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LIFESTYLE

The Wellness Corner: Spring Cleaning: A Time for Renewal

Shoshana Frumkin
Contributor
May 2008

When I see spring green leaves starting to sprout into the warmer and longer days I know it’s time to get moving for a hardy cleanup.

I make a list for house and office and list each room and then get into the finer details of what my plan will be and what I ultimately want as the final outcome. Cleaning your office, home, car, and our dearest friend – our own human body – has a profound effect on clearing your head for what is really important and to feel your best to get things done with a sense of fresh clarity.

I also declare what will be given away, sold on EBay, traded and thrown away. I go through each room or part of my office with empty shopping bags and boxes so I can sort everything I want to recycle, throw away and, shred first and then start sorting the give way, trade and sell piles and make lists of who will get what.

tAsk yourself how does this pile of papers, piece of clothing, outdated gizmos, shabby furniture, that stuff under the sink and so on serve me? Also ask yourself how you would like your surroundings to serve you instead of you serving your surroundings. Then ask the same question for our best buddy – YOU – the body we live in.

This is a perfect opportunity to clean dust, mold, mildew and any other residue in our surroundings which can also contribute to allergy symptoms as the spring always heats up damp mold, fungus and mildew as well as more pollen that is circulating and settling on indoor surfaces etc.

Try using essential oils once you have finished your clean-up to perk up the air and bring a refreshing scent, such as Tea tree, Pine, Lavender, Lemon, Lime etc. – much better than the artificial scents and air fresheners as they do not trigger many of the hidden allergy symptoms that are becoming more and more prevalent these days.

I purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products and use micro-fiber rags that absorb a lot of water as they can be used over many times instead of paper towels , then it’s time to get all the winter dust , grime and mold out of every area and get those windows open to get ventilation.

Spring body cleansing after eating heavier food all winter can do wonders for improving digestion, clearing skin, improving energy and an overall sense of well-being.

Recipe for internal body cleansing: 8 oz. Helios or Lifestreem brand plain or flavored Kefir (excellent source of good bacteria for the digestive tract)

6 - 8 organic pitted prunes (soak overnight, water should just cover the dried prunes). Great to loosen old internal stagnation.

2 Tbls. ground-up flax seeds (coffee grinders work well). Fabulous fiber and great omega 3 fatty acids as well as good texture to sooth intestines.

Put everything in a blender: the Kefir, the prunes including soaking water and the ground up flax seeds and pour in a glass.

Really very Yummy; enjoy this 4-5 days a week

Ah ... I feel fresher already maybe I’ll go to the Emeryville Public Market and get a 20 minute massage on my lunch break!

Take care of the body; it’s where you live!

Resources:

Whole Foods Markets - Seventh Generation cleaning products for all phases of cleaning and the above recipe ingredients essential oils; ask someone to assist you.

You can also look for books about internal body cleansing programs and find kits to do a focused cleanse in the vitamin section of the store.

Berkeley Bowl -Method Cleaning Products and the above recipe ingredients and essential oils.

Shoshana Frumkin CNC, CMT, is the President and Founder of On the Spot Massage at Work. You can contact her at shoshana@onthespotmassage.com, or www.onthespotmassage.com.