Spring Detox: From Hydration to Seasonal Foods, Transition into Spring the Best Way Possible

Written By: Karla Tafra

Every time spring comes along, you start reading and hearing about the spring detox as a way of transitioning from winter and getting rid of anything that doesn’t serve you so you can come into the new season refreshed. How does that look from a nutrition and hydration standpoint? Here’s what you should know.

The change of the seasons is a multilayered event as it impacts everything, from your mental and physical health, to even your emotional state. With the warmer weather and longer days, your body starts experiencing an increase in energy, which comes from a variety of sources.

You’re naturally drawn to spend more time outdoors, the need for hibernation disappears, and you’re ready to open up to new possibilities, whether in the form of a new hobby or activity or exploring your creative and productive side. For many people, spring marks the beginning of the year, almost as if the first three months have been preparation.

But in order to support your ideas and goals, you need to tune into yourself and dive into a good-quality detoxification that helps you get rid of all the body toxins and make room for new and nourishing building blocks for your entire system.

Probably the two most important aspects of this yearly transition are increased vitamin D exposure and hydration.

• Vitamin D is one of the most important micronutrients our bodies need to function properly, but it’s also one we’re severely depleted in. Vitamin D deficiency can be the root cause of many health conditions, and since in the winter we’re usually dependent on proper and adequate supplementation, getting a decent amount of exposure in the springtime noticeably shows up in our bodies. From an increase in energy and alertness to improving your mood, there’s plenty that sitting in the sun for just half an hour a day can do. Lack of sunshine, in general, has been tied to depression and other mental health issues, so it comes as no surprise that come spring, your mood gets rejuvenated as well.
• Hydration is important to improve and optimize the removal of toxins this time of year that are known to be hiding in your body and wreaking havoc in the background. Additionally, with an increase in energy and beginning to spend more time outdoors, you’re naturally becoming more active and moving more, increasing your body’s fluid needs.

Some people take the spring detox to another level, treating it as the so-called spring cleaning one does in their homes and gets rid of all the winter stuff until the next season. These are the kinds of people that take it to the extremes and partake in protocols like prolonged fasting and restrictive diets, aiming to reduce inflammation and improve their bodies’ abilities a the elimination of toxins and replenish with nurturing macro and micronutrients. Unfortunately, many people aren’t educated or aware of all the consequences these extreme spring detoxes can have on their bodies, and they often turn unhealthy or unsustainable in the long run. That’s why focusing on healthy and gentle detoxification is the best way to deal with these seasonal changes and support your mind and body through the inevitable transition.

A healthy, gentle spring detox is supposed to support your body’s natural way of cleansing toxins through its main detoxification organ, the liver. Your liver’s natural function is to process your blood and get rid of whatever doesn’t serve you by breaking it down into components that will not cause your body any harm. When this organ’s function is impaired, it cannot do its job properly, which can create all sorts of health conditions. By performing a healthy spring detox, you’re helping your liver optimize its function and cleanse from the inside out without the need for extreme juicing cleanses or strong herbs.

The important role of hydration is not to be neglected, as it allows your body to get rid of toxins and other harmful compounds in a much quicker and safer way. Exposure to toxic substances is, unfortunately, a natural part of your daily life, even when you think you’ve taken all the possible precautions. The exposure to pollutants in the air, water, and soil makes our liver work twice, if not three times, as hard as it was intended to, leaving us with the hard task of supporting its function so that it doesn’t become overwhelmed.

Dehydration can seriously impair the detoxification process, putting huge stress on the liver and other detoxing organs such as the kidneys and the lymphatic system. In fact, inadequate fluid intake is known to impair the kidneys' ability to filter toxins and waste, which can contribute to the formation of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

We lose water constantly through perspiration, urination, and even breathing, so the importance of hydration should be at the forefront of our minds. With warmer weather and an increase in your level of activity, hydration needs dramatically increase, and they only keep growing until they peak in the summer months. Every person has their own individual hydration needs, but it’s safe to say that they noticeably increase for all of them in this seasonal transition.

Once you’ve gathered enough information about what spring foods grow naturally in your area, you can begin exploring all the different ways you can add them to your diet and let them naturally support your body’s systems by fueling you with vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds that allow you to thrive.

Springtime is the time when rich, comforting foods begin to get replaced with vibrant salads and your body’s natural need for raw fruits and minimally processed vegetables. Here are some of the best ways to include seasonal spring foods, stored in your food jar, in your diet:

• Assembling a variety of colorful vegetables into hearty salads.
• Making vegetable soups that will be not only nourishing but also serve as a good warming dish on the days when the weather doesn’t feel as “springy.”
• Creating easy versions of vegetable side dishes to complement your protein and fats, even if it only means tossing them with some olive oil and frying them off in a pan for two minutes - the vibrancy and juiciness of spring vegetables come from minimal processing techniques.
• Getting inspired to create seasonal pastries and add some fun to your desserts.
• Making fruit salads and snacking on spring berries.
• Snacking on nuts and seeds to replenish your body’s healthy fats.
• Consuming lean animal protein makes it easier for your body to digest it and avoids overtaxing your liver.
• Including fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or natto to add beneficial microbes to your gut and feed your microbiome.
• Choosing whole grains and fibrous vegetables to increase your fiber intake promotes better waste disposal and acts as food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Spring is many people’s favorite time of the year. The days get longer, the weather becomes warmer, you can put your heavy coats and boots in storage, and your mood becomes visibly improved. Now all you have to do is support this transition with a healthy diet and proper hydration, flushing out all the toxins and inflammation, and creating space for a variety of micronutrients that help your body thrive and support your overall health and longevity.