Top 10 Ways To Get Healthier This Spring

Posted by Dr. Scott Wilson | 13-Mar-2015

Spring is here! The long, cold winter is finally behind us and with the arrival of spring comes the promise of warmth, rebirth and a chance to make positive changes in your life. There are many things that you can do to improve your health and spring is the perfect time to get started. Here are the top ten ways to leverage the arrival of spring to improve your health:

FIX YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE: Now that it isn’t so dark and cold all the time, this is a great time to get back on a consistent sleep schedule. Additional daylight during the day makes it easier to have a consistent sleep at night when it’s dark.
MAKE USE OF THE EXTRA DAYLIGHT: Both spring and daylight savings time bring more light into our lives. The extra daylight that comes with spring is a natural mood booster. Your converts sunlight into Vitamin D, which is an important vitamin for many reasons. A Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with low bone mass and osteoporosis and getting enough Vitamin D has been linked to reduced risks of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and many other illnesses and diseases.
MAKE THE SHIFT FROM BOOTS TO SHOES: Now that winter is over, it’s time to put away the big, heavy boots that have weighed you down for months. While it’s tempting to trade boots and shoes in for flip-flops when the warm weather arrives, this isn’t a good idea for your health. Flimsy flip-flops make you more susceptible to injuries, such as rolled or sprained ankles, as well as tendinitis, blisters, arch pain, stress fractures and many other issues. It’s important to wear proper shoes during outdoor exercise. If you already have foot issues, there are a number of treatments and prescription products available that provide proper support, help correct imbalances and alleviate pain.
TAKE MORE FREQUENT/LONGER WALKS: In addition to biking instead of driving, try to walk more this spring as well. Go for a walk at lunch, after work or after dinner. Walking is good exercise and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Consider walking with co-workers, friends or family members to make your walks a fun social activity in addition to a healthy choice.
OPEN YOUR GARDEN: Gardening isn’t just fun, it’s also good exercise. Regular gardening is a great way to be active in the spring. Plus, you can grow your own healthy fruits and vegetables, which will improve your diet and keep you eating well.
ENJOY FRESH SPRING PRODUCE: There are a number of seasonal fruits and vegetables that are just perfect in the spring. These vary somewhat depending on where you live, but you really can’t go wrong with adding any fresh spring produce to your diet.
TIDY UP: It’s spring, which means it’s time for spring cleaning. Not only have studies shown that those who live in more organized homes have healthier lives, but the act of cleaning itself can also help you improve your health since it keeps you active and gets you off the couch.
GET BACK TO OUTDOOR SPORTS: Whether you enjoy baseball, soccer, badminton or any other outdoor sport, spring is the perfect time to get outside, get active and take part in a sport. Bring friends or family along and make a social activity out of it. It’s much healthier to spend your social time enjoying a physical activity than it is to spend this time eating and drinking indoors.
RIDE YOUR BIKE: Spring is the perfect time to get outside and riding a bike is a great way to be active. Instead of driving, consider biking whenever possible. This is a great way to get more exercise and it’s often much more enjoyable than sitting in traffic. Biking is great aerobic exercise, which means that it helps improve your cardiovascular health.
ENJOY OUTDOOR GATHERINGS: As mentioned above, spring makes it easy to enjoy healthier and more active social activities. Instead of meeting friends for drinks or for dinner at a restaurant, plan a picnic or a barbecue with healthy spring foods.