People like “stuff.” We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save, and eventually stock up on, things we don’t know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.
For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our dwellings and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, our bodies also accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.
Spring is the body’s time to naturally detoxify because the foods that grow in this season are naturally fat-burning and cleansing, and the longer days of sunshine invite us to use our energy toward new adventures. I am not a fan of diets or quick fixes (mostly because they don’t work!), however I am a believer in periodically cleansing and detoxifying our bodies, as an important part of maintaining good health.
To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. This may mean paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going towards digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also lead to improved immune function, better digestion, and yes even a little weight loss!
We can help our children “detox” in a simple, natural way by increasing the “Spring foods” that they eat, including leafy greens, cherries, grapefruits and berries (soon). Get them excited to try new things by cooking together, going berry picking, or checking out a farmer’s market. They may not be begging for dark leafy greens (although I do have one client whose children cheer when she serves swiss chard!), but you are giving them an enormous education by exposing them to the origins of where their food comes from. Over time, this will allow them to make healthy, nourishing choices for themselves. And by feeding them seasonal foods, you are helping to keep their bodies healthy.
While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter in.
People like “stuff.” We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save, and eventually stock up on, things we don’t know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.
For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our dwellings and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, our bodies also accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.
Spring is the body’s time to naturally detoxify because the foods that grow in this season are naturally fat-burning and cleansing, and the longer days of sunshine invite us to use our energy toward new adventures. I am not a fan of diets or quick fixes (mostly because they don’t work!), however I am a believer in periodically cleansing and detoxifying our bodies, as an important part of maintaining good health.
To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. This may mean paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going towards digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also lead to improved immune function, better digestion, and yes even a little weight loss!
We can help our children “detox” in a simple, natural way by increasing the “Spring foods” that they eat, including leafy greens, cherries, grapefruits and berries (soon). Get them excited to try new things by cooking together, going berry picking, or checking out a farmer’s market. They may not be begging for dark leafy greens (although I do have one client whose children cheer when she serves swiss chard!), but you are giving them an enormous education by exposing them to the origins of where their food comes from. Over time, this will allow them to make healthy, nourishing choices for themselves. And by feeding them seasonal foods, you are helping to keep their bodies healthy.
While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter in.