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How to Boost the Lymphatic System and Immunity
Are there ways to boost your immunity by optimizing the function of your lymphatic system? The short answer is yes. To understand how this all works you need to know more about the lymphatic system.

I am sure you have heard of the lymphatic system, but it is not talked about a whole lot. This is pretty astounding because the lymphatic system is one of the most critical components of the immune system!

What is the Lymphatic System?

The lymphatic system is the body’s internal drainage system. The main job of this system is to help remove toxins and waste from the body.

The lymphatic system consists of the following:
- Thymus gland
- Spleen
- Tonsils
- Lymphatic vessels
- Lymph nodes
- Lymph fluid
All of these parts work together to support the immune system, along with the other functions.

What Does the Lymphatic System Do?

The lymphatic system is an essential part of our immune system that helps eliminate toxins, waste products, and cancer cells from the body. It does this by moving fluid, called lymph, throughout the body. The lymph moves around in the body collecting toxins, cellular waste, and invaders, and brings them to the liver and kidneys to be processed out of the body.

It helps every system in the body including the digestive system, nervous system, and respiratory system. It helps the immune system by carrying white blood cells throughout the body. It helps with the fluid balance between the tissues and the blood by absorbing the fluid leaked by the cardiovascular system and redistributing it to other parts of the body.

Also, the lymph regulates the absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins in the body and delivers nutrients to the cells.

How Does the Lymphatic System Work?

The lymphatic system does not have a pump in the body to move it around as the cardiovascular system does, so it depends on muscle contractions and other movements to keep moving.

Since lymph carries waste and toxins back to the liver and kidneys for excretion, it is very important to keep it moving in the body. You do not want a buildup of toxins and waste building up in the body.

Signs of Lymph Congestion:

Some signs of lymph congestion or stagnation include:
- Infection (ie. more colds)
- Inflammation
- Swelling
- Skin issues
- Constipation
- Congestion
Since the immune system depends on the lymphatic system to deliver white blood cells throughout the body, when the lymph is congested, the immune system weakens.

How Can I Activate My Lymphatic System and Boost Immunity?

Fortunately, there are a few ways we can activate the lymphatic system and boost immunity in our body.

Chiropractic Care: Any lack of movement in the thoracic/upper chest area of the spine can prevent the lymphatic system from doing the final dump of toxins that it has collected for cleansing. The rib cage helps the lymphatic system by acting similar to a pump, so it is critical for lymphatic circulation. Correcting any anatomical abnormalities or displacements from everyday activities, which prevent movement in the spine, helps to create pressure within this region which assists in bringing oxygen to the cells.

Hydrate: Drinking enough water helps the lymph move throughout the body. The lymph holds most of the water that is in the body, and if we are dehydrated, the lymph fluid becomes thicker and harder to move.

Diet and Lifestyle: Generally, adopting a healthy diet is one of the most significant things we can do for our health. If we eat a cleaner diet with less toxins, there is less burden on the lymphatic system to remove these things from the body. Whatever diet you choose to be right for you, here are a few things to consider:
- Choose clean proteins (grass-fed, organic, wild-caught) as much as you can.
- Buy organic whenever possible. If you feel like you cannot buy all organic, follow the infographic here to find out what produce is the most important to buy organic. This information is from the Dirty Dozen list by the Environmental Working Group.
- Eat a rainbow and a variety of foods.
- Choose Green/Low-VOC/Chemical-free furniture, paint, and materials for your house.
- Choose natural/organic/chemical-free household cleaners. Since cleaning supplies are not regulated by the FDA, they are not required to label the ingredients and are typically loaded with unhealthy chemicals.
Walking: Everyone knows that walking is healthy, but it really helps the lymphatic system. When you walk or exercise, you use muscle contractions and this is what helps the lymph move. Even if you don’t walk for a long time, it helps just to get out for a short while!

Deep Breathing: Most people tend to fall into shallow breathing throughout the day, but it’s important to remember to take some time to breathe deeply. There are many beneficial things to breathing deeply, but one of them is that it helps the lymph move throughout the body. Deep breathing improves oxygen in the body, and this is good for lymph flow. Also, the actual act of breathing is similar to a pump for the lymph.

