Spring is breezing our way, and we are all ready for rebirth, newness and spring-cleaning. Here are some healthy ways to think about spring-cleaning, inside and out!
Spring into Health
Spring is the season of awakening. Human cultures throughout the ages have instinctively cleansed themselves and their living environments upon the arrival of spring each year for two reasons. First, there is a natural need to cast off the winter blues and feel renewed. Second, according to Chinese medicine, the liver and gall bladder is most active in the detoxification process during spring.
To strengthen yourself against spring illnesses, the 5,000-year-old Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine advises you to rise early and go to bed early, dress for cold mornings and evenings, stretch and exercise, and express your feelings freely.
Detox Activities
Spring is a good time to undertake a liver-cleansing fast or practice other liver-cleansing activities, supervised by your natural health advisor. Here are a few things you can try to clean yourself from the inside out:
1. For your detox diet, eat more beans, brown rice, oat bran, vegetables, fruits, and organic chicken or turkey.
2. Make a detoxifying juice from aloe vera, apples, asparagus, beet greens, cabbage, carrot greens, celery, cucumbers, parsley, and turnips.
3. Make a vegetable broth from the following items: collards, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, dandelion, Brussels sprouts, daikon radish, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, garlic, leeks, fennel, anise, ginger, and turmeric.
4. Squeeze one lemon into 12 ounces of hot water. Drink this first thing in the morning when you wake up.
5. Take a soak in an herbal bath. To help draw out toxins, take a 20-minute bath daily with infusions of eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, fennel, cinnamon, and epsom salts.
Household Spring-Cleaning Tips
When you prepare for spring-cleaning, choose the natural cleaning products that have recently come onto the market, which are safe and will not pollute the environment. Seeking longevity means protecting ourselves from products that are unhealthy. That being said, please know that household cleansers containing bleach or chemicals are harmful to inhale.
You can also try cleaning with products that you may already have in your home. Diluted vinegar is an effective cleanser in the kitchen and bathroom, and will work for tiles, windows, toilet bowls, mirrors, and even carpets. The acetate acid in vinegar also helps inhibit bacteria and mildew. Try this: mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of water and use it just like you would use any other cleaning product. For those jobs requiring elbow-grease, avoid chlorinated powder and scour with baking soda instead.
An important part of cleansing your house of the old, stale energy is cutting back on the clutter. Simplify your surroundings. Clear out any unnecessary belongings and give these items that are no longer serving you to charity. You will be amazed at how eliminating clutter can decrease stress and open up positive energy in your environment.
I hope these steps help you approach the spring with a new healthy attitude! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
—Dr. Mao
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