Читать книгу Your Key to Good Health - Elaine Hruska - Страница 13

We may become ill because of an outbreak of the “common cold,” with its accompanying runny nose, sore throat, and swollen neck nodes. Or a sinus infection hits us with its usual postnasal drip. A scratch or cut becomes infected, then reddens and swells. Upon awakening one morning, we might feel sluggish, barely able to get out of bed, and notice swelling of our hands or ankles. All of these symptoms are indications or disturbances arising from the functioning—or lack of proper functioning—of our lymphatic system. They offer us clues that this system is draining poorly or is moving sluggishly. Often upper respiratory infections (such as sinusitis or tonsillitis) or lower respiratory infections (such as pneumonia or bronchitis) are indicative of a lymph drainage problem. Poor circulation, signified by cold hands or feet or numbness and tingling, may also be the result of sluggish lymphatic drainage.

What constitutes the lymphatic system, and what is its function? We may all be familiar with the circulatory, nervous, digestive, reproductive, and excretory systems from our elementary and high school science classes. They are considered the five main divisions through which our body functions and operates and carries on its work. But where does the lymphatic system belong in our body’s complex array of working parts?

The lymphatic system is actually a specialized component of our circulatory system, which generally consists of veins, arteries, and capillaries through which blood is pumped by action of the heart. The lymph fluid, like blood, also moves throughout the body and serves as a unique transportation vehicle; it returns substances, such as proteins, fats, dead cells, and tissue fluids, to the general circulation. It’s an accessory route, collecting the fluid that flows from the spaces in between the cells (interstitial fluid) and eventually depositing it into the bloodstream. Unlike the blood, however, there is no muscular pumping organ like the heart to force the fluid through the body, yet by various means this fluid does move along steadily and slowly between the cells and throughout its vessels. As a rule of thumb, the lymphatic and capillary (blood) networks lie side by side, broadly parallel and in close proximity to each other, yet they remain separate and independent of the other.

One very important function of the lymphatic system is its ability to carry away from the tissue spaces proteins and large particulate matter, neither of which can be placed directly into the blood capillary. You might think, so what? What’s so fantastic about moving these substances from the fluid between the cells into the bloodstream? However, the removal of proteins from these spaces is an absolutely essential function, for without it we would die within close to twenty-four hours. Take note of this quote from Guyton’s Anatomy and Physiology:

The single most important function of the lymphatics is to return proteins to the circulation when they leak out of the blood capillaries. Some of the pores in the capillaries are so large that small amounts of proteins leak continuously, amounting each day to approximately one-half of the total protein in the circulation. If these proteins were not returned to the circulation, the person’s plasma colloid osmotic pressure [pressure that moves fluid into the capillary] would fall so low and he would lose so much blood volume into the interstitial spaces that he would die within twelve to twenty-four hours. Furthermore, no other means is available by which proteins can return to the circulation except by way of the lymphatics. p. 511

So if it were not for this ongoing removal of proteins, life could no longer continue. The exchange of fluids would be so abnormal that we would cease to exist. As stated in the quote, no other route exists in our bodies except the lymphatics to return these excess proteins to the circulatory system. Hence, no other function of the lymphatic system can even approach this highly important, life-sustaining role.