I sit down with Samantha Beckton, certified bodywork therapist, in the last of this three-part series to bust the “that’s just normal” myth around fatigue, bloating, weight gain, and dismissal in women’s health—especially with PCOS. Samantha explains how the lymphatic system acts like the body’s “sweeper,” why it’s so often overlooked in conventional care, and how manual lymphatic drainage can calm the nervous system, lower inflammation, and support hormone balance. You’ll learn simple, doable practices—belly breathing, gentle skin-level strokes, ankle pumps, hydration—that help you move lymph, advocate for yourself, and reclaim your health story.
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(0:02 - 0:29) Hey there, and welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, the space where we cut through the noise and rewrite the stories we've been handed. I'm your host, Lindsie, and today's episode is going to challenge a narrative that far too many women have been told, that's just normal. Whether it's fatigue, bloating, weight gain, or being dismissed because of your diagnosis, you've probably been told to accept a version of health that feels anything but empowering.
(0:30 - 0:58) My guest today is Samantha Beckton, owner of Knot Now Therapeutics, and she's here to flip that script. As a certified bodywork therapist, Samantha has helped countless women reconnect with their bodies and shed the idea that they just have to live with it. We'll talk about how lymphatic massage supports hormone balance, detoxification, and inflammation, and why it's a missing link for so many women, especially those navigating PCOS.
(0:59 - 1:24) Plus, we'll get real about how powerful it is to question what you've been told is normal, and how you can begin to reclaim your story. So if you're ready to ditch the diagnosis mindset and move toward healing that's actually aligned with your body, this episode is for you. As always, the content shared on PCOS Unfiltered is for informational and educational purposes only.
(1:24 - 1:45) The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are not intended to serve as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. The information shared is based on personal experience and expert interviews, and is not a substitute for professional medical guidance.
(1:46 - 2:32) Now grab your foam roller, and let's get into it. So I want to pivot a little bit and talk about lymphatic massage, because I know that's something you used, I mean you use it personally, I think you've talked about it before as well. So for those who've never heard of it, let's just start there, you know, what is it, and why is it important? Yeah, so when I was working in the hospital system, one of my dear friends were in the women's health, and so she was working with breast cancer patients, and I had the magic hands, right? So I started working with her, doing scar tissue mobilization post-mastectomy.
(2:32 - 3:04) One of the things that they do is they take lymph nodes, right? Oftentimes, da-da-da-da-da-da. So through that, the hospital paid for my training to go become a lymphedema therapist. And so I've seen all kinds of lymph, and I'm talking like I've treated people with like literally elephantiasis limbs, right? So what happens is when the lymphatic system gets overloaded, your lymphatic system is like, it's like the sweeper of the body.
(3:04 - 4:20) It takes all of the cellular debris and all of it out so that we can go urinate that out. And so some of the things that happen is if we have venous insufficiency, you know what I mean, where the veins aren't working properly for all of us that have varicose veins, right? And all of the things, or if you're having swelling in your ankles and things like that, that can be managed through lymphatic work and working on the lymphatic system, opening up those channels, and then doing our own manual lymphatic drainage, which kind of moves everything along and moves it out, manages swelling, turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, which, you know, like helps us, that's the rest in place. So it reduces inflammation, it reduces, you know, like all of this cortisol in our body and all of this stress and like really helps with hormone regulation, endocrine system regulation, because we live in like, don't even ask me what we are just like these stressed out creatures.
(4:21 - 4:26) It's true. Yeah. Coming from every, every which direction, yeah, direction.
(4:26 - 4:41) So I find that, you know, it's, again, one of those things that we can learn to do for ourselves. But it's so incredibly valuable. And so incredibly overlooked.
(4:42 - 4:54) Yeah, yeah. Um, why do you think it is overlooked? Some people would feel better. No.
(4:55 - 5:28) I think, because I think, okay, so I think a lot of things. I think that we make things so inordinately complicated, that we think that we need somebody else when if we came back to like, real basic things and learned how to support our bodies for ourselves, and came back, like, we just think like, sometimes people in my program are like, it's so simple. And I'm like, I know, like, and it's just like bringing it back to the simple layer like breathing.
