Form Healthy Habits This Spring

Every year as the season transitions from winter to spring, the days become sunnier and our spirits lift in anticipation of the approaching warmth. While a few chilly days remain before we can pack away our sweaters, now is the ideal time to enhance our health and wellness routines, preparing us to enter the coming months happier and healthier than ever.

Think of this as spring cleaning for your wellness routine: increase your physical activity, nourish your skin and body, stay hydrated inside and out, make time for self-care, and don't forget to revamp your pantry too! Here are our top spring health tips to help you embrace the season with a renewed focus on wellness.

Give Your Fitness Routine a Refresh

Have you been less active lately? We understand. Staying active during the colder months is challenging. Walking up and down the stairwell just doesn’t compare to a pleasant stroll in the park. But with the changing weather, take the opportunity to enjoy the intermittent warmer days. Get moving and revitalize your old routine. Here are some strategies for increasing your activity this spring, regardless of the weather.

Join a Fitness Challenge
Many workplaces initiate fitness challenges at this time of year, offering rewards, and if yours doesn't, there are numerous online challenges available. Some apps even reward you financially for staying fit! So, do some research, find new fitness challenges to participate in, or start one yourself!

Try a Fresh Take on Fitness
You're more likely to adhere to a fitness routine if you enjoy it. Moreover, changing your routine occasionally can help you discover new activities you love. Enhance your strength and flexibility in exciting ways regardless of the weather. On cooler days, consider indoor bouldering, tai chi, or trying a new yoga class. On warmer days, explore outdoor activities. Participate in community charity walks or runs, join a cycling group or a rowing club, or challenge yourself with a new activity you’ve never tried before.

Fit in Mini Workouts
Increasing your activity level doesn’t require continuous, lengthy workouts or significant financial investment. Small bursts of activity throughout the day can significantly enhance your health. Stand and stretch every 30 minutes, take a walk around the office, or choose a longer route to get coffee. Park further from the entrance or incorporate microworkouts like a quick set of pushups in the morning, squats before lunch, and some yoga while catching up on the evening news.

Try an Activity Tracker
Wearable activity trackers, including simple pedometers, are excellent motivational tools. Set realistic daily movement goals and strive to meet them! Tracking your progress throughout the day can be incredibly motivating.

Start with Small Intentions
Small daily efforts to increase your activity can lead to significant results. Even if you have ambitious long-term goals, it’s the small daily steps that will get you there, so set your daily goals accordingly. Make them achievable, and you'll likely stick to them. You may even find yourself exceeding these goals just to prove you can! So instead of aiming to walk a mile every day right away, start by walking around the block, then gradually increase your goals as your body and health habits strengthen.

For more tips on incorporating more activity into your daily routine, read Move More: How to Move More Each Day.

Revamp Your Beauty Routine

Winter can be harsh on your hair, skin, and nails. The wind, cold air, dry indoor heat, and constant temperature changes from going indoors and outdoors, plus winter inactivity, can all diminish the shine of your hair, dull your skin, and weaken your nails. Spring is the perfect time to rejuvenate your beauty habits and achieve a radiant glow before summer arrives.

Look for Better Ingredients
Enhance your beauty routine with nourishing nutrients for hair, skin, and nails such as biotin, collagen, keratin, and vitamin A. Learn more about ingredients that enhance your glow in Brilliant Beauty Basics: Our Top Ingredients for Brilliant Hair, Skin & Nails.

Take Your Vitamins, Too
What you consume internally almost always reflects externally. Healthier food choices can significantly improve the condition of your hair, skin, and nails. It can be challenging to obtain all your nutrients from food alone, so supplement your diet with whole food vitamins to cover nutritional gaps.

Exfoliate for Vibrant Skin
Revitalize your winter skin by integrating gentle exfoliation into your beauty routine. Exfoliation helps unveil softer, more radiant skin, preparing it for hydration. Opt for a tea tree oil exfoliating scrub or replace your regular soap with an exfoliating scrub.

Moisturize Naturally
Brighten your skin with healthy, natural moisturizers like coconut oil or a gentle lotion suitable for sensitive skin. Select products with natural, recognizable ingredients for optimal skin hydration.

Hydrate for Skin Health
Your skin is 64% water.¹ If you aren't well-hydrated, neither is your skin. A radiant complexion is just one of many benefits of staying hydrated! For more tips on achieving a healthy glow inside and out, see Brilliant Beauty Basics: Our Top Five Ingredients for Brilliant Hair, Skin & Nails.

Make Hydration a Habit

It's well-known that drinking more water is beneficial, right? Of course! But like many, you might start with the best intentions yet find yourself forgetting to drink enough. Fortunately, turning water consumption into a habit is quite straightforward with a bit of effort, and the rewards are substantial. You'll think more clearly, have more energy, feel less hungry (often we confuse thirst for hunger), and even notice mood improvements, as even mild dehydration can impact your mood.² Every cell in your body needs water, making your entire body happier when you're adequately hydrated. Here are some strategies for making water consumption a daily habit.

