Spring Time

The days are long and the sun is shining, the wind is still crisp but it is springtime! Welcome to Mind & Body Holistic’s spring newsletter. In this issue you will find a very interesting article about the importance of drinking water. This is also the season for spring cleaning so you will find an article about detoxing your body. Speaking of cleaning there is some information on a powerful essential oil blend called Thieves. You will find a great recipe for healthy, liver supporting asparagus. In our yoga section there is a sequence called sun salutations that is great for getting your blood flowing. There is also a helpful practice to keep your sinuses clear. Please enjoy reading and also don’t forget to get out and smell the roses.

 

Enjoy your reading and thank you for visiting.

Volume: 7 | Spring 2008

It's Spring Time!

We are finally starting to see the signs of spring and it is just gorgeous. I don’t know about you but I am ready for the long warm days. We have had a cold winter for us spoiled San Diegans and it is time for spring.

Spring is the time for nurturing change and growth. Getting rid of that ‘winter coat’ is the best way to start. Spring is the perfect time to cleanse your system, get back in shape and enjoy the beauty around you.

During this transition from winter to spring, we are still affected by the kapha energies. Although winter is traditionally viewed as vata season, here in southern California, we have a little more kapha influence. In our previous newsletter I talked about the qualities of kapha that are heavy, wet and cold. As the weather starts to warm up, the kapha that has built up in the body starts to liquefy and show itself with cold symptoms, runny noses, cough and chest congestion.

According to Ayurveda, spring is the time to cleanse and rid the body of accumulated kapha. Get out in the morning and go for a brisk walk to get the sluggishness moving out of the body. Have a light meal for breakfast and dinner, reducing fried, fatty and cheesy items. Eliminate snacks in between meals and try to space out meals 3-5 hours apart to allow the body to completely digest the previous meal. Incorporate ginger tea before meals to increase the digestive juices and also using ginger, pepper and spices to flavor your meals to increase metabolism. Let your biggest meal be your midday lunch and go for a short walk afterward to help digestion. It is such a beautiful time of year here in San Diego it is time to get outside and enjoy it.

Detox

What does it mean to detox?

Detox means ridding the system of toxins and buildup that does not contribute to a healthy and balanced body. Systems in the body that most readily accumulate toxic buildup are the skin, lymph, liver, spleen and lower GI tract. These organs main job are to clean the body of toxins that are ingested, inhaled, absorbed and also remove debris from metabolic processes. If the system gets inundated with toxins those systems have a harder time clearing the debris and buildup occurs. This is a bad situation because once buildup occurs, like in the GI tract; nutrients are no longer getting absorbed efficiently and completely. If the liver and the gallbladder cannot digest and clean fatty substances effectively then that gets stored in the body. Unfortunately this fatty storage buildup gets laid down around the abdominal cavity and as we all know that is the hardest place to lose those last few fatty pounds. Although it is recommended to seek professional advice from a nutritionist or dietician, adding and removing some foods from your daily intake can aid in cleansing your system. Try for a week to not eat processed foods, sugar and dairy. Instead, add more leafy greens to your diet. In addition, asparagus and cilantro are great for the liver. Minimize veggies and fruit that are high in sugar such as carrots and peas but eat as much veggies as you can. Adding a tablespoon of flax oil to your meals will help with omega 3s and if you add the ground flax seed to a smoothie, you get good healthy fiber as well. Drink plenty of water, this should

Water

I have to admit I decided to write about the importance of drinking water because it is a challenge for me. I know that it is imperative to keep hydrated for health reasons but why is it so hard. I have been thirsty and I drink a glass of water and it is so refreshing, why don’t I drink more often. To encourage drinking this youthful elixir, here are some important facts about how important water is for a balanced healthy body.

It is interesting to note that the average human is made up of 55 to 75% water, roughly 2/3rd of body weight. The more overweight you are the less amount of water is in the body and therefore more water is needed. Muscle cells store more water than fat cells, imagine that. Our body functions require water to maintain homeostasis and we need to replace an average of 2.5 quarts of water daily. We lose water from elimination, urination, perspiration and respiration. This loss will increase during exercise, illness, pregnancy and lactation. In addition, popular drinks such as coffee, tea, alcohol and sugary fluids will work against hydration. These are all diuretics which increases water loss but also will draw water from body reserves. If this quantity is not replaced symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, weakness, and headaches can be seen.
 

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be around half of your weight in ounces. For example a 150 lb person should be drinking 75 oz or 2.2 L of water. I know it seems like a lot but it will help flush your system. In addition, adding fresh lemon to your water not only helps with flavor but it helps flush the lymphatic system and also helps neutralize the acidity in your system. Eliminate coffee, alcohol and carbonated beverages and drink ginger tea or dandelion root tea which helps flush out toxins. Get an oil massage to help increase circulation and toxin release from the fatty tissue. Add a steam treatment or body scrub to further increase elimination. Give yourself a daily dry brushing before your shower, this will stimulate your lymphatic system and slough away dead skin. If you can do this for a week, you will feel so much lighter and refreshed.