It’s been a long winter. No basking in the sun, less activities outside, lots of pale colors outside. It may have left us with vitamin deficiencies, feeling a little miserable and overall lower immunity.
Now as the spring approaches it’s time to get our health in peak condition. Strengthen our immunity, move more, spend more time in daylight and lift up our moods.
Let’s talk about how to take control over your body, mind and overall wellbeing this spring:
Taking care of gut health
Healthy gut means no inflammation in the body. Which helps lower depression, anxiety, autoimmune disorders and your overall health.
Healthy anti-inflammatory foods are a great way to increase the abundance of diverse microbes and reduce inflammation.
Some anti-inflammatory foods are green leafy vegetables, walnuts, berries, olive oil, garlic, fatty fish, coconut and so many more whole foods. So for a healthy gut make sure to eat them daily.
On the other hand, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, too much sugar and any processed foods are what causes inflammation. It’s recommended to eliminate them from your diet or eat as rarely as you can.
Probiotics
It’s a must have all year long since gut bacteria are key players in our mental health. If your gut microbiome is imbalanced then your overall mood may be affected, however if your gut bacteria is healthy and balanced they can relieve the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
You can either take probiotics as supplements or include lots of fermented foods to your diet, such as kimchi, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut or miso.
Prebiotics
Once you’ve upped your probiotics game, don’t forget that to absorb all their health benefits, you need to keep them nourished.
That’s where prebiotics come in, they are substances found in plant-based foods which maintain beneficial gut bacteria. Prebiotic fibers, polyphenols, and resistant starches all nourish gut bacteria which in turn transform them into good things like short-chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) and vitamins.
Prebiotics come as supplements or can be found in foods such as garlic, onion, green tea, apples, legumes, seeds and more.
Vitamins & minerals
After winter our bodies might be in real need of vital vitamins and minerals. Since we are not getting enough sunshine in winter most people have Vitamin D deficiency, so it’s a great idea to take supplements, eat oranges, fatty fish and mushrooms since these foods are great sources of Vitamin D.
Vitamin C is perfect for boosting immunity and can be found in kiwi, lemon, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes and leafy greens.
If you’re feeling weak and tired you might not be getting enough Iron. Make sure to eat lots of spinach, pumpkin seeds, bananas, shellfish and legumes. Pro tip: Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, so it’s perfect to mix food that contains both.
Omega 3 is also essential, you can find this in fatty fish but if you aren’t able to eat it daily, high quality supplements are also a great option.
Some other vitamins & minerals that you should check on are calcium, magnesium (also helps get better sleep), zinc and potassium.
It’s best if you eat a healthy diet that includes lots of different veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds, then there will be less of a chance that you’re at any vitamin deficiency.
CBD and CBDA for improved mental health and healthier body
CBD and CBDA both activate 5-HT1A Serotonin receptors. Why is that good? Because serotonin receptors and serotonin imbalance are linked to anxiety, depression, nausea, issues with sleep, and gastrointestinal problems. CBD and CBDA are great for treating any of these and also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Get some daylight
Now that the days are getting longer try to spend some time outside, take more walks, let your eyes and body absorb the daylight.
Daylight in general is associated with improved mood, enhanced morale, less fatigue, and reduced eye strain.
So when you wake up in the morning try to make sure that daylight is the first light you see, rather than your phone screen or any other artificial light, it will help feel better throughout the day and fall asleep faster when the night comes.