Greens Holistic Therapies

23/11/2025

Last fascia release workshop of 2025!!

See you all next year 🙏🏼❤️
Thank you for your continued support, you have no idea how much it meansz.

23/11/2025

Come along and free yourself from tightness and tension. Physically feel your body release and relax with fascial release.
Learn the techniques and do it at home for yourself care. ❤️❤️

22/11/2025

So important!!

🙌 Self-Massage for Lymphatic Drainage – Do’s & Don’ts

By Bianca Botha, CLT | MLDT | RLD

Self-massage for lymphatic drainage can be a powerful way to support your body between professional treatments. But because the lymphatic system is so delicate, it’s important to know what to do — and what not to do.

✅ DO: Best Practices

✨ Be Gentle
• Use very light pressure (like stroking a cat). Lymph vessels sit just under the skin — pressing too hard actually closes them.

✨ Start at the Neck & Chest
• Always begin by clearing the “exit points” (supraclavicular area at the collarbones, then the sides of the neck). This creates space for fluid from further down.

✨ Work Proximal to Distal
• Open central nodes first (neck, armpits, groin) before moving fluid from arms, legs, or face.

✨ Follow the Direction of Flow
• Always stroke toward the nearest lymph node region (e.g., legs toward groin, arms toward armpits).

✨ Use Rhythm & Repetition
• Gentle, slow, repeated movements are more effective than random rubbing.

✨ Support with Breathwork
• Deep belly breathing stimulates the thoracic duct — your body’s largest lymphatic highway.

❌ DON’T: Common Mistakes

🚫 Don’t Press Hard
• Lymph vessels collapse under pressure. Think “gentle stretch of the skin,” not deep tissue massage.

🚫 Don’t Skip the Exits
• If you only massage your swollen ankles without first clearing the groin/abdominal nodes, fluid has nowhere to go.

🚫 Don’t Work When Very Ill or Infected
• Avoid self-massage if you have a fever, acute infection, or unexplained swelling — always check with your doctor first.

🚫 Don’t Rush
• Quick, aggressive movements stimulate blood circulation, not lymph drainage. Slow is key.

🚫 Don’t Forget Hydration
• Lymph needs fluid to move. Without hydration, massage is less effective.

🌸 Final Tip

Self-massage is best for maintenance and light support. For chronic swelling, lymphedema, or post-surgical care, always seek help from a certified lymphatic therapist for safety and deeper results.

https://youtu.be/6laR5c_y2IA?si=DupZT2lpO7X1N0yl

📌 This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns about swelling or lymphatic health.

19/11/2025

This is a brilliant post and thought I’d share.

🧬💥 Autoimmune Chaos in the Lymphatic System: The Hidden Battlefield Inside Your Body

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen.

🚨 Introduction: Autoimmunity Isn’t Just About Antibodies—It’s About Drainage

Autoimmune diseases—from rheumatoid arthritis to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus—are often discussed in terms of antibodies, genes, and immune dysregulation. But there’s an unsung hero—or rather, a wounded soldier—in this war: the lymphatic system.

Long regarded as the silent partner in immunity, research now confirms that the lymphatic system doesn’t just respond to autoimmune disease—it drives, modulates, and sometimes deteriorates under it.

🧠 What Is the Lymphatic System—And Why It Matters in Autoimmunity

The lymphatic system is a fluid transport and immune surveillance network, consisting of:
• Lymphatic vessels
• Lymph nodes
• Lymph fluid (interstitial fluid, immune cells, proteins)
• Lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen, tonsils, Peyer’s patches)

Key Roles:
• Maintains interstitial fluid homeostasis
• Transports immune cells
• Filters pathogens, toxins, and damaged cells
• Presents antigens to immune cells (e.g., dendritic cells to T cells)

📚 Reference: Randolph, G. J., et al. (2017). “The lymphatic system: integral roles in immunity.” Annual Review of Immunology
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-immunol-041015-055354

🔬 What Happens in Autoimmune Disease?

In autoimmune conditions, the immune system begins to attack “self” antigens—mistaking body tissue as foreign invaders.

Here’s how the lymphatic system becomes disrupted in the process:

🧩 1. Lymphatic Activation and Overload
• Autoantigens are constantly picked up and presented via dendritic cells in lymph nodes.
• The nodes become chronically inflamed (lymphadenopathy), losing their capacity to filter efficiently.
• Lymph vessels dilate and lose contractility, impairing drainage.

🧠 Fact: In rheumatoid arthritis, lymph node swelling occurs even before joint pain, showing early-stage lymphatic involvement.

📚 Randolph, G. J., Ivanov, S., Zinselmeyer, B. H., & Collier, A. R. (2017).
“The lymphatic system: integral roles in immunity.” Annual Review of Immunology, 35, 31–52.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-immunol-041015-055354

🔥 2. Chronic Inflammation Damages Lymphatic Architecture
• Persistent inflammation leads to lymphangiogenesis (growth of new vessels) driven by VEGF-C and VEGF-D.
• However, these new vessels are often leaky, dysfunctional, or misrouted, leading to protein-rich fluid retention, fibrosis, and further immune dysregulation.

