Each of us has been looking forward to spring, almost since the first day of winter. However, are we ready for spring? Internally, of course, yes. We have already put away our warm clothes. Another question is: where can we put away everything gained in cold winter weather: extra pounds and unhealthy complexion? How to behave during spring mood swings and hypovitaminosis?
Hypovitaminosis
In late winter and early spring, almost every one of us caught between two fires. On the one hand, the body needs correction after the winter heat exchange and energy expenditure, compensated by extra calories. On the other hand, spring brings a lack of vitamins. You have to combine the two seemingly opposing factors and carefully plan your diet and lifestyle.
What you should and should not eat with hypovitaminosis
The unwanted foods when hypovitaminosis include:
- alcohol, as it leads to a poor absorption of vitamins A, C, D, and most of the group B vitamins. Smokers have to pay attention to vitamins C and B12;
- fast food (but this applies to any season);
- foods with lots of preservatives that contain trans fats subjected to a strong heat treatment.
Proper nutrition and body cleaning
Still, what do you need to do to clean your body, not to gain weight and get the required amount of vitamins? You need:
- foods that undergo minimal industrial and thermal treatment: you need vitamins, and the less processed the food will be, the more vitamins it may retain. It can be brown rice, unrefined vegetable oil, whole wheat bread, meat instead of sausage;
- vegetables, greens, cabbage, citrus fruits and pomegranates. Unfortunately, due to storage conditions most beneficial properties of greenery are lost. So remember that greenery can be grown on a windowsill, and vegetables and berries – frozen in autumn;
- nuts, seeds, dried fruit, honey – they can be eaten separately or together. If you add lemon juice, you’ll get one of the best remedies for anemia;
- sprouts, soy sprouts;
- be sure to eat chocolate and bananas – serotonin and the joy it brings is especially needed in spring, when mood swings are common;
- multivitamin complexes (preferably consult with your doctor).
Healthy drinks for spring
Proper nutrition should include useful drinks. Herbal teas, decoctions of rose hips, dried blueberries, and arrow-wood perfectly perform the task. For example, the following recipe will help to cope with the shortage of energy: brew a mixture of St. John’s wort, nettle leaves, blackberry, and dead-nettle flowers in a thermos, leave for three hours and drink as tea three times daily after meals. Another great beverage is pomegranate juice, preferably freshly squeezed. Ginger and raspberry tea are not only useful, but they also help to lose weight.
