As the loud lawnmowers outside my door today remind me, spring has sprung folks—we are there, FINALLY! Even if you are in a part of the world that is suffering yet another arctic blast of chilly weather, bear in mind that we are right around the corner from warmer temperatures, sunny days, flowers blossoming and all the outdoor fun that pleasant weather brings. Now is the perfect time to spring forward in your pursuit of maximum health and decreased chronic symptoms.
Where to start? Here are five areas all set for some “spring cleaning.”
- Nutrition and Diet
Over the cold, dark winter months you may have slipped back into some unhealthy patterns, like overeating, eating too many carb-heavy starches or eating out of boredom. That’s normal as our impulse is often to hibernate through the cold months. Your weight may have inched up and with that an increase in brain fog, headaches, irritability, stomach issues and general pain may have been the result.
Time to lighten up! Redouble your efforts to eliminate allergenic, inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, soy and corn. Get back to realistic portion sizes and start enjoying more fresh salads, veggies and fruits as more varieties become available with the warmer growing season. Eat in tune with nature and enjoy seasonal spring treats like artichokes, radishes, asparagus and fava beans.
2. Sleep
Whenever we change the clocks, our bodies sometimes need a few days to adjust. The good news is many people find daylight savings in the Spring to facilitate better sleep. The sun comes up an hour later (according to the alarm clock) so the bright sunlight will not wake you as early. Remember to mind your sleep hygiene. There are tips for that in this post “What The Heck Is Sleep Hygiene?”
3. Movement/Activity
Another great feature of setting the clocks an hour ahead is that many of us will still have enough light after work to fit in a walk or bike ride before, or possibly after, dinner. Take your honey, a friend, or your pooch, and go for a stroll in nature where you can see the daffodils and tulips waking up from their winter slumber. Or, if you are fortunate enough to live in a warm weather area, simply take in the scenery in your neck of the woods.
4. Spring-clean your psyche!
We celebrate lots of holidays during winter and these can create stress. Spring is a great time to reawaken your self-care practice, so crack open that new journal and go for it or take 10 minutes today to listen to a guided meditation online (do a google search for “guided meditation”). If you haven’t learned EFT Tapping, google that and give it a try. You may want to try the free EFT app called The Tapping Solution. I love it!
A fresh bath scented with lavender essential oils is very calming before bed or with mint or citrus oil in the morning to energize you. Spring is all about renewal, so make yourself a priority this season and you will see chronic symptoms melt away. Click here for more info on “Using Meditation For Chronic Pain Relief.”
5. Relationships
It may be time to clean house in more ways than just tidying the closets and mopping floors. Now is a great time to reassess friendships and other close relationships, at work and at home. If you are snagged up on some that do not feel nourishing, reflect on how you can reframe the situation and interact in a healthier way. If that is not possible, you may have to consider “cleaning house” and dropping or reducing time spent in any relationships that feel toxic.
How can you use this time of year to renew your mind, body and spirit? Do you have any personal experience that you’d like to share or questions on this topic? Please share by leaving a comment below. We love to hear from you!
