Maximum weight loss

Women are losing 8 pounds every week with “side effects” like 300% more energy, 61% less anxiety and 88% less pain—all by clearing blockages in the body’s most overlooked detox system

Heal your lymph glands to drop 8 pounds in 7 days

Did you spend your summer “being good” without losing a single pound? Are your rings tight, your joints sore and your body tired? Does your skin overreact to every mosquito bite, getting itchy, hot and swollen? These signs all point to a congested lymphatic system— a complex network of capillaries and vessels that help rid the body of toxins, excess fluids and fat. When this system gets sludgy and slow—like it does for an estimated 80% of women over 40—it’s not just a problem for health and vitality. It can also sabotage your weight-loss efforts.

“When lymph flow is slow and congested, it leads to an accumulation of body fat,” asserts Bruno Chikly, M.D., D.O., director of the Lymph Drainage Therapy & Brain Therapy Programs in Scottsdale, Arizona. To understand why, think of your lymphatic system as a highway: When it is packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, other cars can’t squeeze on. A similar thing happens with fat molecules: “A slow lymphatic system can no longer properly transport fat where it needs to go,” Dr. Chikly explains. This extra fat winds up being deposited around your belly, hips and thighs. It’s no wonder Stanford University researchers discovered that a lymphatic slowdown causes fat storage to double!

“Carrying around these extra pounds triggers inflammation—a problem for

“Once lymphatic fluid is moving freely, the body can burn fat and flush toxins” —Bruno Chikly,

M.D., D.O.

both your immune system and your waistline,” says lymph expert Jenna Macciochi, Ph.D. “As part of its role as a superhighway, the lymphatic system carries immune cells through your body to infection-fighting lymph nodes. But inflammation thwarts this process by reducing lymph flow.” Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital report that this inflammation triggers the creation of more fat cells to store the toxins present in stagnant lymph fluid—and that makes losing weight on any diet virtually impossible.

Why do so many of us have backed up lymphatic systems? One common culprit is toxins, which collect in lymph fluid before they’re flushed from the body. Another offender? Stress. “Stress hormones cause lymph tissue to deteriorate, so lymphatic vessels can’t drain as they should,” says Macciochi. The loss of muscle strength as we age also plays a role: The lymphatic system relies on muscle contractions from surrounding tissues. But according to a study in the journal Aging Cell, the strength of the muscles that move lymph fluid decreases by 20% and their contractions are up to 70% less frequent as we get into our 50s.

Luckily, a detoxifying diet combined with self-care thins out a clogged lymph to power off pounds. Eating more whole foods reduces toxin buildup, and targeted self-care practices allow more fluid to be pumped through the body—often in as little as seven days, says Dr. Chikly. What’s more, he assures: “Once lymphatic fluid is moving freely, fat can be transported to be burned for fuel and excess toxins can be flushed from the body.”

Effortless weight loss is just the beginning. “Greater lymph flow may reduce your risk of plaque buildup in arteries, high cholesterol and inflammatory bowel disease,” says Dr. Chikly. You’ll also enjoy improved immunity, more energy and less pain. “I used to feel trapped,” says 47-year-old Heather Petrie, who lost 126 pounds by focusing on lymphatic health. “Now, nothing holds me back. I have so much energy!” Read on to start your transformation.