Even though spring is finally here, you might find you still have trouble shaking off the winter blues, so how do you get your emotional wellness to spring back into action? According to Henrietta Norton, nutritional therapist and wellness expert, a mind and body ‘spring clean’ is the answer.
‘A cleanse in the spring can optimise your health and is, in my view, a far better time and way to reboot your health than a traditional new year detox,’ says Norton. ‘Far from being a starvation diet, a spring cleanse is simply a way of lightening the load on the body. It’s a gentle but powerful and enjoyable way to get the mind and body in balance. As the darker, colder days wane, it can make us feel physically and emotionally lighter, which is partly to do with the greater hours of daylight but also to do with our natural synergy with the seasons,” she points out.’
Norton advises that a spring cleanse should last a minimum of 28 days to get the real wellbeing impact you’re after. You should start by avoiding foods containing sugar and white flour products, and instead go for wholegrains, such as barley, wholegrain rice, wholemeal flour, quinoa and spelt, and natural sugars, like honey. You also need to drink at least eight glasses of filtered water every day, but not at mealtimes as this will dilute your digestive juices.
Before you step into your shower, use a body brush all over and make sure you are always brushing in the direction of the heart to encourage correct circulation. Once you’ve done your daily brushing, start your day with a mug of hot water flavoured with the juice of half a lemon. This will help to provide an alkaline balance in your body, and kick-start your metabolism. Follow your hot lemon with a healthy breakfast, such as unsweetened stewed fruit with added spices (such as ginger or cinnamon), crushed linseeds and a drizzle of organic pouring yoghurt.
During the day, you need to get outside and have long, gorgeous walks to boost your vitamin D levels, as you get this essential vitamin from sunlight on your skin. While you’re on your walk, spring clean your thoughts as well. Analyse your worries and decide which are genuine concerns, and which are merely habitual, nagging thoughts. Once you’ve got that covered, Norton advises maximising the benefits of your cleanse with a digestive cleanse supplement.