
Spring Cleaning: Spring Seasonal Immunity Tips
Spring is in the air. As we spring-clean our homes and offices, freshening our living spaces and our rooms, it's the perfect reminder to take a look at our daily habits and routines. How can you spring-clean your everyday rituals to refresh your immune system, boost your immunity and stay healthy this spring? Try these spring seasonal immunity tips.
A few simple changes and upgrades can help you revamp your health, all season long.
1. Take a deep breath (outdoors)
We spend 90 percent of our time indoors, and indoor air is approximately 2 to 5 times more toxic and polluted than outdoor air. Breathing in all this toxic air increases chronic body inflammation, reduces our immune response, and hampers our overall quality of life. As you dust and clean, open a window or two to let in some fresh, natural breeze. Better yet, seize any opportunity to spend a little time outdoors in a forest, at a park, or sitting near a beach. That fresh air fills your lungs with immunity-boosting oxygen and helps clear out any pollution you may have inhaled indoors. Almost the reverse is true when you’re driving in cities and on busy roads. Roads, highways and freeways are covered in toxin-laden, polluted air, and when you drive, you're breathing it all in. By simply driving with your windows up and your car's ventilation system set to "recirculate," you can cut the in-car air toxins by up to 80 percent.2. Does it really make scents?
Artificial scents can wreak havoc on our endocrine and limbic systems, which in turn affect our immune system. Some researchers suggest that all these chemical triggers are the true underlying cause of many autoimmune disorders. While you’re spring cleaning and tidying, clean out anything in your home that’s laden with scents and smells. Common culprits include:- Laundry detergent
- Fabric softener and softener sheets
- Candles
- Personal care products, including lotions, shampoos and cosmetics