Children are the best imitators, especially when it comes to their parents. Everything you do, your child will mimic and if you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle, then your child will follow suit.
It all starts with you, and even though you won’t be able to make every decision for them, by fostering healthy and safe habits when your children are younger you’ll have an influence on the choices they make when they get older.
Practice these simple tips to make sure that your child stays healthy, even until adulthood.
Easy Health Tips for Children
Let your children know the importance of a healthy diet: Instead of telling children to eat healthy foods, explain to them why it is important to eat healthily. If they know that certain foods will make them faster and stronger, or make their hair shinier, they will be more willing to eat them.
Encourage them to wash their hands: Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of germs. Doctors even emphasize the importance of washing hands especially before meals, after using the bathroom, after touching or playing with animals and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Little kids and older ones too need lots of reminders, but all those gentle reminders to head toward the sink are worth it.
Make sure your children get enough sleep: Sleep is important for the whole family since it helps set our metabolism and resets our mood. Getting enough sleep is especially important for kids because it helps them grow, recharge after a long day and function at their best.
Keep them hydrated: Did you know that our brains are 80 percent water? Hence, hydration is extremely important, especially for growing little ones. A great way to teach your kids to stay hydrated is to have them look at the color of their urine: the darker it is, the more water they’ll need.
Go easy on the sugar: A kid who’s eating a high sugar diet is going to get sick more often. If you want to prevent your kids from getting sick this winter, try to minimize the amount of sugar in their diet. Sugar interferes with the body’s immune system by binding up the antibodies that the immune system needs to fight viruses.
Physical exercise is important: Most kids need about an hour of exercise each day. Exercise is important for bone and muscle health and is also good for creating positive emotions, alleviating stress and preventing diseases later in life.
Let your child feel and express their emotions: According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, poor emotional health can weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of colds and other illnesses. Often when a child is upset, we jump to their rescue by saying it’s OK or try not to think about it and think about something more positive. Instead, let your child feel their emotions by allowing them space to connect with their feelings. Instead, reply with “That sounds like it was really hard,” or “I’m sorry you’re going through this, what do you feel like you should do next?”
Although these tips may seem minute, the simple suggestions can go a long way to ensure your child has a healthy state of mind, practices healthy eating and fitness habits and making sure their immune system stays healthy as well.
