As the seasons turn and Winter transforms into Spring the energy of renewal and rebirth surrounding us moves us to refresh our lives. Enthusiastically, we brush away the Winter cobwebs, throw open the windows, bring Spring flowers into the home and begin to plant our vegetable gardens.
Spring is also a time to attend to our body and reinvigorate it as it awakens from the slowing down and turning inward of Winter. It’s a time to get outside and breathe in the air as we immerse ourselves in nature to reconnect with the earth and the natural world. It’s also a time to switch our diet to one more aligned with the energy of Spring.
These simple practices will help you detox any Winter sludge still hanging around and awaken your body in readiness for summer ahead.
1. Focus on antioxidant rich food.
The key is to go for a rainbow on your plate. Each different colour in fresh produce indicates the presence of a specific antioxidant. Mix up the colours of fruit and vegetables you eat to get the full range.
Raspberries are a yummy source of antioxidants. They have almost 50% more antioxidants than strawberries, three times as much as Kiwifruit and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes
2. Focus on fibre.
Quinoa is an excellent choice because it contains nearly twice as much fibre as any other grain (although it is actually a seed not a grain). Quinoa is so versatile that you can substitute it in a dish for rice, add it to soups, casseroles, or even use it to make a sweet breakfast porridge. You can even sprout it!
Quinoa is high in iron and calcium, a good source of magnesium, manganese and copper, as well as lysine
A diet high in fibre lowers your cholesterol, keeps you full for longer and reduces your risk of heart disease, constipation, haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, colon cancer, high blood sugar, dibetes and obesity – whew!
Here are some good sources of fibre: brown rice, kale, beans, avocados, raspberries, broccoli, oats, green peas and bran cereal
3. Focus on lemon:
Did you know that you can lower the glycemic index of a meal by 20-40% just by adding a few teaspoons of lemon juice to your meal? Lemon juice lowers the insulin response to carbohydrates, and slows down the time it takes a meal to leave your stomach – a key to dropping your weight
Insulin resistance is the failure of the body to respond to its own insulin and is a condition that raises blood sugar and can lead to diabetes
Drinking a large glass of Lemon Water first thing in the morning is a great way to get your metabolism going and supports your liver in detoxification role. Find out more here.
4. Focus on alkaline foods
The basis of this thinking is that foods can affect the pH levels in your body. Your pH affects your overall level of health. The idea is to eat roughly 30% of those foods that are acid-forming (a low pH) within your body and 70% of those that are alkaline-forming (a high pH). The more alkaline your pH levels the healthier you are.
Acid forming foods include meat, fish, dairy, grains, sugar, alcohol, coffee, tea. Alkaline foods include most, but not all, fruit and vegetables, and herbs. Lemons for example are alkaline in the body and corn is acidic. Use a list of acid-alkaline foods as your guide. (You’ll find many online, although some items do vary) Select your acidic food portions from the healthier options such as fish.
An added bonus is that an alkaline diet can help shed extra kilos and improve energy levels.
5. Focus on organic foods
Include as much organic produce as possible for your budget its availability. Some commercial produce is less toxic than others. Check out the EWC Dirty Dozen List for foods to ONLY eat organic. This list is for USA produce but is likely to be similar in your area.
