What is lymph and what are its main functions in the human body? Many people do not even realize how important this rather little-known part of the life support system is. So this needs to be corrected so that everyone understands the importance of lymph. What is lymph? How does it circulate in the body? What factors influence its quality of work? What happens if she fails to do her job? Here is a short list of issues that will be considered as part of the article.
What is lymph?
In humans, it is very closely connected with the circulatory system. Its tasks include neutralization, as well as the removal of the most harmful waste products. It is also entrusted with the duties of pumping out excess fluid, which is in the intercellular space, back into the vascular bed. Lymph works with the remnants of decayed cells, various microbes, viruses, toxins, end products of vital activity of human cells, tissues, and organs. She, like blood, permeated the whole body with her vessels. But only it flows not due to muscle contractions and pressure, but passively, very slowly. Numerous valves throughout the body serve to prevent backflow. The movement of lymph is carried out solely due to the contractions of the skeletal muscles that surround the vessels. Here is what lymph is, and what is its significance in the body in general terms. Now let's take a closer look.
Movement
The speed of lymph movement is approximately 4 millimeters per second. To give you an idea of how small this is, let's give a small comparison - the speed of blood in the aorta is in the range of 40-50 cm / sec! So, lymph passes through the entire body only six times a day. Whereas the blood does this in some 20-25 seconds. As a person ages, lymph begins to move more slowly. This is due to a decrease in vascular tone and human muscle activity. This is what lymph is. What it is, we know. Now let's look at the features of its functioning.
What factors impair the functioning of the lymphatic system?
They are all banal and well known:
- Sedentary lifestyle. The greatest danger is a decrease in muscle activity. When the muscles become weak and lethargic, there is a direct relationship between this and the deterioration of the lymphatic system.
- Smoking, alcohol, unfavorable ecology, cold, nervous tension, severe fatigue, malnutrition - all this does not have the best effect on the state of our body.
- Irregularities in the functioning of the circulatory system. The most common deteriorationvenous return of blood to the heart. Due to this, it accumulates in the lower body and often leaves the channel into the intercellular space.
- Age-related changes. Poor functioning of the lymphatic system can be detected in almost any person. With age, the problems will only get worse. The most common result (and one of the safest) is intoxication of the body.
As you can see, keeping track of your he alth is in your best interest. We have analyzed what lymph is. What can the body give us if we ignore our he alth?
Possible problems
The principle of a growing coma of problems works here. So, initially the accumulation of intercellular fluid will lead to the fact that the blood vessels will be clamped. Because of this, the cells will not be able to receive nutrition and oxygen in the required amount for their normal functioning. As fluids continue to accumulate, the lymph nodes will be overloaded and then contaminated with end products and various toxins. Due to this, a person will begin to feel unwell, sleep poorly, chronic fatigue, regular headaches, low performance, unhe althy skin color - in general, remember all the typical manifestations of intoxication.
About the functioning of the lymphatic system
First of all, it pumps out interstitial fluid along with various waste products. It comes out about 2-4 liters per day. When failures are observed, the required volume of liquid is not output. This isleads to swelling. As a rule, first problems arise with the legs. But if there is puffiness and swelling of the face, bags and bruises under the eyes, then lymph can tell the cause. That this state of affairs is not limited to the above data, I think, is already clear. So, she is also responsible for immunity. Various microbes that enter our body are transported to the lymph nodes, where they are neutralized. Therefore, even a small failure can lead to the fact that some kind of disease will begin to develop. A very banal example is the increase in the incidence of colds.
What does a good lymph function give us?
The clear benefits are as follows:
- Activation of metabolic processes.
- Weight loss.
- Disappearance of edema.
- Disappearance of acne.
- Restoring water balance.
- Eliminate wrinkles and sagging skin.
- Slowing down the aging of the body.
- Disappearance of cellulite.
Agree, very nice bonuses. Then the question is natural: how to make the lymph work well? What can help us? And there are answers to this:
- We need to move actively.
- Massage has a positive effect.
- Must maintain a significant amount of fluid in the body.
- Proper and nutritious nutrition.
Not very hard, right? And most importantly - everyone can do it.
Functions
Let's talk about this in more detail:
- Lymph absorbs and returns protein to the circulatory system.
- Provides cleanliness in the intercellular space due to the transport of waste compounds.
- Lymph plays the role of a biological and mechanical filter, and also supplies immunoactive cells (these are B and T lymphocytes).
- Absorbs fatty elements from the small intestine.
- Performs immunological control of chyme.
- Keep fluid and protein balance in the body's internal environment.
- Is part of the rapid immunological response system.
- Supports connective tissue function.
This keeps our tissues he althy, firm and smooth. Therefore, it is necessary to strive by all means to support the work of the lymphatic system. After all, the exchange of nutrients, as well as the removal of decay products, must be carried out continuously. What can help this has already been written above.
Conclusion
The reader already has an understanding of what lymph is. The photos presented as part of the article should help you not only theoretically understand what it is, but also get an idea of the appearance of lymph. After all, who knows, perhaps this article will be read by an applicant who wants to enter the medical profession, but has not yet decided who he will work with. And then the knowledge of what lymph is in a person, a photo of thiscomponent can push even more to the disclosure in this area of talent, which the world has not yet seen. But before that, you have to study a lot. Although if you look at it this way, the first step towards the study of this field of medicine has already been taken. And even if this knowledge is never directly useful to you, it can have a positive impact on the formation of a he althy lifestyle. After all, forewarned is forearmed!
