Lymphedema Awareness Month Tips: Yoga!

Many of you will know by now that as well as Lymphedema Therapist, I am also an experienced Yoga Instructor. Over the years I have been combining my expertise in the lymphatic system (specifically damaged lymphatic systems) with my yoga knowledge.

We spoke about the importance of movement and of breathing for the lymphatic system in previous posts (go check them out for a better understanding) and Yoga is a fantastic way to get the benefits of both in the one practice.

Yoga is for everyone, and I mean everyone. Do not be put off by the gymnastics you see on social media, Yoga is about connecting with your body in a meaningful way, listening to your body so you know when something is not right BEFORE it becomes an issue, it is about moving your body, gently strengthening it and increasing it is mobility.

It is really about minding your body and the connection between mind, body and soul. When you become a pro, the sky is the limit, but when you are starting out, you simply start, without any pressure to be, look or bend a certain way!

“But I am not skinny or flexible enough for yoga” I hear very often. This is nonsense, you start where you are at and work on gently improving from there. If you are NOT flexible – it is even more reason to start.

Now, there is one part that is VERY IMPORTANT here – if you have had damage to your lymphatic system or parts of it removed, the movement alone is not going to be sufficient.

You will need to understand what is happening in YOUR body and how to move lymphatic fluid out of a damaged drainage area to prevent build up of fluid. This is the vital part that is often missing when you see all those videos on YouTube for the lymphatic system.

And there is the question of whether you should wear your compression garment(s) while doing yoga. We will touch on both of these another day, so stay tuned… If you would like to discuss further, book a private online lesson, or join one of my regular yoga classes, please do get in touch. aideen.schweppe@gmail.com WhatsApp – +353851528969 or PM me