After a dreary winter, spring has finally arrived! Nature is waking up and coming to life. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining warmer with each day. Traditionally, the spring is a time to clear clutter from our homes, scrub the house from top to bottom, and open up the windows for some fresh air. As we spring clean our homes, so should we spring clean our bodies. It is time for our bodies to awaken after a season spent hibernating indoors and eating sweets during the holidays. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring corresponds with the liver and gallbladder. What better a time than now to detoxify?

Why should we detoxify? We live in a toxic world. Each day our bodies are bombarded with hundreds of toxins, from the food we eat to the air we breathe. Where do these toxins go? They reside in our cells until our liver can detoxify them and our bowels can eliminate them from our bodies. When our liver becomes polluted, it begins to affect digestion (gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea), energy production (slow and lethargic), mood (feelings of anger or irritability), and sets the stage for many chronic diseases (eczema, arthritis, PMS…to name a few.)

So what are some simple things we can do to cleanse our bodies for the spring?

• Every morning before breakfast, drink the juice of 1/2 lemon squeezed into 8 oz. of warm water.
• End each hot shower with 30 seconds of cold.
• Drink at least 1 L of distilled or spring water daily (2 L is better!) Herbal non-caffeinated tea counts.
• Eat your veggies! Especially beets, broccoli, spinach, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli raabe, cabbage…
• Eat organic.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine (green tea is beneficial), refined sugar, white flour/pasta/bread, and processed foods.
• Reduce animal products (meat, dairy, eggs.)
• Ensure regular bowel movements (at least one daily) to remove toxins.
• Get outside and move! At least 20 minutes of exercise to increase heart rate 3 times weekly. Walking at a brisk pace is a simple activity.

More specifically, there are herbs, supplements, and protocols that can be individualized for you taking into consideration your lifestyle and health concerns. These are often a little more thorough and intensive, and naturopathic supervision is recommended.