Hormones: What You Need to Know About Ghrelin
The human body is full of hormones. They’re the sophisticated message system that your body has in place so that all of your different organs and systems can communicate properly. Most people know about hormones in the context of their reproductive health– estrogen, testosterone, and other names will probably sound familiar to you. However, there are far more hormones at work in your body that can be helpful to learn about! Ghrelin is one that you might or might not be familiar with, but you feel its effects every single day. It’s the hunger hormone! Let’s take a closer look at how ghrelin works inside your body.
What is Ghrelin?
Ghrelin is a hormone produced in your body that mainly affects your digestive system. Unlike neurohormones, which work in your brain, or sex hormones, which work in your reproductive system but have jobs all over the body, ghrelin is a hormone that’s pretty directly focused on your hunger, digestion, and eating habits.
What Does Ghrelin Do?
Ghrelin is called the “hunger hormone” because its main function is to do just that– make you hungry! It’s what gives your body feelings of hunger and creates the drive to eat and seek out food. In prehistoric humans, ghrelin was what drew you out of your safe, protected dwelling to hunt and seek out sustenance. In modern times, the only places ghrelin is likely to drive you are to the fridge or the grocery store. However, the function is the same. The human body needs fuel, and ghrelin is what makes you seek it out.
Ghrelin works in tandem with another hormone called leptin. One of leptin’s main functions is to make you feel full, so when you eat, your ghrelin levels go down and your leptin levels come up, letting you know that it’s time to stop eating for now. After a meal, your leptin levels gradually come down again as your ghrelin levels come up, increasing your feelings of hunger the longer you go without eating.
Ghrelin also plays a small role in your sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. Ever had trouble sleeping when you had a light dinner and are really hungry, or when you’ve eaten way too much before bed? Blame ghrelin for that. It also has to do with your reward-seeking system, your taste sensation, and the way you metabolize food. If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know the feeling of ghrelin making it hard to stick to that low-calorie plan!
Where is Ghrelin Made?
Ghrelin is produced in your digestive system, mostly in your stomach. An empty stomach is what triggers the production of this hormone. Once it enters your bloodstream and makes your way around your body, ghrelin eventually finds its way into your hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps to control and regulate your appetite. That’s where it works to trigger feelings of hunger and that thought of “it’s time to eat something!”
What Causes High Ghrelin?
Ghrelin levels are found to be high in people who follow restrictive diets for one reason or another. People who suffer from eating disorders like anorexia tend to have high ghrelin, as do people who are frequently on yo-yo or fad diets. High ghrelin is also sometimes found in people who restrict their diets for health reasons, like those with celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
What Causes Low Ghrelin?
While it might sound counterintuitive, people who struggle with obesity often have low ghrelin levels. Scientists are still working to understand this, but one theory is that overweight or obese people are more sensitive to ghrelin, and can feel its hunger-causing effects even at lower levels. Low ghrelin is also associated with conditions like chronic gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and infections like H. Pylori.
How Does Ghrelin Affect Me?
For the most part, your ghrelin levels are something that naturally fluctuates with your diet and eating schedule. If you’re trying to lose weight, however, you probably feel like you have a pretty antagonistic relationship with your hunger, and so, by association, your ghrelin hormone. Try to think of it this way– in this day and age where we have access to more food than we can possibly eat, ghrelin may seem like a simple annoyance, but in the early days of humanity, ghrelin was what helped us protect ourselves from starving. It helped humans maintain healthy fat levels that would sustain them through times of scarcity.
If you have abnormally high or low ghrelin levels, there’s probably an underlying cause like a digestive disorder that should be treated by a specialist. However, if you’re otherwise healthy with no additional symptoms but you’re struggling with your feelings of hunger, it’s likely that you’re just feeling the effects of ghrelin doing its job and trying to keep you fed.
