A New You This Spring

Renew Yourself this Spring!

Spring is the time of year when the natural world awakens from winter slumber. The sun seems brighter, days are longer and the warmer weather invites all of life to be renewed. Spring is a natural time for each of us to make changes in our habits and lifestyle that put us in harmony with the rhythm of the season. You can replace old habits with new and by next winter, you will not have the typical winter weight gain because of food and drink excess.

The Season of Cleansing begins with the Liver

Chinese medicine teaches us that each organ is associated with a season. In the spring, the organ is the liver, which is the most important cleansing organ in the body. In the nutrition world, when all else fails, support your liver.

The liver processes toxins for excretion and sends them to the intestines for elimination. Fiber binds with toxins so they are not reabsorbed into the blood. When you don’t eat enough dietary fiber (vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and legumes) and drink enough water, you reabsorb toxins. Constipation is very common among both adults and children. Headaches are common complaints for those with constipation. Many people who have migraines are simply constipated. The kidneys, skin and intestines are active in cleansing.

Ring in the New!

New habits to replace old bad habits.

If you begin with the mind-set of additions rather than subtractions, then your chance of success is greater. Add more water, vegetables, fruit and plant foods to your diet. Eat more whole grains, beans, legumes, raw nuts and seeds. When you add more of these foods to your diet, you won’t be hungry as these foods are naturally filling. Foods high in chlorophyll will help boost immunity and assist the body in removing toxins. Leafy green vegetables are a great choice. The supplements Spirulina and chlorella are also effective cleansers.

Here are a couple recipes to get you going. Enjoy the spring!

• Best Kale Salad Ever and Dolmas with Feta and Cranberries