Survival Spring Clean


Detox YOUR Life this


With spring comes that lovely sense of beginning and freshness. As mother nature works her wonder in the animal and plant kingdom, so we too feel like sprucing up our own environment with a good old fashioned spring clean. By natural products expert, Rebecca Goodyear.


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ome of us choose to cleanse our bodies at this time of year, to give our digestive systems a break and lighten the load after the stodginess of hearty winter meals as the weather warms and we lose those layers that hide


a multitude of sins. Now is also the time to make a few changes and detox other aspects of life for a less stressful existence.


Getting rid of the clutter


I don’t for one second believe a house with children should or could be clutter-less, but the thing with kids is they are in perpetual growth mode which means that they go through clothes, shoes and toys like nobody’s business. It can seem like quite a daunting task to sort through the accumulation, especially if it’s got out of hand or things have been hoarded “just in case”. Spring cleaning time is an ideal time to have a good sort out. The average person only wears 20% of their wardrobe, so basically 4 out of 5 garments would be put to better use outside your wardrobe. I am an ambassador for the textile recycling charity TRAID who make use of every single item of clothing given to them. Check out www.traid.org.uk to find out how you can donate your clothes and help make a difference by aiding them funding global international development projects. They are also offering free collections of unwanted clothes as part of a trial scheme in the London area.


Now is also the time to file your important documents, clean up your computer filing system and either read or recycle that pile of magazines. Not the most exhilarating of tasks, but you will thank yourself for it once complete. I’d also do the bathroom cabinet and the kitchen cupboards while you’re at it.


What’s lurking in your bathroom


cabinet? There are an array of ingredients that are potentially harmful to health and don’t be fooled into thinking that products made for babies or labelled hypoaller- genic are necessarily any safer or better for you and your family. It’s not a bad idea to check the labels for the following ingredients:


✘ Parabens – have been linked to breast cancer


✘ Lauryl or Laureth Sulphates – irritants to the skin, hair and eyes


✘ Phthalates – effect hormonal balance and may effect unborn babies


✘ Mineral oil, Petroleum Jelly, Petrochemicals – all derived from petroleum (the stuff you put in the car). These ingredients suffocate the skin so it can’t function properly and this causes toxins to build up over time


✘ Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol – drying and irritating to the skin


✘ Synthetic Fragrances (parfum or scent) – irritants and cause a variety of illnesses


✘ Propylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol – can cause organ abnormalities through skin contact or inhalation


✘ DMDM and Urea – release formaldehyde in to the body, a known carcinogen


Kitchen clear out for more


nutritious meals Unfortunately there is an obesity epidemic going on in the UK with 58% of adults overweight or obese and 36% of children aged two to 15. Our diets have changed dramatically since mass production became the norm and this has had a really negative impact on our health. Meat that is not farmed in an ethical way is less


nutritious and may be contaminated with hormones used by farmers to yield a meatier return on animals. Vegetables not grown in a way that considers the land i.e. crop rotation, are likely to be less nutrient dense as the soils they are grown in are barren and depleted of minerals.


On top of this, our diets are now rife with sugar and processed food, which undoubtedly contribute to the nation’s ever-increasing waistlines and has been linked to the rise in childhood disorders such as ADD and ADHD. If you are serious about your family’s health I urge you to ditch the sugary and processed foods that are packed full of hidden sugars, preserva- tives, additives and ingredients that trick your brain in to thinking they are good foods. They are feel good foods but that’s all. Instead, opt for home-cooked meals. I realise in this day and age this can be one more thing to add to the long list of daily chores and that convenience food is just that but if Jamie can cook a meal in 15 minutes there’s hope for us all!


Rebecca Goodyear is a natural beauty, health and wellbeing expert and writes a blog dedicated to these topics at www.biteablebeauty.com. She is a PR and Marketeer working with top brands in the natural products industry who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes her passion.


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