Dry Brushing: Dry brushing helps to remove toxins on the skin and to get the lymph moving. It does this by stimulating sweat glands and supporting circulation below the skin. Dry brushing involves using a coarse brush on your skin in the direction of your heart.

These are a few good strategies to help lymph movement in your body and thus, making you healthier. Have you tried any of these things before? What did you notice?

Conclusion on How to Boost Lymphatic and Immunity

Having your lymphatic system functioning well is essential for immunity. There are many things that help to keep the lymph flowing properly throughout your body. Ways to boost your lymphatic system are: chiropractic care, exercise, hydration, diet and deep breathing, just to name a few. When your lymphatic system is working your immunity increases!
March 1, 2019
Are you Getting the Flu Shot? Read This First!

If You Are Thinking About Getting The Flu Shot Please Read This First-

Flu vaccines were first introduced in the 1980s. The flu shot was initially only offered to those at high risk with extremely compromised immune systems or a history of lung-related infections. Then, the makers of the flu vaccine realized that there was a HUGE profit to be made by expanding the target populations for the shot. It soon became the norm for physicians to recommend that all elderly patients and children with weakened immune systems receive the shot. Next, the vaccine makers began to target the everyday working population. After all, getting the flu is inconvenient, and wouldn’t it be great to avoid getting it if all possible? Then, employers began to mandate that their employees receive the flu vaccine. All this fuss and the few available studies that exist point to probably less than 10% of flu-like illnesses are “caused” by the influenza virus.

Some important questions:

How do they know what to put in the flu shot?

Every year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in North America the following year to determine which strains will be included in next year’s flu vaccine. If they guess right, the vaccine is thought to only be 70-80% effective in temporarily preventing the flu of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old. However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be most prevalent (sounds like a weather prediction, right?!?) and the vaccine’s effectiveness is much lower for that year.

Are there reactions to the flu vaccine?

According to the CDC, the most common reactions are fever, nausea, painful joints, and headache. The most serious reaction that has been associated with the flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS that results from a flu shot occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune-mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain, and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery lasts several months and can include residual disability.

How do I avoid getting the flu?

Keeping your immune system functioning at its optimum is the best prevention. Proper nutrition, proper supplementation, getting adjusted, washing your hands, getting lost of rest, and minimizing your stress are the best ways to stay healthy this flu season. Even if you have had your flu shot, it is wise to follow these rules also as there is no guarantee that a flu shot will offer 100% protection against this year’s flu strains. We talk about how chiropractic boosts your immune system in this article- What Does Science Say About Chiropractic and Immune System Function? We also talk about what supplements help your immune system in this article- Virus Resource Page.

Is the flu potentially harmful to people with compromised immune systems or multiple health issues?

Absolutely.

If someone who has regular contact with someone in this category contracts the flu and brings it home, can there be major health issues for the susceptible individual?

Absolutely.

Do young, healthy people with no compromise to the functioning of their immune systems really need the flu shot?

Therein lies the multi-million dollar question. According to the Cochrane Reviews, which is a highly regarded institute, the flu vaccine reduces a healthy individual’s chance of getting the flu from 2% to 1%. Is it worth the known side effects for a 1% less chance of getting the flu?

What are the long-term consequences of being vaccinated on an annual basis for an illness that may not even pose a serious health risk for most people?

No one knows! For some reason, officials do not want to conduct this study… hmmmm.

Where are the studies that show that the benefits far outweigh any long-term adverse impacts?

I haven’t seen any yet.

These are some important questions you should consider when thinking about getting the flu vaccination. Whatever your decision, we encourage you to do your own research and not just go off what your doctor tells you. Inform yourself and make your own decision!

If this article interested you, you may enjoy reading this article on a natural antibiotic.

November 13, 2018
Chiropractor in Littleton Asks Do Subluxations Affect Your Bones?
Littleton Chiropractor Asks Do Subluxations Affect Bones?

As a chiropractor in Littleton, CO I get asked how bones are affected by a subluxation. As we will talk about, the bones of your spine not only protect your spinal cord, but they are essential for helping you keep good posture. We will discuss how lack of motion in your spine, called subluxations, will lead to issues in your spinal bones.

