Wednesday, August 28, 2013

3 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthy

In this day and age, it seems as though it is a challenge to keep your kids healthy, active, and generally thriving despite all of the distractions of media, technology, and fast food. There are several different ways to keep your children on track for a healthy lifestyle, and none of these methods are particularly difficult for you or your children to accomplish.
Avoid Sedentary Lifestyles
In America especially, obesity has become a growing issue. While fat doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy, you should take into consideration that your kids need to still be able to be fit and exercise to avoid any health-related issues that come with a sedentary lifestyle. Don’t rely on schools to promote organized sports. You can do something as simple as walking to the park with your child, or riding bicycles with them after school and on weekends. If you live near a beach, see if your child is interested in going and swimming on occasion, but always be sure to stay safe in the water.
Avoid Food-Based Rewards
When concerning kids' health, food-based rewards, usually sweets, or anything loaded in sugar and fats, are never a good idea. If your children react badly to sugar, or otherwise lead sedentary lifestyles, promoting food as a reward can only exacerbate the issue and make it more difficult later onto push towards healthier eating. Treats once in a while are just fine when concerning your kid's health, but using them as a consistent reward will only promote the idea that unhealthy foods are to be coveted, and your child may gorge when you are not around, and this can lead to a great number of unhealthy eating lifestyles later on.
Turn Off the Television
Sitting in front of the television or computer all day can promote that kind of sedentary lifestyle that you should try and avoid for both yourself and your children. When thinking about your kid's health, try and make activities outside of the home, away from the TV and computer, fun and interactive and pertaining to their interests. Prying them away from the television won’t make anyone happy or healthier if your child doesn’t enjoy the activity that they are being dragged along to participate in. If your child insists on staying home, try and promote games like the Wii that allow them still to move around and exercise while enjoying the comforts of their own home.

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