You can help to keep your ghrelin levels more balanced and manage your hunger by eating a healthy diet full of satiating foods like protein, fats, and healthy carbs, as well as adding in high-volume foods like vegetables. Try to get an adequate amount of sleep and stay hydrated as well– these things can help to regulate your appetite!
Ghrelin and your digestive system don’t exist in a vacuum within your body, and all of your hormones and body systems are connected. Imbalances in your sex hormones have the power to affect your appetite, so if you’re struggling with too much or not enough hunger along with other symptoms, seeing the hormonal specialists at Renewed Vitality might help you! Talk to our team today to learn more.
When you start paying close attention to your hormones and looking for ways to keep your levels optimal, you’ll immediately start running across diet tips and recommendations. Your body is a complex system where every process affects others, and what you put into your body through your food intake has a major impact on your hormones. In the midst of the lists of hormone-balancing foods, you might start to see the words “whole food diet” get mentioned pretty frequently.
A whole food diet basically involves a person avoiding processed foods and eating things only in their most basic and natural form. Most whole food diets rely heavily on fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, and poultry and fish. When done properly, a whole food diet can have a lot of good effects on your body’s hormones, and it might be worth considering this lifestyle change if you’re looking for natural ways to balance your levels. Here’s how a whole food diet might help your hormone imbalance!
Encourages Protein Intake
One of the things that your body absolutely requires in order to maintain healthy hormone levels is enough protein, which is something that many Americans don’t get. Protein from your food provides your body with amino acids, vital building blocks that the human body needs but can’t make on its own. A whole food diet tends to be rich in protein because it encourages you to eat lean meats like chicken and fish, as well as high-protein legumes like lentils, beans, and chickpeas.
Includes Nutrient Dense Foods
Vitamins and minerals are also important things that you need to get in your diet in order for your hormone levels to be healthy, and a whole food diet, which is packed with fresh fruits, leafy greens, and non-starchy vegetables, is very high in these nutrients.
Promotes Healthy Weight
A healthy and sustainable weight plays a large part in how your body produces and uses hormones, especially hunger-related hormones like insulin and ghrelin. Your weight is far from the only factor playing into your hormone health, but it does have a large role. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge for many people, but a whole food diet can be a step in the right direction.
It’s important to note that any diet can become unhealthy and unsustainable if taken too far, including this one. However, a whole food diet that promotes nutrient-dense foods and avoids processed foods with high sugars and fats is often a good baseline for people trying to keep their weight under control.
Helps Your Gut Health
Eating in a way that keeps your gut microbiome happy and healthy is something that’s being talked about more and more these days, and if you’re making meals with your gut health in mind, your hormone levels will be happier for it. A whole food diet can be extremely beneficial to the millions of good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. It provides them with the fiber they need to flourish, and keeps your hormone production in check by extension.
You should always consult your doctor before making any major changes to your diet and lifestyle. However, incorporating more whole foods into your regular meals can be great not only for your hormone health, but for your overall wellness! If you’re interested in learning more about ways to balance your hormones naturally, make sure to keep reading our blog here at Renewed Vitality.
When you’re a man in pain, it’s easy to feel both internal and external pressure to “toughen up” and put off seeing a medical professional. Especially if you aren’t exhibiting symptoms, reasons to put off preventative health screenings are usually easy to find. But ignoring preventative care options, like prostate exams, colonoscopies, and others often causes more harm than good.
It can feel invasive and unnecessarily vulnerable to seek medical attention of any kind, but annual physicals and other preventative care help you take responsibility for your own health in the long term. Such earns you the chance to monitor real risks, prevent healthcare complications, and catch any serious illness early when it’s likely easier to cure or treat.
These four men’s health tips will empower you with choices that put you on the road to your best health.
Understand Your Risks
Certain health issues are more prevalent in men, and taking preventative steps is critical toward managing and treating them. For instance, knowing you have an increased risk for developing certain diseases may convince you to take steps to improve your health.
