Spring is has finally arrived! And doesn't it feel great to feel the sun on our faces once again? Ok, I agree, it's not that warm just yet, but that re energised feeling when looking out of the window on a sunny spring morning as once again nature blossoms and springs to life, well, that cant be beaten and it is so welcome after a dull and very damp winter. All around us there's evidence of new life, new energy & change.
However, whilst everything is blooming outside, are you flowering on the inside, feeling energised, healthy and ready to take on the world? Is your health blossoming? Or, is it a little stagnant and in need of a kick start?
Do you feel tired & sluggish? Is your skin dull and in need of a little TLC? Is your digestive system out of sorts - bloating? Constipation? Indigestion? Are you getting headaches? Are you emotionally drained?
Do these symptoms resonate with you? If so, there's no better opportunity for a 'spring cleanse' - time to regain your energy, vitality & 'joie de vivre'.
PUTTING THE SPRING BACK INTO YOUR STEP
In this blog I'll be giving you some quick tips on how to help restore energy & vitality with a focus on cleansing the body, mind & soul. Why not set aside a little time to create the space to cleanse your body of toxins, replenish with nutritious food, unwind your mind and re-ignite your soul. Work towards finding your healthy balance and putting the spring back into your step so you can leap into life!
A healthy balanced diet is one of the foundations to achieving Optimum Health and should never be overlooked. Its vital to keep our digestive & eliminatory organs (bowels, kidneys, lungs,skin) in good working order so that the body can effectively digest & utilise the nutrients it needs from food and at the same time efficiently dispose of its unwanted wastes without them accumulating in the body.
DIET
1) HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE!
Keep well hydrated - try to drink at least 4pts of clean, uncarbonated water daily and avoid dehydrating drinks such as coffee, tea, & alcohol. Steer clear of fizzy drinks too. Substitute tea & coffee for herb teas and coffee substitutes such as Bambu. Remember your brain is 80% water and depends on it to function optimally, without adequate hydration your concentration & focus will deteriorate. Dehydration can also impair short term memory and long term memory recall. In addition, if there is insufficient fluid in the bowel there will also be constipation. Just a few of many good reasons to keep well hydrated!
2) Add 'swollen' foods to you diet, these are foods that hold water and help hydrate the body. Foods such as gentle grains, pulses & vegetables. Brown Rice & Millet are especially good grains to use.
3) Stick to proteins that are less challenging for the body to digest - e.g. pulses, seeds, fish & chicken are best. Try to avoid Pork & red meats. Dairy can also be very challenging on the digestion and produces a lot of mucous in the body, opt for dairy free milks such as coconut, rice & nut milks.
4) Fruit - try and eat indigenous, seasonal fruits where possible and always eat away from other food groups. Fruit digests much quicker than other foods. Fruit smoothies are great but be aware of the high sugar content, especially in ready to drink versions. It is always better to make your own from fresh - but again keep them in moderation.
5) A gentle cleansing diet should include: 45% Brown rice 45% Fresh Vegetables and 10% Pulses
6) Try to incorporate Raw Foods into your diet. Chopped raw veg can be used as snacks, you can also buy healthy 'Raw' snacks from your local health store. Raw Kale Chips are great and very moreish! The enzymes that occur naturally in raw food are important for health and greatly aid digestion. Eating a healthy salad a day is a great way to benefit from raw foods whilst introducing variety,colour and a whole host of healthy nutrients to your diet.
7) Reduce your intake of acid forming foods. Too many of these foods can lead to inflammation in the body and exacerbate problems such as joint pain, arthritis, skin complaints and a number of digestive complaints. Any condition ending in 'itis' suggests there is inflammation present. So its about getting your balance right. Aim for 80% Alkaline 20% acidic foods. Avoid acidic foods such as white bread, refined sugars, coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks, chocolate, red meat & processed foods. Incorporate a daily serving of alkalising green foods into your diet such as chlorella, spirulina and wheatgrass. These powders are packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants and are amongst the most nourishing foods in the world. There are great for restoring energy levels too! At the bottom of this article I have included a very useful chart from energiseforlife.com showing the various acid & alkaline forming foods. Hopefully this will provide a clearer understanding of the foods to include in your diet and those best avoided. It may be handy to print out a copy and pin it to your fridge.
8) Avoid drinking water with meals - as this dilutes 'saliva' which is the body's best digestant. Food mixed with Saliva ensures proper digestion - which brings me onto my next point.....
