Hello, Spring! We welcome you with wide, open arms. A time of re-birth and renewal for the natural world, Spring is the perfect time to cultivate your own inner revival. Just as we, too, have drawn inwards through the winter months much like nature does, many of us feel a sense of rejuvenation as Spring gets underway. Warmer weather, more sunshine, and longer days seem to revive our energy and amp us up for the summer months to come. What better time for a detox than now?

A “detox” (which can come in many, many forms) is simply our name for any period of deep, cleansing, and intentional self-care. Be it physical, mental, emotional or environmental, doing a “detox” means you are purging all the stuff in your life that mucks you up, whether that be ill health, a cluttered home, or a mentally drained mind. It’s likely you have more than one area in your life that could use a little “spring cleaning,” and so we have created a guide for your holistic spring detox—simple ways you can detoxify your life all-around  for a vibrant, restored and rejuvenated you.

We recommend you follow these tips for 30 days from whenever you decide to do your detox, giving yourself a solid month to really detoxify and balance your life. A greater you awaits!

PHYSICAL WAYS TO DETOX

Detox Diet

You know the drill! Eliminate all those naughty foods that lead to poor health, like sugary sweets, soda, fried and processed junk food, and alcohol—these foods not only lead to weight gain, but are associated with unwanted symptoms like bloating, gas, acne, fatigue, poor sleep, mood swings, and cravings. For the most optimal results and to truly detoxify your body, eliminate sugar completely, meaning none of the obvious cookies or cakes, but also things like honey, maple syrup, fruit juice, or the hidden sugars in things like peanut butter, granola bars, and cereal. Curious why the fuss over sugar? Read more about that topic by clicking here.

Instead, load up on plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, where you can even purchase cold-pressed, organic green juices to amp up your detox power (note- read the ingredients and choose juice that contains minimum fruit content and features a variety of vegetables as the primary ingredients). Eat lots of other real, whole foods such as nuts, seeds, and whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice.

Drink Up!

Proper hydration is essential for optimal energy and for the function of your cells, tissues and organs, so drink up to ensure your body’s inner detoxification systems can get to work! Aim to drink at least half your body weight in water per day. So, if you weigh 125 pounds, you want to drink roughly 62 ounces of water per day.

And, filtered water is required! Tap water is poisonous, filled with high levels of chemicals and cleansing agents, so don’t ADD to your toxicity levels while you’re trying to DE-toxify. Adding fresh lemon to your water will rev up your detoxifying power, and you can also add cucumber, fresh berries, and/or lime to your water throughout the day to make staying hydrated a tasty experience. Consider purchasing a reusable water bottle to carry with you throughout the day or keep on your desk at work, as a reminder to drink up!

Get Sweaty

Get MOVING, and your body will thank you! Just 20 minutes per day is all it takes to engage in exercise, but focus on some solid cardio at least 3 days/week to get sweaty—sweating promotes detoxification, (as toxins literally sweat out of your body) and getting your heart rate up also leads to increased serotonin in the brain for a mood boost.

Try visiting an infrared sauna at a local health or wellness center, designed to get you sweating over the course of 30 minutes to increase circulation, burn calories, reduce stress, ease pain and tension, as well as detoxify. With these techniques, you can say hello to greater energy, better sleep, and a kick-butt mental focus all while you get your detox on!

MENTAL WAYS TO DETOX

Cultivate the Positive

A toxic mind leads to a toxic life. Purge all the anxieties, stress, negative thoughts and self-doubt from your mind to experience the kind of fluid, vibrant energy we crave in the Spring. There are many ways to practice and experience more optimism in your life, play around to see what technique works for you. Listening to guided meditations on YouTube, attending a slow flow yoga class, or practicing deep breathing on your own are ways to slow the mind down and silence the restless, inner chatter.

Try also journaling, painting, reading, going on nature walks, cooking, or even dancing as ways to connect with your inner peace and the things that help you experience happiness and joy; then, make it a habit to practice those behaviors more often to say goodbye to a toxic mind.

