Spring Wellness - Feel Healthy and Vibrant this Season
Spring Wellness ~ Feel Healthy and Vibrant this Season!
Seasons have a profound cyclical effect on our health and wellbeing. You may notice subtle changes in the foods you crave, the clothes you wear, and the activities you’re drawn to. Spring is a time of awakening, it has an ascending and active energy which we can see in the buds forming on the trees, snowdrops and tulips bursting through the ground and new growth in the forests and gardens around us. Although we have had an exceptionally long Winter this year, I assure you the signs of Spring are all around!
As we enter Spring, we pick up on the ascending and active energy around us and naturally become more energized ourselves. This energy helps us move into Spring’s classic motto: ‘Out with the Old, In with the New’. We have the energy to go through our household items, clothing, old food in the fridge, and dust off the remnants of our Fall and Winter hibernation. Our house is not the only thing that needs Spring Cleaning, our bodies do as well. According to Chinese Medicine, each season gives more energy to particular organ systems. During Spring, the liver and gallbladder are the most active to help us detoxify and breakdown the heavier and fattier foods we normally eat during Winter, leaving us feeling lighter and more vibrant for an active Spring and Summer.
In order to assist your body in “Spring Cleaning”, you can support your detoxification pathways. There are 6 main pathways the body uses to eliminate toxins and heavy foods from the body:
Respiratory System: with each exhale, we rid our bodies of carbon dioxide to reduce the acidity of our blood.
Skin: as we sweat, the skin releases toxins and heavy metals through our pores.
Urinary System: our kidneys help to filter out any unwanted toxins from our blood and leave behind all the good stuff.
Colon: with every bowel movement, we eliminate unwanted materials we take in through our diet.
Lymphatic System: our vast internal network of lymph vessels help to clear out waste from our cells and dumps it into the blood for excretion.
Liver: probably the most popular and intricate pathway, the liver has over 500 different enzyme pathways and systems that help filter our blood, eliminate toxins, metabolize hormones for excretion from the body and so much more.
So, how can we support all of these important jobs that our amazing bodies do without us even realizing it? Well, you can start with these simple tips:
Exercise. Exercise works on so many levels to assist our detoxification system. It increases your respiratory rate to clear out the acidity in our blood, it makes you sweat more to release toxins and heavy metals from the body, and it stimulates our lymph system to clear out toxins from our cells. Amazing, right?
Sauna/Steam. Saunas increase circulation and oxygen to cells, open skin pores allowing elimination of toxins through sweat, provide muscle relaxation and provide general mind/body relaxation. Win win!
Water. Drinking plenty of water will help your kidneys flush out toxins from your body and help your lymphatic system work more effectively.
Meditation. Taking time for yourself and exploring inwards with a daily yoga, meditation, Qi Gong, or deep breathing practice can help you transform toxic thoughts you may have about yourself into feeling more clear, grounded and at peace.
Nutrition. What you eat and how well you take care of yourself affects how well your body works, especially your liver and digestive system. Reducing foods that stress your liver and increasing foods that nourish your liver will help you feel your very best!
Foods that stress your liver: alcohol, caffeine, processed food, sugar, artificial flavorings, preservatives and common food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, soy, corn, peanuts) can overload the liver and make it work harder than it has to.
Foods that nourish your liver:
Whole foods: eating food in its whole and natural state will supply your body with all the nutrients it needs to function at its best! This includes whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat, fresh raw and/or steamed vegetables, and fresh whole fruit.
Bitter vegetables: dandelion greens, mustard greens, radicchio, bitter melon, romaine lettuce, and artichoke all help to stimulate digestion and liver function.
Cruciferous vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower, etc all contain loads of anti-oxidant nutrients and sulfur-rich compounds that support your liver’s function.
Fiber: flax seeds, psyllium seed husk, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies all help to bind toxins within the digestive tract and eliminate them through the colon.
Herbs and Spices: fennel, turmeric, cilantro, cardamom, ginger, mint, rosemary, and milk thistle help to soothe the digestive system, reduce inflammation and assist your liver in detoxification.
Eat the rainbow: colourful food like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, beats, chard, carrots, etc will provide you with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids that boost organ function.
Following these simple tips for 2-4 weeks to support your body through this transition from Winter into Spring will ensure that you feel vibrant and alive this Season!
I would love to help you create a Wellness program tailored to support you in achieving your best self through guided meditations, nutrition guidance and wellness tips. If you’re ready to break through to the new you, you can book an appointment with me here.
Yours in health,
Dr. Fiona