10 Simple Ways to Spring Clean Your Life

Spring has sprung and what better time to clean out your cupboards and clean up your diet. Spring is a natural cleansing time for our bodies, with many cultures around the world traditionally cleansing around this time. 

Daily we're exposed to toxins through the food we eat, water we drink, chemicals we put on our skin and clean our house with. 

Here are 10 simple spring cleaning tips to help reboot your health and have you feeling healthy and organised for the warmer months ahead. 

ONE: Now is the time to wake our bodies up out of their winter slumber and ditch those heavy winter comfort foods, that make us feel sluggish, and start whipping up some light and lovely spring dishes using fresh seasonal produce. Spring is a perfect time to start eating more salads. Eating lighter meals like raw salads and steamed vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds will help aid the body’s natural cleansing processes. Try sprouting or activating your nuts, seeds and grains. It increases their nutritional value and improves their digestibility. Cut down on meat and eat more vegetarian meals. Include plenty of fresh herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger, chilli, cumin, and fennel that help assist digestion. 

TWO: Get yourself down to your local farmer’s market and stock up on fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. Buy organic produce when you can. The less pesticides and other chemicals your liver has to deal with the better.

THREE: Clear out your kitchen of any heavily refined and junk foods. Say goodbye to any sugary breakfast cereals, biscuits, and chips hiding in your cupboards. ‘White’ carbohydrate foods including white breads, pasta and rice should also take a back seat to healthier fibre-rich options like wholegrain breads, quinoa, brown and wild rice, wholegrain spelt and buckwheat pasta and noodles. Your body has to work much harder to digest these foods that lack nutritional goodness and living enzymes. 

FOUR: Get your digestive juices flowing and stimulate those sluggish livers. We become a little sluggish during winter, including our digestive system, so an important part of your spring clean should be making sure your digestion is working properly and your liver is detoxing effectively. Some simple ways you can do this is by having 1 tsp-1 Tbsp of good quality apple cider vinegar with some water before each main meal. Lemon juice in water first thing in the morning is another great way to kick start your digestion for the day. Add rocket to your salads, its bitter taste will stimulate digestive acids and enhance the digestion of your meal. Kale contains sulfur compounds that assist liver detoxification, and artichokes help stimulate bile flow from the liver, which aids the digestion of fats. All in-season now!

FIVE: Reduce your toxic load by switching to 100% natural organic body creams and beauty products, and natural perfumes made from essential oils. 

SIX: Use green alternatives to chemical laden cleaning products. Eucalyptus oil is an excellent natural cleaner that can be used in a variety of ways around the home. Eucalyptus will keep your home sparkling clean, smelling fresh, and free from harmful toxins. 

SEVEN: Ditch your morning coffee and switch to an organic green tea. Drinking green tea regularly is an excellent way to support healthy liver function. This antioxidant rich beverage contains high levels of catechins, which are polyphenols that protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, as well as helping prevent liver inflammation and fat accumulation. Turmeric is another effective liver herb that can also be enjoyed as a tea or latte. Dandelion root is also a super liver herb that makes a great caffeine-free alternative to coffee. Dandelion root stimulates liver detoxification, helping clear toxins from the body. It also boosts digestion and improves gallbladder function. Try our Bodhi Organic ViridiTEA,  ZesTEA and PuriTEA.

EIGHT: Stop using plastic water bottles and containers to store your food in. Chemicals in plastic including BPA’s can leach into your water and food. Exposure to BPA has been associated with problems with fertility, reproduction and sexual maturation. Instead use eco-friendly water bottles and flasks made from glass or stainless steel. Try our Bodhi ECO Stainless Steel Tea Flasks or ECO Glass Tea Flasks. Store and wrap your food in natural reusable alternatives like wax wraps or cloth covers, stainless steel or glass containers. Silk tea bags are made from plastics which can leach into your healthy cup of tea. Choose organic loose leaf tea or tea packed in 100% natural biodegradable pyramid infusers.

NINE: Spring clean your house. Clear out clutter from your kitchen draws. Take any clothes that you haven’t worn for years or that don’t fit you anymore to your local Vinnies. Spring clean your car and work desk or any other spaces that you spend a lot of time. 

TEN: Clean up your relationships. Prioritize your time to spend more good quality time with family and friends. Distance yourself from toxic relationships. 

Written By Lisa Guy, naturopath and founder of Bodhi Organic Tea.