During your chiropractic examination, Dr. Dody, is feeling the alignment of the spinal bones as well as the health of the bones. Many times, we find localized areas of bone decay which represents the result of long term neglect of spinal health. Almost always, these areas of spinal and disc degeneration are localized, meaning the immediately-adjacent areas look fine. Why would that be?

Why Is There Only Degeneration In Specific Areas Of The Spine?

When that question is posed to a medical doctor, the answer is often that the spinal degeneration is a result of “normal” aging. Well, there is nothing normal about it. If one spinal bone shows degenerative changes and one disc is deteriorated and it’s just “aging”, why are the surrounding bones and discs so healthy? How much older are the degenerated spinal areas? Localized areas are known to decay from a study by a Dr. Videman in 1987.

Dr. Videman found that when the normal motion between spinal bones is reduced (stuck or fixated) for as little as two weeks, permanent, albeit relatively minor, damage takes place to the joint. And, in as little as three weeks, observable albeit microscopic, osteo-arthritic damage takes place in the joint. So, the damage we see is a result of spinal neglect of areas of spinal injury that never properly healed because the person “hoped that the problem would go away by itself.”

How Does Subluxation Affect The Degeneration of Discs and Bone of the Spine?

A chiropractic subluxation is defined as 1 or more segments of the spine that are not moving in their proper full range of motion. Physical, chemical or mental emotional stresses cause subluxation, which is your bodies response to help reduce damage done to the nerves exiting those spinal segments. So as we talked about above, when there is reduced motion in the spinal bones, that is when degeneration starts.

As a chiropractor in Littleton, I bring this to your attention because most new patients are surprised when they see the deterioration present in their spine because it signals the fact that the spinal problem is long-standing in nature and likely began when they were children.

Littleton Chiropractor Explains How To Prevent Your Spine From Breaking Down

At our Littleton, CO chiropractic office we see people with subluxations everyday. My job as a Littleton chiropractor is to find these areas of the spine that are not moving properly and restore normal motion in those spinal joints. Once motion is restored, the body will no longer continue to break down and your natural healing process can repair the damage that has been done.

No one wants to neglect the health of their family. Because spinal examinations were not routine parts of the standard medical checkup, most adults have neglected their own and their children’s spinal health.

Think about this, the 2 main jobs of your spine are:
1. To protect your spinal cord
2. Keep you upright, or in other words keep good posture
Obviously, both of these jobs are very important for you and your child’s overall health. As a chiropractor in Littleton, my main purpose is to help family get healthy and stay healthy for a lifetime. Your spine is the direct connection to your overall health.

Conclusion About How Bones Are Affected By A Subluxation

As we have discussed, a subluxation is the lack of motion in the joints of your spine which is caused by stress. When you lose motion in your spine, the bones and discs that make up the spinal joint begin to break down. This cause disc degeneration which can lead to may health problems over time. As a chiropractor in Littleton, CO, we see people whose bones are affected by a subluxation on a daily basis.

Because health problems can be acute, chronic, or permanent, please don’t wait for a chronic problem to develop before you have your and your family’s spine and nervous system checked!

Contact us to set up your appointment today!
September 28, 2018
Subluxation of the Week: 4C

While chiropractic is not involved with the chasing of symptoms per se, it is essential to understand the neurological basis for many health complaints. Towards that end, we have compiled reference materials to assist in your understanding of how the nervous system controls and coordinates all functions in the human body.

Where Is 4C Located?

The fourth spinal vertebra under the skull is called the fourth cervical. There are seven cervical vertebrae all together, and we will consider them one at a time.

Where Do The Nerves Go?

4C, according to our Neuro-Anatomy chart, is involved with providing the primary nerve supply from the control centers in the brain to the thyroid, mucous membranes, lung, and mouth. While the direct neurological connection has not been established in the literature, it is commonly found to be a subluxated area (misaligned producing abnormal nerve system transmission of information). Nerve interference at this level leads to such common health complaints as either Hypothyroid (reduced function), causing weight gain and feeling cold. Or Hyperthyroid (overactive), causing insomnia nervousness and weight loss.

