Spring is for renewal and rebirth.
We’re coming out of our cocoons of winter. The clocks are moving forward an hour to give us more sunlight during the day. Flowers are beginning to bloom (which might spark allergies for many) and we perhaps have a little more pep in our step.
Below are ways to support yourself during the spring season:
Sleep before 11pm and wake with the sunrise
Our bodies don’t need to hibernate anymore, but we always want to be sure that we are getting adequate sleep. Especially in the warmer months where we have more daylight hours. That early daylight exposure is one of the most important pillars of health and continued healing. Use the sun’s rising time as a natural alarm clock and go outside and expose your eyes and your bare skin to the sun.
Prioritize movement, but not too rigorous
Ease yourself gently into movement with low impact exercises. Our bodies will naturally have the most ample energy between 6am and 10am. Go for a brisk walk, roll out your yoga mat and practice sun salutations. Whichever way encourages you to move and be fluid in your body.
Eat lighter foods and foods that make you pucker up
During the winter, we build up heat in the body to keep our internal body temperature balanced and our external bodies warm. Eat lighter foods such as leafy greens, dandelion, berries, green peas, quinoa, buckwheat and pungent spices like paprika, clove, cardamom and ginger.
Sour foods like lemon stimulate the liver, which will want ALL the tender love and care this season especially. Put lemon slices in your drinking water or use vinegar and olive oil for your salads.
Allergies got the best of you?
With flower blooming comes allergies. Decrease the amount of histamine driving foods and increase the amount of histamine lowering foods. Here is a list of foods and some other tips to mitigate allergy symptoms.
Try lymphatic massage
Lymphatic massage helps support the body’s lymphatic system and strengths the immune system by increasing white blood cell count. Dry brush your skin, lather with body oil such as apricot or jojoba and support your body’s largest organ so it looks and feels good.
Declutter your home
Spring also means, spring cleaning! Did you know that dust can contribute to allergies and asthma? Start with one area or one room of your home at a time and see how you can declutter, rearrange and rest the space. Clutter can also aid in anxiety for many people (including myself!) so clean up your space.
Be mindful of opportunities to overindulge
Warmer weather generally brings with it more gatherings and with that usually comes more temptation to overindulge on foods such as BBQ, fried foods and processed foods. Offer to bring a fresh dish to these gatherings, eat a balanced snack before going so you’re not feeling overindulgent nor tempted.
Protect your eyes from the sun
Our eyes can tolerate a few minutes of direct sun exposure (did you know we take in more vitamin D through our eyes than anywhere else on our bodies?) But excessive sun exposure can overtime cause damage to our retinas. Wear sunglasses when outside or exposed to the sun, when driving and wear a hat to add even more protection if you are spending ample time outside. Watch this interview with Dr. Raymond Douglas to learn more about how to holistically care for your eyes.