After weeks of feeling sluggish and noticing puffiness around my eyes, I stumbled upon lymphatic drainage massage. Skeptical but curious, I gave it a try. The results were astounding—my face felt rejuvenated, and the swelling subsided. If you're searching for a natural way to enhance your skin’s health, lymphatic drainage massage might just be the answer.

The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in our body's detoxification process, moving lymph fluid and eliminating waste. This network of vessels and nodes can sometimes become sluggish, leading to fluid retention and puffiness. Enter lymphatic drainage massage—a gentle technique designed to stimulate lymph flow, reduce swelling, and promote radiant skin.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage: Why It Works

Lymphatic drainage massage isn’t just a wellness buzzword. It’s a scientifically-backed method that enhances the lymphatic system’s function, encouraging the removal of toxins and excess fluid. Regular practice can improve skin texture, reduce inflammation, and even strengthen the immune system. Here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering this at-home beauty ritual.

Before you begin, ensure you have clean hands and a freshly washed face. Find a comfortable spot and gather a few essentials: a mirror, a facial oil or moisturizer suitable for your skin type, and a clean towel. The oil or moisturizer will provide the necessary slip for your hands to glide smoothly over your skin.

Step-by-Step Guide to Lymphatic Drainage Massage

1. Begin at the Collarbone:

• Using gentle pressure, place your fingertips just above your collarbone.
• Lightly press in a circular motion, stimulating the lymph nodes in this area.
• Repeat this motion five times to prepare the lymphatic pathways.

2. Move to the Neck:

• Position your hands on either side of your neck.
• Using upward strokes, gently massage from the base of your neck to your jawline.
• This helps to stimulate lymphatic flow and reduce swelling in the neck area.

3. Focus on the Jawline:

• Using your index and middle fingers, apply gentle pressure and massage from the center of your chin outwards along the jawline.
• Repeat this motion five times on each side to encourage lymph movement.

4. Cheeks and Nasal Area:

• Place your fingers beside your nostrils and gently press, moving your fingers outward towards your ears.
• This technique helps to drain lymphatic fluid from the cheek and nasal areas, reducing puffiness.

5. Under the Eyes:

• With a light touch, use your ring fingers to gently press and sweep from the inner corners of your eyes towards the temples.
• This step is particularly effective for reducing under-eye bags and dark circles.

6. Forehead and Temples:

• Using both hands, apply gentle pressure starting from the center of your forehead and sweeping outwards towards your temples.
• Repeat this motion five times to stimulate lymph flow across the forehead.

Maintaining Your Glow: Post-Massage Care

After completing the massage, take a few moments to relax and breathe deeply. This will help your body to fully integrate the benefits of the massage. Apply a hydrating serum or moisturizer to lock in the benefits. Regular practice as suggested by skincare experts, ideally two to three times a week, can lead to noticeable improvements in your skin’s appearance and overall health.

- Drinking plenty of water aids in the detoxification process, enhancing the effects of the massage.

- Incorporate a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to support your lymphatic system.

- Like any skincare regimen, consistency is key. Make lymphatic drainage massage a regular part of your beauty routine.

Benefits of Performing Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Expert recommend that with consistent practice, you’ll notice reduced puffiness, a brighter complexion, and a feeling of overall wellness. Lymphatic drainage massage not only enhances your skin’s appearance but also supports your body’s natural detoxification processes, contributing to a healthier you.

Lymphatic drainage massage is a simple yet powerful technique that can transform your skincare routine. Simply dedicate a few minutes each week to this practice, to achieve a glowing complexion, reduced puffiness, and a healthier lymphatic system.

Dogs are an unmatched addition to our lives, their unconditional energy and love not only help us feel better mentally, but also physically. Many people found the idea of keeping dogs as pets more favorable considering the notion that a dog can help you be more active. Dogs, being social creatures, need daily movement, exercise, interactions with other pets as well as proper care and attention to thrive. So many people believe that getting a dog can help them go out more, pay attention to their health and find a good balance.

A new survey has also revealed that about seven people out of ten say that their furry companions are the main reason they exercise more. The study asked 1,000 dog owners, and it found that 40% are more motivated by their dogs to be active than they are by their own family. Pets are even better at inspiring exercise than famous people or personal trainers.

