Mary2 came to me complaining of constant migraine headaches, severe sinus pressure, bouts of anxiety and depression, ringing and pain in the ears, rashes all over her body, allergies and achy flu-like joint aches throughout her body. Mary also had a history of severe lifelong digestive issues that oscillated back and forth between constipation and diarrhea.
To help alleviate her symptoms, Mary began by switching to a gluten-free diet, which helped for about a month. She then tried eliminating both gluten and dairy from her diet, which helped her for another month or so. Mary then eliminated greasy, fried food on top of her gluten-free and dairy-free diet, which helped as well. However, over time, the symptoms returned. Mary noticed an improvement in how she felt, but all of her symptoms were still not alleviated.
When she started to notice that heavier foods like meat would sit like a rock in her stomach, she switched to being vegetarian. This helped, but her digestive distress persisted. She switched to a vegan diet, and then eventually began eating an exclusively raw food vegan diet, in search of the perfect diet that she could digest well and that would help her symptoms.
The lighter the foods, the easier she found them to digest, and the better she felt for a time. Mary continued to eliminate foods from her diet to feel better, but in the end, this methodology was targeting the symptoms yet ignoring the underlying root of the issue: Weak digestion and the inability to digest hard-to-digest foods.
The symptoms that result when we lose the ability to digest these foods are exactly what Mary was experiencing. When hard-to-digest proteins and fats make their way undigested into the intestines, they will act as intestinal irritants and ooze their way into the lymphatics around the gut, congesting the body’s drainage system. The infamous symptoms associated with wheat and dairy sensitivities can be tracked back to congested lymph.
Eliminating more and more foods from the “ok-to-eat” list rarely solves the problem. The goal is to address the root cause of this problem by rebooting the digestive strength so the gluten and casein are being fully digested, and then decongest the clogged lymphatic system responsible for the symptoms of her “food sensitivities.”
Hippocrates (460–377 BC) first described the body’s lymphatic vessel as “white blood” and coined the term “chyle” from the Greek “chylos,” meaning “juice.” Chyle is a milky-like fluid consisting of emulsified fats and free fatty acids, collectively called “lymph,” which is formed in the digestive system and taken up by the specialized lymph vessels known as lacteals.16 Proteins and fats are pulled through these intestinal lacteals and routed through over 500 lymph nodes where they are purified by an army of white blood cells. From here, they flow to the heart where they re-enter the circulatory system and end up as cellular nutrition or in the liver where they are ultimately processed.
According to Ayurveda, lymphatic congestion is linked to symptoms including depression, brain fog, migraine headaches, sinus pressure, chronic skin rashes, respiratory and skin allergies, joint pain and a host of digestive imbalances such as gas and bloating.
• Rings get tight on fingers
• Soreness and/or stiffness in the morning
• Feeling tired
• Puffy eyes
• Holding on to water or swelling
• Itchy skin
• Weight gain and extra belly fat
• Swollen glands
• Low immunity
• Breast swelling or soreness with each cycle
• Dry skin
• Mild rash or acne
• Hypersensitivity
• Mild headaches
• Occasional constipation, diarrhea, and/or mucus in the stool
As illustrated in the case study above, Mary lost the ability to digest certain foods, in particular, proteins and hard-to-digest fats. In the intestinal tract, the lymphatic system starts within a series of villi which are tiny finger-like projections that absorb nutrients. Inside the villi, lymphatic lacteals absorb proteins and fats from the intestinal tract into the body’s lymphatic system. Particles that are too large to be absorbed into the blood, like numerous fat-soluble toxins and undigested proteins (gluten) can also enter the lymphatic system here.202 The lymphatic system is the largest circulatory system of the body and although we would all be dead in 24 hours without it, Western science has only just begun to investigate the body’s lymph mechanisms.16, 203
Ayurvedic medicine, in contrast to Western medicine, has had much to say about the lymph for thousands of years. In fact, the lymphatic system is the very first system of the body that is both evaluated and treated in Ayurveda.
New research in the lymphatic system’s multiple roles is confirming what Ayurveda described as “rasa” (which also means juice or lymph), many thousands of years ago. The ancient theory that lymphatic congestion could be a cause of multiple health concerns is now beginning to be an accepted field for scientific investigation.
In general, think of the lymphatic system as the drains in the body. If the drains are clogged, toxins will build up in different areas of the body, causing a variety of lymphatic congestive symptoms such as the sinus pressure, migraine headaches, pain, and hypersensitivity reactions like allergies that Mary experienced.
