Five Healthy Habits You Should Teach Your Kids Early

Many parents are struggling to overcome bad habits. Bad habits such as overeating, procrastination or spending too much time on the Internet are common and many people strive to overcome these. Even more important than overcoming one’s own bad habits is finding a way to instill good habits in children. Teaching children to develop positive habits can set them up to enjoy a lifetime of improved health and vitality. The following five habits are important to help all children develop.

 

1. Frequent Exercise

Exercising frequently is one habit many adults struggle to find time for. However, instilling the value of exercise in children can help those children carry the habit into adulthood. Children should be encouraged to engage in some type of vigorous physical activity for at least an hour every day. Examples of exercise for children can include organized sports, hiking, dancing or simply playing outside on the playground. Regular exercise can help your child avoid obesity, increase the ability to concentrate on schoolwork and maintain appropriate behaviors.

 

2. Eating More Vegetables

One of the most difficult habits to instill in children is the habit of eating enough vegetables each day. Some kids do not enjoy the taste of vegetables and other kids are simply not exposed to vegetables with every meal. Many children are willing to try vegetables if parents also consume them, so make sure to model good behavior! Take your children shopping at farmer’s markets, farm stands and grocery stores in order to expose them to all of the colors and shapes that vegetables come in. Help your child create unique snacks with vegetables, such as broccoli jungles or sweet pepper rings cut into the shape of flowers. You can also help your child grow his or her own vegetables in a garden. Many children are more willing to try vegetables that they grew themselves.

 

3. Brushing Teeth Regularly

Brushing a child’s teeth starts in infancy as the first tooth erupts from the gum line. However, once children become independent at brushing their teeth, they frequently neglect to brush their teeth after each meal. Busy schedules or forgetfulness can lead to poor dental hygiene. The professionals at Smile Reef Pediatric Dentistry recommend that children be encouraged to brush their teeth at least twice a day, with three times a day being best. If necessary, add a sticker chart to the bathroom and allow children to put a sticker on the chart each time they brush their teeth. Older children can even be encouraged to set alarms on their phones or portable devices to remind them to brush.

 

4. Get Enough Sleep

Homework, school and sports schedules often come at the expense of getting a good night’s sleep. Busy children may need to be reminded to go to bed early each night in order to be well rested for the next day. A lack of sleep can lead to health problems, difficulties with school or behavior problems, so it’s important to encourage your child to turn off the tv and computer, put the books away and get to bed early.

 

5. Limit Screen Time

In today’s overly connected society, many children begin using electronic devices from a very young age. Heavy computer, tablet, television and video game use can result in a lack of quality sleep or exercise, as well as a lower likelihood of completing school assignments and household chores in a timely manner. Parents should encourage their children to limit screen time to 30 to 60 minutes a day, and only after all other responsibilities have been met. It may even be helpful to have your child earn screen time only after completing other healthy habits, such as exercise and teeth brushing.

Categories: Children, Family, Healthy Food, vegetables

How to Eat healthy on a Vacation?

So it’s that time of the year where everyone gets busy with shopping and packing bags as many plan to go back to their hometown. We look forward to celebrations, family gatherings and spending quality time with closed ones, but are we planning our holidays properly? Eating nutritional food on holidays will allow you to enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Eating right food at the right time will balance your energy level and keep you active all day. Have a look at some of the tips given below that will help you eat healthy while you are on a holiday:

 

You might be planning on a small vacation somewhere close by and a road trip sounds very exciting. But have you thought of what eatables are you going to carry? On road trips, it is easy and convenient to carry your own food as eating junk food outside can take a toll on your health. Pack food like fruits, crackers, milk, juice yoghurt etc. or something light for your stomach that can be packed in a cooler. You can opt for the cooler available in the market that will keep your food fresh on the journey. You can also check for certain pack bags that will keep your food hot or cold as required. A hot soup after driving 6 hours should do wonders for you!

 

In case you are taking a flight, a small meal like a chicken or a vegetable sandwich will do the needful. You don’t want to stuff yourself at a pizza corner and board a 4 hour flight. Rather it is advisable that you request a small healthy meal for yourself.

 

So you are staying at a friend or a family members house; you can always offer to get some food on board. Certainly they will be happy to have you at their home and would serve the best of food to you but how healthy is that? You can definitely bring in healthy food as it’s a gesture of sharing and caring. If they ask you in advance about different delicacies you like, ask for healthy food with higher nutritional value.

 

If you are planning to stay at a hotel, it would be better to check the hotels food menu in advance. Lot of hotels offer continental breakfast that enables you to choose cereals, juices, proteins, fruits, toast or eggs. Do check if the hotel has a refrigerator. If so, you can carry your homemade healthy food and can preserve for longer periods in the fridge. Another benefit of carrying healthy food on a holiday is that you will be saving some good money.

 

Another important thing you should consider while you are out is that eat only when you feel hungry. Don’t over stuff yourself. This will make you lethargic and you won’t be able to enjoy properly. Pick healthy food from the menu such as lean meat, fruits and salads. Don’t eat a large meal at a time, instead have small meals. You can have three square meals in a day or if you think that will be difficult, opt for six small meals.

 

When eating on a vacation, you can eat appetizers so that you will have some room for your next meal, maybe 2 hours later. Your body requires energy in every few hours, so don’t skip a meal.

