Podcast # 22 - Lovers of Lymph | Dr. Christine Schaffner
The Science of Self-Healing Hosted by Dr. Sharon Stills With Special Guest
Dr. Christine Schaffner
About Dr. Christine Schaffner
Growing up in a family of healthcare practitioners, after graduating from Bastyr as a board-certified Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Christine Schaffner chose to make her mark in a powerful and unique way, focusing on biological medicine – a sorely underexplored modality that supports the patient’s own innate ability to heal, rather than interrupting their physiology with medication and other prescriptive, symptom-based protocols.
With her widely diverse skill set, Dr. Schaffner combines both naturopathic, functional and conventional therapies to develop individualized treatment plans focusing on the underlying cause of complex chronic illness including:
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Lyme Disease
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Autoimmunity
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Neurological Illnesses
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Sleep issues
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And a long list of other advanced health hurdles
Patients who visit Dr. Schaffner, or any of the world-famous clinics she helped create, typically have seen dozens of doctors and practitioners. Likewise, other Practitioners have come to her, after years of frustration, hoping to observe and learn her approach, addressing patients’ complex health concerns and creating a successful journey that inspires their own body to open up to it’s self-regulating and self-healing mechanisms.
Licensed in Washington State, Oregon, California, Montana, Washington DC (and coming soon: Arizona, Utah, Idaho and Hawaii), Dr. Schaffner also offers medical consultations via telemedicine.
Contact Info:
Quote
Most modern medicine practitioners see and only treat symptoms. This is why it fails.
Dr. Christine Schaffner
Episode Highlights with Dr. Christine Schaffner
Dr. Christine Schaffner - The Lymphatic System
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The Lymphatic System
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“Pumpless” valve system
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Body-wide network of capillaries, vessels, nodes, and glands
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Intimately related to our circulatory system
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Clears waste from tissues and acts as an immune surveillance system
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Affects neurological health
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Glial defendant lymphatic system
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Regulated by astrocytes in the brain
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Brains shrink 60% in size during sleep allowing lymph to flow along the arteries within the brain in order to detoxify
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Astrocytes containing aquaporin channels regulate the flow of lymph and fluid that bathe neurons in nutrition and oxygen while also working to remove wastes, such as pathogens, viruses, heavy metals etc.
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Chronic congestion leads to pressure or pooling in the brain as well
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Drains from Cribriform plate in the brain at the base of the sinus passage, down through areas surrounding the sinuses, and then passes through Waldeyer's ring (a ring of lymphatic tissue) along the base of the throat where the tonsils are located. These include:
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Palatine tonsils
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Adenoids
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Tubal tonsils
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Lingual tonsils
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If any of these pathways are blocked, this can create a pooling of toxic fluid buildup in the brain
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Brain injury can lead to lymphatic injury, increasing the chances of improper detoxification through the lymphatic system. This can lead to further injury within the brain.
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Recommendations for a healthy Lymphatic System
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Healthy sleep habits
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Maintaining healthy melatonin levels (assists with detoxifying the brain)
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Incline sleeping (5 degree angle to encourage lymph drainage)
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Work on drainage through movement
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Breathwork
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Awareness of breath
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Alternate nostril breathing
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Yoga
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Deep belly breathing, work on capacity
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Ribcage contraction and expansion in order to move lymph
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Dry brushing
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Rebounding (trampoline use)
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Neural Therapy
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Lymphatic drainage massage
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Infrared compression suite
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Stimulating circulation
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Infrared sauna
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Herbal ingestion
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Topical creams encouraging immune function (both systemic and transdermal absorption)
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Healing past traumas
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Positive attitude and gratitude promotes healing and proper bodily function
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Signs indicating unhealthy Lymph function
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-Brain fog
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-Mood swings
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Insomnia
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Issues with gut health
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Bloated, pain, inflammation
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Sinus congestion
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Allergies
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Poor circulation
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Tonsil issues
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Sore throat
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Water retention
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Swelling in the body
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Breast health
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Fibrocystic breasts, large amounts of swelling during menses could indicate a detoxification issue
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