Healthy Tips for Healthy Families

Healthy Kids Day, the nation's largest health day for children, is a community-based effort to improve the overall health of children by encouraging healthy habits and inspiring a lifetime love of physical activity.  The truth, however, is that everyone, young and old, should make an effort to improve and maintain their health. 

For many of us, life can be busy and stressful.  While not an entirely bad thing, a busy schedule can cause us to lose sight of the importance of staying healthy. Fortunately, there are relatively easy ways to improve ones health by making small changes to our daily routines.  The following are a number of simple and effective ways to live a healthier life.

1. Use water as a substitute for sugary drinks

Many of us rely on soda and sugar filled drinks to quench our thirst, but the truth is that these beverages provide a great deal of calories with very little real nutritional value.  Have water, 100 percent juice or low fat milk the next time you find yourself getting thirsty.  By making the switch to these healthier alternatives, you will not only be better hydrated but your energy levels will be less sporadic and you won't find yourself getting tired at peculiar times during the day.  You'll be amazed by how much better you feel by making this change!

2. Read the label

You might be surprised how small a serving size of potato chips really is. Many of us underestimate the levels of saturated fat and sodium we consume because we don't read the labels on our favorite snacks.  Rather than eating your favorite snack right out of the bag, consider pouring a serving size into a bowl and making the effort not to go back for seconds.  This practice will allow you to become more conscious of how much you are eating and reduce the risk of snacking too heavily.

3. Get an hour of play a day

This tends to be easier for kids to do than adults, but there is no reason why everyone can't live a more active lifestyle.  For adults, this might mean choosing a parking spot that is farther away or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Instead of simply letting the dog out, why not grab the leash and go for walk?  Not only is it better for you, but your dog will appreciate the exercise too.

4. Carve out some time each week to spend with your family

Spending regular quality time together can improve the whole families health, and it can strengthen important bonds.  Make the extra effort to eat dinner as a family or if the weather is nice, make a trip to one of the many wooded trails in the area and hike together. 

5. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep a night

Nothing beats a good nights sleep.  Sleep is known to improve the immune system, promote an active metabolism and help with learning and other brain functions.  Sleep can also play a role in heart disease prevention.  Being more active during the day can also allow your body to get a deeper more restful sleep at night.