(5:29 - 5:42) Yeah. Right? Like most people breathe up here in their chest. But when you breathe deep into your belly, it pumps on to the cisterna chyli, your cisterna chyli is where your lymphatic fluid is created.
(5:42 - 5:58) And it pumps that out into your body. So if you're not even pumping your you know what I mean, we're just like, and then we get overloaded with all of this toxicity and all these things. I think that we just don't know.
(5:58 - 6:11) I think that we make things way more complicated than it needs to be. And and gosh, I don't know why it is that way. I don't know.
(6:13 - 6:33) But I would I would say, too, I think because of the like, hyper specialization of a lot of stuff to yes, going back to traditional medicine, but um, but it's true. Yeah. Like so in that in that scenario, because you have all these specialists, you know, that are focused on just one system.
(6:34 - 6:59) When the lymph system plays a role in a lot of stuff, it Yeah, it it does it gets I think that's probably I would say that's probably part of it, too. It's a major part of your immune system, a major part of your circulatory system, and you don't even learn about it. Again, we'll learn about their circulatory system and learn about their hearts or veins or arteries.
(6:59 - 7:01) Yeah. No, you know. Yeah.
(7:01 - 7:20) I have my heart. You know, I mean, or whatever it is, I have my veins. But why? Why? And then? And then the other thing, you know, this like you see people with lymphatic overload, like I've seen people at the hospital with legs so big, literally, literally, yes, fluid.
(7:20 - 7:27) Yes. Literally in the ER, leaking, leaking. And what did they do? Oh, give them a diuretic.
(7:28 - 7:32) Yeah, do it. It doesn't do it. It doesn't do it.
(7:32 - 7:39) And we're not empowered. We're not empowered. Like in the hospital system, they have the worst quality food.
(7:40 - 7:52) You can't even get yourself out of bed and walk around, you know what I mean? Without alarms going off, you know, and it's just like all of these things. But you can sit around and have dessert on every meal, trade, drink soda all day and watch Jerry Springer. Yeah.
(7:54 - 8:13) That's a perfect explanation. Really? I remember going into the- I know, I laugh, it's not really funny, but because I can picture it, like I, that was my life for like 20 years. I've had people say to me, you know, I come in, I'm like, I just made them for physical therapy.
(8:13 - 8:24) And they're like, can you come back later? I'm watching my show. Oh, yeah. I'm like, this is not Chateau de Mission, you're in a hospital, get up.
(8:25 - 8:36) To feel better. Like you're in the hospital because, yeah, like, don't you want to feel better so you can leave the hospital? No. Yeah.
(8:36 - 8:53) Oh my gosh. And, and, you know, if people felt better, you know, and I hate to say it, but if people knew about these things and they knew about the system and they knew how to manage these things for themselves, then they wouldn't be on water bills for the rest of their life. And feeding into big pharma and big pharma pays a lot.
(8:54 - 9:00) I mean, that's a multi-billion dollar a year industry. They're not looking to end anytime soon. Yeah. (9:00 - 9:12) Yeah. I actually did an episode on deodorant. And like, I've been deodorant free for four years or something like that now.
(9:14 - 9:19) But yes, a whole bunch of lymph nodes and everything going on here. Right. That's a big part of it. (9:19 - 9:28) And so then you're filling it with toxins in that area in particular. Yeah. Then you're just wearing bras.
(9:29 - 9:31) Yes. And wearing bras. Oh my God.
(9:31 - 9:51) I have a whole philosophy that bras cause breast cancer and nobody wants to hear that from me. I know. I always give the disclaimer because I did the same thing because part of it with the deodorant is yes, toxic, you're adding to inflammation and all that stuff.
(9:51 - 10:07) But after I did the research too, yes, breast cancer is more likely found in that upper outer quadrant right by our armpits. Yeah. And your lymphatic system lives in your skin.
(10:07 - 10:26) Yeah. It's not, you know, it lives in your skin. So anytime, you know what I mean? You have something right here, cutting off the flow to your lymph node bed, your lymph node bed, most of it is drained through the left side, right through the left side of the body.