9) Always chew food thoroughly. CHEW! CHEW! CHEW! Many people eat foods in such a rush i'm surprised that it even touches the sides and exits the body in the same form as it entered! Chewing your food is so important and the point at which digestion begins. Take your time when eating and never rush. Your food needs to be broken down into small pieces for its nutrients to be released and absorbed.
11) Soak linseeds or chia seeds. These seeds as well as being a great source of Omega 3, are exceptional at holding water, which can help prolong hydration in the body & retain electrolytes. They are also excellent for adding bulk to stools and improving the function of the bowels.
12) Include a variety of colourful vegetables to your diet to obtain the broadest spectrum of nutrients. Your plates of food should look like a rainbow! Organic is always the best option and ensures that your food is free of harmful chemical preservatives. It tastes much better too! Raw vegetable juices are great for helping renew vitality when we are feeling fatigued as well as being rich in health producing enzymes and vitamins, minerals and trace elements. They will also give you skin a healthy glow too! Juices should be made in a 'juicer' rather than a blender so to obtain all benefits. They should be drank soon after making so to avoid oxidation occurring and the loss of key nutrients.
13) Avoid frying food where possible and cook only with oils that have a high smoke point & remain stable at high temperatures e.g Coconut Oil or Rice bran oil. Olive Oil or flaxseed oil should only be used in salad dressings or stirred into foods once cooked. Cooking these oils will cause them to become unstable, oxidise and become carcinogenic. Steam or stir fry veg to retain their nutrients. If boiling - retain the water after cooking and use as stock, as nutrients will leach into the water during cooking, don't rinse them down the drain.
LIFESTYLE
Although nutrition is key, it isn't the only area to be spring cleaned! What about your lifestyle? Ask yourself -Are there changes that can be made here too? Have you been burning the candle at both ends and need some rest? Are you getting enough sleep? What about exercise - are you able to get out and enjoy the lovely spring weather and take in some fresh air? Even if its just going for a walk - getting away from it all out in the countryside can be a tonic in itself and very restorative. Getting more oxygen into the lungs is vital and poor breathing technique can limit our oxygen intake and hinder the release of toxicity from the lungs in the form of carbon dioxide. Its surprising how shallow our breathing becomes when under a lot of stress for example. Take time to practice deep breathing on a regular basis and really fill those lungs, increasing your oxygen intake with every in breath and releasing the toxicity with every out breath. Joining a yoga class or relaxation/meditation group is highly recommended, it's somewhere that introduces you to focusing on the importance of breath and breathing correctly. A place to focus and still the mind whilst at the same time it can be energising and revitalising! Its all about balance. Yin & Yang!
However these are only suggestions as every one of us is different and unique, our interests vary- so find that something that helps you to relax and restore your inner balance :)
We are only given this one body and it's up to us to care for it. The body will do its best in any given circumstance, however, we need to nurture it with good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle to keep it in good running order. What happens if we put the wrong fuel into our cars? Yep, you guessed, they come to a grinding halt and until we remove the harmful fuel and replace it with the correct fuel - its going nowhere.The same happens to us if we constantly take in too much of the wrong stuff - we become ill, yet we have the choice to make changes and help heal ourselves.
Id like to make an important point here though - life is about balance. Yes its very important to fuel our bodies with the right foods and engage in the right lifestyle behaviours to keep us well and healthy for a very long time. And I believe that we are all capable of making positive health changes - armed with the right information & knowledge. But life is also for living. So, if now and again you have a naughty treat or go overboard at a celebration or on holiday or simply fall off the wagon- please don't beat yourself up. The worry itself can be just as harmful. Enjoyment of life is so very important too. It's all about moderation and not letting the occasional 'blip' become an ingrained bad habit that takes its toll your health. Our bodies, if, in good working order, should be able to stand the occasional blow out and be able to repair. If we are run down or taken ill - its a warning sign - so act upon it. Keep everything in balance - know what the right foods are to eat, remove the harmful sugar laden and over processed foods and chemicals. Be aware and take steps towards better health. Find your healthy balance! Take care of your body and it will take care of you!
If you would like to make changes to your diet and you are in need of a little extra support & guidance.It may be a good idea to seek the help of a qualified & experienced Nutritional Therapist.
For more information and advice on how you can bring about healthy changes in your life, please pop into Bare Health or call the store on 01260 408413. Our team of experienced and professional therapists are always more than happy to help.
The information in this article is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any existing medical conditions. Always seek the advice of a GP or healthcare professional if taking prescribed medication or undergoing any treatment prior to making any dietary or lifestyle changes.
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