The proteins found in foods such as wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, soy, nuts, seeds, corn, fish, meat, and other proteins should, in ideal digestion, be properly and efficiently broken down in the upper digestive system. The upper digestive system includes the coordinated effort of the stomach producing acids, the pancreas and duodenum producing digestive enzymes, the liver and gallbladder producing bile, and a host of microbes that digest hard-to-digest proteins and fats found in these foods.
Beneficiai intestinal bacteria will digest or disallow the undigested gluten proteins from penetrating the intestinal wall.72
When gluten is not completely broken down in the upper digestion, or the intestinal flora is imbalanced, gluten can find its way into the small and large intestines, where the lymph channels can pick them up and take them into the lymphatic system. While 70–80 percent of the body’s immune system is found there, the lymph can become overwhelmed by a lifetime of processed foods and poor digestion.11, 204, 205
Once the intestinal wall becomes inflamed or irritated, the intestinal lymphatic system can be exposed to a variety of environmental toxins such as xenobiotics or undigested proteins such as the gliadins from poorly digested wheat that are too large to enter into the blood.202, 206
The intestinal lymphatics are where the body’s initial immune T-cell response against undigested glutens takes place in an attempt to purify them. Typically, when the intestinal wall is healthy, undigested proteins and toxins would be taken into the bloodstream and escorted to the liver where they would be detoxified.207
Unfortunately, once these toxins or gluten enter a congested lymphatic system, there is limited detoxification there and the allergic, chemically sensitive or gluten sensitive symptoms can quickly become a problem. In general, the lymphatic system is better equipped to fight bacteria and viruses than to break down toxins, which happens in the liver, or digest proteins, which happens in the stomach and small intestine.
That said, the lymphatic system seems to have a back-up plan for gluten and other undigested proteins that happen to enter the lymph as a result of a broken down intestinal system. There is a naturally-occurring digestive enzyme called dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) which is typically found in the duodenum, that has also been found in the lymph surrounding the small intestine. DPP-IV has been shown to break down gluten and gliadin, which suggests that some digesting of gluten will take place in the lymph as well as the small intestine. If the small intestine however becomes inflamed, the lymph will congest and inflame as well, compromising lymph flow and the breakdown of gluten both in the duodenum and the lymph.208, 209
Western medicine now agrees with Ayurveda that there are lymphatic channels all over the body. However, until recently, Western medicine concluded that the brain and the nervous system were completely devoid of lymphatic channels!
A recent groundbreaking study performed at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, which I discussed earlier in this book, has discovered lymphatic channels called glymphatics that literally drain the brain and central nervous system (CNS) of toxins and beta-amyloid plaque.
Thousands of years ago, Ayurveda had described lymphatic channels that drain the sagittal sinus of the brain and mirror the pattern of a Mohawk haircut. This is exactly where modern researchers found the lymphatic vessels that drain the brain of toxins and other waste material!5 Congestion of these glymphatics are linked to poor cognitive function, brain inflammation, autoimmune conditions, depression, brain fog and Alzheimer’s disease.5, 210
While you sleep, particularly if you sleep on your side, it takes about 6–8 hours for the brain to completely drain its toxins that may have accumulated throughout the day. On average, the brain drains about 3 pounds of these toxins each year.211
Inflammation anywhere in the body can affect the circulation of the blood and lymph. New research suggests that the brain and CNS glymphatic vessels can also be congested as a result of inflammation and infection. Infections, which are fought in the lymphatic system along with inflammation, have been linked to depression and other mood-related disorders. This groundbreaking research suggests that many mental health concerns may not actually be psychological, but instead physiological.8, 212
The glymphatic vessels regulate the circulation of mood-balancing neurotransmitters such as GABA in the brain. Glymphatic congestion can be linked to brain fog, cognitive concerns, anxiety and depression—all of which are associated with wheat and dairy allergies.
The new science is linking problems of the mind to problems of the body, particularly in the digestion and lymph.213
If the skin of the intestinal tract breaks down due to mental, physical, or emotional stress, poor diet, or unhealthy lifestyle choices, the villi and lacteals of the intestinal tract will also break down. These villi and lacteals are some of the key players for absorbing nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and removing toxins.214, 215 When these are not functioning correctly, undigested foods like proteins and fats can enter into the gut-associated and mesenteric lymphatic tissue that surrounds the large and small intestines.11-15 These undigested proteins and fats that build up in the lymphatic system can cause hypersensitivity reactions or allergic reactions throughout the lymphatic system.
