Spring Cleaning: 4 Strategies to Cleanse Your Body for Optimum Health

Winter is finally on its way out in most of the Northern Hemisphere. Soon we will be spending more time outdoors enjoying the warm weather and generally trying to be healthier. Spring is a time of fresh new beginnings, which is why millions engage in the tradition of deep cleaning and decluttering. Spring cleaning your body also can have benefits, gently detoxifying your organs and helping you to fully embrace a healthier, more vital new season. Here are four strategies for accomplishing just that.

1. Clean Your Body After Holiday Indulgences

For many people, winter is not a healthy season. Holiday eating, New Year's drinking and other celebrations can take their toll. In addition, many people feel run down from winter illnesses. This can strain our body's natural detoxifying mechanisms and lead to a variety of vague complaints, such as difficulty sleeping, digestive issues and fatigue.

Gentle, full body cleanses are the best way to end the winter blahs quickly and effectively. This does not require extreme fad diets, however. Simple, gentle methods can be the best full body cleanses, such as:

• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetabt ales, especially ones that are raw and organic.
• Partaking in saunas or other treatments that allow you to sweat and open pores.
• Eating more fiber, both soluble and insoluble fiber; these encourage better gastrointestinal motility and health.
• Enjoying natural detoxifying herbs, such as dandelion, milk thistle and turmeric.

2. Jump Start Your Gut Flora

New research is showing that our gut flora is more important that we could have previously known. The bacteria in our intestines can help -- or harm -- our immune system, metabolism or even our mental health. Gut flora remove toxins, assist in absorbing nutrients and support good health in a variety of ways. Resetting your gut bacteria can have a profound effect on your whole body health.

A short colon cleanse can rejuvenate the large intestine and remove excess fecal matter that has been causing bloating and weighing you down. However, this is not enough to overhaul your gut flora on its own. It is also important to begin taking both probiotic and prebiotic supplements or one product that contains both to ensure the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Why are these two supplements so crucial to gut health? Most people are familiar with probiotics, which are living bacteria that have been found to have positive effects on health. However, most living things require nutrients in order to get established and flourish in a new environment. Prebiotics are the soluble plant fiber that helps to feed beneficial bacteria, similar to the fertilizer used in gardening. A prebiotic supplement will ensure that the right bacterial populations can thrive and yield the most benefits for your health throughout both this spring and the rest of 2018.

3. Gently Detoxify Your Organs With Spring Cleaning Phytochemicals

The indulgences of winter can be difficult on the liver and kidneys, both of which are essential for both metabolism and detoxification. Several natural strategies have been found to assist in gently boosting your body's natural detox processes. To give your liver the boost it needs, consider one or all of the following tips:

• Drink plenty of water -- at least eight glasses a day.
• Eat a variety of greens such as spinach and kale. These contain energy-producing chlorophyll as well as phytonutrients that gently cleanse vital organs.
• Eat more sour and bitter foods. The compounds that produce these strong flavors also have detoxifying properties.
• Rely on healthy, plant fats such as olive oil rather than more processed oils from grains or animals.
• Reduce or eliminate toxic substances such as white sugar, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol from your diet.

4. Improve Your Energy Levels for Warmer Weather

Warmer weather makes most people want to get outside. However, it is easy to be stuck in the winter blahs. You will feel more eager to get outside if you choose detoxifying strategies that also increase energy. First, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to bump up your vitamin levels. Second, get out into the sunlight. Sun helps your body to naturally produce vitamin D, which is crucial for energy and good mood. Last, get your sleep cycles on track. Thoroughly overhauling your circadian rhythm is one of the best ways to spring clean your life and your health habits for healthier, more rested warm weather months.

A thorough cleaning of your home will make it feel brighter, lighter, and more spacious. A cleansing detox should similarly help you feel more energy and motivation. There is no reason to enter the warm weather months without the optimal health that you deserve.