Have the cold winter months left you feeling heavy, fatigued and unmotivated? Amazonia’s Head Dietitian Tara Kaff is here to help with her top 6 tips to enhance your physical and mental wellbeing so you can spring into Spring.
Focus on fresh, seasonal produce
Spring is the perfect time to focus on lighter and more energising nutrient-dense meals based on seasonal fruits and vegetables. Buy local and organic where you can to avoid toxins and pesticides and try to make your plate as colourful as possible! When you eat vegetables and fruits with a rainbow of colours, you’re getting an array of phytonutrients that are essential for keeping your body healthy. Leafy greens are particularly important ad they’re a rich source of Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamin K. A powerhouse greens blend containing 9 sources of alkaline chlorophyll and 74 trace minerals, Amazonia Raw Nutrients Greens is an easy way to boost your intake and support the body’s natural detoxification processes.
Prioritise yourself
Whether it’s in the form of meditation, mindfulness or a quiet walk outdoors, it’s important to take time each day to reflect and declutter your mind. Start your day on a positive note by writing down your thoughts, goals, and the things in your life you’re grateful for. Meditation is another great way to cleanse yourself of negative, stressful and anxious thoughts and focus on your breath. Start with 5 minutes and work your way up from there. After regular practice, you might even find that your quality of sleep also improves.
Another great way to prioritize yourself during spring is by engaging in various recreational activities. You can choose to play madalin stunt cars 2, go for a hike, or ski in the nearest park. Recreational activities are vital as they can improve your physical health. People who take part in recreational activities to self-prioritize can lower blood pressure and maintain lower levels of body fat. It also helps in boosting the memory by making it sharp.
Self-prioritization also includes taking time off social media. You can choose to delete or switch off your social media apps to create a positive mind. Lastly, it would help if you were kind to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to another person. Doing so can put you under a lot of pressure when you try to be like someone else. Run your race and do what pleases you. If you can prioritize yourself, you will comfortably reset your mind and body during spring.
Avoid processed foods
Processed sugar wreaks havoc on your hormones, mood, energy, blood sugar and immune system and also feeds the bad bacteria in your gut. These foods often contain a high amount of saturated fats, sugar, salt, and nutrient-void calories – leaving you feeling sluggish and bloated after meals. Limit your intake by swapping packaged snacks for healthy snack foods like fruit, sugary beverages for water flavored with fruit, and garlic or pepper in place of salt for a flavor boost.
Take your exercise outdoors
Our body’s reduced ability to make Vitamin D during the winter can often result in a deficiency, negatively impacting our gut microbes and bone health. Spring is the ideal time to set up a regular exercise routine that makes the most of the sunshine and warmer weather. Exercise not only benefits your physical health but also your mental health, as our body releases happy hormones called endorphins. This doesn’t mean you have to sweat it out in the gym for 2 hours every day. It can be as easy as taking a stroll around the block on your lunch break, catching up with friends for a beach walk, or taking your kids (or pet) for a run at the park – anything to hit your daily target of 10,000 steps. Walking strengthens bones, increases circulation, improves heart rhythms, and is a great detox for your skin.
Go meat-free on Mondays
Going meat-free at least one day a week is the least we can do for the planet. Participating in Meat-Free Monday is a great way to try new foods and increase the variety of nutrients you consume – not to mention it’s great for your health and the environment. Plant-based meals are packed with vegetables, fruits and grains that are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Amazonia Tender Jack is a delicious meat alternative with a similar consistency to pulled pork – perfect for homemade pizza nights or Taco Tuesday.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
The main aspect to focus on during a detox is keeping the body well-fed and hydrated. And when we say hydration, we mean water – not coffee, caffeinated teas or energy drinks. Water itself is a powerful detoxifier because it assists the kidneys and colon to flush out waste, so it’s good to aim for 3 litres per day. Adding a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to every fourth glass will make the water alkaline while also supporting memory, removing toxins, and hydrating your tissues.