Spring Into Movement: Good for the Mind, Good for the Lymphatic System
Spring has a way of encouraging us outdoors.
On one of my regular walks up the hill into the bush recently, I noticed the wild freesias beginning to flower. It was one of those simple signs that winter was giving way to spring – warmer sunshine, new growth and a little more colour appearing along the track.
It made me think about something we often talk about at ChezLeon: movement.
Movement doesn't have to mean exercise
For people living with lymphoedema, movement can play an important role in supporting lymphatic fluid movement.
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn't have a central pump like the heart. Instead, lymph movement is supported by a combination of mechanisms, including the natural contractions of lymphatic vessels, muscle activity, breathing and the movement of our bodies.
But when we hear that movement is important, it's easy to immediately think of exercise.
It doesn't have to mean going to the gym or completing a strenuous workout.
It could be:
taking a walk through the bush or around the neighbourhood
gardening
gentle stretching
swimming or exercising in water
walking the dog
or simply finding more opportunities to move throughout the day.
The important thing is finding movement that is appropriate for you and that you enjoy enough to make part of everyday life.
And then there's what being outside does for us
There was another reason those freesias caught my attention.
I could have walked straight past them. Instead, I stopped.
There is something about getting outside in spring – feeling the warmth of the sun, breathing in the fresh air, noticing the blossoms and new growth and watching the landscape change from one week to the next.
Movement isn't only about what it does physically.
Getting outdoors and doing something we enjoy can also give us a break from the demands of everyday life. Sometimes a walk is as much about clearing our head and reconnecting with what's around us as it is about exercising our body.
For someone managing a long-term condition such as lymphoedema, I think that matters too.
Finding movement that works for you
Living with lymphoedema doesn't mean everyone will have the same capacity for movement, and more isn't necessarily better.
Some days a longer walk may feel wonderful. On another day, gentle movement around the house or garden may be enough.
The aim isn't to turn movement into another obligation.
If we don't enjoy the journey, we're unlikely to keep doing it.
Whether it's walking through the bush, gardening, swimming or simply getting outside, finding movement we genuinely enjoy makes it much easier to make it part of everyday life.
Perhaps spring is simply an opportunity to ask:
What kind of movement makes me feel good – and how can I bring a little more of it into my day?
Movement is also part of the thinking behind DP-Tx™
This relationship with everyday movement has been central to the development of our DP-Tx™ technology.
Rather than relying on sustained compression, DP-Tx™ is designed to work with normal body movement to create gentle, changing differential pressure against the skin – producing the passive massage effect at the heart of our technology and supporting lymphatic fluid movement.
It means the movement already happening as someone goes about their day becomes part of how the technology is designed to work.
But perhaps the bigger message is much simpler than the technology.
Our bodies are made to move – and movement doesn't have to be complicated.
So, as spring arrives, perhaps take the opportunity to get outside. Go for a walk. Spend some time in the garden. Take a few deeper breaths. Notice what's flowering.
And maybe, like me, you'll find something unexpected growing beside the path that makes you stop for a moment and simply enjoy where you are.
Cheryl Pollock, Founder of ChezLeon