Conditions that are more common in men include: heart disease (including coronary artery disease and heart attack), hypertension (high blood pressure), skin cancer, lung cancer, and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Men are also more prone to atrial fibrillation, diabetes, having an elevated BMI, and using tobacco products.
Don’t Avoid Annual Exams
Even when you don’t feel sick, you should still see your primary care doctor at least once a year. Your annual wellness visits are an opportunity to engage with your physician and review family history, medical conditions, your history with surgery, and any current prescription and nonprescription medications or other supplements.
Normal preventive care practices, including screenings, immunizations, and counseling are often 100% covered by individual healthcare plans, so make sure to review your benefits and check with your doctor’s office before confirming an appointment.
Alternatively, using telehealth services will put you in contact with a doctor for a live virtual doctor’s visit. This option can help men who can’t easily make it to the doctor’s office find the time for preventative care, wherever they are.
Choose To Live Healthier
In addition to committing to annual checkups, adopting even small-seeming changes in your life can improve or even save it in the long run. To live a healthier lifestyle, consider the tips below:
- Exercise Diligently
- Regular exercise helps keep your body at a healthy weight, decreasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. The CDC officially recommends 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days per week. Any physically strenuous activity counts, so choose something you enjoy — like calisthenics, cycling, swimming, or hiking — keeps it pleasurable for you. When you motivate yourself to exercise with fun, you’re more likely to commit.
- Eat Healthier
- Adjusting your diet can have a major effect on your overall health. Focus on eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean sources of protein (including fish and chicken that isn’t fried). Limit how much red meat you eat, and do the same with processed foods, saturated and trans fats, and foods with added sugar and sodium.
- Stay Within A Healthy Weight Range
- Making sure your weight stays within a healthy range has tons of health benefits: it lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. If you are overweight, it’s especially important to commit to gradual habit changes so your weight loss is consistent and lasts. If you’re trying to lose weight, start small to not overwhelm yourself. Ask your physician what your medically-based suggested weight range is and how to best get there.
- Stop Smoking And Limit Alcohol
- If you smoke cigarettes, vape, or use additional forms of tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, etc.), talk to your doctor about the best ways to quit. Ingesting alcohol increases your risk for certain types of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. If you occasionally drink, moderation is essential to keeping a healthy lifestyle.
Be Transparent With Your Doctor
To make the most out of your doctor appointments and build overall trust between you and your physician, transparency is crucial. Men may feel embarrassed about experiencing medical difficulty, but without being open about all the factors that contribute to your health, they can’t do their job as well.
Some men may not want to hear about having to change their diet or lifestyle habits, or may even not feel ready to confront a health issue. But your doctor is your partner in caring for your health and living a long, healthy life. You can be assured that whatever happens, your physician has heard similar concerns before and is trained to help you medically, whatever the cause(s).
At Renewed Vitality, we specialize in helping people stay informed and passionate about their lives and health. We are the Berks County area’s premier facility for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other treatments. We serve both men and women, offering safe, effective care that relieves hormone imbalance symptoms and restores quality of life for patients at all stages of life. To learn more, don’t hesitate to contact Renewed Vitality today!
July is National Ice Cream Month! Everyone loves ice cream, especially the hormone therapy experts at Renewed Vitality in Wyomissing, PA!
The local Greater Reading Area offers an exceptional assortment of places to get ice cream and other frozen delicacies all month long. If you’re feeling a little hormonal, sometimes a nice creamy cone is just what the doctor ordered!
Courtesy of Renewed Vitality, here are five great places to indulge in a little ice cream delicacy this month near Wyomissing, PA.
Sweet Ride Ice Cream
Located at 542 Penn Avenue in West Reading, PA, Sweet Ride Ice Cream offers nearly 50 delicious flavors to choose from, some of which rotate seasonally. Made-to-order ice cream cupcakes and pies are also available for any occasion or holiday!
