Spring Cleaning
The good ol’ Spring Clean has its roots in ancient times – it may be as long as up to 3000 BC
As beings bound by cycles, Spring is the ideal opportunity to brush ourselves off and our homes ready for the warmer lighter days ahead.
In the winter, due to the lack of sunshine our bodies produce more melatonin making us more sleepy. Melatonin levels are connected to the amount and frequency of exposure to sunlight – the more time we spend outside, the less we produce that sleepy hormone.
Spring Cleaning is a great way to wake up from that winter slumber of the spirit and mind.
These days Spring cleaning tends to be reserved for the home and in this blog I’m going to offer some options for a more natural way to Spring Clean your home BUT this can also be the ideal opportunity to brush off the winter blues and revitalise your mind, body and soul ready for the summer.
If you’d like to download my E-Book looking more closely at natural ways to spring clean your Mind Body and Home please feel free to pop your details into the form below and I’ll email it to you x
Spring clean your Skin!
Try to aim for at least two litres of fresh water a day. You may also want to add a slice or two of lemon into some warm or hot water too to help restore your skins brightness!
Throw out all those indulgent winter foods and bring in those fab foods that are full of antioxidants like leafy green and superfoods!
Maybe add a detox bath into your routine once a week? Add a spoon full of sea salt to your bath – these are full of magnesium which will help you relax muscular tension.
Why not add a detox body scrub in there too for fab Spring time skin – here is a simple ‘recipe’ using natural ingredients:
Detox Body Scrub
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp fine Himalayan salt
- Large pinch of freshly grated ginger root
- Large pinch of finely chopped rosemary
- 30 mls sweet almond oil
- 2 drops juniper essential oil
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
Mix together in a bowl and apply to damp skin.
Can be stored in a lidded jar for up to week in the fridge.
Or if baths aren’t your thing then why not try dry body brushing before your shower? Dry brush your body from head to toe using long sweeps towards the heart. This activates the lymphatic system, stimulates the blood circulation and enhances toxin elimination through the skin. Works a treat for cellulite too!
Spring Clean your Body
Sleep!
British Summer time can cause major disruptions to your sleep disruption. The best way to deal with this is to move your bedtime earlier by 10 mins or so in the week up to BST. Its also best to avoid food and alcohol close to bedtime.
Do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise a day
This doesn’t mean subscribing to a gym – you can easily get 30 minutes of exercise into your day by walking in your lunch hour rather than sitting at your desk, getting off at an earlier bus stop and walking, cleaning the house is great cardio exercise – try adding some uplifting music – it actually makes it fun!!
Cardio exercise raises the heart rate and creates sweat which helps remove toxins from the body.
Tune into your Body
Its always a good idea to have a starting point so you can really refocus on your wellbeing.
So how can you gauge where you are and if you need to boost your health and energy levels.
Why not take a look at the list below – in the last month have you noticed any of the following?
If you tick more than 8 then it may be that it is time to give your lifestyle an overhaul.
Maybe start a food diary to check to see if the symptoms reduce. Cutting out dairy, switching white carbohydrates for wholegrain, cut out refined sugars and hidden salt can help. If you find whoever that your symptoms aren’t reducing then it may be time to call in a Kinesiologist
Spring Clean Your Mind
Cry a little!!
Don’t be afraid to let those emotions show. Keeping emotions hidden inside will cause harm. We must all release tears as holding onto grief stops us from growing and moving on with our lives. It is also incredibly cleansing for the spirit
Get it down on paper!
Free yourself from past hurts, worries and disappointments. Write down your thoughts and feelings about everything that happened to you. Read it and then shred or burn it. This allows you to cleanse your mind and bring closure to a situation without causing additional conflict. Try it, it works!
Spring Clean your Home
Get rid of clutter
We are not just talking about the physical clutter in your life – this also applies to cluttering up your day!! Not planning can leave you feeling powerless but by carefully using a planner you can map out your day – don’t try to over fill it as this will lead to frustration if everything doesn’t get done. There will always be interruptions – so allow time for that too! This will give you some control over your day and give you some confidence and security in the coming days!
Clear out all your chemical cleaners!
Yes Spring cleaning your home does meaning you need to use cleaning products BUT they don’t need to be full of chemicals!
Why not try this great ‘recipe’ for cleaning surfaces – I use this to clean my yoga mat too – makes it clean and fresh. It also doubles as a room spray!
You will need a 500mls jug, a tablespoon, a teaspoon, a funnel and a spray bottle (consider reusing an old one, just make sure it has been cleaned thoroughly first).
Distilled water 300ml [or cool boiled water from the kettle]
Witch Hazel 200mls [from a pharmacy or chemist]
Combination of Essential oils with anti-bacterial/anti viral properties.
Suggested blends:
10 drops of Tea Tree
10 drops of Lemongrass
OR
10 drops of Eucalyptus
10 drops of Lavender
Combine all ingredients in your jug then pour into your spray bottle using a funnel if the neck is too narrow.
Before using make sure you shake it well.
Warning: please be careful when making your own household cleaners, especially if you have pets or small children. Some ingredients can be toxic to pets and cause irritations to pets and humans.
Make your Home Healthy
Introduce some plants into your home (peace lilies, ferns and palms are natural air filters), change air conditioning filters regularly, avoid harsh household chemicals, install chlorine filters for your water, introduce an air purifier. If you’d like to keep your home clean natural while not download my fab Spring Cleaning E-book full of natural make at home ‘recipes’ for you to use.
About Me
My name is Julie Elder. I am an holistic therapist and yoga teacher who specialises in utilising the body’s ability to heal itself using a variety of techniques including Bowen Technique and Kinesiology. I am also an Aromatherapist, Reflexologist, Reiki master and an advocate for pursuing an organic lifestyle. I am also fully qualified in Pregnancy Massage and Bowen Technique.
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Julie Elder
Totally Holistic Health
An excellent read Julie and some great tips. I have started to declutter more which has helped me feel more lighter in the mind. Definitely recommend the salt baths they work wonders. I shall certainly keep the other tips in mind.
Thats brilliant Kerry. So glad it has given you some more ideas too. Julie
My pleasure