SPRINGTIME is definitely my favourite season; I like to spend as much time in nature as possible to see new life budding. Spring represents renewal – time for spring-cleaning and allowing our cells to repair.
While this year the weather was gracious to us with some gorgeous blue skies, for some people the end of March represents uncomfortable symptoms.
This transition time may illicit allergies in you as the precarious nature of the season can create some disharmony. This is also the time of the dreaded daylight savings time change which has been linked to a multitude of health issues and this rude interruption twice per year can leave our circadian rhythms begging for mercy. It is time to bring some balance and stability to your life where you are able and see this as a temporary roller coaster and opportunity for starting afresh.
Try to get your eyes/body into the first moments of sunrise and last moments of sunset each day. Try to avoid blue light screen time in the first and last few hours of the day, which interfere with your melatonin production and restorative sleep.
Try to spend time in nature as much as possible, beyond the 15-minute average of the population each day, to get yourself back in rhythm. Early morning exercise has been proven incredibly helpful, so get that heart rate up with a brisk walk or jog, or any exercise you fancy.
Bring balance into your diet also to support the transition and your immune system. The more you support your blood sugar balance the easier you deal with the stress of it, and the more you support the immune balance the less allergy symptoms you may have to deal with. Make sure you get a hearty breakfast packed full of proteins and good fats to set you up for the day, to prevent sugar and energy dips. Eggs are the perfect breakfast – or a large handful of nuts, 2 tablespoons of nut butter added to your sugar-free high fibre cereal like a porridge.
The more variety of plants you are eating, the more diverse your gut bacteria become which may bring tolerance and reduced allergy symptoms. The less inflammation your body must deal with, the more energy you preserve which allows you to deal with the change. Introducing some fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut and kombucha to introduce a wide variety of beneficial microbes is crucial. If the taste of the ferments is not your cup of tea you could get a good probiotic supplement with the most available diversity.
Finally, every transition is made hard or easy by your mindset – the power of the brain over our body never stops to amaze me. You can achieve and get over anything once you set your mind to it. Try to look at change as a possibility – not as a hindrance. Express your gratitude for the brighter days and all the little pleasures springtime has to offer.