According to Sweet Ride owners, Angie and Chris, the recipe for an amazing ice cream experience is simple, “Make amazing ice cream, serve it with a smile, bring people together. It makes people happy and that’s really our goal.”
Plum Creek Creamery
Looking for a delicious meal or snack with an atmosphere that feels like coming home? At Plum Creek Farm Market & Creamery, located at 5035 Bernville Road in Bernville, PA, they strive for excellence in both our food and service. When visiting Plum Creek, you can choose to order either indoors or outdoors, making yourself at home in any of the various seating areas available.
Inside the creamery, you’ll find booths, tables for larger groups, bar seating, and even a cozy lounge area with a fireplace. Outside, there are picnic tables, benches, and Adirondack chairs to lounge in and enjoy the fresh air. Plum Creek even offers a playground for the kids!
YOGO Crazy
While July is National “Ice Cream” Month, rather than National “Frozen Yogurt” Month, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include YOGO Crazy, an incredible “build your own” frozen yogurt shop located at 2733 Papermill Road in Wyomissing, PA.
YOGO Crazy was built with a few key goals in mind: to provide the best quality yogurt, freshest ingredients, and the most customer-focused staff in the yogurt world.
YOGO Crazy offers 16 flavors of premium frozen yogurt, a wide assortment of delicious toppings and a bright clean atmosphere with friendly staff. We have to mention the “Great Wall of YOGO,”a wall of 30, six-foot tubes, each filled with the best yogurt toppings imaginable.
Scoupe de Ville
Originally opened as an automotive service station in the 1950s, Scoupe de Ville is located at 3365 Main Street in Birdsboro, PA. Since 2001, the location has served as an automotive Americana-themed ice cream parlor, complete with reproduction signs, old photographs, a jukebox, and a retro gas pump just to name a few cute features.
Traditional drive-in fare, like Coney dogs, burgers, and french fries are also available. In addition Scoupe de Ville features a vast ice cream menu which includes both hard and soft ice cream, four types of banana splits, and multiple milkshakes and sundaes.
Feel like a challenge? Try the Fat Elvis, a 10-scoop sundae featuring five scoops of banana ice cream and five scoops of peanut butter ice cream, topped with cherries, whipped cream, a brownie, and a banana. Finish the dish in 30 minutes, and have your photo added to the wall of fame.
Your Very Own Home
Looking for a healthier, more “hands-on” ice cream experience? Why not set aside an afternoon to make your very own ice cream at home?
To do so, you don’t even need an ice cream machine. Simply use three main ingredients: heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract, to make your very own no-churn ice cream at home that’s ready to lick in a few hours.
Interested in a step-by-step guide? Check out this fun piece courtesy of Renewed Vitality, and be sure to make your National Ice Cream Month a little more sweet this summer.
For people of all ages, sexes, and genders, it’s important to keep your hormones well-balanced, and it’s not just for reproductive and sexual health! In fact, your hormones help to control and regulate a lot of our body’s functions, including mood, energy, sleep, metabolism, social behavior, immune system, and pain.
When hormones get out of balance, problems like diabetes, unwanted weight changes, weak bones, and other problems can be the result. Luckily, there are many different ways to keep your hormones in check.
One of the biggest factors in healthy hormone production and balance is your diet. Courtesy of Renewed Vitality, here are five eating and dieting tips that can help keep yourself happy hormonally.
Don’t Be Afraid of Carbs
In the world of dieting, there is quite a bit of stigma surrounding the consumption of carbohydrates. Many say that foods high in carbs are not ideal in any form. In reality, it’s the processed carbs, such as those found in junk food, that should be avoided.
“Good” carbs, like unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans are actually quite important to keep as part of your regular diet.
According to Heather Bartos, MD, a board-certified OBGYN and the founder of Be. Women’s Health and Wellness, “Humans need carbohydrates to make sex steroid hormones, so if you’re at a normal weight, you need that because that’s going to keep your hormones balanced.”