(10:27 - 10:44) Right. And we're just cutting it off because we're like squeezing that area and anything and like if you wear socks, right? That's why you have a sock line is because the lymphatic system lives in your skin and when it gets closed, it can't go can't pass through. Yeah. (10:44 - 10:56) It's a whole crazy thing. Very interesting. Where, I mean, it's up to you if you want to do just a little bit of a demonstration or describe or just describe it even.
(10:57 - 11:15) But I know, I mean, you, you have a YouTube channel and I don't know every video on there, but I'm assuming you probably have it on there. I do actually. I have put on the YouTube channel and I'm working on the YouTube channel, a really great PowerPoint.
(11:15 - 12:02) I know that like sometimes people don't just like, okay, I'm here to be entertained, but I have a really wonderful PowerPoint that talks about the lymphatic system, how it works, where it is and what it does for us. And then I have a little video there that teaches you how to do your own manual lymphatic drainage for your body. And then I have a little video that also has like, I didn't know what to call it, but it's like how to like move your body because your body has to move, right? We're designed to move, right? And so because the lymphatic system lives in the skin, you have to stretch the skin for that to happen.
(12:02 - 12:38) So there's certain things like I remember telling people they have to do ankle pumps, right? To like have the muscles squeeze on the calves to shoot the blood back up the legs. That's why we get venous insufficiency in our legs, by the way, in varicose veins, when those doors start closing and they're just like so much overload because we're sitting so much back to back to square one. But so I have, I think I'm like my little lymphedema dance boogie woogie, right? Or just like some mobility to move our bodies.
(12:38 - 13:02) Well, people, people are super into these, like, what is it a rebounder? I don't necessarily actually love a rebounder because a lot of people don't use it, right? They just stand on it and bounce and then it's doing it and not, you're not using your muscles or going through them. You're just in the momentum of the rebounder. So I actually don't think that they're that great.
(13:03 - 13:41) I would rather see somebody just stand on their own two feet and do some ups and downs, you know what I mean? I'm actually losing their calf muscles and taking their ankles through a range of motion. But I do have those videos on my website that go very in depth and teach you how to do it, teach you how to do manual lymphatic drainage from the entire body, the system, the way, the like, how do you address the lymph node beds first to get them prepared for, you know, what's about to happen. And the thing is, is when you start doing your own manual lymphatic drainage, you're gonna have to go to the bathroom a lot, removing all of this fluid.
(13:42 - 13:59) But ultimately, and I'll just show you on here is one of the things that I think people do is they do it wrong, right? So a lot of people, I've been to massage therapists who say they're doing manual lymphatic drainage and they are not right. Dry brushing. No, right.
(13:59 - 14:06) Oftentimes people are causing more problems to their body by dry brushing, brushing. Yeah. Right.
(14:06 - 14:20) And then it causes more inflammation, more fluid comes to the area and they're like, right. But it lives in your skin. And so just like your veins, your lymphatic system has doors that open and close.
(14:20 - 14:29) So it lets the fluid in and the door closes. So ultimately, it's like a little pump. There's like a beautiful little pumping action.
(14:29 - 14:36) So I mean, it's just address my skin, not the muscles. It's not deep. It's not like tissue massage.
(14:36 - 14:51) Somebody's doing manual lymphatic drainage. It feels more like a deep tissue massage. That's not it, right? So it's just literally moving the skin and releasing and moving the skin and releasing.
(14:51 - 15:29) And I start pumping, literally pumping the lymphatic system. Now, obviously there's like a flow and everything is going up towards the heart. And I'm always starting at those lymph node beds, right? Because if I started way down here and I'm like pushing, right? It's kind of like if there's an accident on the highway and you know, there's always that jerky face that tries to come around from the back, right? But you have to unpark the cars from the front, right? Because it's just backed up.
(15:29 - 15:44) I like to describe it like that. Like if you have lymph nodes taken out because you've had cancer biopsies and things like that, it's like they took highway, whatever five that's like through your neighborhood. That's the big major highway.
(15:44 - 15:53) We'll use 75 as an example. And they took it from four lanes down to three lanes. And what happens to all that traffic? Now imagine it's down to one lane.
