Want a spring cleanse for your body?
With these 6 tips you can make it work
Especially in spring but also the rest of the year detoxing seems to be a widespread trend. All the coffee, cigarettes and wine we enjoy can be balanced with a green smoothie, a detox-tea or a whole week of fasting. Lovely if it was that easy. Of course all these are pleasant actions for our body but they cannot completely balance an excessive lifestyle. So if you want to start this spring with fresh energy some more measures are needed. As alternatives to a 3 week Ayurveda cure or complete fasting we gathered some tips how you can do well for your body.
Simply half
The diet principle of eating half (of everything) can very well be applied to those unhealthy pleasantries we enjoy from time to time. Those of us who can’t give them up completely might do well with half the usual amount. 2 coffees instead of 4, beer and lemonade instead of a whole beer or sharing that delicious piece of pie with the one next to you. After all the idea is to enjoy treating yourself well and not the feeling of sacrifice. Because things that feel good can become new habits.
Movement
Cycling or walking a train station instead of taking the car will start your blood circulation so all useful and unnecessary substances can be transported to their destination, meaning inside cells or out of the body. Oxygen and sunlight are bonuses on top.
Sweating
The skin also helps us to eliminate unwanted substances. Sweating helps us to detox, so going to the sauna is also a good idea when temperatures are rising. Alternatively we can enjoy some sporty activities, preferably outdoors and in company.
Drink, drink and drink some more
It feels like everyone is shouting it from the roofs and still we need to stress how important sufficient hydration is for the body. Small reminder: half our blood consists of water. The lymph fluid as well. And then the plasma in each cell as well! So we can’t function without water. If you can implement only one of all mentioned tips stick to this one: drink 1,5–2L of water, unsweetened infusion or spritzer a day. And after that maybe a little more water.
A little morning routine for the advanced
Ayurveda suggests an extensive morning routine with rising with the sun, oil pulling, massages, yoga and more activities that support natural body functions and it’s rhythm. It can take up to 2 hours and for most of us is difficult to incorporate in our daily life. But we can use some elements of it. A good start is the tongue scraping in the morning immediately after getting up. It removes all those bacteria that gathered in the mouth over night before we swallow them down with breakfast. You can use a handy plastic scraper from a drugstore or a small spoon from the kitchen. After that brush your teeth or thoroughly rinse your mouth and you’re ready for part 2: a glas of warm water. It kick-starts digestion and prepares you for breakfast. A teaspoon of unfiltered apple cider vinegar or the juice of half a lemon can be added to stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and even brings some vitamins and minerals to the table. Quite useful, right?
All-time favourites
Since we’re at drinking we also need to mention these detox classics that make for great infusions. They can be drank from time to time or several times a day for 2–3 weeks. The stinging nettle has a bad reputation because of all the skin burning but is actually full of healthy substances. Amongst other effects it stimulates kidney function and thus accelerates the elimination of water-soluble substances from our bodies. You can also eat it, especially the fine young shoots are delicious in smoothies, salads or as a side dish. To support the liver we can use dandelion. It also can be drunk and eaten.
Even if we don’t always stick to the intention of a super healthy lifestyle we can still get closer to that goal with a few tricks. Little changes are often easier to implement than drastic measures and can turn into new habits. So how about a huge glas of water for today?