Furry Friends as Fitness Coaches

This study was done by the sports company ASICS, that produces sportswear. The research shows that dogs aren't just good to have around; they also push us to be more active. Almost everyone who answered the survey agreed that their dog encourages them to move more. Owners often feel like they need to go for a walk when their dog waits by the door or brings them their leash. People who have dogs reportedly get a lot of exercise each week – about 240 minutes. That's much more than the 180 minutes that people without dogs average.

Dog Walks Boost Mood and Social Connections

The study also showed that walking dogs has a good impact on how we feel mentally. A large majority – 80% – of people felt less stressed and happier after a walk with their dog. Dog owners also scored higher on how good their overall mental health was compared to people who don't have pets. Plus, walking a dog helps people connect with others. About 72% of owners said they talk to more people when they're on walks with their dogs, and 78% believe this makes them feel better.

More Than Just Pets, Companions of Health

According to a BMC Public Health 2016 study, researchers gathered information from 629 dog owners in Perth, Australia. The researchers used formulas to see which things were linked to how often the owners said their dog encouraged them to walk in the last month, and how much they agreed with the statement- "Having a dog makes me walk more."

The study found that people wanted to walk their dogs more if they had big dogs, loved their dogs a lot, knew their dogs' liked walks, thought walks kept their dogs healthy, and if their family liked them walking the dog.

People felt less like walking their dogs if they had kids at home, if a kid was the main walker, or if they thought it was hard to walk their dog every day.

Also, if people thought walking made their dog bark less, they walked more but if their dog was overweight or sick, they walked less. If their husband or wife was the main walker, they also walked less. And surprisingly, if they lived close to lots of parks where dogs could go, they didn't feel as much like their dog made them want to walk.

One of the most common viruses in the world, Epstein-Barr virus, or EBV is a member of the herpes virus family, also known as herpesvirus 4. Herpes viruses have been with humans for a very, very long time and have gotten good at living in our bodies. Once you get a herpes virus, it stays in your body forever. This means pretty much every adult has at least one type of these nine herpes viruses.

When you first get a herpes virus, you often don't even know it because you don't feel sick. After this first infection, the virus goes into a quiet stage where it's still there but not causing problems.

There are eight main types of herpes viruses that we know about. They are everywhere and are very good at living in us without causing too much trouble most of the time.

• Herpes simplex type I (HSV-1).
• Herpes simplex type II (HSV-2).
• Varicella-zoster virus (VZV/HHV-3).
• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV/HHV-4).
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV/HHV-5).
• Herpesvirus type 6 (HBLV/HHV-6).
• Herpesvirus type 7 (HHV-7).
• Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8)

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention many people get infected with EBV in their lifetime especially in their childhood, however its symptoms are not distinguishable from other mild brief childhood illnesses.

While most cases of EBV do not cause any serious health issues, some strains of it like the Chronic Epstein-Bar Virus can cause serious health issues in people. A new study published in the BMC Virology Journal explained that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is now being seen as a germ that can cause a serious brain problem called encephalitis.

What Is Epstein Bar Virus (EBV)?

EBV is a highly contagious virus that can pass through bodily fluid contact. It is the cause of one of the most common infections, mononucleosis or mono. Once you get this virus, it stays in your body, inactive and in a dormant state until it becomes reactivated.

According to the Frontiers in Immunology, Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) disease is a very uncommon problem where people's bodies can't fight off the EBV virus. It keeps getting worse, with a lot of the virus's DNA in their blood and the virus attacking their organs with infected blood cells.

People with this disease often have fevers, swollen glands, a big spleen, liver problems caused by EBV, or low blood counts. Over time, their body's ability to fight off infections gets weaker. If they don't get treatment, they can die from other infections, a problem where the body attacks its own blood cells, organ failure, or cancers linked to EBV.

The only treatment that has been proven to work for this disease is a stem cell transplant (a procedure to replace damaged blood cells with healthy ones). Right now, scientists are trying to figure out why this disease happens. They are looking at problems with the body's defense system (immune defects) and changes in people's genes that might be linked to the disease. A new study as also revealed that EBV may also cause us brain damage due to a disease called encephalitis.

