4 Heart-Healthy Tips for Kids
By Brandi Goodman
Kids need to learn about heart health from a young age. Knowing how to keep your heart working well can help you achieve worthwhile results as you get older. Offer important tips and tricks to your kiddos, as well as model ideal behavior, so they can follow suit.
Find a Heart Health Lesson Plan to Follow
The internet is an expansive resource. A little Googling can help you find tons of lesson plans and pages to follow along to that will benefit both you and your child's hearts. You can find worksheets for meal planning, a physical activity log, and more to help your kids follow through with a plan for being healthier.
Make Family Time Fitness Time
Since teaching by example seems to be one of the best solutions for young kids, make sure you're incorporating fitness into your family time. Exercise is necessary for a healthy heart. Make sure you're getting up and dancing with your kiddos in the living room. Go outside and play a game of catch. Ride bikes. Go to an amusement center in town or nearby and bowl, golf, or try any of the other offered activities. You'll all burn tons of calories and get your heart working well in the process.
Make Mealtime Family Time, Too
The meals you make play a big part in how your heart feels and works. Eat a poor diet daily and your heart is bound to suffer. Get your kids cooking in the kitchen with you and using healthy ingredients so they're more likely to eat them. Making mealtime family time and getting everyone involved can be a huge help in ensuring your kids are eating right and keeping their heart healthy in the process.
Teach Them How to Feel Their Pulse
Teach your kids how they can feel the pulse of their hearts through their neck or wrist. Have them feel their beat before any activity and again after they've exercised. It will show them how fast your heart beats when you're moving. Teach them the importance of the heart pumping and getting blood and oxygen flowing through their bodies.
Your heart health can diminish quickly as you age -- especially if you aren't eating right, exercising, or doing anything to help it prosper. Your kids should be learning about heart health from a young age so they can have the knowledge and tools to keep it working and thriving throughout their lifetime.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Spring, Tex.