Spring has Sprung
The snow is melting and the tulips will soon be showing their colors….sure signs spring has sprung! The warmer temperatures have an energizing effect on us all.
However, in order to enjoy all the hiking, biking, and the like your heart desires, you’ll want to take certain steps to ensure your health and energy levels are at their best. Spring is the perfect time to do some cleaning, not just inside your house, but inside your body as well. Not only will you have more energy, but if you suffer from allergies, doing a cleanse can dramatically reduce your symptoms.
Here are my 2 top tips for ensuring your health is at its best this spring:
#1) Prepare your Body with the Right Foods and Nutrients to Fend off Spring Allergies
The first step in reducing springtime allergies is to avoid the following list of items which will make your symptoms worse: sugary foods, lack of fresh vegetables and fruit, not enough sleep, not enough/too much exercise, poor emotional health, processed foods, alcohol, and dehydration. Additionally, a diet high in dairy &/or wheat can increase phlegm production which can also worsen your symptoms.
Nutrient Dense Diet
The next step is to ensure your diet is full of nutrients specific to keeping your immune system from overreacting to spring pollens, specifically spinach, kale, green/red peppers, carrots, cabbage, apples, oranges, cranberries, almonds, seeds, ginger, and wild salmon.
Increase Key Supplements
Lastly, start on a supplement program which includes key vitamins, minerals, oils, probiotics, and herbs designed to optimize your immune system and thus eliminate your symptoms. My patients experience great relief from following my simple supplement recommendations.
#2) Do a Simple Cleanse
You can’t see them but toxins are ubiquitous in today’s world and thus accumulate inside your body as well. Be they in the water, the sky, or the land, toxins are there. They aren’t just outside either. Inside your home they are found in cleaners; vapors leaching from chemicals such as fire retardants in furniture and carpets; and the fragrances and chemicals used in shampoos, toothpaste, laundry soap, scented candles, and air fresheners (which are just chemicals).
Unless You’re Eating Organic, You’re Ingesting Harmful Pesticides & Fertilizers
Additionally, unless you are eating organic foods, you’re regularly ingesting large amounts of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Sixty million pounds of pesticides are applied to U.S. crops annually. Toxins circulating in the body have been shown to be a key factor in worsening insulin resistance.
Detoxify your Liver
Your liver plays a key role in detoxification. Anything that over taxes your liver increases the toxin build-up in your body. In the case of alcohol, drinking over two drinks a day for men or one a day for women has been shown to cause excess liver stress.
5 to 10-day Cleanse
Doing a simple 5 to 10-day, food-based cleanse will give you increased energy, clearer thinking, better moods, and improved quality of sleep. I recommend doing a ten-day, food-based cleanse, not a juice cleanse, for several reasons.
Friendly Fiber
First of all, the fiber you take in from eating vegetables is one of the greatest substances for binding and releasing toxins, not to mention, for also keeping the bowels moving (thus allowing the toxins to be released in the first place). Secondly, it is important to keep your blood sugar balanced, which is often not achieved with juice-only cleanses. Thirdly, just as it takes a lot of energy to clean out your garage, your body requires a lot of energy to clear out toxins. Thus keeping your calorie intake up is important. Lastly, doing a cleanse which lasts 10-days allows your body to undergo very thorough cleaning, which cannot be achieved to the same degree with one lasting only a few days. But most importantly, you will likely feel better than ever after doing it!
Enjoy a healthy, energized, and vibrant spring! To learn more about the 5 to 10-day cleanse and/or the right supplements for avoiding springtime allergies, send an email to [email protected] or visit www.DrJodyND.com
Dr. Jody Stanislaw is a 2007 Bastyr University graduate. She works entirely via phone with patients all around the country.
Being a type 1 diabetic since the age of 7, she specializes in Diabetes care and is an expert at helping patients achieve optimal glucose control. She also works with the general population, advising patients on the naturopathic approach of treating today’s most common ailments.
Her focus on mind/body is present in every appointment. In her very popular intensive program, patients receive weekly calls with her over a 3 month period, allowing them to make dramatic transformations in their overall health & wellbeing. This structure allows the many levels of a patient’s needs to be addressed…physical, emotional, nutritional, and more…leaving them happier and healthier than ever before. Sign up for a free introductory phone consultation with Dr. Stanislaw here: www.consultwithdrjody.com
