Article # 305. Healthy Habits For Your Kids

For parent, raising healthy happy kids is number one priority, but these days.

Health Promotion Research states that childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years with around 20% of kids aged 6 to 11 now obese. Now obese, and with the lack of fitness programs offered in school, the future generation is more likely than ever to develop preventable health-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

With risks like these, it’s time for parents to get proactive about their children’s health. This post in my page is to create awareness about the children’s lifestyle to be in an active mode. Taking a cue from their playbooks, I encourage you to adopt a healthy lifestyle into your home starting now and here are some tips to help you get started.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Detox your kitchen:

Get rid of any candy bars, sugary drinks, desserts, and highly processed foods that are easily accessible as soon as you can. Better yet, don’t even buy them. These overly sugared and extra fatty products offer zero nutritional benefit for your kid’s mind and body. In fact, they leave your children feeling antsy, frenetic and unfocused. Definitely not what you want, especially when its time for homework!

Add color to your diet:

Perk up your kid’s plates (and palates) with vibrant fresh fruits and vegetables. Kids are more likely to gobble up fruits and veggies that look playful and fun so pick produce that is eye-catching and makes them squeal in delight. If your kids are anti-veggies, start small with vegetables like corn, tomatoes, and carrots. Pumpkins and acorn squash are good choices too because of their soft texture and sweet aftertaste. Sweet and full of texture, fruits are very kid-friendly, especially bananas, apples, strawberries, and grapes. These also make for healthy school snack options so pack a baggie of fruit for your youngster in case he/she gets hungry.

Get picky with your protein:

Ditch the high-fatty meats and stick with lean protein options like ground turkey and chicken breast tenders. When making sandwiches, stick with organic cuts if possible so your kids get all the good nutrients without the added preservatives. For a real treat, dip the chicken tenders in whole-wheat breadcrumbs and make a crunchy, tasty dinner that your kids will love.

Don’t forget about calcium:

Your kids need at least three servings of dairy products a day in order to build stronger, healthier bones. Yogurt is your best bet in terms of providing the highest amount of calcium, with around 350 milligrams of calcium in one serving. Milk comes in as a close second with 300 milligrams of calcium. Whether its yogurt or milk, find an option that is low in sugar and saturated fat.

Inject some fun into your home:

The key with creating a healthy household is to create a lifestyle that isn’t restrictive and seems easy and fun. You don’t want to make eating right and exercising a Big Thing or else you might send the wrong message to your children. Instead of making exercise seem like a chore, find an activity that your child loves like dancing, swimming, or soccer, and encourage them to keep at it! Get the whole family involved and see how engaging in these activities creates a positive atmosphere in your house.

The power to keep your kids nutritionally and physically on track lies in your hands. Don’t wait till it’s too late to help your kids! Start educating them about healthy foods and the importance of movement and activity.