How To Keep Your Family Healthy This Spring
Work keeps us busy, and usually we’re too exhausted to fight the lure of TV, video games, and internet that keep the family vegetating on the sofa. Most of the time we’re also too tired to cook them a nourishing meal and we end up settling for take-out or microwave dinners. It’s understandable, but it’s also an issue we cannot afford to stop fighting. Child obesity is at an all-time high, and the impact on the family’s health cannot be ignored.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money and money to get everyone healthy. Here are just a few small habits to change that can have wide-reaching benefits for the wellbeing of your family.
Make an appointment
Before you start dictating a new diet and exercise regime, make a doctor’s appointment for everyone to see what you may be dealing with. Regular check-ups are important to make sure no one is at risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or any other dangers. While you’re at it, look into choosing a family dentist. Poor oral hygiene can lead to other health problems, including digestion problems, and issues with the heart and other major organs. On a more practical note, however, it’s good to be prepared in case your child will need braces in the future.
Get cooking
The best way to change what’s going into their bodies is to cook them something healthy. Even fussy eaters will have a difficult time resisting these delicious recipes. However, the best way to get everyone involved in the new health plan, and maybe take some of the load off you, is to get everyone cooking together. Not only will this be a fun family activity, it will teach your children valuable life skills and ensure that they know how to cook healthy meals for themselves. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll come home from work and they’ll have dinner ready for you. Other way to help is to not encourage them to have seconds or clean their plate. It’s better to let them have a smaller portion than to overstuff themselves.
Get active
The family that plays together, stays together. The best way to motivate them to do more exercise, is to make it feel like it’s just good old-fashioned playtime. If you have fairly young children, take them to the park and actually play with them; run around to catch them on the slide, push them on the swings, or try getting involved in their game of tag. With slightly older kids, organise fun family days out on weekends. This could involve getting everyone on their bikes and riding down the coast before stopping for a healthy picnic, getting out the water pistols and having an all-out war, or checking your local area and see if there are any events that will get them walking. If you show your children the value of getting out of the house and having a good time, they may never catch on that you’re doing this for the exercise.
