Spring Cleaning for Your Health
Aaaahhhhh. May is here and that means Spring has sprung. One of the first things so many of us think about is of course, the warmer weather, but also cleaning out the house. Getting to open up the windows, letting the fresh Spring air fill all the spaces of where you live and breathe just feels so good. It inspires us to come out of hibernation, cleaning out closets, rearranging furniture and wiping down all the cabinets and such for a fresh clean start. Now is a good time to do the same with our bodies.
Cleaning out the old pipes as they say, eliminating toxins and purging all the gunk gets things moving better. Spring is a great time to assess your health and set things up for feeling great. Here are 6 things you can do to Spring clean your health.
Fun in the sun! Go enjoy some time in the sun. After those winter months, our bodies are craving some natural vitamin D and the sun is the most perfect way to get it. Let the sun filter through your eyes, without sunglasses. I don’t mean to look directly into the sun. I mean to just be outside without putting sunglasses or anything on your eyes. Sunlight, when it reaches your eyes stimulates the hypothalamus in your brain, which is connected to the pineal gland. The pineal gland regulates our sleep/wake cycles via the secretion of the hormone melatonin. It is said that you know when you’ve had a good amount of time in the sun when your skin begins to turn pink. The more fair you are, will take less time, maybe about ten minutes or so. If you’re going to be out in the sun for longer periods of time, invest in some organic sunscreen.
Clean out your medicine cabinet. I keep a natural medicine cabinet but either way, the concept is the same. Safely discard any expired medicines and restock. Gather natural remedy supplies like nettle leaves supplement for allergies, band aids, tweezers for splinters, iodine to clean the inevitable cuts and scrapes, vitamins and essential oils to name a few things. Last but not least, purchase some organic sunscreen for all the time in the sun during the coming months.
Get out in nature! Nature calls and this is a fact. We feel it in our bones and that’s why we crave getting outdoors so much. It’s the best remedy for cabin fever. Do some earthing, touch a tree, walk, run, play! Set up a hammock. Just breathe it all in.
Change things up with your diet. We tend to eat a little heavier during the winter months, packing on a few extra pounds for warmth. Spring is a great time to eat lighter, drink more water, and to eat more of what’s in season. Farmers markets begin opening up in the Spring as well. They make it deliciously easy to get our diets back on track.
Make a mental health check and revisit your New Year’s goals. Springtime is an incredible time to go over your journal writings or begin a new journal. Prepare new affirmations that align with your new goals. Set aside time for meditation and stillness.
Declutter and yes, clean up the house. I know, I know. Not what you wanted to hear but Spring is also the time when allergies start wreaking havoc. Dust off fans and window sills, and dust bunnies under beds and couches. Also, wash bed linens and blankets, rugs and maybe even vacuum the mattresses. Clean up houseplants, as they’re coming out of dormancy also.
You may even want to prep for a vegetable garden and/or flower garden. Let’s not forget that bees are just waking up to the wonderful Springtime as well.
Put some Spring in your step toward your health!!