(15:54 - 16:07) OMG, we've seen traffic for a while. That is exactly what happens when you're having lymphatic stagnation. So you have to open up those lymph node beds, which is a little bit deeper, but stimulating them.
(16:07 - 16:22) And then starting to move the fluid up towards those lymph node beds, nice and gentle, easy, breezy, beautiful. And it doesn't have to be. It's so gentle and rhythmic.
(16:22 - 16:39) And when you have, you can do this for yourself, but when you have somebody else do it for you, then it's very, it's so relaxing. And you can like, I have a client who comes to me for this. I've taught her how to do it for herself, but she can literally feel the fluid moving. (16:41 - 16:44) Wow. You can feel it moving. Oh my gosh.
(16:45 - 16:47) Yeah. Yeah. Wow.
(16:47 - 16:59) It's really incredible. And then the more you do it, the more it's like, start stimulating the system to like, on its own. Cause it's like anything else that gets overloaded. (16:59 - 17:01) Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
(17:02 - 17:12) Yeah. Yeah, that's great. And I will of course, post all of your contact and, you know, every way that they can connect with you in the show notes, of course, so they can watch those videos.
(17:14 - 17:34) So as we kind of start wrapping up, so for the woman listening right now has been told, you just have to live with, live with it. What would you want her to know? You don't, you don't. And try not to lose heart and be disempowered by a system.
(17:34 - 17:48) It's designed to keep you stuck. And to seek out people who, who've done it. You know what I mean? Like, are you really going to learn from somebody who hasn't done it for themselves? Likely not.
(17:49 - 18:06) You know what I mean? And like, reach out to Lindsie, you know, reach out to somebody. Keep seeking. Had I stopped with my diagnosis and just succumbed, I likely still wouldn't be able to lift my arm up over 90 degrees.
(18:07 - 18:30) I likely still would be pissing myself. I likely would still have incredible hip and low back pain, and I would be a miserable shell of the human being that I am. And there probably would have been a whole other like cycle of problems that would have then come from that too, after living with it that long, and then your body tries to compensate and then internal things start to happen.
(18:30 - 18:35) More internal things start to happen too. Yeah. I would say, don't give up.
(18:36 - 18:39) Just don't give up. Find somebody else. You're not going to die.
(18:39 - 18:50) You know what I mean? You can't take all your money with you. So just get, you know what I mean? Just make the investments in yourself and stop making excuses. It's just an energy and it's just an idea.
(18:50 - 19:14) It's one that we all subscribe to, but like, don't stop seeking the truth for yourself. And if you inherently deep in your soul and your heart, know that something greater is going on, listen to that voice because it is correct 100% of the time. So what would you, maybe just answer this question.
(19:15 - 19:41) What would you say would be the first step for advocating, you know, for yourself, especially when you feel dismissed by doctors? I would get out of the medical system is one of the very first things. I would do because that system is not designed to help you. And I mean that lovingly and kindly and gently, like if you need testing, like great, but I would find an alternative practitioner.
(19:42 - 20:18) I would find somebody else who specializes in these things. I would start talking to other people and start asking questions, you know, and I would also say, stay out of Facebook groups because it's, people who are just there to commiserate and complain. I know it's hard to like keep hope, but seek out people who, because they're out there and there's a multi-billion dollar industry that's keeping them hidden under a rock somewhere so that you can't, you know what I mean? You don't want you to find them.
(20:19 - 20:27) And so look, just find somebody you're going to hear. People are going to be talking about something. You're going to hear the thing and you'd be like, oh, well maybe I should. (20:27 - 20:35) And then there's that little automatic negative thought system that happens in your brain. Like, oh no, that would never work. Don't listen to that voice.
(20:36 - 20:53) Don't listen to explore your options and keep going, keep searching and keep seeking because your life can absolutely change for the better. You do not have to be stuck in a diagnosis. I don't even like that word.
(20:54 - 21:02) I know. Yeah, yeah. Me and you have had the conversation a little bit about the Facebook groups or maybe even just other support groups out there in general.
