5 tips for a healthy start to spring

Just as nature awakens after a long winter, your health can also blossom this spring. Use that fresh spring energy and these 5 tips to support your health.

Time for new beginnings: here’s how to get into spring healthy!

With spring, nature makes a new beginning. The first flowers raise their heads above the ground, buds appear on the trees and animals come out of hibernation. Your body and mind are also slowly but surely coming out of winter mode, especially now that the days are getting longer and there is more daylight. While some welcome the light, warmth and energy of spring with open arms, others also face some challenges. For example, do you suffer from spring fatigue or spring fever, or are you prone to hay fever? Then the arrival of spring is not all good news. Whatever your situation, the following 5 tips will get you through spring healthily!

1. Get more exercise for a good start to spring

With the arrival of spring, the days are getting longer and the temperatures higher. Did you make resolutions at the beginning of the year to get outside more often and/or exercise more? Then make smart use of the milder spring weather to put your money where your mouth is, if little else. According to research, the increase in daylight in spring can cause your body to produce more dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, attention, pleasure and good mood(1). Therefore, you are more likely to achieve your health goals in spring, so what are you waiting for? Get outside and get moving! This will give you new energy, help your body produce vitamin D from sunlight and also help you get rid of those excess winter pounds, should that be desired.

Spring fatigue or spring fever

If you suffer from spring fatigue, getting moving might be the last thing you feel like doing. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to go outside and treat yourself to some extra exercise. In fact, many of the tips for overcoming winter blues also work very well with spring fatigue, as the causes and symptoms are similar. Both result from sensitivity to the change of seasons. Instead, do you suffer from “Spring fever,” which makes you more likely to be a bit hyperactive and have trouble sleeping? Then walking, biking or running outside can be the perfect way to get rid of that extra energy somewhat. Other work outs also become extra fun if you do them outside in spring. With sleep problems, though, it’s best to schedule strenuous exercise for a time earlier in the day, rather than in the evening. Are you prone to hay fever? Then also read the tips at point 4 in this blog, so you can still take advantage of that outdoor exercise!

2. Keep sunscreen handy

The spring sun can already be quite powerful. Therefore, make sure you properly protect your white winter skin from sunburn. If necessary, check what skin type you have and what sun protection is necessary and invest in an appropriate sunscreen; preferably with natural filters(2). Even on cloudy days, the sun’s UV rays can cause skin damage. Cover your skin with long sleeves or long pants if necessary, and wear a hat with a wide brim. If necessary, check the UV radar to see what the sun strength will be before you head out(3).

3. Bring spring into your home

Of course, you don’t have to enjoy the benefits of spring only outside. There are several ways to bring the positive energy of spring into your home. A big spring cleaning is a tradition in many cultures for a reason. This is another way to make a new beginning. As the sunlight pours through the windows, you suddenly notice how dirty they are, and how dusty your furniture has become. In addition, you may see all sorts of things that you are no longer going to use (for now). Put them away, or give them away to charity. If necessary, replace them with things that can enhance your enjoyment of spring, such as a bowl of spring fruit or a beautiful bunch of spring flowers. This fruit calendar lists spring fruits that you can make nice lemon juice and pineapple juice from. Replace your winter clothes with spring clothes, and your winter comforter for a lighter version. Let that fresh spring breeze blow through your home and see how much energy it gives!

4. Be ahead of hay fever

If you are predisposed to hay fever, you may suffer from it as early as February or March, when it gets warm early in the year. The trees will start blooming earlier, which means more and more pollen will be in the air. Do you have plans to go outside? Then check the hay fever radar first to see how much pollen is in the air so you can take measures if necessary(5).

Keep pollen at bay

In general, sunny days with more wind cause more hay fever symptoms. Then there are more pollen in the air and they spread faster. With these tips, you can keep pollen at bay:

• Keep doors and windows closed
• If necessary, use an air purifier with a good filter
• Don’t dry your laundry outside
• Stay inside if you can, or:
• Wear sunglasses that seal your eyes tightly, and/or a mouth mask. You can also smear an oily cream or ointment around your nose so the pollen will stick to it instead of entering your nose.
• If necessary, use a nasal spray against hay fever
• Wash your hands regularly or even take a shower and wash your hair if you have been outside. In case of severe hypersensitivity to pollen, you may also want to put on clean clothes. This will prevent you from walking around all day with residual pollen on your body, hair or clothes.
• If necessary, use a spray of saline solution to cleanse your upper airways

Hay fever and nutrition

Because your mucous membranes produce extra mucus when you suffer from hay fever, it is smart to avoid foods that promote mucus production as much as possible. For example, it can help to eat less dairy, and less sugary foods. Some fruits and nuts can also worsen your symptoms, including hazelnuts and apples(6). There are also fruits and vegetables that can reduce hay fever symptoms, such as asparagus, broccoli, garlic, onions, pineapple and kiwi. There are also people who experience relief from their hay fever symptoms if they drink certain types of herbal teas or juices, such as licorice tea, ginger tea or nettle tea. Allow the tea to steep for at least eight minutes to reap the full benefits. Everyone is different, of course, so try carefully what works for you!

5. Start spring with a detox

Besides your home, you can also support your body with a detox treatment*. This is immediately a good opportunity to let go of all your unhealthy habits. Follow a juice cure, for example, and avoid cigarettes, alcohol and other unhealthy things. This will spare your organs for a while. You get a lot of vitamins and minerals. These healthy nutrients support your immune ^system1 and overall vitality. With a good overall vitality you will soon be bouncing through spring like a foal!

Resources

A. (2020, August 18). Fruit calendar – Gardens. Gardens. https://www.tuinen.nl/fruitkalender/

Buienradar – UV radar. (n.d.). https://www.buienradar.nl/nederland/zon-en-wolken/zonkracht-uv

Skin types – Huidarts.com. (2017, July 5). Skindoctor.com. https://www.huidarts.com/huidaandoeningen/huidtypen/

Novio Design – Ton Haex (n.d.). Hay fever radar informs about hay fever and pollen forecasts. Hay fever radar. https://www.hooikoortsradar.nl/

Tsai, H. L., Chen, K. C., Yang, Y. K., Chen, P. S., Yeh, T. L., Chiu, N. T., & Lee, H. C. (2011). Sunshine-exposure variation of human striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability in healthy volunteers. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 35(1), 107-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.09.014

¹ Read more about which vitamins and minerals in our juices can support your immune system here .