What Are Causes 4C Subluxation?

4C subluxation can be caused by physical, chemical, emotional and/or environmental stress or a combination of these stressors beyond the body’s ability to cope. These stressors can not only cause C4 subluxation, but many of the following stressors may also be effects of this subluxation. Everyday stressors affecting this part of the spine and nervous system include anxiety, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, confusion, depression, and breathing difficulties.

Local effects vs. Global effects

We know that the adverse local effects of the subluxation are harmful enough, but the impact on the whole body is even more critical. Subulaxtion of 4C could affect the thyroid, heart, hearing, temperature regulation, overall energy level, and mental state.

As you can see, the nervous system isn’t merely a this for that approach to health. Everything is inter-related, and your chiropractor’s expertise is in determining the causes of BOTH health problems and health itself.

Want To Learn More

If you would like to know more about how your nervous system is functioning, give our office a call or schedule an appointment online. And one of our friendly staff members will contact you as soon as possible. It may be the best thing you do for your health.

August 1, 2018
On a Scale of 1-10, How Important Is Your Health To You? – Part 2
Health Priority Scale:
- Addicted-continuously looks for and adds self-destructive choices.
- Binges-makes occasional destructive lifestyle decisions-is in denial.
- Unconscious-doesn’t know a healthy choice from an unhealthy one.
- Tolerates poor health – “maybe it will go away” – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” treatment only when they have a problem.
- Open- to the prevention of future health problems.
- Proactive- makes an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Consciously works at being healthy-makes healthy choices.
- Looking for and adding constructive, healthy lifestyle changes.
- Continuously looking for and adding constructive, healthy lifestyle changes.
What Happens If You Raise Your Health Priority?

If you raise the level of priority that you place on your health, as long as the health problems associated with having lived at the lower priority are not permanent, they should improve.

What Happens If You Live At a Higher Level of Priority?

If you continue to live at that higher level for a reasonable length of time, you get healthier. Even after the symptoms associated with the former health condition go away, you will likely prevent the prior health problem from returning.

What Happens If The Higher Level of Priority Becomes a Lifestyle?

If you made the higher level of priority your lifestyle, you could expect that your health would improve. In fact, it would cause your health to increase to that of the higher priority. In time, you would be able to maintain that higher level of health and wellness easily.

How Will This Effect Me Over My Lifetime?

If your goal were to improve your health over your lifetime, you would have to continue to raise the priority you place on your health and adopt that healthier lifestyle.

The Ultimate Question About Your Health

The ultimate question is, “on a scale of 1-10, how important is your and your family’s health?” The answer is always “10.” As a “10,” you and your family would be continuously looking for and adding constructive, healthy lifestyle changes, which minimally would include making sure your family has their nervous system checked to achieve their best possible health.

How Can We Help?

Every day at our Littleton chiropractic clinic, we help families not only get healthy but stay healthy for a lifetime. If that is your priority for you and your family, let us help you achieve your health goals.

Contact our wellness center at 303-794-1737 and start on that path towards health and wellness today!
June 5, 2018
On a Scale of 1-10, How Important Is Your Health To You

When asked, most people respond that their health is very important to them. When pressed for a number, the answer is almost always a 7 or higher. How about you? How would you rate the importance you have placed on your health up until now?

Now, remember, most people come to our office for the first time with a health problem or concern that is, unfortunately, usually…minimally, chronic. This means that their health has had to have been deteriorating for a while before consulting us. Well, here are the attributes of the different levels of health priority:

• Addicted-continuously looks for and adds self-destructive choices.
• Binges-makes occasional destructive lifestyle decisions-is in denial.
• Unconscious-doesn’t know a healthy choice from an unhealthy one.
• Tolerates poor health – “maybe it will go away” – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
• Seeks treatment only when they have a problem.
• Open to the prevention of future health problems.
• Makes an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Consciously works at being healthy-makes healthy choices.
• Occasionally looking for and adding constructive healthy lifestyle changes.
• Continuously looking for and adding constructive healthy lifestyle changes.

