Spring has finally sprung! The season of days getting longer, temperatures heating up, flowers starting to bud, and of course spring cleaning frenzies - is upon us. Spring is a time marked by renewal, growth, and fresh starts, and many of us embody this through deep cleaning our rooms, decluttering our closets, and wiping down the kitchen cabinets, but who’s to say your body, as well as your mind, doesn’t deserve a little cleaning out too?
This spring is the perfect time to prioritize yourself and work towards shedding the old right in time for the springing of the new, detoxing your body and cleaning up your health to head into summer feeling like the best version of you. Here’s how:
#1: Soak Up The Sun
With the winter weather finally thawing away, it’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the spring sunshine and soak up some rays, especially first thing in the morning after waking up. Starting your day with 5 minutes of sun on your face has been found to regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle, boost serotonin levels, and help your body energize itself naturally. Your sleep quality will improve as a result, you’ll maybe notice it’s easier to fall asleep at night, and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, rather than groggy. Not only will catching some sun every morning give you great sleep and a kick start to your day, but getting that extra boost of vitamin D daily is highly beneficial for increased immunity and bone health to keep your body feeling strong.
#2: Knock Out The Sickness
With everyone and their mother getting sick the past few months, spring is the best opportunity for a fresh start, to flush out all the gunk in your body, and prevent future sickness. The secret concoction? Hot water, lemon, cayenne, turmeric, and a splash of honey. This magic detox drink not only boosts your immune system, clears allergies, and reduces inflammation, but it also helps regulate and clear out the digestive system to help reduce bloating, regulate bowel movements, and reduce the chance of an upset stomach. Try making this drink in the morning, first thing on an empty stomach, and bonus if you sip on it while you get your 5 minutes of morning sunshine - it’s the perfect morning duo!
#3: Lighten Up
Spring is the perfect time to freshen up your diet and start to lean into the foods of the season, ditching winter soups and heavier holiday meals for more produce and cold, lighter meals. Eating with the seasons is a natural way to keep your body in balance with nature and bring in extra benefits from the nutrients that are within real, ripe, whole foods. Next time you are heading to the grocery store, pause for a moment and google what produce is currently in season, or even better, head to your local farmer’s market and pick up the freshest produce right from the farm! Take advantage of this food refresh and do a little spring cleaning in your pantry and fridge too, cleaning out any old, overly processed foods, and maybe replacing them with healthier alternatives. Look at the labels on your packaged foods, make sure you can pronounce all the ingredients, and if you can’t, start to research some alternative products made with real ingredients you actually know. These small shifts will help you feel lighter, smooth out your digestion, and give you more energy to take on what spring has in store for you.
#4: Get Outside
While heading to the gym and getting a sweaty workout session accomplished is always great, switching up your workout routine to incorporate some outside activities as the weather gets warmer is a perfect way to beat any fitness plateau you might be experiencing. When you stick to the same workout routine for too long, your body can hit a point of standstill and begin to lack progress. Adding in new forms of movement is a proven way to break that standstill, and take advantage of the nice weather outside- all in one! Plus, getting fresh air daily is so good for your body’s overall health. Try going for a walk with a friend or your dog, play tennis or pickleball, go on a hike to somewhere beautiful, explore a new area of town on foot, or even bring your yoga mat outside to do some yoga in the fresh air.
#5: Get out Of Your Comfort Zone
Spring means growth, a refresh, and a time for change. It’s the perfect time to get out of your own way. Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to do before but were too scared, maybe you always tell yourself you’re too busy, or maybe it's something that makes you uncomfortable, so you actively choose to avoid it. Pick something that challenges you, that pushes you to grow, and maybe even makes you a little uncomfortable, and inspire yourself to do it and find the time for it. And make sure you don't let yourself use excuses such as a busy schedule to avoid it, because when something is a priority to you, you can always make time for it, no matter how busy you may be. Remind yourself that choosing what challenges you rather than choosing to settle where you’re comfortable, is where real personal growth is achieved.
#6: Let It Go
Use the warmer weather and the budding of new flowers as a chance to let go of the old, purge any negativity from your life, and instead bring in positivity and newness. Letting stuff go is the best way to clean out your mindset, allowing you to shift your perspective, maybe develop new healthy habits in place of any old, toxic habits, and put yourself in an appropriate headspace for growth. A good way to begin this process is by sitting down and physically writing down a list of “ins and outs” that you want to channel into your life this spring. For example, maybe your ins are “more self care, walks outside, sunshine, time with friends, embracing natural beauty, learning a new language” and your outs are “procrastination, scrolling on social media, negative self talk, saying yes to everything, wearing makeup daily”. These lists are easy yet effective, so get a pen and paper and start writing!
Whether you always take part in spring cleaning your house every year, or are experiencing the need to declutter your spaces for the first time this season, take this spring as a chance to also clean the most important thing of all - your body and mind! When you actively choose to take care of yourself, let negativity go, implement fresh foods, get outside daily, soak up the sunshine, and prioritize your health, you open up the potential for growth in your life. Nothing changes if nothing changes, and spring is THE perfect moment to embrace change and clean out the old, making space for you to bring in all the new.
Enjoy our six tips above on how to holistically spring clean your health, and be sure to tag us @gloinnerwellness to show us how you’re deciding to clean your body and mind. Happy Spring!
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