Why spring is the perfect time for your detox

Why you should support yourself and your body in spring to clear out old burdens and waste.

Winter is THE season in which you accumulate so-called “waste”. By waste, or “Ama” as it is called in Ayurveda, we mean harmful substances and metabolic residues that tend to build up in our body due to our sluggish metabolism and the heavy food of winter. All of this “clogs” your body’s transport system; body fluids and energies can no longer flow optimally, and we become tired and sluggish. Despite the cheerful spring sunshine we feel exhausted, listless or notice other symptoms pointing to accumulated waste. Headaches, skin problems and also hay fever in spring can be typical signs of too many toxin deposits in your body. Our mental state also plays a big role here. If our metabolism, our inner fire, has fallen asleep, we feel it as the typical spring fatigue.

So what can you do to counteract this?

That’s right: detox.

With the start of spring, all of nature wakes up from its winter sleep. And so do we. The days get longer again, flowers and plants begin to sprout and grow, and the sun, rising higher and higher, gives us valuable energy. Everywhere starts to smell wonderfully of flowers, little by little everything turns green again, and our metabolism wakes up too and is ready to let go of everything that does not do us good.

We can make wonderful use of nature’s green for ourselves and our detox. What makes the plant world green? Chlorophyll. Among other things, it is produced by absorbing sunlight. Green plants and herbs have therefore stored a good deal of energy, which they can pass on to us when we eat them. At the same time, chlorophyll has detoxifying properties, which makes it a wonderful way to support our inner cleansing. Everything that grows in spring supports your detox. This includes, for example, nettle leaves, dandelion, peppermint, coriander, and also chives, wild garlic, rocket and spinach.

What we shouldn’t forget: our body detoxifies all by itself every day.

Typical detox organs are your liver, skin, kidneys and your gut. The better you support your body, though, the easier, faster and longer-lasting the detox process becomes. Sour and bitter foods support exactly these detox organs. But be careful: enjoy everything in moderation. “Too much” can quickly have the opposite effect and overload our body. Berries, fermented vegetables, grapefruit, chard and chicory are wonderful examples of sour and bitter foods in spring.

So your diet can be a great support for your inner detox in spring. Besides recommendations that do us good at this time, it is also important to leave out substances that tend to accumulate in the body. Particularly heavy foods, such as high-fat dairy products, should be reduced. You also want to get your metabolism and digestion going, so it makes sense to cut down on simple sugars and stimulants such as alcohol and coffee as well.

But it’s not only your diet that plays a big role; movement should not be forgotten here either.

It is a good idea to move more in nature and in the fresh air, especially in spring. Long walks or gentle yoga classes wake your body up, and sweaty Hot yoga sequences also support your detox process. The rule here: listen to yourself and your body and what you need. Do you need gentle movement to release inner stress, or full-on exercise to balance things out?

Movement of any kind is especially important in spring to keep your metabolism, your digestion and your bowel movements going, and so to lighten the load during your spring detox.

Only with enough movement and the right diet during your detox can you boost your metabolism and cleanse your gut for your fresh start in spring.

Only once you have cleansed your gut with your detox does it make sense to build up your gut microbiome.

You can learn how to cleanse your gut properly, and which tips & tricks help you rebuild it afterwards, during your 10-day Feelgood Detox: https://www.feelgoodmedicine.at/detox-darmbesen/