(21:02 - 21:12) You just have to really be cautious of that. I know a couple of them that I'm in for PCOS. Yeah, I mean, you can go down some spiral.
(21:13 - 21:36) And so you really, there's a fine line. Yes, you want the support and you want to feel that you're heard among the community of whatever it is of people struggling with similar things. But you also have to understand every situation is truly unique because we've all come from different backgrounds and we have different lifestyles and just all kinds of different things.
(21:37 - 21:51) So yeah, so feeding into that. Totally. And if somebody is actually listening to this podcast or watching this podcast and they're like that person, you know the person to talk to.
(21:52 - 21:59) She's right here. There she is. Talk to her.
(21:59 - 22:07) Talk to her. Stop thinking that healing is not, you know, for you. Exactly.
(22:09 - 22:20) How many times do I say this to my own self? Just get out of your own way. There's a reason why you're listening to this right now. There's a reason why you're watching it right now.
(22:20 - 22:46) Talk to Lindsay. Get out of your own way. What is one myth that you wish you could erase forever when it comes to, you know, women's health and the normal symptoms? One myth I could erase forever.
(22:52 - 23:22) Honestly, I just wish that people just didn't put all of their 100% faith in a system that's designed to keep them stuck and recognizing if that's what it is, you know, and to know that you can be your own medicine. And you just have to learn how to use it. And it's possible, you know.
(23:22 - 23:35) And I mean, if I could dispel a myth is like, your diagnosis doesn't mean anything. I was diagnosed with a tummy ache. Yeah.
(23:36 - 23:44) You know, like, come on, like. That's not the be all end all. Like just because you received this diagnosis, it's not.
(23:44 - 24:05) I think, I think, like I have so many myths. And if there's another myth, I would like to displace it that just because you have insurance, it's kind of, you know, that like everything is okay. I've never in my adult life paid for health insurance because that system doesn't have anything for me.
(24:07 - 24:18) Not that I'm saying other people should not have health insurance. It's just what's right for me. But just because you have health insurance doesn't mean that that's the best quality care.
(24:18 - 24:24) Yeah, yeah. It's in a network. Yeah, yeah.
(24:24 - 24:38) And it's always not the, it's not the easiest thing to deal with. You still have to get approvals and, you know, they still don't, they don't pay for everything. So, I mean, yeah, my, my husband and I both see a functional medicine practitioner.
(24:39 - 24:48) And so we have insurance, you know, for the emergencies, but. But yeah, it's not even using it. I do feel like there's a, there's a shift.
(24:48 - 25:09) There's a shift that's starting to happen that people are starting to see this. But I hope that this, you know, this talk that we've had does open some more eyes and can empower women and help them see things a little bit differently too. You know, especially to a couple of people that have lived it and been there and, you know, worked in that system and yeah.
(25:10 - 25:19) I said yesterday, you could not pay. There is no amount of money that would make me go back to working in the hospital. I didn't kind of eat my words a little bit later.
(25:20 - 25:32) I was like, well, maybe there is, but they're paying me that much money is because I'm making changes. I wouldn't go back to that the way it is now. No, that's, I've, I've been asked.
(25:32 - 26:07) I remember being asked that I've been asked it for a while, but I remember being asked it, you know, in the first couple of years after I left nursing and I would answer no, before they could even get the question out. And that was even, I got out before COVID. I think that probably would have been a breaking point for me anyways, cause I was already getting sobered out, but, and I've seen like a lot of my friends and stuff that are still in it that, yeah, that was, that was the breaking point for a lot, a lot of people in, in healthcare anyways, but same, yeah, I'm like, nope.
(26:07 - 26:12) I've had no desire to go back to that. That's a whole other podcast. Yeah.
(26:15 - 26:38) That's all canceled real quick. So second to last question, if listeners could take away one action, you know, like to just start on this journey to support their overall health, what would you recommend? Just one. No.
(26:41 - 27:06) Stop drinking soda or water and, and just really, you know what I mean? Just, I don't know. I would say to really like start investing in your body, the way that you would your car. If you're running super premium unleaded in your car, you need to run super premium unleaded in you.
