There’s something so wonderfully refreshing about the Spring time. It’s synonymous with new starts - in everything from new natural life to the traditional Spring cleaning.

It’s the time of year where we’re all feeling more enthused and determined to give our homes, bodies and minds a bit of a refresh. After all, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there’s every reason to be cheerful.

The annual Spring detox is a popular option amongst many of us. It’s a great, positive opportunity for us to think about our current daily routines, and ditch the bad habits in favour of some more health conscious practices.

The principles of a detox are all about making lots of little, positive changes, rather than one big overhaul - after all, how realistic would it be to say that you want to ban chocolate forever? Not very.

With these thoughtful, consistent and achievable detox options, you can better fuel your body and enhance your mind, so that your days are more healthy, productive and, ultimately, joyful.

So, in this Spring detox guide, we’ll be talking you through what it means to detox; providing you with some ideas of food and lifestyle swaps to make; and sharing our ultimate detox tea recipe with you.

With our tips on hand, you’ll be all set for the most successful Spring detox yet.

How to keep your Spring detox safe, enjoyable and successful

Below, we’ve listed our top 10 tips for undertaking a Spring detox in the best possible way. By following this advice, you can ensure that your Spring detox is successful, enjoyable, and, most importantly, safe.

1. Eat foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients - this is a great idea at any time of year, but making a conscious effort to feature lots of healthy foods in your detox diet is a wonderful aid to the process.
2. Drink lots of water - be sure to drink the recommended daily 2 - 3 litres of water. It might be worth investing in a water bottle which has markers on the side, as this will help you make sure that you drink enough every day.
3. Stick to whole-foods - increase the percentage of your diet which is made up by whole-foods. This is a great, easy way to make your diet more detoxing, as whole-foods contain far less chemicals and nasty additives. You’re letting nature shape your intake, which can only ever be a good thing.
4. Go organic - wherever possible, look for organic options for your favourite foods. Fruit, veg and pulses are a great place to start. Try to incorporate organic alternatives into your diet as much as possible.
5. Eat plenty of fibre - this will help your body to naturally get rid of any unwanted gunk in your insides, while keeping your digestive tract in tip top condition.
6. Avoid foods which cause inflammation - these include sweet foods (that are high in either sugar or artificial sweeteners), or foods that contain high levels of trans fats.
7. Cut down your alcohol intake - while we all enjoy a drink or two over the weekend, try to limit your alcohol to a treat at the weekend.
8. Avoid caffeine - instead of drinking an endless chain of coffees throughout the day, stick to one cup in the morning. Then, really savour this coffee - use this opportunity to turn it into a treat.
9. Get plenty of shut eye - during a detox, a good night’s sleep is more important than ever, as it is a fantastic helper to all the hard work that you’ve been doing during the day time.
10. Tell your doctor - it is imperative that any detox and diets need to be supervised by a doctor, especially if you have any other pre-existing health conditions or dietary requirements. So, seek your doctor’s advice on your detox plan. Also, keep consulting reliable medical journals online, as they are a great source of information to help guide your detox.

Our Spring detox tea recipe

As part of our Spring clean month, we’ll be sharing all of our top tips to help you improve your routine, so that your mind and body are kept in peak working condition.

So, next up, we’ve got our gorgeous Spring detox recipe. This drink is wonderfully aromatic, and is brimming with highly beneficial spices. It’s the perfect way to nourish your body, while giving it a good old cleanse.

Ingredients

• Filtered water, 450 ml
• Fresh ginger, 1-2 inch piece
• Star anise, 2 pieces
• Cloves, 3
• Peppercorns, 3 (either black or pink will work well)
• Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp

Method

• Add all the spices to a small saucepan, and gently roast them on a medium heat for 2 minutes. This will help to unlock all those gorgeous, aromatic spices.
• Heat the water to 93ºC. You can use the iKettle to get this temperature exactly right.
• Add the water to the saucepan, then leave the mixture to simmer for 10-20 minutes.
• Strain the mixture and then serve.

The iKettle is the perfect device to have on hand for this recipe. Although the 93ºC temperature requirement might sound very specific, this is the perfect temperature to keep the water at, as it is not so hot that the spices do not turn bitter or unpleasant in your tea. But, it is still hot enough to ensure that these gorgeous spices fully extract into the tea. It’s the perfect balance, which will secure you a stunning Spring time tea.


You’re all set for your positive, mindful Spring detox. Once again, we want to stress the fact that this is not some extreme, diet-fad detox. It’s all about making little swaps that keep your mind and body happy.

To help you stick to your Spring detox goals, don’t forget to visit the Smarter online store, where you can purchase one of our intelligent iKettles. With this device on hand, you’ll never be short of a delicious, healthy herbal tea.

And, if you’d like access to more helpful lifestyle tips, tricks and hacks, don’t forget to check out the rest of the blogs on the Smarter website.