The Anti-Bloat Massage.

You know a treatment is worth trying when you hear it being whispered about.

Like a secret no one wants to share. That’s when I know something works.

So it was with the High Definition Body Massage created by Jeannie Bourke, Director of Venustus Beauty & Body Lab. At this beauty and body lab, the main focus is healing, both inside and out. A trip to this Day Spa leaves you feeling glowing both physically and mentally.

Perfect for frequent flyers, women under stress, post surgery, post indulgence this massage works on the lymph system to remove excess fluid and toxins from the body. Fans of the treatment include fashion designer Pip Edwards, Celebrity make-up artist Max May and Entrepreneur Elle Ferguson

Be warned: this is not a pleasant massage, this is 75 minutes of body therapy. The massage is rigorous using dry brushes and fache muscle rollers to activate the lymph system. It can even be painful at times but the results speak for themselves.

Here, Jeannie breaks down how the treatment works and how you can incorporate lymph massage into your home routine.

HOW DOES THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM WORK ?

Lymphatic massages are moving into the limelight lately, but how many people actually know what they do? Much less, how many people actually know much about the lymphatic system? Before this trend took off, chances are you rarely—if ever—considered your lymph nodes and what they do for your body, but maybe it’s something we should all pay a more attention to.

Put simply, your lymphatic system helps your body stay on its top-game. It’s basically your immune system, which—when healthy—can fight off toxins that your body is exposed through both internally and externally. The lymphatic system works to detoxify threats inside your body like mutated cells, as well as external toxins such as pollutants. It also controls the volume of fluid circulating in the body and works to absorb fluids in order to prevent puffiness and swelling. Do you ever go through phases where you feel like your body is just holding onto a bit more water than usual, leaving you feeling puffy? Odds are, it was something to do with the lymphatic system.

AT HOME LYMPH CARE.

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According to Jeannie, the most important thing to remember when aiming to get the benefits of lymphatic drainage from home is to clear the lymph locations. Otherwise, you will just be vigorously massaging without actually clearing toxins. This can be done through dry brushing and using different types of rollers, based on the results you’re looking for.

There’s also one more takeaway that’s so obvious, yet needs to be heard: “You’ve got to drink lots of water”. If nothing else, keeping a water bottle with you all day is one small way to get your system flowing.

WHAT IS LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE?

As the name suggests, lymphatic drainage is an age-old practice focusing pressure on areas related to the lymphatic system in order to release toxins. A specific rhythm and pressure are applied during a lymphatic drainage massage to increase the flow of the body’s lymphatic system. According to Livestrong, “lymphatic massage helps cells regenerate, improves the immune system, reduces pain and stress, and reduces inflammation."

At Venustus, the day spa where I received my lymphatic massage, this information was confirmed by Jeannie, the spa’s owner and well-known beauty wizard. “By stimulating the lymph nodes you begin moving the tissue,” she explained. “The excessive amount of water and toxins get into the vessels, ultimately becoming lymph and eliminated.”

“High Definition Bodywork is where we are contouring and defining your body,” Jeannie told me. Based on traditional lymphatic massage, High Definition is grounded in the same techniques, but with an upgrade. “Lymphatic on its own can be boring, I wanted to do more…”

With vigorous pressure applied to the same concept of rhythmic motion, High Definition Bodywork is designed for simultaneous immediate results and long term benefits.

Before the massage, the spa collects some background information in order to treat each client’s specific needs. First, Jeannie asks lifestyle questions like “Are you working over 50 hours a week? How many years have you been working these hours? Do you have children? Are you currently doing what you love?” These questions help her get a better understanding of each client’s daily life and determine what they might need from there. Next, she goes through a series of questions to understand the concerns each client is looking to address: “Are you to reduce seeking fluid retention on your face and body? Are you wanting to do all you can to prevent illness and disease? I want people to say yes to all of it because this treatment treats all of it.”

“We break down what is going on in your life and what you’re looking for, what you’re missing, how well you’re sleeping, what your work/life balance is.” Doing so, the High Definition Bodywork is catered to give you the maximum benefits—and the benefits are nothing short of extraordinary.

The Benefits

In addition to an immediate visible slimming and tightening of the area, there are many long term benefits of lymphatic drainage as well. These benefits come from the activation of the lymphatic system and include the elimination and reduction of inflammation and cellulite. Additionally, the massage increases your metabolism in the site of the massage, leaving a good impression on your body long after the message itself is over.

That being said, the immediate visual results don’t hurt either. Right after the massage, you’ll notice that your body is visibly less puffy and swollen. Because the toxins have been drained out, the message leaves your lymph system fresh and operating at its best.