(27:06 - 27:37) If you're spending all this time taking your car to get to the cleaners and having the seats cleaned and the oil changed regularly and all of that, are you doing that for you too? Like, I would say that it would be cool if we all treated ourselves better than we treat our vehicles. Yeah, yeah. You know, but really start looking at, you know, it all begins with what we're putting in because that sounds so cliche when I say you are what you eat, but you are what you are, you know, you are.
(27:37 - 27:56) And so like, I know like people get like, like it can feel restrictive, right? But isn't being in pain restrictive? You know what I mean? It's true. Yeah. Going, going to doctor's visits all the time.
(27:57 - 28:11) Choose your heart. Yeah, exactly. I would say like one of the biggest things is just, you know, I would just start looking at my daily choices and what I'm doing, what I'm putting in my body.
(28:11 - 28:23) Is that a building block for becoming a human being? Am I drinking enough water? And am I sleeping? Yeah, yeah. And start with one of those, you know, because that can even be, yeah. That can be too much.
(28:23 - 28:30) But you evaluate it and then, yeah, and then decide which one you want to start with. And then once you work on that one, then pick the next one. Yeah.
(28:30 - 28:33) I always start with water. Yeah. Oh yeah.
(28:34 - 28:44) So many benefits. Like, well, that was a whole prescription. Breathing and water.
(28:44 - 28:50) And breathe and drink water. Yes. So yeah, last question.
(28:50 - 29:00) We've mentioned your YouTube channel, but how else can listeners connect with you? Oh my goodness. I'm so easy to get in touch with. Holy cow.
(29:01 - 29:12) So yes, I have a YouTube channel. It's called My Business Is Not Now Therapeutics with a K. K-N-O-T, because it's funny. Not Now Therapeutics.
(29:12 - 29:24) That's my YouTube channel. You can learn all about the manual lymphatic drainage there. I have a website, www.notnowtherapeutics.com. Super easy.
(29:26 - 29:31) Let's see. I have an email address. You can find me on Facebook, Samantha.
(29:31 - 29:41) Yeah, and I'll put all that stuff in the show notes too. Yeah, and those are pretty much the easiest channels to get in touch with me. I always respond.
(29:42 - 29:47) Good. Yeah, I have my slogan. My slogan is Knot Now Delivers.
(29:49 - 29:52) I deliver. I show up. I do the thing.
(29:52 - 30:00) And like, I respond to people. It's amazing. By calling me, you can see how easy that is. (30:00 - 30:03) Exactly. You got to talk to like three different people. Yeah.
(30:04 - 30:11) You show up and pay money. Yeah. Well, thank you.
(30:12 - 30:16) This was amazing. Yeah. There's definitely a lot.
(30:16 - 30:25) I mean, so much good stuff. Like I said, this was just completely different than what I've done in the past two. So love hearing your story.
(30:25 - 30:33) And hopefully the listeners got at least one good thing out of that. I'm sure they did. Jams.
(30:33 - 30:35) Take some nuggets. Yes. Yes.
(30:35 - 30:40) Lots of good stuff. And change your life. If you want it to change, you're the only person who can change it.
(30:40 - 30:48) Exactly. We'll get going on it because as far as I know, I don't really know much, but this is the one we got. Exactly.
(30:49 - 30:52) May as well make it good. Yep. Love it.
(30:53 - 30:59) Well, on that note, that is it. So again, thank you to Samantha for being here. And I'll see you next time.
(31:01 - 31:12) If this conversation with Samantha would have fire in you, if you're thinking, wait a minute, maybe this isn't my forever. Then know this. You are not broken and you don't have to settle for survival mode.
(31:13 - 31:25) Feeling starts when we question the labels, the limitations and the lies. And it deepens when we tap into the tools that support our body's natural rhythm. Like the lymphatic system that's been overlooked for far too long.
(31:26 - 31:37) I will put the links in the show notes. So you can connect with Samantha and learn more about her work at Knot Now Therapeutics. Her session, her philosophy and her heart for women's healing are truly one of a kind.
(31:38 - 31:42) Until next time, keep nourishing, keep healing and thriving.