It’s easy to see that for a health problem to become chronic, the importance placed on personal health could not have been higher than a 4 prior to consulting us. Starting care requires bringing your priority up to at least a 5. Unfortunately, what causes most people to raise the priority they place on their health is a serious health problem that doesn’t go away with their own approaches to correct the condition.

It should also be obvious that in order for one’s health to actually improve, the priority placed upon it must also be higher. So, the question for today is, “if I started living like a 7 instead of a 4 and the problems caused by me living like a 4 were not permanent, are they likely to go away? The answer…of course!

May 30, 2018
Three Conditions

It may be a gross over-simplification but there really are only 3 kinds of health problems or conditions and they are:

1. Acute
2. Chronic
3. Permanent

And, these conditions are progressive. The first time someone’s health begins to fail, there are usually no symptoms. When the body has been moving in an unhealthy direction long enough for it to begin to break down, symptoms generally appear. The first sign of a symptom does not mean that the health problems associated with it are acute or new…it just means the symptoms are. An acute health problem is usually one that develops as a result of an obvious injury…either physically, chemically or emotionally.

If the cause of that health issue is not addressed, eventually the problem returns, symptoms return and the body demonstrates signs of a chronic problem. Underlying but frequent signs of a chronic problem include symptoms that come and go, nervous system scans that demonstrate localized areas of spinal degeneration or decay, muscle problems that won’t be massaged away or simply health concerns that most people use over-the-counter medicines to deal with.

Permanent health problems result from simply treating symptoms when they arise without taking the time to address the underlying cause of the malfunction in the body. People often use medication for the rest of their lives to try and bring comfort to a malfunctioning body. Unfortunately, this only buys comfort…not health. And, this practice usually actually causes health problems that are easy to correct to progress from acute to chronic to permanent.

It is for these reasons that we so strongly recommend spine and nervous system evaluations be performed regularly…not just when symptoms develop. It is also why we are so adamant about how important it is to make sure your children grow up healthy rather than wait for them to break down as adults.

May 8, 2018
Subluxation of the Week: 3C

While chiropractic is not involved with the chasing of symptoms per se, it is important to understand the neurological basis for many health complaints. Towards that end, we have compiled reference materials to assist in your understanding of how the nervous system controls and coordinates all function in the human body.

The third spinal vertebra under the skull is simply referred to as the third cervical. There are 7 cervical vertebrae all together.

3C is involved with providing the primary nerve supply from the control centers in the brain to the Diaphragm, face, teeth, and lungs. It is commonly found to be an area that is subluxated (when the vertebra is misaligned producing abnormal nerve system transmission of information- like a kink in a hose) leading to such common health complaints as chronic fatigue, vertigo, anxiety, and shortness of breath. This is a result of the interference produced by this subluxation on the phrenic nerve which is the primary nerve supply to the diaphragm.

3C subluxation can be caused by physical, chemical, emotional (in particular) and/or environmental stressors, as well as a combination of these stressors beyond the body’s ability to cope. Common stressors affecting this part of the spine and nervous system include: depression, thyroid problems, alcohol abuse, unmanaged stress, exhaustion and loss of endurance.

Perhaps of greater importance than these local affects of the subluxation of 3C, are the global affects of subluxation of this area because this is the one area where the entire spinal cord and brain stem may be affected by spinal misalignment. This can cause effects throughout the body. The importance of the diaphragm and the relationship it has to the health of the individual is still not sufficiently appreciated. A measurable reduction in respiratory volume can contribute to many different health problems.

April 30, 2018
What Was Red Before it Was Red?
At Dody Chiropractic Center for Wholeness, we’re committed to using the best technology to understand and improve your health. One of our favorite tools is the Insight Subluxation Station—a state-of-the-art scanner that gives us a close look at your nervous system and spine. But here’s the cool part: when we review your scan results, they’re color-coded! Each color tells us something important about what’s happening in your body.

Think of it like a traffic light system for your health:
- Red means a significant disturbance in that area.
- Blue shows a moderate issue.
- Green indicates a mild problem.
These colors give us a quick and clear view of which areas need the most attention to keep you on the path to wellness.

How Do We Get These Colors?

