Healthy families live a happy life

A family’s happiness largely depends on the health of the individual members including parents and children. In the modern-day busy lifestyle, one tends to ignore one’s health but the stakes are high. Ignoring health leads to various diseases like high Bp, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and many more. Parents who are too busy with their work often tend to neglect the health and nutrition of their children too. This results in health complications in children like developing obesity and diseases that come from it. Children nowadays spend most of their time on mobile phones, laptops and gaming consoles. These not only make them physically inactive but also impairs their vision, imaginative powers and creativity.

Although many families are becoming conscious of healthy lifestyle for themselves and their children, many continue to neglect family health and well-being. It’s time to take a call on healthy eating and active lifestyle.

A healthy breakfast refuels the body and provides energy for the day. Including whole grains, nuts, fresh vegetables and fruits, low fat or nonfat milk and beverages and plenty of water throughout the day will give proper nutrition to the body. It’s necessary to have a variety of foods to avoid boredom and enjoy the meals. Parents and children should have at least one meal together. Children learn from their parents, so sharing a meal together will encourage the youngsters and teach them to eat healthy.

Very often children refuse to eat tasteless boring food like whole grains, green vegetables like broccoli and so on. This is where parents need to motivate their kids by teaching them the benefits of food they eat. For example, they can tell stories about how by eating carrots eyesight improves, milk strengthens the bones and so on. Tasty food can also be prepared with fruits and veggies and the family can enjoy delicious yet nutritious meals regularly. With healthy eating comes physical activity to keep the heart healthy, managing one’s weight and being fit. Walking, yoga, cycling, walking dogs are some of the many physical activities to keep fit.

Children should be encouraged to play outside. Involving them in various physical activities like different types of sports, swimming, cycling will keep them fit and healthy.

Parents should also encourage their children by being physically active themselves. Healthy eating and healthy lifestyle when practiced by the whole family will relieve mental and physical stress and help in maintaining a happy healthy family.

Dealing with fussy eaters

Many parents find feeding their children challenging when dealing with fussy and picky eaters. It takes time and patience to come up with ideas to make food appealing to such kids. Small children like toddlers and preschoolers should be seated at dining tables away from the Tv. Try giving them colorful soft, juicy fruits like peach, melons, apple sauce, pineapple with), sliced bananas on pancakes, small soft cheese cubes, diced deseeded watermelon, freshly squeezed orange juice to entice them to eat fruits. Soft wheat pasta with boiled colorful veggies, string cheese, broccoli with cheese, small soft cheese cubes, crackers and toast with peanut butter or cheese, fish cakes, soft grilled small chicken slices are some options for meals. Even preschoolers can be given such variety to make meals interesting and healthy at the same time. These are some tips for healthy eating. Parents have to plan and feed their children by exercising their judgement and discretion. One has to be careful and see if the child is allergic to any food and avoid those in future.

Making a healthy eating habit from the beginning and an active lifestyle will help children develop immunity power, stamina and a healthy life. For those who are still not conscious of a healthy lifestyle, it’s not too late to start. Healthy families will contribute to developing a healthy society at large.