Spring is most people’s favourite time of year – temperatures start warming up, there are more hours in the day, baby animals are everywhere, plants become greener and flowers start blooming. Psychologically, Spring can make us feel happier, more energised, and motivated to do something good for our bodies.
Spring cleaning our bodies has a number of immediate and long-term health benefits, including strengthening your immune system, improving your skin tone, strengthening your bones, and boosting your mood thereby reducing stress and depression.
Now Spring has arrived, we thought we’d help you with five tips on where you can start on an inside-out body spring clean:
#1 Eat Seasonal Fruit and Veggies
When you think about it, this is a no-brainer. Have you noticed how your body responds to the different seasons? Well, so should our eating. All four seasons, especially Spring, bring forth harvests of the most amazing array of foods, right in our back yards.
Shop at your local fresh (preferably organic) food market to discover what’s in season, fill up your bags, take them home, and experiment with healthy blended concoctions, roasted root veggie dishes and sublime salads. Your whole body, and mind, will love you for it.
#2 Satisfy your Skin
As the days get warmer and you start to lose a couple of layers of clothing, you may notice your skin is a little dryer than normal. It’s always a good idea to get rid of the dead skin cells you’ve accumulated through winter, and let new, fresh skin layers rise to the surface.
Wonder Foods’ Epsom Salts are not only great for sore muscles, but can soften rough, dry skin, and exfoliate dead skin cells. Take a relaxing warm bath with a big handful of salts three times a week, and you’ll be amazed at how amazing your skin will start to feel.
And don’t forget to feed your skin from the inside too – Wonder Foods’ Beauty Collagen promotes skin elasticity, firmness and hydration. Coupled with the epsom salts, your skin will be glowing!
#3 Exercise in Nature
Studies have found that when people exercise outside, they tend to spend more time doing it (1), and why wouldn’t you as the warmer Spring-time weather envelops us. Another study found that being in nature lowers blood pressure, and consistently walking through forests can increase cancer-fighting cells in the body (2).
Allow these benefits alone to motivate you to grab a friend and take your exercise regime outside, maybe extend that walk or run through some bushland, and take in deep breaths of the nature surrounding you.
#4 Sleeeep Deeeep
Scientists agree that deep sleep is essential to feeling rested and staying healthy. Deep sleep can restore energy, regenerate cells, increase blood supply, promote growth and repair of tissues and bones, and strengthen the immune system.
Make sure you develop a good night-time routine by instituting a ‘no technology policy’ at least one hour before bedtime, have a nice warm soothing drink eg Camomile tea, and spend some time taking deep breaths and practice thinking ‘happy’, relaxing thoughts. You’ll be off to la-la land in no time and you’ll wake in the morning feeling amazingly refreshed.
#5 Detoxify & Nutrify
Your body is a mighty machine but if you don’t take care of it, you can feel sluggish and generally unwell. You may be thinking you need what is popularly known as a ‘Detox’. Whilst there are many detox options around, we recommend visiting a trusted health professional first to guide you on the best approach, for you.
In any case, following basic principles of healthy living can do wonders and certainly assist your body to being well equipped to fight viruses, handle toxins and other unwanted substances. In addition to our other tips, try limiting alcohol, drinking more filtered water, reducing sugars and processed foods, then nutrify your body by adding some high quality supplements to your daily regime.
Wonder Foods has a good collection of products to support gut health, everyday functions and general wellbeing. Their multi-purpose natural plant superfood, Moringa Supergreens Plus, is an excellent place to start – it’s loaded with 80% organic, nutrient dense ‘supergreen’ ingredients and important pre and probiotics. Have a spoonful by itself in water, or add to juices, smoothies, sprinkle on salads… the uses are endless, and you’ll be giving your body a really good boost of ‘good stuff’.
Tackling a body spring clean provides much personal satisfaction, but often requires patience and persistence. If you’re having a down day, take time out for some extra special self-care eg take a walk along the beach or through a rainforest. You can jump onto our Facebook page for some inspiration. We’ve all been there before, and you’re never meant to do it alone. Remember, just by starting on any ‘healthier you’ journey, you’re a winner!
Ref:
(1) J Kerr, JF Sallis, BE Saelens, KL Cain, TL Conway, LD Frank, AC King, ‘Outdoor physical activity and self-rated health in older adults living in two regions of the US’, UC San Diego, 2012.
(2) DF Shanahan, R Bush, KJ Gaston, BB Lin, J Dean, E Barber, RA Fuller, ’Health Benefits from Nature experiences depend on dose’, Nature.com Scientific Report, 23 June 2016.
