Ricari Studios, LA’s Lymphatic Whisperer
Tucked away in a charming brick building on Los Angeles’ westside is Anna Zahn, founder of restorative health spa Ricari Studios. The space is sunny and cheerful, with gorgeous white walls decorated by beautiful and soothing pieces of modern art. A hotspot for LA’s wellness elite, Ricari has been featured in Vogue, Goop, and mindbodygreen and regularly makes must-visit lists for health and wellness devotees all over Southern California. The space embodies the restorative experience she wants her clients to have. Based on the belief that the lymphatic system holds the key to holistic health, many of the services offered at Ricari came to fruition after Kahn noticed her clients coming to her with similar issues that weren’t being properly treated elsewhere. Clients would express a void in treatments that focused specifically on the neck, jaw, and back -- so Kahn took these suggestions and turned them into mind-blowing therapies that truly transformed her patients. Zahn firmly believes that learning about the lymphatic system and how it operates is part of the transformation process for her clients in reaching their health and wellness goals, and uses the pressotherapy technique to enhance lymphatic drainage and increase the flow of freshly oxygenated blood throughout the body. The technique is performed with a medical compression garment that features 24 overlapping air chambers that apply fluent compression strokes to your body while laying down. It is incredibly helpful when it comes to providing recovery from exercise, injury, joint pain, soreness, poor circulation, heavy legs, and fluid retention.
“Unlike our circulatory system, the lymphatic system has no pump like the heart does,” explains Zahn. “It relies on muscular contraction, hydration, exercise, massage, and a healthy lifestyle to initiate lymphatic flow.”
For those not in LA who want to take care of their lymphatic systems at home, Zahn suggests drinking at least half your weight in fluid ounces each day, dry brushing before getting into the shower, spending time massaging your face when applying oils or creams, and always making sure to get a good night’s sleep. And while getting your body on the right track isn’t going to happen overnight, Zahn notes the importance of investing in your body’s wellness: “To me, stimulating your circulation and facilitating lymphatic drainage should be on par with brushing your teeth.”Angela Kelly is the founder of GutsyMother, a health and wellness site exploring the microbiome as it relates to personal health, fitness, and family health. She is a freelance writer, mama to three small humans, and a gut health enthusiast. You can find her drinking an obscene amount of white tea, running, writing, or enjoying the beach with her tribe. Check out her site at gutsymother.com or follow her on Instagram at @GutsyMother.