Our scans involve three different tests that each look at your body’s nervous system from a unique angle:
1. Thermal Scan – This measures the temperature along your spine to reveal patterns of stress. When your autonomic nerves (which control things like heartbeat and digestion) show temperature imbalances, it can signal underlying stress or dysfunction.
2. Surface Electromyography (sEMG) – This test measures the electrical activity in your spinal muscles. If the muscles on either side of your spine are working too hard, we can see where tension or imbalances might be lurking.
3. Pulse Wave Profiler (PWP) – This test assesses Heart Rate Variability (HRV), an important indicator of how well your body adapts to stress. It shows us if your nervous system is balanced and able to “go with the flow” of everyday life.
Each of these tests adds a layer to the scan, like pieces of a puzzle. Here’s where the color-coding comes in:
- Red areas mean all three tests show an issue in that part of your spine, signaling a long-term disturbance.
- Blue areas show two tests reporting a problem, indicating a moderate level of stress.
- Green areas reflect a mild concern, with only one test picking up on stress in that area.
Why Colors Change Over Time

It’s common for areas to shift from green to blue to red if left unchecked. Health issues don’t just pop up overnight—they often progress gradually. Today’s green zone may become tomorrow’s blue, and then a red down the line. This gradual progression can happen without any noticeable symptoms, which is why the scan results are so valuable. They let us “see” these changes early on.

Initial Scan vs. Follow-Up Scans: Keeping an Eye on Progress

Your first scan gives us a snapshot—a baseline view of your spine and nervous system. As we continue care, we do follow-up scans to track your body’s response to treatment. By comparing new scans to that baseline, we can see clear progress, allowing us to make adjustments as needed to keep your wellness plan as effective as possible.

The CoreScore™: A Simple Way to Track Your Health

All these results are summarized into a single, easy-to-understand number called the CoreScore™. Think of it as your wellness “grade,” ranging from 0 to 100. A high CoreScore suggests your nervous system is in top shape, while a lower CoreScore tells us there may be room for improvement. This score makes it simple to understand where you are on your wellness journey, giving you and us a reliable measure to track over time.

Your Path to Wellness

At Dody Chiropractic Center for Wholeness, we’re here to support you in staying on the path to improved health. Whether your scan shows green, blue, or red, these insights help us focus on areas that need attention, keeping you proactive about your wellness journey. It’s all about helping you feel empowered and informed about your health.

Ready to see what your nerve scan can reveal? Book an appointment with us today, and let’s put this incredible technology to work on your journey to vibrant health and well-being!
April 24, 2018
Subluxation of the Week: 2C

While chiropractic is not involved in the chasing of symptoms per se, it is important to understand the neurological basis for many health complaints. Towards that end, we have compiled reference materials to assist in your understanding of how the nervous system controls and coordinates all function in the human body.

The second spinal vertebra under the skull is called the Axis. There are 7 cervical vertebrae all together and we will consider them one at a time.

2C, according to our Neuro-Anatomy chart, is involved with providing the primary nerve supply from the control centers in the brain to the Sinus, tongue, heart, forehead, optic and auditory nerves. It is commonly found to be an area that is subluxated (misaligned producing abnormal nerve system transmission of information) leading to such common health complaints as allergies, sinus problems, palpitations, visual and auditory disturbances.

2C subluxation can be caused by physical, chemical, emotional and/or environmental stress or a combination of these stressors beyond the body’s ability to cope. Common stressors affecting this part of the spine and nervous system include reflex subluxation resulting from chronic allergies (exposure to allergens), chronic sinus problems (long-term ingestion of dairy products), sadness and despair.

Perhaps of greater importance than these local affects of subluxation of 2C, are the global affects of subluxation of this area because this is an area where a portion of this bone may put direct pressure on the spinal cord itself. This can cause effects throughout the body just like 1C. Additionally, some consider that there is a relationship between digestive disorders and 2C. As such, this may be a combination subluxation and the left side of the 5T ‘ 9T area may also be affected or contributing to the 2C problem.

As you can see, the nervous system isn’t simply a this for that approach to health. Everything is inter-related and your chiropractor’s expertise is in determining the causes of BOTH health problems and health itself.

April 3, 2018