Start Your Day Hydrated
Incorporate a full glass of water into your morning routine. Drink it while waiting for your coffee to brew or the shower to warm up if it helps you remember.

Set Up Reminders
Schedule reminders on your phone or computer to drink water every hour, or download an app that prompts you to hydrate throughout the day and tracks your intake.

Get a Reusable Bottle
Invest in a refillable water bottle you love and carry it everywhere. Calculate how many refills you need daily to meet your hydration goals. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM), an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women.³ This includes fluids from all beverages and food consumed throughout the day.

Drink Water at Mealtimes
Opt for water instead of sugary drinks during meals, or drink a glass before and after eating. Drinking water before meals can aid digestion and help you feel full sooner.

Try Water Infusions
Enhance your daily water routine with infusions. Add fruits or other flavorful ingredients to make your water more appealing and to combat beverage monotony. For a refreshing hydration boost, try BubbForest's new Simply Hydrate lineup!

Adopting a better hydration routine can be as simple as linking your water intake to daily activities you already perform. Learn more about the benefits of hydration and discover water infusion recipes by reading Water for the Win: Benefits of Water, Plus 5 Water Infusions to Try.

Make Self-Care a Priority, Not Just a Reward

Self-care should not be treated merely as a reward for achieving other goals, nor should it be confined to your spare time. You deserve better! In fact, prioritizing self-care can leave you more energized and better equipped to handle daily challenges. Shift away from viewing self-care as a reward. Make it a priority, and you'll feel empowered and ready for whatever the day may bring.

Try Aromatherapy
Essential oils and aromatherapy can trigger physiological responses.⁴ Lavender is known for its calming effects, peppermint for invigoration, lemon for its uplifting properties, and rosemary for clarity. Explore the history and benefits of aromatherapy in our Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Beginner's Guide to Using Essential Oils.

Meditate Daily
Consider meditation as a much-needed mental break. Dedicate a few minutes each day to clearing your mind, finding your center, and practicing deep breathing. You’ll experience less stress and more happiness.

Keep a Wellness Journal
Recording your thoughts, feelings, stressors, and even your daily meals is an effective way to track habits and better understand yourself. While it may seem trivial, maintaining a wellness journal can enhance mindfulness. You might discover more about your stress triggers, how to manage them proactively, and what makes you feel best overall.

Embrace Your Individuality
What makes you feel nourished and cared for may differ significantly from others, so embrace your uniqueness! For instance, you might find more joy and relaxation from spending a few hours with a good book rather than taking a bubble bath.

For more tips on improving self-care, read Take Care of U: 6 Ways to Take Care of Yourself.

Refocus Your Diet

Planning to spring clean? Don’t overlook your pantry. While you're at it, why not stock up on everyday superfoods and nutritious meal options to provide your body with optimal fuel for health. We should obtain as many nutrients as possible from whole foods and rely on vitamins and supplements from whole food sources to fill in any nutritional gaps.

Consuming a lot of processed foods can be detrimental as these foods are often lower in nutrients, higher in refined carbs, and contain more artificial ingredients.⁵ When cleaning out your pantry this spring, restock with fresh, whole foods to refocus your diet and optimize your nutrition.

Start with the Staples
Refill your pantry with fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. These nutritious whole foods should be the foundation of your meals and snacks.

Learn About Superfoods
Contrary to popular belief, not all superfoods are exotic. Superfoods are simply everyday foods that are exceptionally nutrient-rich and beneficial for your health. Make these foods a regular part of your shopping list. Everyday superfoods include blueberries, avocados, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, and various vegetables.

Get Smart About Healthy Fats
While fats often get a bad rap, some fats are beneficial for your health. Healthy fats such as those found in olive oil, coconut oil, salmon, and avocados are essential for a balanced diet. Learn more about healthy fats by reading Be Fat Fluent: Best Fatty Foods for Your Diet.

Try Healthier Sweeteners
Avoid artificial sweeteners and opt for natural alternatives like Lo Han, derived from Monk Fruit, organic blue agave, or raw wildflower honey.

Spice up Your Life (and Your Dinner)
Herbs and spices not only add flavor to your meals but many also offer health benefits. Some spices, like turmeric, have a long history as traditional health boosters. Many herbs and spices are nutrient-dense, so add them to your dishes to both enliven your taste buds and enhance your health.

Spring Into a Refreshing Health Routine

Spring is an ideal time for a renewed focus on better health and wellness. So, while you're eagerly anticipating the warmer weather, put a plan into action: get moving, revamp your beauty routine, stay hydrated, prioritize self-care, and stock your pantry with nutritious food choices.

Do you have additional spring health tips to share? We’d love to hear them! And tell us which BubbForest Health products are helping you elevate your wellness this spring.

About Lindsey Toth, MS, RD

Lindsey is a nationally recognized registered dietitian and nutritionist with a soft spot for pie. She empowers people to take charge of their health by finding the balance between the pleasure and nourishment in food. Her philosophy is that you should take care of your body because it’s the only permanent home you have. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in nutrition.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to