4 Health Habits for Your Whole Family
By Brandi Goodman
The whole family should be staying healthy. Kids often follow the example that you set. That means everyone should be engaging in healthy habits together if you have any hope of them maintaining these good practices throughout their lifetime.
Create a Healthy Dinner Together
Most families are split up throughout the day. Parents are at work, kids are at school or in daycare. The evening time may be the only opportunity you have to be together. Create a healthy dinner together every night that you're able to. Give everyone a task to help make the meal and then sit down at the table to enjoy all your hard work. Little ones can even help stir or add the spoons and forks to the table settings. Older children may help chop up veggies or cook food on the stove.
Enjoy Physical Activity
You may not be able to have the whole family participate in physical activity together every day, but you should still do so when the opportunity arises. You might like working out alone in the mornings before everyone is awake, and many kids get exercise at school through gym glass and recess. On the weekends, your whole family can go out and enjoy physical activity together. Go for a bike ride. Take the kids to the park and play with them on the playground. Get in the yard and play catch. There's plenty of options that are low or no cost.
Get Enough Sleep
Having a set bedtime for everyone in the family is ideal. Yes, even the adults. Everyone needs enough sleep in order to function well throughout the day. Make sure your little ones are off to bed early, and you should soon follow. Quiet the house. Turn out the lights. Read a bedtime story or let everyone settle down with their own quiet activity. Maintaining a routine helps you drift off easier night after night.
Learn New Things
Everyone should always keep their minds sharp by learning new things and trying different activities. Spend time as a family by going to a museum, checking out an art exhibit, or going to the zoo and reading each plaque with animal information.
Make sure your entire family is engaging in these healthy habits. It will be to the benefit of everyone, and all provide excellent opportunities for bonding and really enjoying life as a family. It's a win-win.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Gold River, Calif.