6 Tips To Get You Ready For Spring

Just in case the longer hours of sunshine, airy clothes, and tree tops bursting forth with color haven’t tipped you off, we have officially made it to spring.

A winter of freezing temperatures with dusk setting in so early makes going into hibernation all the more tempting and easy. Cold weather directly correlates with plenty of comfort eating and the desire to cozy up under blankets. This results in us becoming lethargic and even putting on a few extra pounds. And let’s not forget the holiday season – what with all its Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas dessert, New Year bottles of bubbly, and late night get togethers, that completely throws us off our routine, bringing in a lot of both physical and mental stress. Elderly people tend to slow down even faster during the cold weather and find it comparatively more difficult to shake off the winter doldrums.

For these reasons, people look forward to embracing spring. There is something about this season that inspires the need to make positive changes – to lighten up, slow down, and enjoy the little good things that life has to offer. This explains why we want to de-clutter our spaces and cleanse our surroundings. It’s only all the more reason why we ought to embrace these natural inclinations and apply them to our health as well!

6 Tips To Get You Ready For Spring

Here are 6 easy ways to spring clean your way back to good health. Whether you’re someone in your early twenties, or late thirties, or living in a senior community – following these tips will guarantee to bring you back on the health and positivity track.

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1. Get More Fresh Air And Sun

Lethargy doesn’t look good on anyone and the colder, darker winter can leave you feeling quite dull and lifeless. The quickest cure for this is to step outdoors. There really is no better way to explore the season and embrace its goodness than by walking. The weather is beautiful, sunny and delightfully warm, and you may be surprised to find out how easy it is to get used to a daily walk. Not only will the sun help release more endorphins or “happy hormones” to brighten up your mood, it will also steadily encourage you into setting a healthy routine for yourself.¹

Walking is also probably the best physical activity for seniors as it is remarkably beneficial in controlling blood sugar, improving sleep, and supporting bone and heart health. So be sure to buy yourself a good pair of walking shoes that are thick-soled and offer enough support and comfort to your feet.

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2. De-clutter Your Diet

Additional sugars, sodium, and fats, when used sparingly, enhance a healthy diet with lovely flavors. If used excessively, however, they can be overwhelming for your digestive system and overall mood. Here are a few ways to dial down your use of these not-so-necessary additives, so you can get back to using them with purpose, rather than adding clutter to your diet with too many calories and sodium.

• Lemon Water – Why do you think so many celebrities claim lemon water as the holy cleansing grail? It’s because it works like magic to cleanse and hydrate your system. Having a glass of fresh lemon water first thing in the morning, after lunch, and after dinner will give you a healthy boost of vitamin C, improve digestion, and detoxify your entire system. You can even leave in a few mint leaves for extra freshness.
• Fresh Herbs – Sometimes, fresh herbs can be a very good substitute for extra salt. Choose from a wide range of options like rosemary, thyme, basil, and sage to add more flavor and health to your food.
• Grill, Don’t Fry – Cooking methods are found to have a huge impact on the quality of food you consume. Cut down on fried food options and go for the grilled variety instead. When you grill your food, especially your meat, the fat drips off as it cooks, giving you a low-fat diet. This helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood and reduces the risk of obesity, heart diseases, strokes, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Also, because grilling involves shorter cooking time, it results in minimal loss of vitamins and moisture from your food, thus retaining the quality of what you eat.

The quality of diet is especially important for people belonging to an older age group, as we need fewer calories as we age.

• Include Fiber-Rich Food – Make every calorie count by including whole grain bread and cereals, legumes, fresh fruits, and vegetables to help control your weight and lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Include Healthy Fats – Nuts, seeds, salmon, or avocado in place of bacon, cream, and butter are healthy fats that are essential to protect your brain and heart.
• Consume Enough Calcium And Vitamin D – Try to take in three servings of low-fat milk or yogurt every day for strengthening your bones by boosting your calcium and vitamin D levels.
• Avoid Overeating – Eating healthy, balanced meals and healthy snacks every 4 hours is a good way to keep your hunger levels in check.
• Limit Your Intake Of Comfort Food – It is understandable to want some comfort food once a while. In case you’re craving for some high-fat or high-sugar snacks like potato chips, chocolates, and cookies, don’t eat directly out of the bag or box. Instead, take one serving in a small bowl or cup to limit how much you eat. This will help you watch your weight better.

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3. Eat More Vegetables

Spring ushers in a fresh variety of produce that is bursting with flavor, nutrition, and color. This is hands down, the best time of the year to boost your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and improve your overall diet. It is recommended to stock up on bright berries, green artichokes, asparagus, and plenty of leafy greens like kale and spinach. Include these in at least two meals a day, salads and freshly pressed juices. You can also add extras like chia, flax or sunflower seeds for added fiber and protein.

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4. Take Your Supplements

Supplements are a fantastic way of making sure you’re getting the recommended levels of crucial vitamins and minerals. For some people, in particular, they are great for a positivity boost to encourage them to drop the lethargy. Women, especially, must make it a point to get adequate vitamin B, which is absolutely critical for better metabolism, enzyme function, mood, and energy.

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5. Get Enough Sleep

Spring brings in longer days and shorter nights. This is why plenty of countries “spring forward” their clocks, or turn the time on their clocks an hour ahead so that they gain an extra hour of sunlight in the evenings. Unfortunately, this also means losing out on an hour in the mornings.

Going to bed earlier and waking up earlier, is difficult for many of us to do, especially for night owls and people with sleeping disorders. The body takes a little time to get adjusted to this shift, and most of us end up losing about 40 to 50 minutes of sleep those first few days.

Here are some tips to help you make sleep a priority during this season.

• Early To Bed – Go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. This will ease your body into the time change and make the transition a lot less abrupt.
• Dim The Lights – Avoid bright light in the evening, especially blue light from computer and TV screens. This blue light can trick the brain into thinking that it is morning and stop the evening melatonin production which makes it difficult to fall asleep.
• Avoid Alcohol Or Caffeine– Don’t go for alcohol or caffeine in the evening. Coffee is known to boost your energy, making it difficult to fall asleep. Alcohol, on the other hand, might help you sleep faster, but will reduce Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep – the deepest sleep stage in which most dreams occur and when memories are likely stored and learning occurs. Instead, drink a cup of chamomile or peppermint tea to calm your senses.
• Have A Bedtime Ritual – Have a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading or taking a warm bath to help prep you for a night of peaceful sleep.
• Keep Your Bedroom Cool – People find it easier to fall asleep faster when the environment is cool. Open your windows an hour before you sleep to bring in some air circulation. Avoid tight nightclothes and choose something that’s airy and made of cotton.
• Follow Bedtime Discipline On Weekends – Try your best to not stay up late and sleep in on the weekend. Stick to your weekday bedtime on the weekends too so that your body doesn’t have trouble dealing with the shift when it’s time for Monday.

Getting a minimum of seven hours sleep each night will leave you feeling rejuvenated and energized. If you are well rested, it will help you jump into your day with more positivity.

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6. Take Yourself For A Check-Up

Get your weight, blood pressure, and glucose and cholesterol levels checked out by your physician, who can also talk to you about other relevant tests. This is essential to keep your performance levels at their peak.