It’s that time of year again where spring is blooming, leaves are appearing, dust is flying and we are waking up our bodies from winter dullness! Even as a dietitian who tries to eat well, exercise and live out what I say every day, my body feels better with a spring cleaning. Let me tell you about things I have done to get my body off to a fresh start.
Clean the inside– Our health really starts on the inside of our bodies. Our bodies were created to be efficient and effective because they can self-clean through several systems; our skin, our gut, our liver and our kidneys. Frequently our internal and external environment can interfere with our ability to keep these systems healthy.
So when you think about spring cleaning your body, you want to address each of these systems. Here are some effective options.
- Gut– there are 2 major ways to clean your gut.
- Consume things that clean out your intestines like dark green leafy vegetables, supplements, high fiber foods, probiotics and more.
- Let your gut clean itself out by fasting. This means you do not take in calories but you hydrate with pure and clean water for a designated amount of time to help flush out your gut, let it rest and repair.
Personal story– I have done a 3 day water fast where I only consumed nothing but clean water for 3 days. When I started I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish without eating. What I found was that if I kept busy and drank water every time I wanted to eat, I was content. At the end of the 3 days I was more in tune with my hunger and fullness triggers, I felt light, cravings dropped away, I was re-energized to eat more fresh and healthy foods and I felt more in control of my body to make wholesome choices.
- Liver– this organ in your body is a workhorse.
It constantly acts as your vacuum, cleaning out the whole house. But just like a vacuum, sometimes it needs to cleaned out so it can work better too.
You can help your liver by eliminating junky foods and drinks from your diet, taking in potassium rich foods like sweet potatoes, back strap molasses, beet greens, spinach, and bananas. Try drinking raw vegetable juice, eating organic liver and taking supplements like dandelion to help clear out bile, turmeric to support liver cell metabolism and milk thistle to eliminate things like medications, alcohol, heavy metals and more.
- Kidneys- They work much like your water filtration system in your home.
They keep your body happy and hydrated by getting rid of wastes and toxins. They also support healthy blood pressure, keep electrolyte balance and more.
You can help your kidneys by reducing the amount of toxins your body takes in through eating and drinking. You need to stay hydrated with pure and clean water.
Start enjoying lemons because their citrate helps eliminate kidney stones, grab some watermelon because it gives you fluid, fiber and potassium.
You can also support your kidneys with some herbs like hydrangea, gravel and marshmallow root.
Personal story- I regularly take supplements that support a healthy liver, kidneys and digestive tract because it is impossible to eat perfect or control all the toxins I am exposed to in my environment. These supplements help me have clear glowing skin, a healthy gut and a powerful immune system so I very rarely get sick.
Clean the outside- What covers your outside and how healthy is it?
- Skin- Did you know your skin is the largest organ in your body?
Think of it like the outside of your house, it keeps the inside safe and protected. But the outside of the house reflects how nice and clean it is on the inside.
Your skin is involved in eliminating junk from your body mainly through sweat. Having irritated or inflamed skin can be an indicator of an unhealthy internal environment.
Support happy skin by eating healthy fats, drinking lots of clean water, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, taking probiotics and eliminating inflammation.
Encourage health elimination through your skin by taking Epsom salt soaks, using an infrared sauna, sweating vigorously, dry brushing and regular exfoliating.
Personal story- I started supporting my skin by selecting organic and natural foods, using essential oils, learning how to make my own skin care and eliminating scents, dyes and artificial ingredient products. My skin went from being sensitive, itchy and having regular breakouts; to calm, clear, glowing and healthy! Beauty from the inside out.
Clean around you- Just like our yards need help by cleaning out flower beds, mowing, trimming bushes and sweeping in the spring, our external environment around our bodies needs cleaning out too!
- Think of anything going on or around you.
Is it as clean, natural and free of toxins as possible?
Do you have lots of chemicals, colors and smells going on in your home?
What about your lotions, hair products, home cleaners, laundry, home scents, medications and more?
- Take inventory of your environment.
See what you notice and then start to learn how to reduce your exposure. It can feel overwhelming at first so I encourage you to pick one area or room in your environment to start with.
For example- Start with your laundry. Begin by choosing a natural detergent that has no smells, dyes, chemical residues or junk.
Eliminate more chemicals by using wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets.
Create your own fabric softener or spot treatment using natural ingredients like essential oils.
Now all your clothes and linens touching your skin will be less toxic.
Personal Story– I chose to start in my bathroom by getting rid of all my artificial body and hair care products, over the counter medications and switching to essential oils and natural products. I went to old fashioned baking soda, vinegar and a scrub brush to eliminate chemicals in my cleaning. Once I felt confident with this, I moved on to my laundry and then my kitchen. Lastly I tackled bedrooms.
Connect it all together- The bottom line is your health will be more abundant if you choose to support your body through some spring cleaning. Reduce your body exposure to toxins internally and externally as well as in your environment.
This means you want to make food choices that encourage your health by providing nutrients and energy without extra junk that clogs up your cells and system.
You will want to make smart choices for what you use on the outside of your body by avoiding the most chemicals and artificial ingredients you can.
Put it all together by asking yourself the question
“Is this item, food, product, medication etc. as close to nature as I can get?
Is there a smarter option for my health?”
This article could go on forever but we will examine more ways to eliminate our toxic exposure in future posts.
Just remember as you continue on your health journey, you will continue to grow in what you know. I found this true for me even though I thought I knew so much as a health professional.
It has been fun to increase my health in these natural, simple and effective ways. You can learn to do the same and experience vibrant health. Who doesn’t want that?
Have fun and choose health,
Esther
