Health x Wellness
Sharing healthy habits with your children
It is important to teach your kids the context and reasons about a healthy life through healthy habits.
Teaching your children healthy lifestyle habits can help them avoid living an unhealthy lifestyle that might have significant long-term impact in their futures.
Parents are the first role models for their children, and bear the responsibility of teaching them. In this article, we share some helpful tips consider sharing with your children.
Watch your kid’s weight
Children tend to eat many foods that are high in fat and sugar. Nowadays, they also spend less time outdoors or on physical activities. The combination of these actions can lead to children eventually become overweight. Children’s weight problems have a huge possibility of causing them future health problems. These health challenges include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.
To inculcate healthy eating choices, parents can choose to be more aware about the kind of food they buy. Include a lot of healthy foods in their diet. Reduce junk food. Fruits and vegetables are great substitutes for junk foods. Also, incorporate eating meals and snacks together as a family. Make sure you insist on eating at the table and not in front of the television.
Keep them hydrated
Water is important for the body and soul. Everyone especially the children needs to drink plenty of water. Your children lose water every day through their urine and sweat, so they need to replace what is lost. Illnesses such as fever, vomiting can also cause your child to lose water. Give your kids lots of water. Avoid sweetened drinks. These include fruit juice, soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened iced tea.
There are recommendations out there for water consumption according to age. But at the end of the day, they are only recommendations. Other factors should be put into consideration. Are your children involved in sports? Is the weather hot or dry? If so, your child will need a lot of water.
Engage in physical activities
The CDC recommends that children and adolescents engage in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This includes opportunities to refine their basic movement skills, including balance and the ability to run quickly without getting tired or building up too much heat from running around outside all day long! That’s why you should make physical activity part of your kids’ routine.
Take them on a walk, visit the pool with them, or go on a bike ride. Encourage your children to try group activities, such as team sports. These can build self-esteem. Parents who are active with kids create a ‘culture of wellness’ in the home. At around age 7 or 8, it’s time to introduce more technical cues and exercise with gym equipment! In order to save money, you could buy some used gym equipment and create a special space at home just for that. You could start with exercise equipment like dumbbells. Your kids will feel motivated and understand the value of exercises. Besides enjoying the benefits of regular exercise, kids who are fit sleep better. They’re also able to handle physical and emotional challenges.
Oral hygiene
Teach your kids healthy oral health habits. You can brush your teeth with them. Ensure they brush their teeth twice per day and floss once per day. It is very important to teach your children at an early stage, so they get used to it. There are YouTube videos with catchy tunes that make brushing fun with multicolored brushes and toothpaste. Show these videos to your kids. Take them to the dentist for regular cleanings. When your child has a diet that contains vegetables and fruits, the nutrients will help their teeth from gum disease and tooth decay. Introduce healthy snacks such as strawberries, carrots, and apple slices to your kids to ensure they’re partaking in a mouth-healthy diet.
Vitamins and supplements
The human body is made up of a lot more than just bones and muscles. It also needs many other things, like minerals! Minerals are important because they help keep your brain cells healthy as well as provide compounds that reduce inflammation or strengthen their nerves and so on. These are some of the minerals your children need: Calcium, Iodine, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper etc. Your child needs all the essential vitamins and minerals to be healthy, happy and strong. They include: Vitamins A, B C D E & K. The best way for your little one to get enough is by eating a wide variety of foods including vegetables (especially green ones), fruit; grain products – breads/pasta etc., breakfast cereals like porridge or oatmeal with few nuts every day! There are supplements out there that are useful in keeping your child healthy if the vitamins aren’t taken from the food.
For example, Magnesium is one of them. Magnesium is a mineral that is important for many systems in the body. There are plenty of magnesium supplements for kids out there. And why is magnesium necessary? The body uses this mineral to keep the bones strong and the heart steady. It also boosts the immune system and helps maintain your muscle and nerve function. If you are searching for the best source of magnesium, Nuts, and legumes are the best for the job. Leafy green vegetables and bread made from whole grain wheat flour is another source.
You owe your kids a bright future; one that involves sharing with them about how to live a healthy lifestyle. If you are willing to start early, you will create a lasting impact in their lives. Telling them how to go about a healthy life is not enough. Showing them is the key to them achieving it.
Article contributed by Inna Atwood. She works as a fitness coach and a part-time content writer. She loves reading and travelling. She is young and ambitious and does hope to share her knowledge and experience with anyone willing to learn something new.
