Spring is the perfect time to detox your surroundings, mind, body, and diet. The key to detoxing anything is to do things that are reasonable and that you can be consistent with.

Here are some of my favorite Japanese wellness and lifestyle tips that are easy to incorporate into your life and will spring-clean your mind, body, and soul.

Switch Out Coffee for Matcha: Invest in a good quality matcha and substitute it for your morning coffee. Matcha is made by grinding whole tea leaves. This beautiful bright green powder is packed with antioxidants. It is a strong immunity booster and has AMAZING effects on the skin. The energy lift that matcha will give you is very similar to coffee but not at all jittery. Also, there is something very mindful about preparing a bowl of matcha in the morning. I like to add soy milk to mine for a soft matcha latte. Matcha is a beautiful way to start the day.

Clear Your Clutter: If you don’t love it, get rid of it. Don’t worry about the future. Let things go. The act of getting rid of things you aren’t using is so freeing. Grab a bag and fill it up. Bring it to Salvation Army or Goodwill. You’ll love the newfound freedom of open space. Also, getting rid of what you don’t need makes room for new things to come in. It’s simple but magical.

Take a Hot Bath: The power of a hot bath made with detox support botanicals such as kombu sea kelp is an incredibly intense detoxifier. Try bathing with the Luxury Bath Salts at least 2-3 times a week this spring. Or for a super-intensive detox, use one pouch of salts per-night for five days. The kombu will flush your system and nourish your skin with minerals. Be sure to drink plenty of water during this time. With a hot bath you will break a sweat, so be sure to rinse your body off after your soak.

Focus on Vegetables: After rice, the base of the Japanese diet is vegetables. Try a new vegetable every week, or at least a new recipe. Make veggies fun and interesting. It’s profound to shift the focus of your meal to vegetables. Usually in the U.S., veggies are side dishes. Stay tuned – I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes including delicious sautéed lotus root and burdock root.

Avoided Dairy Products: You don’t see a lot of dairy in Japan. Try cutting it out of your diet for a week. Many people feel more clear-headed and lighter after a few days of being dairy-free. There are many substitutes for staples such as milk, cream, and cheese that are made with soy, almond, etc.

Try doing at least two of these this spring. I’m sure you will love the changes you feel both physically and emotionally, and that you’ll incorporate these lifestyle changes into your life for good.

Warm wishes,
Françoise