Some Tips For Cleaning Out Your Mind And Your Body This Spring

(CBS4) - Spring has sprung! For many of us, that means it's time for spring cleaning around the house. But, have you ever considered spring cleaning your mind and body?

CBSN Denver Health and Wellness Contributor Erica Ballard has a few sure-fire ways to tell if you're in need of some personal cleaning. First, she said, is a midday crash, which is common.

"Just because something is common doesn't mean it's normal," Erica explained. "Yes, we have normalized the 3pm crash, but it is not normal and usually when it happens it's your body's way of tell you that you're consuming too much sugar."

Erica said the obvious remedy is to consume less sugar, but she knows that can feel really overwhelming for some people.

"I'll tell you what I tell my clients," she told CBSN Denver's Kelly Werthmann. "One of the simplest ways to reduce your sugar consumption is by removing sugar and carbs from your diet until 12 pm."

Another sign your mind and body could use a little spring cleaning is brain fog. And no, it's not the same thing as being tired.

"There's a tired component to it, but it's that really foggy, unfocused feeling that a lot of us get through the day," Erica said. "When you have brain fog, it's usually a big sign that something's wrong with your gut. We know from science that your brain and gut are connected, so when you have a foggy brain, it means you need to remedy your gut. One of the best ways to do that is by increasing your consumption of whole, clean foods."

Examples of such goods are cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, "things of that nature," Erica explained.

Perhaps the greatest tell-tale signal your body needs cleansing, Erica says, is something not too many people like talking about but it's something we all do: going #2.

"It's a little taboo, we don't often talk about this, but it is one of the biggest signs that something in your body needs cleaning out," Erica said. "Your bowel movements are how you get rid of toxins in your body, so if you're not going #2 every day, you have toxins that shouldn't be floating around in your system."

Erica offered two simple ways to ensure regular daily movements – increase consumption of fibers and removing any foods that you're intolerant to.

"Now, I say the latter because so many of us eat foods that are not so great for us and make us feel really bad, but we don't really think anything about it," she said. "But I can tell you it's usually those foods that are backing us up."

So, if you're ready for some personal spring cleaning, but aren't quite sure where to start, Erica says grab some veggies.

"The easiest place to start is just by increasing the amount of vegetables that you eat," she said. "That doesn't have to mean eating vegetables every single meal all the time. Pick breakfast, lunch or dinner and add your vegetables there. As you get used to that, add to another meal. Make sure you're putting all those healthy foods in your body so you can clean out and get rid of your brain fog and reduce your sugar consumption."

For more healthy living tips, check out Erica's website.