Spring is here and it is often a time of year many look forward to. Warmer weather, more daylight, and a renewed sense of spirit. It’s no secret the weather here in Suntree, Florida is almost always warm and pleasant though. For the locals it still gets chilly in the winter so when spring is approaching, it is happily greeted, plus it’s a nice break before the major heat that comes with summer! It’s a great time of year to recommit yourself to your health and begin new habits. Besides spring cleaning your home, here are a few suggestions to spring clean your health!

1. Start Practicing Yoga

You may already incorporate yoga into your weekly routine, or may have just thought about it. The benefits are tremendous and spring is a great time to start as you can likely find a few local outdoor classes to enjoy the beautiful weather. You can also find classes at your local gym, a studio solely dedicated to yoga, you can even do yoga right from your home while following along with a video. You’ll be glad you started when you start experiencing a few of the highly sought-after benefits like: improved sleep, decrease in stress, boost in overall mood and an increase in not only flexibility but strength as well. Many people who regularly practice yoga report having a better overall ability to handle the daily stressors that life brings.

2. Schedule Routine Screenings and Doctor Appointments
If you’ve put any screenings or appointments off throughout the winter holidays, now is the perfect time to catch up. You may have more screenings if you are a woman, PAP Smears, mammograms etc. Regardless, everyone needs to keep up on regular checkups with your primary care doctor. Preventive care saves lives and is a key element to remaining happy and healthy.

3. Allergy Proof your Home
Many suffer from seasonal allergies; heightened pollen levels are mostly to blame among other culprits! Visit our next blog for tips on outdoor allergies, as for indoor allergies here are a few ways to get relief inside the home. First off, dedicate time every week to wipe off all of the smooth surfaces in your home like blinds and ceiling fans for example, anywhere that dust and debris can accumulate. Another tip is to remember to change the air filters for your HVAC system, if you have severe allergies, you may want to change them as frequently as once a month.

Finally, wash all of the linens and blankets in the home, especially in the bedrooms. Severe allergy suffers should wash bed linens as frequently as once a week, at most every two weeks. According to the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology or ACAAI the highest number of dust mites are found in the bedroom. If you already follow the above tips and still suffer from allergies in the home, don’t fret – another great option is to buy a few plants to keep in the home. Try a Peace Lily or a Common Ivy, they are well-known for their air purifying qualities.

4. Surround Yourself with People Who Make You Laugh!
Laughter has some serious health benefits, that’s according to an associate professor at Loma Linda University, Dr. Lee Berk. In fact, the health benefits that result from frequent laughter are comparable to eating healthy and exercising regularly as far as keeping you healthy and warding off disease. Laughter puts you at ease, when your body is at ease as opposed to being under stress, it is able to function optimally…even boosting immune system function. A healthy immune system is the first defense for fighting off illnesses. So, spring clean your friends list, and people you associate with, keep in touch with the positive minded friends who boost your mood. Indulge in activities together that make you happy and most importantly… make you laugh.

5. Try Something New
It’s been said that you should eat all the colors of the rainbow to help balance your diet. A healthy variety of foods, nothing processed with dyes added to change the colors. When you choose foods of various colors from different food groups it contributes to having a more nutrient filled, balanced diet. Next time you’re at a grocery store, or better yet your local produce stand, try something you’ve never had before, like dragon fruit or lychee.

6. Eliminate Wheat from Your Diet
Try going wheat free for a month, this can really assist in losing those last extra pounds that have stuck around from the holidays and winter months. When you eliminate or vastly minimize your wheat intake you may experience a wide array of health benefits. From improved mood and lessened mental fatigue to better digestion and more nutrient absorption, you will most likely be pleasantly surprised. Wheat has been so engrained in our diet, you may find yourself struggling when thinking what to replace it with. Some items to replace the wheat in your diet are legumes, rice, tapioca, potatoes and rice. Get creative!

7. Be One with Nature
It’s no secret that regular exercise has extensive health benefits, including but not limited to: