Spring clean time for you

Spring clean time for you

7 March 2012

MANY people give their houses a good spring clean this time of year but what about our bodies? Spring is the season of birth and new growth and is an excellent time to incorporate some healthy eating and exercise into your life as its much easier to get motivated when the days are longer.

By reducing the toxic burden on your body the benefits can range from more energy, improved digestion, weight-loss, happier mood, better blood pressure and more peaceful sleep to name a few. So how do you go about this? Here are some tips to spring clean your body without going hungry;

• Take a herbal remedy such as “milk thistle” which supports the liver and digestive system as you improve your diet.

• Avoid ‘junk food’ such as ready meals, crisps, buns and fried food provide empty calories and lower energy levels. By choosing fruit instead of sweets, dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate and baked potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of chips, for example you can make a difference in your health.

• Prevent constipation by adding a tablespoon of milled flaxseed to your breakfast cereal and doing half-an-hour of exercise a day.

• Go wheat-free and see how you feel. This can make a big difference to health as wheat is acid-forming in the body and often leads to bloating and tiredness in sensitive people. Wheat-free grains include oats, brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, spelt, kamut and rye.

• Aim to drink eight glasses of water a day. By adding some lemon juice you can help alkalize your body, boost your metabolism and cleanse the liver, kidneys and colon. Herbal teas such as mint, nettle, fennel and dandelion also count as water intake.

• Add legumes to your diet daily as they are a great source of fibre and help to balance the blood sugar (this includes beans, lentils and chickpeas).

• Make 70% of your meals vegetables. They are naturally low in fat, high in fibre and are amazing for your health.

• Include “good fats” in your diet such as avocados, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and olive oil. Taking two teaspoons of flaxseed oil or “Udos Oil” provides your body with omega 3 which many people are deficient in.

• Eat more raw fruit and vegetables, ideally organic. Juicing vegetables is an effective way to increase energy levels as the green vegetables contain minerals in an absorbable form such as calcium, magnesium and iron. “Green juice” made from celery and cucumber is especially good for you (to sweeten it you can add carrot or apple). It is best to go easy on fruit juice as it is naturally high in sugar and a better alternative is to eat the fruit as it then contains fibre.

• Eat more organic food. Pesticides and herbicides end up in the liver for detoxification so by increasing the amount of organic fruit and vegetables you eat, your liver has less work to do.

• Reduce or eliminate alcohol, coffee and tea. Alcohol and coffee destroy B vitamins which are needed for healthy nerves and tea depletes iron levels especially in women. One coffee a day or two cups of tea usually doesn’t cause problems but aim to make the rest of your drinks water or herbal tea. Coffee is one of the most pesticide sprayed crops in the world so its better to go organic (“Clipper” do organic tea and coffee).

• Reduce or eliminate meat and dairy to give your body a break. Meat is acid- forming in the body and often causes constipation. Cows dairy causes excess mucus in many people and can cause bloating in people prone to IBS as they lack the lactase enzyme needed to break it down. Small amounts of organic yoghurt is a better choice or goats milk as it is much lower in lactose. Oily fish is a more healthful alternative to meat and meats to especially avoid include bacon, ham and red meat.

• Take a probiotic such as lactobacillus acidophillus. Our immune system is dependent on having enough “good bacteria” in the intestines and they also help us digest our food and manufacture vitamins and minerals. “Molkosan” is an excellent prebiotic which helps the good bacteria flourish by providing the right conditions in the gut and “Udos Choice Super 8” is one of the best probiotics available. Taking the two together before bed can significantly boost immunity and improve digestion.

• Apple cider vinegar has been around for hundreds of years and works to alkalize the body which can help with weight-loss, digestion and arthritis symptoms. You can take a tablespoon or two a day in water or a teaspoon in water before each meal.

 Making small improvements daily can really help lighten the load on your body and help you experience better health! Products mentioned can be found in good health shops such as THS at Jacksons, Main St, Saintfield and THS, St Patrick’s Ave, Downpatrick.

n Kim McCreery has worked in the natural health industry for the last six years and is passionate about nutrition and herbal remedies. For more details, e-mail: kimmccreery@live.co.uk