Self-Care in Spring: What can you do for your own self-care in spring?
• Stretch: Use stretching, yoga, Pilates, or tai chi to stretch your limbs and keep your muscles and tendons fl exible and prevent injuries.
• Exercise: Use cardio exercise to jump start sluggish me- tabolism, use strength training or resistance bands to build strength and resilience. Exercise is the most powerful anti- dote against stress, depression or resentment. • Sleep: Go to bed before 11 p.m. or earlier: in the Chinese organ clock, Qi is strongest in the gallbladder and liver be- tween 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. That is the time when the liver detoxes and regenerates itself. Don’t jeopardize this by being a night owl.
• Take a break from electronics: Do yourself a favor and shut off your smart phone at night. Don’t keep it in your bed- room. Stop using all electronics two hours before bedtime. You can never keep up with everybody’s Facebook timeline anyway. Take a conscious break from information overload.
• Go outside. Breathe fresh air. Open the windows and air out.
• Detox: Spring is a good time to stop using harmful drugs – stop smoking, cut back or stop drinking alcohol or caf- feine, get off sugar and junk food.
• Eat healthy, fresh food: Fresh bitter greens, pungent rad- ishes, sprouts, a nutrient dense smoothie – nourish your- self with healthy foods that unburden your liver.
• Drink lots of water. Flush out winter. • Be creative. Express yourself. • Love yourself and nourish your vision: Do what nour- ishes you and appreciate yourself. Take time for yourself. Be gentle – the transition from winter to spring can be rough. Take time to explore your vision for this new growing season.
• Get a change-of-season treatment: Receive acupuncture or massage to fl ush out winter toxins and sluggishness and jump-start your metabolism for spring. Get your stag- nant Qi moving.
• Ask your acupuncturist, naturopath or herbalist for herbal supplements to detox and support your liver.
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