The Spring Edit

Seasonal swaps to align your home, habits, and health with longer days

We spring forward this month, trading an hour of sleep for longer days and more sunlight. (A bargain, if you ask me.) As we move our clocks ahead, our biology adapts to the seasons and responds to changes in daylight. Additional light exposure improves our mood, metabolism, and energy. But how we live affects us just as much, if not more. Spring is an ideal time to take stock of what does and doesn’t support us. In lieu of spring cleaning, here is your guide to a thoughtful seasonal edit.

Home

Swap synthetic candles for stovetop simmer pots. Instead of artificial, endocrine-disrupting fragrances, opt to simmer herbs and citrus peels in a small pot of water. 

Trade Teflon pans for cast iron or stainless steel. Traditional nonstick coatings can release PFAS (“forever chemicals”). Cast iron and stainless steel are time-tested, toxin-free alternatives.

Nix fluorescent lighting in favor of warm lamp light or candlelight at night. Fluorescent lighting emits rapid invisible flickering and small amounts of UV radiation, which can strain the nervous system and disrupt circadian rhythms.

Eliminate conventional cleaners and use a vinegar, citrus peel, and baking soda mix. Many conventional cleaners rely on harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances. Vinegar and baking soda clean effectively while keeping your home low-tox.

Food

Exchange ultra-processed protein bars for boiled eggs and yogurt bowls. Protein bars are often made with highly processed ingredients. Whole-food proteins, like eggs and yogurt, digest easier, are more bioavailable, and provide longer-lasting satiety.

Cut down on grains and load up on vegetables. Lighten your glycemic load while increasing micronutrient variety by swapping rice for cauliflower rice and pasta for spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.

Swap sugary condiments for mustard, vinegar, or homemade sauces. Most condiments sneak in sugars and flavor enhancers. Acid-forward options like mustard and vinegar add brightness without the hidden ingredients.

Put down the electrolyte powders and reach for coconut water with unrefined sea salt instead. Added sugars and artificial flavors are common in electrolyte powders. Unrefined sea salt provides natural sodium and trace minerals, while coconut water adds potassium and natural sweetness.

Life

Replace Takeout Fridays with Farmers Market Saturdays. App-based takeout is convenient but impersonal. Connect with your food and those who grow it at a local farmers market.

Switch from a phone alarm to natural light. Sudden, aggressive alarms can spike cortisol first thing in the morning. Instead, wake gently with sunlight.

Say no to over-supplementation and yes to whole foods. Clean out your supplement graveyard and let food do the heavy lifting. Two Brazil nuts have roughly 100 percent of the daily recommended value (DV) of selenium. A 3.5-ounce salmon fillet delivers the DV of vitamin D. A single gold kiwi packs 200 percent of the DV of vitamin C. 

Trade mindless snacking for afternoon tea. Tea naturally contains L-theanine, a compound that boosts relaxing alpha waves and supports neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Matcha Chia Pudding

Ingredients 

(makes 4 servings)

⅓ cup chia seeds

2 tsp. matcha powder

1 ¼ cup almond milk

2 tsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk together the chia seeds and matcha powder until there are no clumps. Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. After the first 30 minutes of refrigeration, mix to distribute seeds and prevent clumping.