📚 Source: Kataru, R. P., et al., “Lymphatic dysfunction in chronic inflammatory diseases.” Trends in Immunology, 2019
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2019.01.007

🧬 3. Breakdown of Immune Tolerance in Lymphoid Organs
• In healthy systems, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are developed in lymph nodes to maintain immune tolerance.
• In autoimmunity, lymph nodes show defective Treg formation, resulting in a failure to suppress self-reactive immune cells.

📚 Source: Fu, Y. X., et al. “Lymph node tolerance and autoimmunity.” Cell Research, 2014
https://doi.org/10.1038/cr.2014.43

🌊 4. Lymph Stasis Leads to Systemic Toxicity
• Impaired lymph flow prevents clearance of cytokines, immune complexes, and cell debris.
• This contributes to immune flooding—a sustained state of inflammation systemically, not just locally.
• Patients often experience:
• Brain fog
• Edema
• Fatigue
• Skin eruptions
• Muscle/joint stiffness

🧠 5. The Glymphatic Link (Autoimmune Brain Fog)

Autoimmune diseases affecting the brain (like MS or lupus) often impair the glymphatic system, the brain’s unique lymphatic-like detox pathway. Inflammation and immune complexes may block glymphatic drainage, leading to:
• Neuroinflammation
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Mood disorders

📚 Study: Louveau et al., Nature (2015) – “CNS lymphatic vessels identified in the meninges”
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14432

🧪 Clinical Applications: Supporting Lymph in Autoimmunity

There’s no cure-all, but supporting lymphatic health can radically improve quality of life and inflammation management in autoimmune patients.

🔄 Evidence-Based Strategies:
• Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) – clinically shown to reduce lymphatic load and improve flow
• Movement & Rebounding – stimulates lymphangions, the vessels’ natural pumping units
• Dry Brushing & Far Infrared Therapy – increases surface circulation and lymphatic responsiveness
• Lymph-Stimulating Botanicals – cleavers, red root, manjistha (consult with practitioner)
• Vagus Nerve Support – activates parasympathetic regulation of lymph flow
• Anti-inflammatory, dairy-free diets – reduce antigen load and systemic swelling

💡 Final Takeaway

The lymphatic system is not a passive bystander in autoimmune disease. It is the battlefield, the waste manager, the immune negotiator—and sometimes the collateral damage.

Modern research is finally catching up to what integrative therapists have long seen: you cannot heal the immune system without addressing lymphatic flow.

🧠💧 When the lymph moves, the immune system listens. When it stagnates, disease speaks louder.

You are not inflamed because your body is weak—
You’re inflamed because your body is fighting.
Now let’s help it drain, detox, and heal.

©️

19/11/2025

Do you need lymphatic drainage to reset your system ?? If this resonates with you then perhaps this relaxing and clearing treatment is what you need.

🌷 When Your Breasts Are Heavy, Your Body Carries More Than Just Weight

How Large Breasts Affect Posture, Pain, Lymph Flow, Hormones & Long-Term Health

By Bianca Botha, CLT | RLD | MLDT| CDS

Large breasts are not “just big breasts.”
They are a biomechanical load, a lymphatic challenge, and sometimes an emotional battle that very few people talk about openly.

Let’s break down the science beautifully, gently, and honestly. 💗

🌸 1. Posture: How Heavy Breasts Pull the Body Out of Alignment

Large breasts naturally shift the body’s centre of gravity forward.
To compensate, the spine must curve and the supporting muscles must work overtime.

🧠 What this causes in the body:

• Forward-rounded shoulders
The pectoral muscles tighten and drag the shoulders inward.

• Upper-back & neck strain
The trapezius, levator scapulae, and cervical spine take on constant weight.

• Thoracic kyphosis (“hunching”)
The mid-back bends excessively to counterbalance breast weight.

• Head-forward posture
For every 2.5 cm the head moves forward, the neck carries ~5 extra kg of pressure.

• Chronic muscle fatigue
The upper back never rests — even during sleep.

This is why women with large breasts often say:
“My shoulders are burning”
“My neck always spasms”
“I feel like my chest is dragging me forward”

Because it is.

💚 2. Lymphatic Flow: Why Large Breasts Cause Congestion, Swelling & Tender Nodes

This is one of the most overlooked effects.

The breast sits over major lymphatic highways, including:
• The axillary (armpit) lymph nodes
• The parasternal nodes along the chest
• The intercostal lymph vessels
• The superficial abdominal lymphatics

🎀 When breasts are very large:

• Breast weight compresses lymph vessels — reducing drainage.
• Bra straps dig into tissue — blocking upper-trunk lymph flow.
• The chest wall moves less with breathing — lowering lymph circulation.
• The breast tissue itself becomes congested — heaviness, swelling, sensitivity.
• Armpit nodes are overwhelmed — especially before menstruation.

