Spring is such an amazing time – for all life on this planet. It’s the season of new beginnings, for the plants, flowers, insects, birds, animals and of course us humans. It’s a time of renewal and new life.
It’s hard not to love this time of year but Spring can also be full of challenges for those with allergies and irritations due to the pollen in the air and the dry, warmer and often windy weather. This can all play havoc on your skin, hair and general wellbeing.
As we start to peel off the layers, we can find that our skin is really dry and dehydrated and our hair is more brittle following a long winter exposed to heaters, air conditioning, hot showers and baths, fires, hair dryers, wind and cold weather. We also tend to drink more coffee and less water during the winter so it can become the perfect storm that results in depleted and dehydrated skin and hair.
So, now is the perfect time to focus on your health and wellness as well as your beauty regime. It’s a great time to lighten up, refresh and renew your routine and even embark on a gentle cleanse to help boost the metabolism and help release built up toxins.
Here’s our simple spring rejuvenation to do list to get you set for healthy, glowing skin and hair – ready for Summer.
Clear out your cupboards & clean your house.
It sounds basic but de-cluttering your space and spring cleaning your house will help you de-clutter your mind and give you some clean, healthy living space. Bring in some new plants and increase the amount of fresh green things to help the air stay clean.
Clean out your body.
Spring is the perfect time for a mild Ayurvedic cleanse to reduce toxins (ama) from winter. Since spring is ruled by the organs liver and gallbladder, it the perfect time to give those organs a break. It’s like an oil change for your body.
Try cutting out sugar, alcohol, dairy, caffeine, cooked oils and red meat for 2 weeks just to give your body a break. The first 3 days are the hardest – it gets easier after that! Getting a friend or partner to join helps a lot too. Increase your intake of water, yoga, rest and alkaline foods (green veggies, fruits, whole grains, raw olive oil, avocados). If you have allergies, increase your intake of bitters, sours and astringent. Bitter veggies (arugula, mustard greens, dandelion greens) support the liver and gallbladder, helping to cleanse the system. The excess of winter is all about sweet, heavy comfort foods. Now is the time to cleanse those out of the system. (credit https://ilovenamaste.com/ayurvedic-tips-vibrant-spring/)
*Start the day with warm water and a squeeze of lemon. Reduce coffee to one a day or none and hydrate by sipping on a bottle of water, herbal tea, coconut water – keep by your side – all day long.
*Move your body more – get up earlier and take brisk walk or run to kick-start your metabolism. Gentle stretching and yoga are a great way to start your day too.
*Increase the amount of fresh fruit and raw vegetables into every day. If you’re busy, It’s super easy to whizz up a green drink with some greens, herbs and fruit plus water and your choice of superfood supplements if you like.
*Add some essential fatty acids to your diet ie. fish oil, hemp oil, etc. etc.
*Exfoliate your whole body twice a week in the shower to polish away dead skin cells and reveal fresh new skin.
*Moisturise your face and body really well, morning and night. This is a great time to review your skincare routine and makeup. Take time to review product ingredients and toss any toxic, out of date or unused products and treat yourself to a healthier regime. Don’t forget to add a toxin free sunscreen to your skincare regime.
*Give your hair a nourishing coconut oil treatment once a week. Simply warm enough coconut oil to apply to scalp and hair from roots to ends. Finger comb through and wrap in a towel for an hour or so – even 15-20 minutes will help. Shampoo and condition as normal.
*Limit time in hot baths and showers – try lukewarm
*Apply a hydrating face mask once week
*Always use a leave in conditioner on the ends of your hair to protect from heat and environmental damage
Just do as little or as much of this as you can manage. Incorporating any of these things into your life now will help you feel more comfortable in your skin …..and you’ll soon be ready to peel off the layers and bare your summer ready body.
