Spring Clean Your Health
As winter begins to slowly thaw out and makes way for spring, many people are prepping for their annual ritual of spring-cleaning. If you’re not quite prepared to set aside a few days for a massive deep clean of your home, why not start with some small self-care? The change of seasons is the perfect opportunity to spring-clean your health and jumpstart some of the fitness resolutions that may have fallen to the wayside since the New Year began.
Here are simple some ways to spring into action this season:
1. Venture outdoors
Walking is the easiest way to ease into a more active lifestyle, and it has benefits for the cardiovascular system while burning calories. After a season of being indoors, invigorate your body with vitamin D. Taking in the blooming of flowers and return of greenery is also wonderfully therapeutic. If you live near the forest, take a walk through the woods. According to a study, “forest bathing” lowers blood pressure and stress.
2. Declutter and reorganize your pantry
If junk food is within reach, it’s easy to fall temptation to it. Clear out your pantry of everything that isn’t good fuel for your health.
3. Clean out your medicine cabinet
As long as you’re cleaning out your pantry, take stock of the medicine cabinet too. You would never eat expired food, and the same should go for taking expired medications.
4. Add a little color to your meals
Adding color to your meal plate with vegetables is a great way to improve your daily diet. Spring ushers in a fresh variety of new produce, so hit up your local farmer’s market to see what’s new this month.
5. Take a Probiotic
80% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract, which is why its health is paramount! The importance of gut health is gaining more mainstream attention. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that line the digestive tract and fight infection. If you don’t have enough probiotics, side effects can range from digestive and autoimmune diseases to colds and flu. Although you can take a supplement, many foods are also rich in probiotics. Here are a few:
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Yogurt
- Kombucha
- Goat’s milk/cheese