As we say goodbye to the cold and soggy winter and enter spring, it’s time to think spring cleaning! Here are some ways our whole health benefits from a seasonal makeover.
Start with the physical clutter
The energy in your home directly impacts your mental space. Some thoughtful decluttering can serve you well.
Clean out your closet
Give your closet a spring refresh by clearing out the old to make room for the new! Donate old clothes you no longer wear, and put your fall and winter clothes in storage until next year. Consider creating a spring capsule wardrobe which highlights that less is sometimes more. It can be very freeing!
Don’t forget your vanity
What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body. Clean out your beauty stash by getting rid of products with chemicals like parabens, phthalates and fragrances. Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a searchable database to learn more about your products.
Reduce your stress
April is Stress Awareness Month so it’s the perfect time to take a look at the stressors in your life. What can you do to better manage your stress? While some stress is perfectly normal and unavoidable, chronic stress can lead to many health issues including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Implement some stress-reducing practices like meditation, exercise and improving your diet.
Meditation and mindfulness exercises are powerful ways to make sure to absorb the present moment while reducing stress and releasing negative emotions. Just a few minutes meditating each morning or an outdoor walking practice can really provide a benefit.
If your mind feels cluttered with thoughts, stress and endless to-dos, start a daily journaling practice. Try beginning each morning with a brain-cleanse and write out what’s on your mind to help clear your head and move forward productively.
Establish healthy boundaries
What can you say no to in order to make more time for yourself? Whether it’s an unhealthy relationship or events and tasks that no longer feel rewarding, start to think about what's okay to leave behind.
Go for a digital detox
The digital world may not be something that comes to mind when you think of spring cleaning, but unplugging from technology is an important way to cleanse your mind. Take the time to examine and end services you no longer need, discontinue monthly subscriptions you don’t really use. All of this is mental clutter, too!
Clean up your diet and remember your gut
While in cleaning mode, it can be helpful to take a deeper look at your diet as well. Eat with the season and make the most of nutrient-packed fruit and vegetables in season during spring. You’ll be able to enjoy delicious offerings such as spinach, purple broccoli, radishes, watercress, asparagus and rhubarb.
You can also help alleviate allergies that often come with spring. Foods rich in flavonoids such as quercetin, vitamin C and beta-carotene can help to block histamine and reduce inflammation. These include garlic, onions and blueberries. Carrots are also good for giving your immunity a boost. Local honey can help your immune system to cope with allergens.
Seasonal bugs or antibiotics may have left your gut in need of support. Replenish good gut bacteria and bolster your immune system with a quality probiotic containing the most widely-researched bacteria strains, lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. Include yogurt and fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha in your diet.
Remember the vitamin D
Vitamin D is made naturally through the action of sun on our skin, so our levels can drop quite significantly during winter. Vitamin D supports healthy bones and immunity and many of us have levels that are low after the winter. It can be difficult to get enough from our diet alone so experts recommend keeping levels where they should be with a supplement – especially this time of year. Moving your workout outside is one way to boost your vitamin D. Just remember the sun protection! Look for a high sun-protection factor (SPF 30+) broad-spectrum product. Apply as directed 15-30 minutes before exposure and reapply every two hours and after swimming. Consider sun protective clothing and a hat as well.
Create room for new energy
With your spring cleaning complete, there’s room for new energy to flow. Open the windows, add a fresh coat of paint to your bedroom or add some house plants to welcome new, feel-good energy to your space. Embrace the beautiful new season beginning all around us.
Bliss on Broadway is always ready to offer our full range of cleansing facials and skin care services, along with massage services and nail care. Check out this month’s special Blueberry Peel Facial to help you care for your whole self. Call us at 562-439-4333 or visit www.blissonbroadway.com.