6 Tips That Will Help Spring Clean Your Diet

Spring is a good time to reset your diet and check where you are with your overall health. The weather starts to get nice and you may be thinking about a summer vacation that you want to look good for. This can be a time to see the areas you can make improvements and form better habits to see the results you want. Whether you want to lose weight, up your physical activity, or improve your sleep, spring is a good time to do it. Here are some tips that will help spring clean your diet.

Refresh Your Pantry And Refrigerator

Go through the pantry and refrigerator to check for expiration dates on things can help make room for some healthier replacement options. This will also give you a better idea of what you’re low on for staples and what you already have. Deep cleaning your refrigerator and pantry seasonally is also beneficial to your health. By having your spaces organized you’re less likely to overspend on items that you already have.

One of the best things you can do is get rid of trigger foods and any junk food that you can’t control yourself with if it’s around. Adding healthy staples to the pantry will make meal planning and sticking to healthier eating easier. Things like quinoa and organic oats are healthy options. Nuts, jarred sauces, and wraps are great go to’s.

Eat In-Season Fruits And Vegetables

Spring is when you start seeing in-season fruits and vegetables. The in-season are usually cheaper than at other times of the year. Shopping at your local farmer’s market and choosing organic produce is better for you and tends to taste better also. Add in-season foods like zucchini’s, asparagus, carrots, and artichokes to your meal plans.

Add Plant Based Foods

This is a good time of year to swap out some of those winter comfort foods for lighter healthier meals. Adding more plant based meals is not only good for your health but your wallet as well. If you’re trying to lose weight eating plant based meals are lower in calories and a good way to make sure your getting the daily recommended amount of vegetables per day. For women ages 19 to 50 2.5 cups of vegetables are the recommend daily amount. Most of us are not eating enough vegetables.

Outdoor Activities

The warmer spring weather makes being outside more enjoyable and a good time to add outdoor physical activities to your routine. Activities like walks, runs, and bike rides are great ways to up your physical activity. Using tracking fitness apps like Runkeeper and StepsApp are good ways to track your daily activity and can help you stay motivated.

Reset Your Sleep Schedule

In the spring we lose an hour of sleep when we move the clock an hour forward. This disrupts our circadian rhythm causing disrupted sleep patterns. There are things you can do to prepare for the time change. Things like having a schedule for when you turn lights on and off around bedtime to give your body cues can help adjust to the time transition.

Prepare For Allergens

Spring is a beautiful time of year with blooming flowers and floral scents. For those with allergies it can be an unpleasant time filled with itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and scratchy throats. These allergic reactions cause the immune system to produce antibodies called Immunoglobulin E, this triggers the cells to release histamine. Histamine increases mucus production and causes the allergic reactions.

There are ways to prepare for spring allergies so you can still enjoy being outside without the side effects. Over-the-counter antihistamines nasal steroid sprays are one of the most effective treatments. Starting a few weeks before you experience symptoms can help prevent allergic reactions from happening. Upping your intake of vitamin C can help boost the immune systems response to fight off allergies as well.