Symptoms Of Epstein-Bar Virus

EBV infections do not cause symptoms especially for children, teens and adults are more likely to experience symptoms like fever, feeling tired or fatigued headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes in your neck and arm, enlarged spleen or swollen liver, body aches and skin rash. The symptoms of this usually last for two to four weeks. Things are a bit different with Chronic EBV. In rare cases of EBV, it can lead to a chronic condition called active EBV (CAEVB) some symptoms include, swollen and tender lymph nodes, fever, enlarged liver, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle pain joint stiffness, anemia and liver failure.

Can EBV Cause Brain Damage?

The study looked at all the people who were diagnosed with encephalitis at one hospital from June 2020 to April 2021. The researchers took information from the hospital's computer records. Then they used different math tests to compare the information from people who had EBV-related encephalitis with those who had encephalitis caused by other germs.

The study included 364 people with encephalitis. In 86 of these people (about 24%), EBV was found in the fluid around their brain and spinal cord (CSF). Out of those 86, 39 people were diagnosed with encephalitis that was definitely caused by EBV. The study found that EBV-related encephalitis is different from encephalitis caused by other herpes viruses.

People with EBV encephalitis had more protein in their CSF, less sugar in their CSF, and were more likely to have swelling around the brain (meningitis) show up on brain scans (MRI). The study also found that older age, having HIV, having a weakened immune system for reasons other than cancer, and having EBV in their blood made it more likely for EBV to infect their brain and spinal cord.

EBV encephalitis seems to be different from encephalitis caused by other herpes viruses. It often involves more swelling around the brain, more protein and less sugar in the brain fluid, and fewer of a certain type of immune cell (T-lymphocytes) in the blood. These differences suggest that EBV might cause brain swelling in a unique way compared to other herpes viruses.

Young people who have multiple symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to use nicotine through vaping, smoking, or other tobacco products. This has been revealed in a recent study which was published in JAMA Network Open. The research has also highlighted a worrying link between mental health and substance use among adolescents.

What Did The Study Find?

The study is led by Sean Esteban McCabe, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan and analyzed the data from the Population Assessment of tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. This long-term research tracked 13,572 American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 over a period of nine years. The study used annual surveys to gather information on tobacco use and ADHD symptoms.

The results showed that teens who exhibited three or more symptoms of ADHD had significantly higher adjusted odds of using nicotine-based products, compared to those with no symptoms. Interestingly, individuals with "asymptomatic" ADHD—meaning they had very mild or no noticeable symptoms—did not show higher odds of tobacco use compared to those in the control group.

Understanding ADHD and Nicotine Use

ADHD is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions in childhood. It is commonly characterized by difficulty in paying attention, controlling impulses, and, in some cases, excessive activity. While the symptoms vary in intensity, even a few persistent signs can have notable effects on a young person’s behavior and choices.

In this study, symptoms were assessed through questions like: “When was the last time that you did the following things two or more times… Felt restless or the need to run around or climb on things?” The more such symptoms a teenager reported, the higher their risk of using tobacco.

For example, the research found that teens with three to four ADHD symptoms were 60% more likely to vape than those with no ADHD symptoms.

Nicotine as a Form of Self-Medication?

One of the main reasons behind this pattern may be nicotine’s short-term effects on the brain. It can temporarily improve focus and alertness, which might appeal to individuals struggling with ADHD. “So people with ADHD might use tobacco to self-medicate,” McCabe explained to ScienceNews.

While this might offer a brief sense of relief, nicotine remains highly addictive and poses numerous health risks, especially to young, developing bodies and brains.

Implications for Parents and Public Health

These findings contribute to growing evidence that links psychological or mental health issues with substance use, including nicotine addiction. Past studies have also connected tobacco use with anxiety and depression.

McCabe emphasizes the importance of not overlooking ADHD symptoms in children. “This study suggests that if their symptoms of ADHD are controlled through therapy… or if the symptoms naturally dissipate, [kids] remain at lower risk for tobacco and nicotine and associated adverse outcomes,” he noted.

Although cigarette smoking has declined among teenagers in recent years, the popularity of vaping continues to rise. Marketed initially as a safer alternative, vaping has now been linked to several health concerns. Experts warn that it is far from harmless.

“Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death,” McCabe said. “Preventing tobacco use would be a powerful game changer for anyone — including those with ADHD.”