I’ve noticed that quite a few patients coming in with fluid retention in the legs or bloating in the belly have a common factor of gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) problems. This can be anything from a food intolerance (often the usual suspects of wheat, dairy, yeast and fructose) to more serious conditions such as colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Why is this? Well, for those unfamiliar with the lymphatic system, the lymphatics empty back into your blood in the sub-clavian vein (in most people) near your clavicle or collar bone. This means that all lymphatic fluid in your body must make its way back to your neck. As the lymphatics have a large role in immune response and an allergic reaction or auto-immune problem is based in the immune system, this will lead to inflammation and various white blood cells and pro-inflammatory factors rushing to the gut. This clogs everything and water comes to surround the proteins in the immune reaction. The result is a bloated tummy and possible back-log right down to the ankles as the fluid from your legs must make its way through the abdomen to the thoracic duct under your sternum. You can think of it as trying to get out of a shopping centre car park at 5 when the shops shut. There are limited exits and all lanes feeding to them. The traffic jam eventually passes right back up to the other levels of car park.

Working with a naturopath or nutritionist can help you to understand food allergies and there are treatments, both medical and herbal, for inflammation of the bowel. Manual lymphatic work can help to clear out the old blockage and free the flow again. Obviously this isn’t the case with all lower body blockages – some are from surgery (C-section, appendicectomy, cancer, traumatic birth, varicose veins) and congenital causes, but it certainly makes a difference to a vast number of my patients.