Take a Break from the Tech

A detox from technology can do your mind wonders—taking a break from the constant use of your phone, tablet, laptop and even from social media for a period of time can often lead to feelings of melted stress and a lighter mood. Now, we don’t suggest you turn off all your devices for 30 days and fall off the grid completely (although, does anyone else think that sounds kinda nice!?) but instead choose your vice…

Are you the person who can’t go more than 10 minutes without checking your phone for a new email or text? Commit to set hours of the day that you will tuck away your phone this month to give your mind some mental space. Addicted to social media or find yourself checking into Facebook multiple times per day? Suspend your account for a month and see how you feel.  Say no to screens after 7pm. Have a tech-free weekend. Whatever you choose, your mind will thank you!

Get Outside

Spend some time in the outdoors and notice the profound difference that even just a few hours in nature can do for your sense of well-being. Try and squeeze a little sunshine in there for optimal results! Here are a few simple ideas to give you a kick-start…

Find a local park or nature trail and go for a walk; pack a lunch and a couple blankets, and go have a picnic with your family or a couple friends; dust off the ol’ bike and cruise around the neighborhood; take your kids or grandchildren to a park; grab a good book or a couple magazines and post up underneath a tree, on a sunny patch of grass, or a picnic table for a couple hours; choose a new local town to explore and go walk around for a while, discovering some new places while taking in the local scenery. Inhale the fresh air, feel the sun on your skin, and enjoy!

ENVIRONMENTAL WAYS TO DETOX

De-Clutter

When you live in a cluttered environment, often times, your life feels cluttered, too! Whether it be your home, your office, your desk, your closet (or maybe all of the above!), dedicate some time this month to clear away the clutter in your life. There is something so gratifying when you purge all the “stuff” in your life that you don’t actually use (or need).

Grab some trash bags and donate all the clothes, shoes and other household items that no longer serve you, and shred or recycle all the old files, papers, and notes that are littering your work space. Grab some cheap organizational bins or boxes to help organize your belongings. A tidy environment will allow you to harness more clarity, motivation, and contentment for those brighter, longer days.

Do a Deep, “Spring Clean”

Even if you hate cleaning, this one is such a worthwhile and necessary step! For a true Spring revival, blast your favorite tunes, put on those rubber gloves, and get to work with a little dusting, scrubbing and organizing to detox your home from all the dirty that may have accumulated in those hibernation months. Open the shades and throw open the windows to let in all the light and fresh air on a perfect Spring day, to invite that same warm energy into your home.

Consider tackling one room at a time and divide your home between days or a couple of weekends, to avoid overwhelm of trying to do it all at once. Once you’ve done your “spring clean,” however, you will feel refreshed and inspired for the new seasons ahead when your home feels just as fresh as springtime does.

HEALTH: THE MOST IMPORTANT MEANS TO DETOX!

Long-term use of prescription drugs, poor diet, drug or alcohol use, chronic stress, use of conventional bath and beauty products, and digestive distress are just a few of the reasons why you should consider seeing a doctor to address your body’s detoxification functions. Without proper detoxification, where the liver and digestive system are working in harmony, you can suffer from a myriad of symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, chronic pain, irritability, brain fog, acne, constipation, bloat and allergies, among many others.

It’s always important to know what’s going on with your inner health, which is why encourage that if you haven’t seen us in a while or have never visited our office, to schedule an appointment with one of our holistic doctors. We’ll determine your inner toxicity levels and any physiological areas of your body that need a REAL detox, and create a custom care plan for you to help you detoxify and restore optimal health from the inside out.

Balancing hormonal, microbial and nutritional levels are just a few of the areas to which we can help you get your health back on track.

Give us a call this Spring and we would be honored to help you on your health journey. Click here to schedule online or call us anytime at 734-779-1650.

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About The Author

Kaley Moore is the Wellness Coach at Integrative Wellness Centers. She holds her BA in Interdisciplinary Health Studies from Michigan State University and is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She is driven by the mission to help you restore meaningful health and wellness. Having suffered with multiple health conditions from a young age, Kaley has learned first-hand how our food choices affect so much more than what goes on our plate. Coupled with lifestyle management and a simplified approach to nutrition, she brings her 10+ years of experience working closely with individuals and families to offer a holistic perspective in living a balanced, nourished life.