The Spring Cleanse

I adore this time of year for the longer hours of sunlight, the hopeful colour of the daffodils and seasonal yield of nourishing greens. Today marks the Spring Equinox and the start of renewed life energy. The equinox, the moment at which the sun moves directly above the equator, begins a natural energy shift that brings with it new life, new birth and the opportunity to rejuvenate our own biorhythms.

Shedding off the darker and colder days of winter can make you feel physically and emotionally lighter, this is partly to do with the greater hours of daylight but also to do with our natural synergy with the seasons.

A spring cleanse can optimise this time, and is in my view a better time than the new year detoxes that have become so popular. Far from being a starvation diet, a spring cleanse is simply a way of lightening the load on the body and although gentle, it can be deeply nourishing and, believe it or not, enjoyable. These are my foundation tips for a spring cleanse, 28 days is the optimum length of time but anything over a week will still provide some benefits if this is not practical for you:

Avoid non-nourishing foods such as sugar, alcohol and white flour products. Replace with organic whole grains (wholegrain rice, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa), kombucha or kefir alcohol alternatives and natural sugars (local or manuka honey).
Drink more filtered water, at least 8 glasses per day. Ayurvedic practices recommend drinking this water warm by using part boiled water and part cold water. It is believed that this encourages the movement of the lymphatic system as well as avoiding toxic build up in the skin, kidneys and gut.
Start your day with herbal tea rather than caffeine as the first thing you consume. Cortisol is highest in the morning and caffeine can further elevate this making you feel jittery. We also wont have drank anything for an entire night so focusing on something that's hydrating rather than dehydrating will give our body the wake up it deserves. Try lemon or orange for a hit of Vitamin C or fresh mint or sage for a calming start.

Use a body brush before you step into the shower each morning. Use upward strokes until you get the level of your heart and downward strokes from the head down to your heart. Don’t scrub, just gently brush. This gently gets the lymphatic system moving. If you like baths, you could even run a bath with some Magnesium flakes or Epsom bath salts for an even more relaxing ritual. !
Tap into the spring energy by cutting down on the heaviness of rich root vegetables and move towards summer with the lighter, high water content of spring produce. Choose seasonal veggies and ideally make simple yet nourishing vegetable soups, salads or stir fries ensuring you are including a protein source.
Breakfast can be warm unsweetened stewed seasonal fruit with added spices such as ginger or cinnamon. Add some crushed linseeds and a drizzle of organic pouring yoghurt. Or, if the day is warm and sunny, a green smoothie of mixed berries, handful of spring greens, half an avocado, a dollop of raw honey and some almond or coconut milk.
Simple juices can support healthy cell rejuvenation. There is no need to buy an expensive juicer, you can simply strain the pulp from a blender (to add to a veggie pasta sauce for later). . Alternatively there is now much better access to Juice Bars in shops such as Whole Foods or Planet Organic. Buy a book or use the internet for recipes but beetroot, cabbage, celery, apple, pear, greens such as broccoli, spinach and chard have fabulous cleansing properties and are readily available at this time of year. As a general rule, adding lemons, apples or pears will make even the most interesting vegetable medley taste palatable. Aim to have a juice at least once a day if the weather is warm, or vegetable soups if it is cold and damp.
Enjoy the outdoors and make sure you take long walks taking in fresh spring air and soak up the greater access to vitamin D rich sunshine. Find out more about the benefits of Vitamin D.