Spring is all about healing and rejuvenation. It’s about revisiting and reviving those 2014 goals and intentions I set way back in January. It’s about spending time outdoors, in the sunshine, feeling the happiness of plants and beings around me, and breathing in clean, fresh air. It’s about eating clean food, moving my body, and doing what I can to release the toxins that have found their way deep into my cells.
Just as we clean our homes, cars, cottages, and work spaces, it makes sense to actively and purposefully cleanse our bodies, from the inside. With diminished movement, fresh air, local food, and sunlight during the cold, winter months, it’s natural for our bodies to have accumulated toxins faster than they can escape. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is inherently a time of awakening energy from within and renewing the body’s power to release inflammation and revitalize health.
My preferred form of cleansing is one that’s accelerated, and generally involves going on a detoxifying diet for multiple days in a row. But there are many daily detoxifying practices that can be done as well, either in addition to a cleanse or to complement one you’re already doing. These activities promote the outward flow of toxins.
The result? Restored energy, inner strength, peace and happiness, outer glow and radiance, and a heightened sense of clarity.
Here are my top 5 tips to support you on your spring cleanse:
1. Dry body brushing. Gently brush your body, in the direction of your lymphatic system, to stimulate the release of toxins.
2. Coconut oil pulling. Swish coconut oil in your mouth immediately upon waking to remove toxins that have built up inside your mouth.
3. Hydrotherapy. Alternate your shower with hot and cold water to stimulate circulation.
4. Kundalini yoga. Raise energy throughout your body to heal and transform the nervous system.
5. Enjoy some chia pudding. Soak chia seeds in room temperature water for 10 minutes and consume before bed, to support the microflora in your gut, as well to help you excrete toxins stuck in your digestive tract.
Along with actively cleansing our bodies, it’s also helpful to think of ways we can de-clutter our lives and spaces in general.
So I leave you with this question: How can you lighten your load, to create more space for healing, freedom and happiness?