“The early years of life can lead kids toward or away from
good health.”
10 HEALTHY TIPS FOR KIDS
Following these ten tips will help kids stay healthy and happy.
1. Food is fun
Enjoy your food! Eating is a good thing. Like putting gas in a car, it gives you fuel. Food gives you the fuel and energy you need to go! If you don’t eat your mind and body can’t go fast like they were intended to.
2. Breakfast is important
Our bodies always need energy; and after a night’s sleep, energy levels are low. So, when you are off to school, if you don’t eat your body will stay sleepy and tired. Start the day with breakfast. Plenty of carbohydrates is just the ticket. Try cereal with skimmed milk, oatmeal, fruit or yogurt, toast or bread.
3. Eat different kinds of food
Every day, you need to eat all different kinds of foods – not just candy and sweets. You need over 40 different kinds of vitamins and minerals every day for good health. Since there is no single food that contains them all, it is important to balance your daily choices. You do not need to miss out on the foods you enjoy. The best way to make sure you get the right balance is to eat a wide variety of foods each day.
4. Don’t forget vitamins
Vitamins are important if our body is to be healthy and strong. They are absolutely necessary for our growth. Make sure to take a daily vitamin in the morning with your breakfast.
5. Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks
Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fiber. We should all try to eat 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and banana as snacks and two vegetables at meal times.
6. Fat isn’t good
Eating too many of those tasty, fatty foods (such as butter, spreads, fried meats and sausages, pies and pastries) might not always be so good for your body. Although we need some fats to get all the nutrients we need, it is better for our health if we don’t eat too much of these foods and get knocked off-balance.
7. Snack smart
Eat regularly and choose healthy snacks. Even if you eat regular meals during the day, there will still be times in between that you feel hungry, especially if you have been very active. Snacks can fill the gap, but should not be eaten in place of meals, only as an extra. There are lots of different snacks available. Your choice may be nuts, raisins, fresh or dried fruits, yogurt, or sticks of vegetables like carrots and celery.
8. Quench your thirst
Drink plenty of water. Did you know that more than half of your weight is just water? So as well as giving your body all the food it needs each day to keep healthy, you need at least 5 glasses of water a day. Plain tap water, bottled water, fruit juices, Crystal Light, and low-fat milk are all acceptable.
9. Don’t forget your teeth
Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Eating foods high in sugar or starches too often during the day can play a part in tooth decay. So don’t nibble foods and sip drinks all day long! However, the best way to keep a nice smile is to brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Also, after brushing your teeth at bedtime, don’t eat any food, or drink anything but water!
10. Get moving
Be active every day. Just like a bike may become rusty if it is not used for some time, our muscles and bones need to be kept moving too. Activity is needed to keep your heart healthy and your bones strong. It can also be good fun. Try to include some form of activity every day: it may be just playing outside, walking around the neighborhood and running up the stairs. Outdoor games like kickball, football at break times are good for giving the body a workout.
Parents, make sure to limit TV, video game and computer time. These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle which increases risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Encourage physical activities that children really enjoy. They’ll stick with it longer if they love it. Focus on the positive instead of the negative. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.
Help them set specific goals and limits, such as one hour of physical activity a day or two desserts per week. It’s true that when goals are too vague the chance for success decreases. Rewarding children with candy and unhealthy snacks encourage bad habits. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior.
Let’s make a difference in the lives of our kids. Teaching tomorrow’s generation to live a healthy life is the key to helping change our world.
FIT FOREVER Tom Hopkins 