Many studies show that when the lymphatic tissue becomes congested with toxins or hard-to-digest proteins and fats, the lymphatic system can overflow into the fat layers around the gut and predispose the body to various forms of obesity and health concerns.
When your intestinal lymph is congested, you tend to put on belly fat.11-16
Furthermore, researchers have also found that congested lymph, full of toxins, can move into the body’s fat cells and intercellular spaces, causing toxicity that has been linked to the production and metastasis of tumors.16-19 This all starts in the digestive system.
Thus, a decongested lymphatic system is important to ward off not only food allergy-related symptoms like bloating, gas, and brain fog from foods like wheat and dairy, but also to help protect us from more serious imbalances. This is just the beginning of your new understanding of the lymph.
When the intestinal lymphatic tissue becomes congested, not only will the belly swell and become bloated, gassy, and carry extra weight, the lymphatic system will also be unable to efficiently carry intercellular fluid waste from every cell of the body back upwards towards the heart for proper processing.16 Lymph and cellular waste products from your feet, legs, thighs, pass through the abdominal lymph vessels around the belly back to the heart en route to the liver.
If that lymphatic tissue is congested, the fluid waste can back up into the lymph around your hips and thighs, predisposing the body to levels of microcirculation, lymphatic congestion, and manifest as varicose veins or cellulite. Lymph drainage techniques have been scientifically found to help reduce cellulite.216, 217
As the lymphatic system is draining waste back to the heart via muscular contractions rather than the pumping of the heart, there is a tendency for the hands, feet, legs and thighs to be areas vulnerable to lymphatic congestion. This can manifest in a number of concerns from skin rashes to arthritic pain to weight gain and swelling in those areas.
The lymphatic system is stimulated by exercise, movement and muscular contractions. Inside every muscle is a lymphatic vessel that is pumping waste back to the heart with every muscular contraction. This is also why there can be early morning stiffness when you get out of bed. This is a classic sign of lymphatic congestion, because at night, when you’re not moving or walking, the lymph has a tendency to pool, resulting in morning stiffness.
As a result, it can take a little while to get the lymph pumping again and for your body to feel less puffy and stiff. The benefits of exercise and breathing are incredibly important for healthy lymphatic flow and eradicating the symptoms of gluten sensitivity. Chapter 13 is dedicated to a lymph-focused exercise called The Eat Wheat Workout.
When certain unwanted proteins and fats find their way through the intestinal wall into the lymphatic tissue, there are a series of lymph nodes full of immune responders designed to take care of them.218 In small amounts, the body is well equipped to process these undigested proteins and fats. In large amounts, undigested glutens can overwhelm the lymph, leading to food and environmental sensitivities.
Once the toxins and undigested proteins enter into the intestinal lymphatic tissue, they move through different aspects of the lymphatic system. One of the main channels is called the skin-associated lymphatic tissue (SALT).219
Think of your skin when you get a mosquito bite. The skin gets red, and the skin-associated lymphatic tissue, which carries an army of white blood cells right beneath your skin, is ready to pounce on any bacteria or virus that might be carried by the mosquito bite.
When the lymphatic system is working well, the immune system attacks the invader and all is taken care of. Wherever there is skin on the body, there is a lymphatic army waiting on the other side just beneath the skin.218 In the intestinal tract, which is also made of skin, the gut-associated lymphatic tissue (GALT), which is the largest concentration of lymph in the body outside the intestinal wall, stands ready to pounce and protect the body from anything that is undesirable trying to cross over the intestinal wall.220
Gluten and dairy intolerances are a result of a long-term overwhelming breakdown of digestive strength. As digestive power decreases, these hard-to-digest proteins and fats are allowed to enter into the lymph and cause a host of lymphatic-related symptoms.
If the skin-associated lymph is congested or the lymphatic system is stuck in traffic, then the immune system will also become stuck in traffic, and the skin may end up becoming an exit ramp for impurities to move out of the body in the form of skin rashes, hives, eczema, acne or other types of skin concerns. The skin can also swell and inflame when the lymphatic system is congested. Rings might get tight on fingers, the eye area may get puffy, ankles might swell, and the whole body can begin to hold onto more fluid and swell. These are all classic lymphatic-related symptoms.
