At last, the long snowy winter is coming to an end. I know many of my patients let the holiday indulgences continue for too long and are ready for a fresh start. Here are some of my favorite tips to renew your health, lighten your toxic load and keep spring allergies at bay.

1. Eat More Greens

Tis the season to eat lots of nutrient-packed, alkalizing greens. Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach and arugula deliver more nutrients than just about any other food on the planet. Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, leafy greens give your body the artillery in needs to fight off potential killers like heart disease and cancer.Here’s a great mint chocolate chip smoothie recipe to start your day off with a dose of greens.     

2. Raw Local Honey

Raw local honey can help fight colds, the flu and allergies too. Get some at your local farmer’s market. Make sure it is local honey otherwise it is not as effective for allergy relief.

3. Wash Up

Pollen gets all over your clothes, hair and shoes. Make sure to take your shoes off when you enter the house. Wash your clothes often during peak allergy season. Take a shower at night to remove all the pollen and dust that as accumulated during the day. And don’t forget to wash the sheets, too! You can also give your nasal passages a rinse by using a neti pot.

4. Chill out with music.

Lighten your mood with music. The easiest way I find for people to chill out is to put on some soft, relaxing music. I’m a big believer in reggae (like Bob Marley) with 60 beats per minute, a tempo which, like meditation, can put us into the relaxed but aware “alpha state,” but it could be any music you enjoy.

5. Cleanse

If your body needs a good spring cleaning, doing a gentle cleanse can help to reduce your toxic burden. Spring is a great time to cleanse, because if your body if full of toxins, when the pollen comes in spring, your cup overflows! Doing a 14-day detox can help support the liver and digestion, and also gives you great support for getting off of gluten, dairy, sugar and other inflammatory foods.

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Dr. Frank Lipman is an internationally recognized expert in the field of integrative medicine. He is the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, where for over 20 years his personal brand of healing has helped thousands of people reclaim their vitality and recover their zest for life. In 2010 he developed Be Well by Dr. Frank Lipman, a line of leading-edge supplements and health programs.