insideKENT Magazine Issue 37 - April 2015 | Page 90

HEALTH+WELLNESS

top tips for spring health
It’s wonderful to leave the sniffles and snuffles of winter behind once spring starts
appearing, but while we might like the idea of being well enough to enjoy the warmer
days and lighter nights, sometimes our bodies get the better of us. However, by
following these top tips for spring health and wellness, you'll be in a better position
to appreciate what the season has in store. BY LISAMARIE LAMB

Spring Cleaning

Eat Fresh

Believe it or not, a deep spring
clean can actually make you
healthier. It’s a physical thing –
less clutter means less dust, which
will mean fewer allergies – but it’s
also psychological. With the
season of re-birth outside and all
of its green shoots, daffodils,
crocuses, and snowdrops,
mirroring this on the inside
(changing thick winter curtains to lighter ones, brightening up your rooms
with a change of décor and so on) will make you feel happier. You might
feel more creative and certainly more enthusiastic for the season to come.

Springtime is bounty time
for fresh fruit and vegetables,
so it’s also the perfect time
to buy local and seasonal
and include more of these
lighter ingredients in your
meals. Specific spring
greens include miner’s
lettuce, chickweed, and
even dandelion greens. They are nutritious and delicious, and make a superb
addition to a salad, especially with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Supplements
Exercise

Everyone can do with a helping hand
now and then, especially when it
comes to staying healthy. Using
nutritional supplements and vitamins
will ensure that you are getting enough
of everything your body needs to fight
off anything that attacks your immune
system, such as a cold. Other benefits
of taking these supplements include not tasting quite so good for bugs (due
mainly to upping your vitamin B levels), and feeling less stressed (thanks
to vitamin C).

Clear Your Head

Exercising becomes much easier in the springtime because we can finally
get outside and breathe in the fresh air, as we get fitter. If the gym isn’t for
you and you prefer a bike ride, a long walk, or jogging (as just a few examples)
then the lack of mud, the lower chance of torrential rain, and the lighter
evenings will mean you can start it all up again. Maybe you took a break
over winter when it felt like a much better idea to snuggle up at home with
a hot drink, and it might be hard to get going again, but once you do, you’ll
be glad you did, and the next time will be easier.

You’ve de-cluttered the house and made sure you are getting enough fruit
and veg in your diet, but what about your mind? Is your brain still buzzing
when you go to bed at night? Can you not concentrate as well as you’d
like to during the day? This could be because your brain has no chance to
rest; no matter how healthy your body is, with a busy brain you will always
run the risk of becoming unwell. One way to let your mind have a good
night’s sleep is to write in a journal just before bed – this will not only be a
great way to remember everything you’re supposed to do the next day, but
will give you a chance to reflect on the day just gone.

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