Another important lymphatic pathway is the respiratory-associated lymphatic tissue, otherwise known as the mucus-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) or larynx-associated lymphatic tissue (LALT). These are the lymphatic tracts that drain the respiratory skin.221
Once again, on the outside of the respiratory tract, there is an army of lymphatic immune help ready to pounce on any irritants that pass through the respiratory skin. If the cilia of the respiratory tract become either too dry or too mucus-filled, just like the tale of the three little bears, with the conditions needing to be “just right,” the cilia will not be able to process waste or toxins through the respiratory tract efficiently, which can cause a hypersensitivity reaction.
This, in turn, can cause the lymphatic system waiting beneath the cilia to once again congest, causing symptoms such as sore throats, swollen glands and headaches. Once the toxins from undigested proteins and fat move from the intestinal lymph, the entire lymphatic system can become congested, compounding the problem and making the body more vulnerable to immune-related issues.
In the respiratory tract, this can result in hypersensitivity reactions to pollens and pollutants. It can cause chemical sensitivities and allergies, as well as predispose the body to the proliferation of undesirable bacteria and viruses that can cause a cold, flu, or other types of infection.
Congestion in the respiratory lymph can also cause a host of lymphatic-related symptoms including allergies, asthma, ear aches and even migraines, acne, skin rashes and psoriasis on the head and neck, ringing of the ears, brain fog, and mood-related issues like anxiety and depression. Thyroid concerns can be related to lymph congestion, according to Ayurveda, since the thyroid is drained by cervical lymph. If the lymph drainage is congested, the thyroid, which is located in the neck, cannot communicate well with the higher centers, such as the brain, and the lower centers, such as the rest of the body.
Over time, the thyroid can become congested and begin to turn on itself, as the immune system all too often responds overzealously to toxins in the lymph-associated thyroidal tissue, predisposing the body to an autoimmune reaction such as Hashimoto’s disease. Congested lymph can also cause the immune system to either become weak, compromised, or over-reactive, which can trigger autoimmune reactions elsewhere in the body.5
Prior to menstruation and right after ovulation, there is an internal detoxification that takes place through lymphatic vessels that drain the reproductive system.10 Due to the congestion of the lymph, women can experience PMS symptoms like bloating, breast swelling and tenderness, weight gain, acne and moodiness, as the body tries to move waste into an already congested lymphatic system.
If the lymphatic system is congested as a result of years of digestive imbalances, toxins can also build up in the reproductive system, causing a host of reproductive health concerns that are often treated as hormonal imbalances. By decongesting the lymphatic system, which I will discuss in Part II, many of the symptoms prior to menstruation can lessen or disappear entirely. It is interesting that we now have a link between lymphatic congestion and mood-related concerns; that which physically congests us can correlate with our emotional congestion.
1. The lymphatic system starts inside the intestinal tract of your digestive system. If the lymph is clogged or congested, digestion will be off, and numerous health concerns can arise. Because the lymph system is systemic, the symptoms of gluten sensitivity can manifest anywhere in the body. Most commonly the symptoms of food intolerance manifest where the lymph is most predominant, e.g., the brain, nervous system, lungs, skin and the entire digestive system.
2. The upper digestive system, which is responsible for breaking down these foods, is often imbalanced and may make it impossible for the intestinal skin and the lacteals of the lymphatic system to do their job properly, leaking toxins, undigested gluten and casein into the lymph.
3. In addition, problems arise when these foods are overeaten and consumed out of season on a regular basis.
4. Modern processing causes dairy and wheat, in particular, to become lymph-congesting and difficult to digest.
5. Stress directly impacts the health and function of the intestinal skin and its microbes,222 which do the heavy lifting for almost every function of the body.66 When stress is chronic, it is in part responsible for the breakdown of the intestinal skin and aspects of the digestive process and the congestion of the lymphatic system. (Read more on this in Chapter 9, 13 and 14.)
The good news is that all of these issues are easily fixed and easily brought back into balance allowing most of my patients to enjoy wheat and dairy once again while protecting themselves against more serious health concerns.
Remember how Mary naturally chose a diet that was easier to digest, though taking a trip down the increasingly restrictive dietary lane? While these dietary restrictions gave her symptomatic relief, it did not actually solve the root of her problem—her weak digestive strength. In Part II of this book, we will dig into how I helped balance Mary’s health issues, which were related to lymphatic congestion and hard-to-digest foods.
Chapter 5 will explore how the upper digestion is letting hard-to-digest proteins like wheat and dairy go undigested in the first place.
__________________
2 All names of patients have been changed throughout this book to protect their privacy, and all patients have given permission to share the story of their health journey in this book.