By Kristina Hess, M.Ed, CHC
It’s time to come out of hibernation. Spring is the season when we have more light in the day and green begins to re-emerge after the cold winter. It’s also the time we turn our clocks forward and decide to do some “spring cleaning” by re-organizing our closets and our cupboards. We do all this exterior work, but let’s not forget to attend to our inside cleansing! In the winter, it is seasonally appropriate to have heavier foods, but now it is time to lighten up, bring in added greens, re-hydrate our dry winter skin and jumpstart our detox organs (liver, colon, kidneys, lungs, and skin). Our liver is a detoxification organ that becomes easily overburdened due to medications we have ingested having a winter-time cold, alcohol, poor diet, heavy metal exposure, environmental toxins and stress. It is working hard to metabolize it all. Our G&T spring cleanse includes dandelion, a key ingredient to promote healthy liver detoxification.
Here are three important reasons you should add “Spring Detox” to your to-do list!
Jumpstart Weight Loss: One of the best ways to jumpstart your weight loss efforts is with cleansing. Optimizing your detoxification organs promotes a healthy weight. Since toxins are commonly stored in fat cells in the body, weight loss draws out toxins and releases them into the bloodstream. Instead of slowing down your metabolism, your body can do its job of clearing out unnecessary waste products.
Better Digestion: A buildup of toxins in the body can overwhelm the colon, an important detoxification pathway. An overly acidic environment in your digestive tract and lack of healthy gut bacteria that may have been wiped out by over-the-counter cold medication, or those antibiotics you took, causes sluggish elimination and low energy. Cleansing the colon clears the way for other organs to function properly. Use our colon health assist, drink our aloe water and take probiotics to stimulate healthy bowel function and promote at least one healthy bowel movement daily.
Increase energy: Let’s face it. Most of us are fatigued to the core. We are busy and doing way too much. Perhaps overcaffeinated? What we have been eating and drinking all winter certainly doesn’t help. If you are exhausted, lighten up the toxic load on your body with more greens, seasonal ingredients, hydrating foods and juices that will feel like pressing a reset button and end up decreasing any existing inflammation. This will free your body to access more energy, sleep better, and think clearly so you can enjoy the warmer months ahead.
Kristina Hess is G&T’s Director of Nutrition & Wellness Programs. To schedule a private nutrition consultation please contact kh@greenandtonic.com
