My favorite product swaps for better lymphatic support - WATER!

My first product swap. Water

If you know me you know I love simple changes that actually improves your health and your lymphatic system.The very first swap I made at home was our drinking water.

Not because I wanted to become a full time water snob…well maybe a little... but because what is in tap water really does matter when your body is trying to detox and move lymph properly.

Here is a quick and honest breakdown on what is actually in your drinking water:

Chlorine and chloramines: These are added to kill bacteria. They can irritate the gut and skin and may place extra stress on the liver which is one of the organs your lymphatic system works closely with.

Fluoride: Used for dental health but in excess it may interfere with thyroid function which can affect energy, metabolism and overall fluid balance in the body. On this note... if you will filter your water, you must change your diet ! Fluoride was added to our tap water by the government to reduce dental cavities caused by our high sugar consumption. CUT out all access sugar from your diet otherwise once you start filtering your tap water you may experience a rise in your dentist visits.

Lead and other heavy metals: Even small amounts over time can accumulate in the body and place strain on the nervous system and detox pathways. When lead and other heavy metals slowly accumulate, the body struggles to clear them because they bind into tissues and organs. Over time this can show up as real symptoms, not just vague detox talk. Here are some of the effects heavy metals can cause over time:

Nervous system effects: You may experience brain fog, poor concentration, memory issues, headaches, mood changes, anxiety and in higher exposure even tremors or nerve pain.

Chronic fatigue and low energy: Heavy metals interfere with how your cells produce energy, so people often feel constantly tired even after rest.

Hormonal and endocrine disruption: Metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium disrupts thyroid and adrenal function which can contribute to weight changes, cold intolerance, low motivation and cycle irregularities.

Immune system suppression: You may get sick more often, recover slower and have more chronic inflammation in the body.

Digestive and gut issues: Nausea, abdominal discomfort, constipation or altered gut bacteria can occur when metals affect the gut lining and liver processing.

Cardiovascular strain: Long term exposure to lead has been linked with increased blood pressure and higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Kidney and liver stress: These organs do most of the filtering. chronic exposure increases the risk of impaired kidney function and reduced detox capacity.

In children and during pregnancy, lead exposure in tap water is especially concerning because it can affect brain development and learning ability. Potentially leading to learning difficulties in children.

From a lymphatic perspective, this matters because heavy metals increase inflammatory load and detox demand. When your lymph system is already sluggish, that extra burden can absolutely contribute to heaviness, swelling, pain and slow recovery. BUT that is enough on heavy metals... :-D

Next one up is:

Microplastics: Tiny plastic particles are now being found in water, food and even human tissues. Research is still emerging but they are linked with inflammation and possible hormone disruption.

PFAS also called forever chemicals: These are very persistent industrial chemicals. They are associated with immune system disruption, hormonal effects and reduced ability for the body to clear toxins efficiently.

Nitrates and pesticides; These usually come from agricultural runoff. High exposure has been linked to oxidative stress and can burden the liver and kidneys.

Pharmaceutical residues including synthetic estrogen from birth control: Birth control is not just affecting us... it is also affecting our environment! Studies in the UK have shown estrogenic pollution in rivers affecting fish populations. It is turning male fish population into female. Human exposure through drinking water is still being researched but I can see this affect amongst humans as well... but I leave this piece of information to your judgment...

Basically… your body already works very hard every single day to move fluid, filter waste and keep inflammation down.Why make it work harder than it needs to.

And yes… I know. This is the part where some people say “Oh here she goes… the water talk.”....But honestly… when lymph flow is sluggish, your environment matters.

THE FILTER I CHOSE

After a lot of reading and comparing, I chose a Berkey water filter for our home.

The reason I liked it is because it is designed to reduce:

Chlorine and chloramines

Heavy metals

PFAS

Microplastics

Many pesticides and industrial chemicals

....And a wide range of pharmaceutical residues by 99.99%.

It is also a gravity system which means no plumbing, no stress and no calling my husband to fix something I definitely broke. AAAND! the Berkey filter last 11 years !!!!! this made a huge impact on this investment.

Real life feedback though…

The water smells different. It tastes different. It feels "lighter" going down.

Yes, I used the word lighter as it is so much easier to drink. When you drink a lot of water like I do, you notice.

Why this swap matters for your lymphatic system

Your lymphatic system depends on clean hydration to:

Support fluid movement

Reduce stagnation

Help the liver and kidneys clear waste

...And calm down chronic low grade inflammation

When your body is constantly dealing with chemical exposure, heavy metals and hormone disrupting compounds, the detox load increases. That can slow things down especially if you already struggle with puffiness, heaviness, bloating or fatigue.

Water will not fix everything. But bad water can absolutely make things harder.

My honest take as a lymphatic drainage therapist

This swap was not about being extreme.

It was about being intentional.

You do not need to live in a bubble.

You just need to remove the biggest and easiest sources of unnecessary stress on your body.

And drinking filtered water every single day is one of the easiest wins.

Also… it makes my tea and coffee taste better. no jokes.... Which honestly should be part of any serious health protocol. If you have got to this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and please leave me a feedback on the topic under the Instagram post that is related to this blog. Would love to read your take on and though on the water topic.