Avoiding alcohol and caffeine for at least 24 hours before your session helps protect your nervous system and supports effective lymphatic function. Both substances can create dehydration, irritability, or increased spasticity in clients with MS, making your session less comfortable and potentially less effective.
Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which can leave your body feeling on edge. Alcohol can do the opposite, dulling responsiveness and disrupting sleep or digestion. Neither promotes the calm, parasympathetic state that MLD is designed to enhance. Coming into the session with a calm and balanced system allows your body to receive the rhythmic, supportive pressure of lymphatic work more fully.
You don’t have to be perfect. Simply reducing or skipping your morning coffee or evening drink before your session can be enough to notice a difference. Replace them with warm water, herbal tea, or a diluted juice blend. Your lymphatic system and nervous system will thank you with better flow, easier release, and more consistent results.
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