Are you having trouble shaking off the heaviness and fogginess of winter?

Then it’s time to change up your habits to lighten up, decrease congestion and lower your risk of getting sick.

According to Ayurveda the qualities of spring include heavy, wet, static and dense. If you continue to eat foods and practice habits with these same qualities, spring can be a miserable season for you.

Here are 3 healthy habits to help you feel clear, light and boost your immunity this spring:

1. Stop snacking between meals (or whenever you feel like it).

One of the biggest surprises for participants in my guided spring cleanse is the clarity of mind they experience when they stop snacking.

During the cleanse we eat 3 nourishing meals per day and fast at least 3-4 hours between meals.

Snacking too much overloads your digestive system and slows it down. According to Ayurveda, this can lead to digestive problems, brain fog, congestion, heaviness and lowered immunity.

When you stop snacking between meals you empower your digestive system to run effectively. Strong digestion successfully transforms your food into nutrients for your cells and tissues leaving you feeling energized, clear and light.

2. Change up your diet

Nature cues you to change your diet with the season. You want to incorporate foods that have the opposite qualities to wet, heavy, static and dense.

Here are foods that are optimal for spring and have dry, light, mobile and clear qualities:

• Dark leafy greens, spring mix, dandelion greens
• Spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, black mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, fenugreek and fennel.
• Smoothies with lots of veggies.
• Soups with clear broths, lots of veggies and warming spices.

Foods to avoid in spring season are:

• All dairy (heavy, wet, cold and dense)
• Wheat (heavy and cold)
• Sugar (heavy and cold)

When you don’t change up your diet according to the season, you’re fighting against nature. Stop the struggle and start nourishing yourself.

3. Layer up

It feels so good when the weather starts to warm up, and it’s easy to get carried away and not wear enough clothes.

As a paddling instructor and instructor trainer I like to tell my students that it’s better to get too hot and have layers to take off than get too cold and have no layers to put on.

Layer up and adjust throughout the day so you stay warm. Especially important pieces of clothing for spring are scarves, hats and socks.

According to Ayurveda, protecting your head, neck and feet, can help you stay healthy and avoid getting sick.

Want to learn more healthy habits for spring season? Register for my Guided Spring Cleanse.