Spring Cleaning

Spring has certainly come early in New England! Lilacs are in bloom three to four weeks earlier than their usual Lilac Sunday and many other flowers have bloomed early as well. Instead of freaking out over what this means in the context of global warming, let’s take it as a sign to do some extra spring cleaning. What do I mean by extra? Let’s spring clean our bodies and diets as well as our houses and yards!

How can you spring clean your body and diet? It’s actually a two for one bargain. By cleaning up your diet, you will be helping out your body. I am definitely NOT talking about a cleanse here. There is never a need for a “detox cleanse” or any other variant on this theme. Our bodies are self cleaning with remarkable organs like the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal system that do the job very well if we let them by easing up on the harmful substances that they work so hard to get rid of.

Help your liver by reducing the amount of alcohol, and over the counter medicines and supplements you ingest. I’m not saying you need to get rid of alcohol altogether if you drink in moderation, but you can certainly ease up a little occasionally and give your liver a break. You can also try to reduce the amount of over the counter substances you take. Take only those supplements you need that you cannot get from your diet and work to reduce the amount of pain relievers you need by trying some other methods of pain relief. Yoga, meditation, massage, stretching, staying hydrated and eating a diet with lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains can go a long way to helping you feel great.

How about the kidneys? Reduce the amount of sodium you consume by avoiding refined and processed foods. Also drink plenty of water to help the system run smoothly. Your Colon doesn’t need extra cleaning either, what it needs is plenty of fiber and water to help do its job. Just make sure that if you do not currently eat a high-fiber diet you increase the amount you consume slowly and add plenty of water so that you don’t get “backed up”. What else can you do for your colon? Feed it well with friendly bacteria from fermented foods and yogurt. This will help to improve digestion and immune function.

So the best approach to spring cleaning your body is: avoid over processed and refined foods, add lots of fresh vegetables and fruits (now coming into season!), beans, nuts, whole grains and lean proteins (including fish), and drink plenty of water.  Throw in some exercise and you have a winning combination!

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