Top Tips to Keeping Your Family Healthy

Staying healthy is vital to living a long and happy life. By teaching your children how to make healthy choices now, you can set them on the right path to leading a healthy and happy life. So how can you and your family begin leading a healthier lifestyle? Read on to learn a few essential tips to keep the whole family healthy throughout the rest of the year and the rest of their lives.

Eat Healthily

Being healthy starts with your diet. Though fast food may be tempting since it is so affordable and convenient, it is not good for you or your children. Limit fast food, processed foods, and sugar. Try to incorporate more fruits, vegetable, whole grains, and lean meats into your family's diet. For snack time, switch to something healthy like carrots and peanut butter instead of a pre-packaged sugary treat.

Drink Water

Experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. This is a great way for the whole family to remain healthy. Drinking water keeps you hydrated and does not add on any empty calories. Other beverages like soda and juice contain a lot of sugar, which can damage teeth and cause weight gain. Instead, encourage your family to drink clean, filtered water.

Get Vaccinated

It is vital that everyone in your family is vaccinated so you all can avoid unnecessary illness and healthcare costs. Additionally, all of your family members should get a flu shot every year. It is also recommended that you and your partner get a Tdap vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (aka whooping cough). Lastly, make sure everyone is going to the doctor once a year to get a physical examination and taking part in other preventative health care.

Be Active

In addition to eating healthy, drinking water, and going to the doctor, you should also try to stay active as a family. Choose activities you can do as a family like hiking, swimming, riding bikes, or playing outside. Find something that everyone will enjoy; otherwise, the physical activity will quickly become a chore. Staying active can help to lose weight, improve overall health, and even reduce stress.

Wash Hands

Frequent hand washing is by far the best way to prevent germs from spreading throughout your home and getting everyone sick. Make it a habit for you, your partner, and your kids to always wash hands after using the bathroom, sneezing, petting an animal, playing outside, and before eating or greeting a friend. This can help to avoid spreading colds and other illnesses.

Clean the Kitchen

Though it is important to keep your entire home clean, it is especially crucial for the kitchen. This is primarily because of foodborne illness. For adults and older kids, these conditions are unpleasant but usually manageable. For young children, however, they can be extremely dangerous. You can limit the risk of foodborne illness by keeping the kitchen clean and paying attention to food safety when cooking. Wash your hands before preparing food, especially when handling raw meat, fish, poultry, or eggs. Use different cutting boards for proteins and produce, and wash them thoroughly to remove any bacteria. Disinfect the counters and cabinets often and clean sponges and towels habitually, too.