Eat Organic if Possible
Did you know that recent professional studies have shown that pesticides and growth hormones found in non-organic food can correlate to hormone disruption in human females? It’s true!
For this reason, Bartos recommends eating all organic meats, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products that are growth hormone-free. If possible, you can even show your support for local organic farmers in the Berks County area!
Eat Leafy Greens and Root Veggies
According to Alisa Vitti, a functional nutritionist, author, and founder of FLO Living, leafy greens and root vegetables can check the box for the complex carbs your body craves.
“Women often don’t get enough complex carbohydrates, and as a result, because they’re trying to diet all the time, it actually messes with their hormone levels, says Vitti. “Increase leafy green vegetables and root vegetables.”
The naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found in many root vegetables and leafy greens can go a long way toward keeping your vital hormones in perfect balance. That said, not all leafy greens are created equal…
Take It Easy on the Kale
While it may sound surprising, medical professionals like Dr. Bartos recommends eating kale and other cruciferous vegetables in moderation.
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, kale and other cruciferous veggies like it contain goitrogens, which can block iodine from entering your thyroid gland. The human body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones and promote healthy metabolism.
In many cases, you can keep your body’s iodine levels up by eating foods like fish and dairy, thus avoiding the effects of goitrogens. However, if you suffer from an Iodine deficiency or a condition such as hyperthyroidism, then you may be at risk of developing a goiter (an enlarged thyroid).
Harvard’s School of Public Health recommends cooking cruciferous vegetables, which deactivates the enzyme that can cause the goitrogenic effect, and also consuming a wider variety of vegetables.
If you just can’t give up the kale though, you don’t have to skip out on your kale salads, but that doesn’t mean you have to have 17 cups of kale a day, Bartos says. You can discuss with your doctor about any concerns with your cruciferous vegetable intake.
Consume Healthy Fats
Over the years, fad diets and general misinformation have contributed to the common belief that all fats found in food are bad for you. This is simply untrue.
While processed fats, like trans and saturated fats, can have negative long-term effects on your health, there are many foods that include naturally occurring fats that can help keep estrogen levels balanced. According to the AARP, these “healthy” fats can be found in foods like coconut oil, olive oil, sweet potatoes, and avocados.
Sometimes, no matter how well balanced you are with your diet, it can be a challenge to keep your hormones properly in check. At Renewed Vitality, we offer safe, effective hormone imbalance treatment options for men and women at all stages of life.
To learn more, don’t hesitate to contact Renewed Vitality in Wyomissing, PA today!
For many of us, drinking alcohol can be an easy way to relax with family and friends after a long, stressful day. While many may say drinking is a young person’s game, alcohol use is common among seniors as well.
According to the National Council on Aging, nearly half of adults aged 65 or older report having consumed alcohol in the past year. Typically, this is done at a social event or party, as a way to enhance mood, as a way to cope with conditions like insomnia, or even as a means of receiving perceived positive health effects.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with having a drink now and then, it’s important to know your personal limits and to understand how your body responds to alcohol — especially if you are older.
How Drinking Affects Older Individuals
Although drinking problems are less common in older adults than younger people, alcohol can pose its own specific risks for seniors.
As we age, changes in our bodies’ hormonal balance and composition can make it much more difficult for older adults to metabolize alcohol. As a result, the effect of a mug of beer, a glass of wine or scotch, or even mixed drinks can be felt much more strongly by older drinkers.
“As we age, it takes longer for the body to break down alcohol,” said Brad Lander, an addiction medicine specialist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “It stays in the system longer. Tolerance also decreases.”
In addition, it is especially important for older individuals to be fully aware of any additional risks that alcohol use may carry when combined with any medication you may be taking.
“[Alcohol use] can decrease the effectiveness of some medications and highly accelerate others, including over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, sleeping pills and others,” said Lander.
Alcohol abuse has also been known to cause problems with balance and reaction times, which increases the risk of accidents and falls. Furthermore, overindulgence of alcohol has been shown to worsen conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and liver disease. The risk of stroke can also increase.
