Put that Spring Back in Your Step

Spring is here, my friends, and it is one of my favorite seasons of the year. Every day when you step outside there are new surprises — flowers blooming, leaves bursting open in a show of vibrant greens, and tiny sprouts popping up in the garden. Spring is a great reminder of the intelligence of nature and new beginnings.

It has been a rainy and chilly spring season, great for the plant world but harder on us humans.

At home we recently did some sprucing up in our bedroom and hung up nice room darkening curtains. I have noticed I am sleeping more soundly but am having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. I feel more like hibernating than awakening. Can any of you relate to this?

Here are some simple tips to help put that spring back in your step and enjoy renewed energy and clarity.

Eat Lighter

According to Mark Hyman, MD, “Spring is the time to clean house, inside and out”.  You don’t have to do a heavy-duty detox, (although these can be helpful), to reap the benefits.  Let go of refined and packaged foods and heavy carbohydrate-rich foods. Ditch the sugar, lighten up on the use of fats and animal protein-rich foods to help reset your body and digestion.

Include more spring foods that support the liver in gently removing stored toxins from the body.

Some of my seasonal favorites include:

• Snap peas
• Bitter greens, dandelion, endive and swiss chard
• Lettuces
• Asparagus
• Wild greens
• Spinach
• Garlic, particularly raw rich in antibacterial agents and Allicin can get help clear out bad bacteria
• Include sprouts into your daily meals
• Nature is literally sprouting with all kinds of fresh live foods in the spring. Sprouted seeds, nuts, beans and legumes have highest levels of live concentrated nutrition and are easier on the digestion.
• Try spicy radish sprouts, broccoli sprouts, sunflower seeds sprout or mung bean sprouts.

Eat less

Spring is a good time to bring more awareness to your eating habits. You may have spent the winter months constantly snacking and eating at irregular hours. It’s time to let go of that and reset to a more regular routine. Have you noticed that you just don’t feel as hungry? Focus on eating until you are 2/3 of the way full. Leave the table with a slight feeling of hunger and give your body time to digest. Be mindful of how late you are eating. Instead of a late-night snack indulge in a warmer and relaxing cup of herbal or chamomile tea.

Move more

The first step is getting up out of bed or out of your chair. Take it from me, open those shades and let in the natural light, even if it’s a cloudy day. Open up the window too and get some fresh air.   Get outside as much as possible. Replace your afternoon nap with a brisk walk. Ditch the headphones, turn off the ringer on your phone and just enjoy your walk in silence, observing the unfolding of the season. Start or renew a yoga practice to incorporate mindful breathing with movement. Healthy breathing can help to oxygenate the body and release stale energy, a natural energy boost.

Spring should be a time of ease and not one more to do list that can become overwhelming.  Keep it simple and notice the changes that unfold in your life.