This is the “spring cleaning” season, when many of us are inspired to get organized and healthy, inside and out. This month’s feature article, “Aging Gracefully,” offers a holistic guide to living well, living longer and looking good. Aging is an adventure, and I find myself utilizing lots of deep breathing these days to keep it at bay. Please try the dry body brushing technique outlined on page 32. I’ve been brushing now for a couple of months, and notice an immediate lift in my energy—I am hooked!

Spring cleaning can also be an adventure of sorts as we seek to shed the things that are weighing us down. April Thompson adds more incentive in her story, “Clutter-Taming Tips Save Time, Money and Sanity.” Just the opposite of a hoarder, I love to get rid of things we no longer use. As they say, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure,” and it feels good to give things away so that they neither take up space that could be used for something useful, or worse, add to the burgeoning mountain of waste to which we add daily. It’s actually a thrill for me to load up a bag or two for the local goodwill.

In “Spring Detox,” by Linda Sechrist, learn how to de-clutter your insides by clearing away some of life’s debris, especially if you are embarking on a healthier diet now. Most of the immune system resides in the gut, so its proper functioning impacts more organs and system than you might think. Local Naturopathic Doctor DeeAnn Saber writes about a technique gaining in popularity—nutritional IV therapy—that bypasses the digestive system entirely to deliver vitamins, minerals and more right into the bloodstream.

On a fitting note for Mother’s Day, “Bio-Identical Hormones,” by Nancy Aton, NMD, has a lot to say about the “nuts and bolts” of menopause and how to alleviate symptoms before they occur. Moms always seem to be right there when we need a shoulder to cry on or some good advice, but when she’s not, we all still have instincts to turn to, if we will only heed them. Read “Listening to Inner Wisdom,” by popular author Judith Orloff, to find out how.

Please remember to mention to businesses and practitioners that you found them right here in the pages of Natural Awakenings—it’s the only way they can know that we are helping them get their message out to you.

Happy spring! Let’s make the most of it.