.

And a piece of advice I got from my acupuncturist once. Think of your energy as finances. It is good to have a buffer in the savings account in case something unforeseen happens, such as the washing machine breaking down. You also need to have a buffer of energy so that you can handle when something unforeseen happens in life. If the calendar is constantly fully booked, you are constantly at the limit of what you can handle, it will be very difficult to handle difficulties and changes in life, whether it is a quarrel with your partner, a changed work situation or a sick child. Buffer on the savings account and buffer on the energy account!

Thanks Sara for your sharing your knowledge and good advices!