As busy as families are these days, it seems that efforts to be healthy are often put on hold. School, work and extracurricular activities leave families with very little time to prepare healthy meals or engage in physical activity. The good news is that taking a practical approach to family health can be a simple way to help your family develop lifelong healthy habits.
Take a practical to health
A practical approach to family health simply refers to using simple means to accomplish health goals. Another way of thinking about this approach is that it is realistic, which is necessary for developing healthy habits that last a lifetime. Realistic health goals are easy to incorporate into busy lifestyles, so healthy living does not become a duty, but something that the family enjoys. Consider the following recommendations that can help your family develop healthy habits.
Plan Your Menus
It’s not unusual for some families to plan dinner while in the drive-thru line of a fast food restaurant. While an occasional fast food meal won’t have a major impact on health, eating this way several times a week can lead to health issues since fast food tends to be high in fat, salt, and sugar. Eat healthier by getting the entire family involved in menu planning.It is much easier to eat healthy when you know what you are going to eat.
The first step in menu planning is to have each family member choose some healthy options that they enjoy. Next, make a list and shop for the ingredients. Schedule an evening each week to prep certain ingredients in advance. For example, if you plan chicken stir-fry for Monday evening, slice chicken into strips, and store them in a zip top bag in the refrigerator on Sunday night. Cut up the vegetables to be used in the dish and store them in a separate bag. Your meal is ready to cook when you get home the next evening, and you can have it on the table within 30 minutes.
When times are really busy, consider a soup or stew that you can prepare using a slow-cooker, and your meal will be ready when you walk in the door. Canned or frozen vegetables can speed up meal-making, so don’t hesitate to use these items. However, avoid products with added fat and salt, such as those with the terms “creamy,” “”crispy,” or “seasoned” on the label.
Add more plant-based foods to your family’s meals
Adding more plant-based foods to your menus is another way to keep your family healthy. Dry beans are easy to prepare in a slow-cooker and provide good fiber and protein. Beans allow your family to enjoy filling meatless meals, and they can be used as the main ingredient for soups, stews, and casseroles.
If your family enjoys vegan eating, you may be concerned about vitamin B12. Found mostly in animal products, B12 is necessary for DNA production, promotes heart health, and contributes to healthy nerve cells. There are some vegan sources of B12 your family can consume. They include fortified almond and soy milk, and fortified cereals.
Make an effort to exercise
Exercise should not bring to mind pictures of sweating in a gym for hours.
Exercise is simply physical activity and can be achieved in many ways. A family walk after dinner, a weekend hike, swimming, raking leaves, washing the car, and cleaning the house are all ways to get more physical activity. Exercise promotes healthy muscles, keeps the bones and joints strong, and helps burn calories.
Get adequate sleep
Adults and children need adequate sleep. Weight control, lower risk of injury, and being able to think clearly are all reasons for getting the needed amount of sleep. Children who get enough sleep do better in school. Adults who get the recommended amount of sleep function better at work. How much sleep do you need? Experts recommend eight hours of sleep each evening. Children ages 5-12 benefit from 10-11 hours of sleep per night.
