Even though spring in Colorado typically involves snow, it seems this spring will be warmer, earlier.  March is usually the snowiest month in Colorado and yet, here we are, halfway through the month with no snow.  As the longer, warmer days of spring unfold, you may still be feeling the heaviness of winter.  Since we spend more time indoors in the winter, coupled with less time moving and often more time eating, it is common to feel a little sluggish, sleepy, and possibly a few pounds heavier.  To energize yourself and prepare for the season ahead,  make some adjustments to your current routine.

Eat your greens. Leafy greens are valuable for promoting a healthy liver, colon, and immune systems. Feeling adventurous? Try dandelion greens sautéed  in olive oil. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, eating lighter foods can help you boost immunity and minimize infections and allergies.

Shed winter weight. In Ayurveda, spring is considered kapha season. Kapha energy heals and imparts physical strength and resiliency; it flows at its peak in the winter and early spring. Eating foods that are easy to digest such as vegetable juice, vegetable soup, steamed vegetables and brown rice, can help you transition from winter to spring smoothly by balancing your kapha energy.  Getting more active, always an important factor in weight management,  will also balance your kapha energy.

Get outside. Take some time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. Paying attention to blooming flowers may give you a deeper appreciation for this season of rebirth. Research shows the positive effect that fresh air, plants, and trees have on our health and well-being. When you spend time outdoors, especially being active, you can lift your mood, feel calmer and think more positively.

Spice things up.  In the spring, a variety of spices will help to strengthen digestion and can improve overall metabolism. Add anise, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic or ginger when you cook.  If you love hot and spicy foods, this is the perfect time of year to indulge in them.

Andrea Groth Wellbeing Detective

Andrea wants to live in a world where the neighborhoods are walkable, bike lanes are plentiful, and the food is fresh, delicious and readily available.

A 20-year veteran of the health and wellness industry, she started her career in the fitness industry while earning a master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, and then on to the burgeoning field of worksite wellness. Andrea has competed in collegiate level soccer, worked as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, wellness coach, and master trainer, climbed 14ers, and completed cycling centuries and metric centuries. All of these experiences give her the opportunity to view well-being from many different perspectives.
When she’s not helping others to be their healthiest self, you can find her at a farm to table restaurant, down dogging at the yoga studio, or experiencing the Colorado landscape on a bicycle, snowshoes, cross country skis or on foot.