Spring Cleaning From The Inside

1 Comment / May 26, 2023

It's Spring Cleaning Time!

I can remember as a young child seeing a certain sparkle in my mom’s eyes. Out of nowhere she would announce, “IT’S SPRING CLEANING TIME! “My heart would skip a beat. Because this meant that there was no playtime. She needed all hands on deck because we were going to clean the house from top to bottom and get rid of everything that no longer belonged. We don’t realize it, but we have a tendency to hold onto things unnecessarily. Think about it. You bring groceries home, put them away and save the bags. We purchase appliances and trinkets, and save the boxes. Now some things we actually use, but if we really look around, we would find so much that’s just leftover residue and clutter. This is what happens inside the body as well. We bring in things that we don’t really need, some things that don’t digest well and a variety of toxins. And over time, it creates a traffic jam inside our bodies. It can also cause a buildup of toxins and bacteria that cause diseases and sickness. Just like my mom with the sparkle in her eye and her announcement, our bodies give us the same warning signs – it’s time for spring cleaning.

Let's Get Ready To Rumble!

For 20 years I’ve battled the roller coaster ride of obesity. I would lose a few pounds and then turn around and gain it back along with a couple of extra. High blood pressure and sleep apnea had come in and set up camp in my life. Then rushing towards me like a tornado was diabetes and high cholesterol. I was out of control. This was the warning sign. I needed to sit down and take a hard long look at the temple God created and what I had done to it. As I started to study the body and how sickness and disease comes, and how important it is to have a clean body on the inside so it can function and fight off diseases and maintain good health; I realized that there was a serious traffic jam inside my body. There was too much clutter for my brain to get the right signals to send to the rest of my body for it to function right.

Everything was out of place. Sound familiar? Isn’t that what it looks like in your house when it needs a good spring cleaning? I realized I was experiencing something I once complained about. I was sounding like my mother. And there it was. That sparkle in my eye. I looked at my weight, the medications I was taking, my blood work, my refrigerator, my pantry, and that was it! I said, “IT’S SPRING CLEANING TIME!” So, where do you start? Start by listening to your body screaming, “CLEAN ME!!” Your body will tell you it’s time in several ways.
  • Fatigue
  • Aches & Pains. Particularly in your joints
  • Mood Swings
  • Headaches
  • Constipation
  • Weight Gain
  • Inability To Lose Weight

These are all signs of toxicity. Once you have identified the problem, you can move on to preparation. It’s time to detox. That’s the term for giving your body a good spring cleaning. The first thing to do is to take inventory. Go through your refrigerator and remove those things that really don’t add value to your body. A good place to start is with sugary drinks. Make water the go to drink. Throw out processed meats, cheeses and mucus causing foods. Then go to your pantry. I could almost name what is in there from the sugary cereals, to the white rice, white pastas, white sugar, cookies and snacks. Take a minute and really assess the damage that your body has gone through from the traffic jam inside caused by these types of foods.

Organizing makes spring cleaning possible. You can purge and clear out the rubble. Start by slowly replacing pantry items with healthier alternatives. Some things you simply just have to throw away. Then put things in their proper place. Now you can step back, take a deep breath and admire your revamped and pantry.

Food addiction is very real. Your body becomes dependent on sugar, salt and starchy foods. Prior to detoxing, take a few days and ween yourself off the addictive foods and drinks. Start cutting back and eliminating them; then increase your water intake to at least a gallon a day. When our diet is full of mucus and acid forming foods, the liver has to work overtime. Detoxing will help you cleanse the liver so that it can function better to remove the toxins. So get that water in to give it a nice flush! Fill your refrigerator and pantry with plant based whole foods, nuts and seeds and healthy grains. Your refrigerator should look like a colorful forest. I call it eating the rainbow.

  • Leafy Greens
  • Green & Purple Cabbage
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocados
  • Carrots
  • Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Olives
  • Fruit
  • Berries

Your body craves foods high in nutrients, healthy fats and antioxidants. These foods promote a healthy gut which wards off sickness and disease. Eating the proper foods will detoxify the kidneys and liver and will allow toxins to leave the body through healthy bowel movements, urine, sweat and breath. A natural detox is by far the most effective way to clean the body. Your body responds positively when you put the best fuel inside. All of your organs and the lymphatic system will start functioning like a well-oiled machine. You will produce healthier and cleaner blood cells. Overall you will feel so much better.

One thing I’ve noticed from detoxing is that it takes at least 21 days to really make a difference. Once you’ve spent at least 21 days doing something anything, you will have created a new habit. Once a new healthier habit is created, you will become more conscious of not allowing the clutter to build up again. That in itself is the key. If you’re like me, it might take a while. I would do great for a few weeks, and one slip up would cause me revert to some of my old ways and allow clutter to start rebuilding. But because I know how hard it is to declutter the inner body now, I’m less likely to get out of control. And most importantly, I know how to get my health habits back under control should I slip.

I encourage you to give your body what it so deserves. Your body works hard year around to house your dreams, work and abilities. Give a gift in return and spring clean it!

– Anita Faye Wilson

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