Feeling the need to shake off the heaviness of winter and lighten up a little for spring? Here are some simple ways to spring clean your diet.
Embrace spring produce
Move away from the heartier soups and stews of winter with light spring dishes of salads, fresh fruits, raw juices and veggie-packed buddha bowls. Among spring’s bounty of fresh produce are strawberries, passionfruit, mangos and pineapple, alongside artichokes, peas, broad beans, green beans, fennel, watercress and zucchini.
Go greener
Getting more greens in your diet is always a good thing and spring offers plenty of ways to do it. Asparagus is excellent in spring, as are kale, spinach, silverbeet, broccoli and Asian greens. Eat them in salads, blitz green smoothies, sip raw green juices or steam them simply to enjoy with dinner.
Measure up
Even healthy foods like brown rice, avocados or nuts expand our waistlines when eaten in excess. Invest in a digital scale to better control your portion sizes or try tracking your food with an app such as MyFitnessPal to see how many kilojoules you’re really consuming each day.
Add and subtract
Find ways to reduce your intake of these foods, which can add a heavy load on your liver, kidneys and other organs: alcohol, salt, sugar, processed foods and refined carbohydrates. Replace them with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of water and herbals teas, healthy fats (such as avocado, nuts and olive oil) and probiotics to help heal your gut.
Protect your health with AIA Vitality
AIA Vitality is an award-winning health and wellbeing program that can help you stay healthy, including getting support understanding your health. Call us on (02) 8268 2900to find out more about membership.
