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We spring clean our homes, our closets and even our kitchen cabinets and pantries, but have you ever thought of spring cleaning your body? The spring season is associated with a time of growth and fresh energy so it’s the perfect time to adapt health and wellness practices that compliment the new spring season. For 2 weeks starting March 28, let’s focus on spring cleaning our minds and bodies with 3 steps:
1. Hydrate
Water helps our organs function and helps us get rid of waste. While 8 cups a day is a common rule of thumb, it’s better to try drinking half your body weight in ounces daily. So if you weigh 180 pounds, drink 90 ounces of water. However, water guidelines can vary based on gender, physical activity and pregnancy. With this goal, you’ll find that you won’t have a lot of room for other liquids—make H20 your top priority. If plain water is too boring for you, try adding sliced lemon or lime to liven things up. Not only will your skin elasticity and digestion improve, you’ll rid your body of toxins and trim down your waistline.
2. Load up on leafy greens
Food can either contribute to our toxic load or help cleanse our bodies and minds. In general, try to eat more real, whole, organic foods and less packaged foods. Leafy green vegetables such as as arugula, beet, bok choy, chard, dandelion, endive, kale, mustard greens, parsley and spinach, are known to be particularly cleansing to the body. After an indulgent holiday season filled with festive foods and delicious delights, your body may be craving a reset, so load up on lots of leafy greens.
Raw, steamed, sauteed, chopped, shredded—no matter how you eat them, they have lots of nutrients that will help make your skin glow, rid your body of toxins, and rev up your immune system. For this 2 week challenge, and to boost your daily nutrition, aim to eat about 2 cups of dark, leafy greens every day.
3. Oxycise!
Deep breathing acts as a natural toxin reliever as it brings in fresh oxygen and exhales out toxins and carbon dioxide. When the blood is oxygenated, it ensures smoother functioning of your vital organs, including the immune system. A cleaner, toxin-free and healthier blood supply help ward off infection-causing germs from the base and strengthen your immunity.
Carbon dioxide is a natural toxic waste that comes out from our body only through breathing. But when our lungs are compromised by shallow breathing the other detoxification system starts working harder to expel this waste. This can make our body weaker and lead to illness.
As our breathing is what moves the lymph, shallow breathing can lead to a sluggish lymphatic system which will not detoxify properly. Deep breathing will also help you get the lymph flowing properly so that your body can work more efficiently.
Click here to download our Spring Challenge workout schedule, or click here to choose your own workouts for the challenge.
We’re taking it back to the basics this time with all levels of the standard series. Enjoy a full body workout each day as you increase oxygen in the body to give your mind and body a well-deserved deep spring clean. Take a rest day each Sunday, or go for a walk outdoors while adding some Oxy breathing to really get your blood pumping and oxygen flowing.