According to Lander, prolonged excessive alcohol use can also lead to the increased development of dementia, depression, and impaired sexual functioning.
As is the case with anyone who overindulges, an unhealthy relationship with alcohol can develop over time. However, the differences between safe drinking and alcohol abuse is different for everyone.
“The general rule of thumb is to take a close look and honestly assess if drinking is causing any life problems,” Lander said. “If it’s causing difficulties with your health, relationships, daily functioning or emotions, then it’s too much.”
Lowering Your Risks
The best way for seniors to avoid unnecessary risks to their overall health and the development of addiction while consuming alcohol is by limiting its use.
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), those aged 65 and older who do not take medication and are in good health should limit their total alcohol consumption to no more than seven drinks per week. Additionally, those aged 65 and up should consume no more than three drinks throughout any given day.
Consuming food and other, non-alcoholic, hydrating beverages like water while at a party or gathering is another great way to ensure you aren’t overloading your system.
For those diagnosed with certain medical conditions (like Major Depression), or individuals who take prescribed medication to manage pain, the NIAAA recommends consuming even less, or abstaining completely.
The Final Word
As we age, alcohol use can remain a part of a healthy lifestyle. Enjoying a drink or two with friends and family at the occasional holiday celebration or get-together can even contribute to healthy aging by fostering social connection and a sense of enjoyment.
Nevertheless, unhealthy drinking habits can harm one’s overall health and well-being over time, especially if you are older.
To make the most out of alcohol use as you get older, stay within NIAAA guidelines and avoid using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
For more information on how alcohol use can affect older adults, check out even more resources from the NIAAA right here.
Menopause may be unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean you need to suffer through it. Menopause brings about many hormonal changes that result in various symptoms from hot flashes to insomnia. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, over 60% of menopausal women experience sleep problems. If you need help getting a full night of rest, check out the list below for tips to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Exercise Regularly
Creating healthy exercise habits seems to have an endless list of health benefits and getting better sleep happens to be one of them. Not only does regular exercise reduce stress and anxiety, but developing a routine that you stick to also boosts the amount of time you spend in deep sleep— this is the part of your sleep cycle that helps you feel well rested. Exercise doesn’t have to be cardio either.
While cardio does expend energy, helping your body rest better at night, studies have also shown that mind-body exercises, such as yoga, can also work to calm the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax. Spending just a few minutes daily on mind-body exercises can also reduce cortisol levels, lower your blood pressure, and boost your mood.
Avoid Caffeine to Beat Menopause Insomnia
No matter how tired and sluggish you feel throughout the day from your poor night of sleep, do not consume an excessive amount of caffeine and avoid it come the afternoon. Consuming a lot of caffeine or consuming it later in the day can affect your ability to fall asleep at night, thus creating a vicious cycle of needing caffeine to battle sleepless nights.
Relax Before Bed
Sometimes your body needs help relaxing before bedtime. Not everyone enjoys bathing at night, but if you’re up for it, try taking a warm bath or shower an hour or two before bedtime. The warm water actually helps cool your core body temperature, allowing your body to get better quality sleep.
Looking for another way to relax before bed? Try calming down with a cup of chamomile tea or a glass of warm milk. Drinking chamomile tea is thought to help calm people down and induce sleepiness due to an abundantly present antioxidant, apigenin. This specific antioxidant binds to certain receptors in the brain that decreases anxiety and prompts sleepiness. A glass of warm milk includes tryptophan. This is a substance the body uses to produce serotonin. While your glass of milk doesn’t contain enough tryptophan to change your sleep, it may still help you relax and fall asleep.
Maintaining a regular bedtime will also help promote better quality sleep. While many people think bedtimes are only for kids, research has indicated adults also benefit from a routine bedtime. By routinely going to bed at the same time, research has shown adults receive a better quality sleep and are able to stay asleep for a longer duration.