This often leads to:
• Puffy armpits
• Tender axillary nodes
• Chest pressure
• Breast swelling
• Worse PMS symptoms
• Slower detox around the chest & upper abdomen

Lymph LOVES movement and space — large breasts reduce both.

🌿 3. Nerve Compression: The Silent Pain Nobody Warned You About

The weight of the breasts can compress multiple nerves:

⚡ Most commonly affected nerves:
• Brachial plexus
• Intercostal nerves
• Cervical nerve roots (C4–C8)

⚡ Symptoms many women describe:
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Pain down the shoulder blades
• Burning between the spine & shoulder
• Headaches or migraines
• Shooting pain into the ribs

This is NOT “in your head.”
It is anatomical compression.

🪽 4. Breathing & Rib Cage Mobility

The rib cage needs to expand horizontally when we breathe.

But large breasts can:
• Restrict rib movement
• Tighten the diaphragm
• Reduce deep breathing
• Increase chest tension
• Decrease oxygenation and lymph pumping

This is why many women say:
“I breathe shallow”
“My chest always feels tight”
“I get breathless easily”

Deep breaths pump the lymphatic system — when breathing is restricted, lymph stagnates.

💛 5. Hormones & Inflammation

Large breasts have more adipose (fat) tissue, which:
• Produces estrogen
• Stores toxins
• Generates inflammatory cytokines

This can worsen:
• PMS
• Breast tenderness
• Swelling
• Water retention
• Mood swings
• Weight fluctuations

Inflammation + lymph congestion = a cycle that feeds itself.

🌈 6. Emotional & Psychological Weight

Many women never speak about this part, but it’s real.

Large breasts can cause:
• Clothing discomfort
• Unwanted attention
• Feeling “pulled forward” emotionally
• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty exercising
• Body image distress
• Anxiety about breast health

It is not vanity.
It is lived experience.

🌺 7. When to Consider Lymphatic Support or Reduction

You may benefit from lymphatic therapy if you experience:
✔ Chronic shoulder/neck tension
✔ Puffy armpits
✔ Breast swelling
✔ Tender breast tissue
✔ Rib-cage tightness
✔ Headaches
✔ Reduced mobility
✔ Constant fatigue or heaviness in the chest
✔ Struggling with breathing expansion

You may benefit from discussing breast reduction if:
✔ Pain interrupts daily life
✔ You cannot exercise without discomfort
✔ You have nerve symptoms in arms or hands
✔ You have recurring infections under the breasts
✔ No bra feels comfortable
✔ Headaches are worsening
✔ Lymph drainage remains poor

This is NOT giving up.
It is choosing relief.

🌸 8. What Helps? Practical Support for Lymph Flow & Posture

💖 Lymph Flow
• Gentle breast & axillary lymph drainage
• Deep diaphragmatic breathing
• Correct bra fitting (very important!)
• Soft daily movement
• Chest opening exercises

💚 Posture
• Strengthening rhomboids & lower traps
• Stretching pecs & anterior shoulders
• Neck mobility exercises
• Sleeping with chest supported
• Corrective posture habits

🌿 Pain Relief
• Heat therapy on upper back
• Magnesium lotion
• Lymphatic cupping
• Gentle fascia release

🌷 Final Words

If your breasts are heavy, PLEASE understand this:
Your pain is valid. Your fatigue is valid. Your symptoms are real.

You are not “dramatic.”
You are not “overreacting.”
Your body is doing the best it can with a weight it was never designed to carry.

19/11/2025

Do you want to learn how to release your body from constriction and discomfort?

Come join us for this amazing workshop, led by Kirsten an advanced myofascial release practitioner and self myofascial release teacher with over 11 years experience working with fascia.

Fascial release workshops teach you myofascial release (MFR) techniques, which are methods used to relieve pain and tension by working with the body’s fascia.

Come join us for a 2 hour workshop at Yellow Bamboo Yoga, Portobello on Sunday 23rd November 10-12.

Spaces are limited, book on Yellow Bamboo Yoga website, glofox or text ⁨07810 147271⁩

26/10/2025

All ready for another Self Myofascial Release class. I don’t know who needs this more, my students or me😂😂😂❤️❤️

24/10/2025

We still have places available for this Sunday! Self Myofascial Release (SMFR) workshop, 10-12AM. All equipment is provided and the class content is focused on the areas of the body you want to work on and release.

Self Myofascial Release (SMFR) is a gentle full body integrated approach to self-care that promotes relaxation, wellness, can help to reduce pain and promote sleep.

SMFR has been shown to increase joint range of motion, alleviate pain, improve proprioception and help with reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) post-exercise by allowing the fascia and muscles to melt over specific tools. SMFR also increases the sense of self interoceptive awareness that has been shown to alleviate stress, anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression.

Learn how to use a ball, peanut and foam roller correctly!!

Book via Glofox or the website.