 

While enjoying your vacation, don’t eat a heavy meal at night. With some will power and determination, you can certainly enjoy healthy food on a trip. A small slice of cheese pizza or a scoop of your favourite ice cream can be consumed once but don’t go overboard. Give the right amount of nutrients to your body and stay healthy while you are on a holiday.

Categories: eat healthy, Food, Healthy, Healthy Food, meal, nbsp, small, small meals, vacation

More than Apple Slices: The Danger of Healthy Food Marketing

Healthy eating is a key component of family wellness, which is why there’s been such a public outcry over the negative impacts of junk food marketing to children in recent years. By the looks of things, food companies are starting to take note and look out for your children’s wellbeing – bringing in popular media characters to market “healthy” foods to children. Heck, even Happy Meals can come with carrot sticks and fruit bags now, but is this really progress? Or is marketing food to children still harmful to their wellbeing, regardless of nutritional content?

Research shows that a 30-second advert can influence your child’s food preferences from the age of two, and branding even trumps taste for young children. When preschool children were given the same junk food in McDonald’s packaging and plain packaging, for example, they reported that the food with the big yellow M on it tasted better, even though both foods were exactly the same. Other studies have reported similar results for food packaging that features media characters, which is easy to see considering that young children cannot even distinguish between a TV programme and an advert. Children don’t really understand the concept of selling and they tend to believe what they see until the age of about eight.

But advertising healthy food is for children’s own good, isn’t it? According to Susan Linn, Director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, ‘A primary goal for advocates should be for children to develop a healthy relationship to food. Foisting character-branded products on children undermines that effort. Marketing to children does more than sell products – it inculcates habits and behaviours. Marketing branded produce such as Kung-Fu Panda Edamame to children instils the unhealthy habit of choosing food based on marketing cues such as celebrity, rather than on a child’s own innate hunger, taste, or good nutrition.’

Yes, while diet is a vital part of family wellness, your children also require social, emotional and cognitive nourishment. Media icons aren’t only used to sell vegetables to your kids; they also market other products such as junk food, junk toys and screen media. One of the harms of commercialism, as research shows, is that it inhibits children’s creative play. This is the foundation of learning, creativity, constructive problem solving, and the capacity to initiate and complete tasks and projects. Throwing a few apple slices into a Happy Meal won’t make up for that damage.

Categories: child development, Healthy Food, marketing

How To Lower Your Risk Of Cancer With These Foods

Cancer is a disease which affects the lives of millions of people across the world, and there are various forms which scientists are working to combat. There are many lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk, including quitting smoking and reducing your intake of alcohol, but your diet is also a great place to start. Aiming to eat a balanced diet is the first step to ensuring your body has all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, but you can boost your health with these foods for a stronger defence against cancer.

Broccoli is a great addition to your diet for its rich quantities or vitamin C and iron, but many people don’t realise that it can help to fight cancer too. This vegetable contains large amounts of sulforaphane which is a compound proven to boost the enzymes in the body which protect against cancer-causing chemicals. This helps to fight breast, stomach and skin cancers, among others.

Berries are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, but they are also high in phytochemicals known as anthocyanins which reduce the growth of premalignant cells. They are useful in reducing the risk of colon and oral cancers, in addition to having many beneficial properties for your skin.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is the element which gives this fruit its red colour. It’s hugely beneficial in reducing the risk of endometrial cancer, a form of the disease which causes over 8,000 deaths each year.

The humble walnut has been proven to block the oestrogen receptors in cancer-female/">breast cancer cells, which could help to slow the growth of the disease. They’ve also shown positive effects on prostate cancers as well.

Garlic has long been used in Mediterranean cooking, a diet which is known for its health boosting qualities. This ingredient is actually great for lowering the risk of colon cancers, thanks to its rich source of phytochemicals. Add it to a tomato sauce for double cancer-fighting properties.

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How To Lower Your Risk Of Cancer With These Foods

Categories: cancer, diet, Healthy Food

Feeding Fussy Kids

When your child is no longer a toddler, but not yet at school, he or she can turn into a picky little eater and it gets more difficult to maintain their wellness through their diet. Your child needs a healthy and varied diet to for their wellbeing now, and later on in life.

 

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, a good supply of protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and D is necessary for preschool children, as they are growing fast and are usually very active. This also means they need calcium and vitamin D for healthy tooth development and stronger bones stronger.

 

Eating family meals together not only helps you to make sure your child eats what you put on their plate, but also encourages proper table manners and promotes language development and conversational skills, especially when you turn off the television. It also brings you closer together as a family; though eating with preschool children can be chaotic and messy so expect spills and some sloppy eating. You can also use mealtimes to set an example, because if you want your child to accept baked potatoes instead of chips, then so should you. Let them see you eating well with a positive attitude to food and they will follow suit.

 

You can even trick your child into eating better with a few healthy substitutes. Try couscous instead of white rice, or sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Replace bacon with ham, chips with mashed potatoes made with skimmed milk and ice cream with yoghurt. When it comes to snacking, healthy snacks between meals can help fill nutrient gaps in a little one’s diet, which means choosing nutritious foods that take the edge off hunger.

 

Try giving your child half a sandwich, well-cooked vegetables and low-fat dip or wholegrain biscuits and cheese, or something a little sweeter like yoghurt, fruit smoothies, milk. You could even try giving them some breakfast foods like chopped hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs, or cereal, on its own or with milk, and with nutritious foods such as these keeping them going; don’t be worried if they’re not famished at mealtimes.

Feeding Fussy Kids

Categories: Advice, Children, Healthy Food