The Habits of Healthy Families
It seems the healthiest families are the ones that lead a healthy lifestyle together. They are all involved in food and exercise choices and take care of each other. There are some habits that help towards this, and none of them are beyond the realms of possibility for any family. They might take a bit of forethought and planning, but the effort will be worth the end result.
Eating Before Hunger Sets In
If the family gets too hungry our bodies produce a hormone known as ghrelin. This is what creates the feeling of hunger and the problem is that once eating starts, it takes another 30 minutes for the hormone to get back to its normal level. In that time a family can have munched its way through so many foods and eat far more than they should. By eating at regular intervals and not letting hunger set in, they will avoid this situation and maintain healthier weights.
Being prepared for meals also helps. Knowing what everyone is having is far better than deciding at the last minute. Breakfasts, lunches and evening meals can all be organized and ready to eat, which is another way of helping to avoid hunger pangs.
20 Minutes Exercise Each Day
No matter how busy life is, healthy families find 20 minutes a day to exercise. Often the best way to do this is at home, because if travel is involved suddenly that 20 minutes can turn into an hour or more.
It does not matter what the exercise is and if it can be something that involves fun that is even better. It can be changed every day, as long as at some point every family member gets his or her 20 minutes of exercise.
Playing with a ball with the children, having a dance party or maybe playing something such as hide and seek can be brilliant ways of getting the whole family involved in the exercise, without them even realising it.
Keep Snacks Healthy
Keep snacks to healthy foods such as fruit and nuts. If whoever does the shopping does not buy the likes of biscuits and chocolates the family members will be used to not having them and so will not get the cravings that make people eat far too many sugars and carbs. The numbers of fruits and nuts to choose from are endless, and eating these types of foods does not have to be boring. Chop them into a dish with some yoghurt for a very healthy and delicious snack.
There is nothing wrong with having a treat when you are out and about, but that tends to be an occasional thing and is better than having packets of biscuits in the home to tempt everyone.
Healthcare
It goes without saying how vital healthcare is for the well being of any family.
Most families will have a doctor that they use, but also, especially where children are concerned, some ear nose and throat care might be needed. Conditions such as tonsillitis are very common in children, which is why so many of them end up having their tonsils removed.
With older family members there could be problems with hearing or balance and then an ear nose and throat specialist is the person they will need to consult. ENT doctors will also deal with infections and allergies, which can happen to anyone no matter what age they are.
Chatting
Just spending some time chatting can be a great benefit to all the family members. It could be that this happens while the family is together for their evening meal, or that different family members have a chat at different times.
Being able to talk to their parents will encourage children to tell them of any worries or concerns they have which in turn will help to promote a better nights sleep for them. Telling younger children a bedtime story can have the same effect.
Encouraging a Healthy Family
Healthy families tend to be happier families because they are more involved in each other’s lives and generally do not suffer from so many ailments. Even things like a cold that works its way through a family can cause extra stress. A healthier family will be more likely to avoid the viruses and bacteria that cause such problems, and this will help to keep the stress levels lower too.
Building healthy habits is the way to achieve this aim, as then eating a healthy diet and getting the exercise they need are normal and not something that is out of the ordinary for them.
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and
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