Keep it Cool at Night
If you suffer from hot flashes that contribute to your insomnia, you’ll want to keep your room cool at night. If you don’t want to lower your AC or need to keep it cool even in the middle of a Pennsylvania winter, invest in a fan that you can keep on all night. It also helps to wear light, moisture-wicking clothing to bed.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Insomnia and hot flashes brought on by menopause are due to the decrease in estrogen and progesterone production in your body. To alleviate these symptoms, many women turn to hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy specifically uses hormones made using plant-based sources that are biologically identical to what the human body produces. This allows your body to use them effectively with less side-effects than synthetic HRT. With your hormones returning to a balanced state, you’ll be able to get back on track with a full night of sleep.
If you’re interested in finding out if bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is right for you, Renewed Vitality, located in Wyomissing, PA, is here to help! We’ll evaluate your symptoms and help you decide what’s best for you. Contact us today!
Spring is in the air and now is the time that many households will fill up their mop buckets, pull out their feather dusters, and perform their annual spring deep cleaning rituals. And while there are few things as satisfying as having your home look, feel, and smell fresh, this season is also the perfect time to evaluate your life and clean up any loose ends.
Clean Up Personal Relationships
With the busy holiday season and unpredictable winter weather conditions, it can be easy to neglect friendships or avoid making plans that require you to leave the house. Spring is a great time to get back in touch and make those friendships a priority again. It’s also the perfect time to evaluate the relationships in your life that may be toxic or unfulfilling and remove them. Toxic relationships can drag you down, whether you see that immediately or not, and this is the season to focus on you and your growth!
Straighten Out Finances
The holidays can leave many with financial burdens and if they are not straightened out periodically, they can get out of hand and turn into a seemingly-impossible problem with no solution. With tax season right around the corner, sit down and go over your financial state. Review your expenses and look for ways to cut back or budget yourself if you feel you are spending too much. Some ways to start budgeting include eating out less, planning free family activities, and canceling unused subscriptions. Don’t put off getting back on track with your finances. The stress of financial problems can have a negative impact on your mental health and relationships.
Declutter Your Schedule
It’s ok to say “no.” As we get older and take on more responsibilities, we may feel obligated to say “yes” to every opportunity or invite that comes our way, but sometimes we just need a break to focus on ourselves and that’s ok too. Spring clean your schedule so you don’t get burnt out before summer even begins.
Refresh Your Mental Health
The long, dark, cold months can really put a damper on your mental health. Plus, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can negatively impact your mood even more. Make your mental health a priority. Detox unhealthy habits, find the root of your stresses, practice positive thinking, and make time for activities you enjoy. Spending time being active outdoors and adopting a healthy diet has proven to work in boosting moods. But if these tips are still proven unsuccessful in helping you feel like yourself again, a hormonal imbalance may be to blame. Our team at Renewed Vitality can help!
Organize Your Work Space
You’ve taken care of spring cleaning your home, but don’t ignore your work spaces either. If you don’t currently have an organization system, invest in one and go through important paperwork and supplies and work on organizing your digital space as well. Take time to delete old emails, remove unused contacts, backup important photos or files, and clean up your social media accounts.
Freshen Up Your Routine
It’s normal human behavior to find comfort in setting a routine and sticking to it daily, but there can be unexpected joy in varying it up and adopting a new behavior every day. Whether it’s trying a new recipe, taking a new way home from work, or going to the gym, you may be surprised to find a new, better way of doing things. If winter had you feeling bored and unfulfilled with a constant routine, spring is the season for change, new beginnings, and growth!
Spring Into Action
We covered a few of the basic aspects of life that could use a cleaning up this spring (along with your home), but we’re sure you could find even more. Take it one step at a time and focus on one area to improve to start. Trying to change all areas at once can feel overwhelming and discourage you from working toward your goal. Just as the flowers will soon begin to bloom, this is your season to grow as well.
