Daily Habits of a Healthy Family

I can admit that health takes time and energy, but being a healthy family is so important and the benefits of being healthy and feeling great are truly worth it! Here are a few daily habits that can help raise the level of health in your family.

• Start the Day Right. Make a nutritional breakfast top priority in the morning - try to stay away from sugary cereals and processed foods. I have a few breakfast ideas for the healthy family posted here.

• Drink Water. Your body needs water! Sometimes, when I start feeling sick or get a headache, I think about the last time I drank water and it usually just ends up being a hydration issue. Remember, fruit juices and sodas do NOT count as water, keep your healthy family away from sugary beverages.

• Be Active. Incorporate some exercise into your day, whether it’s an actual workout or a game of soccer in the backyard. To be a healthy family, make sure at least one activity involves a type of exercise each day. An after dinner walk and yard work are great things to do as a family that involve movement. Family skating and hikes are also free and a great way to get outdoors together.

• Eat Fresh. Try to avoid processed foods and make as many homemade meals and snacks as possible. This is going to take some time and effort, but your whole family will feel and look healthier because of it.

• Sleep. A healthy family needs their sleep! Have a general time that everyone goes to bed in order to get enough sleep. If there are nights where you stay up a little later or need to get up a little earlier, try to plan a little nap time in the middle of the day. This is one area that I need to work on for sure. Setting an alarm on my phone at 11p has been a helpful reminder.

• Free Time. Finally, make sure to enjoy a little free time. You can spend this time together as a family, or separate. If the kids are old enough, let them choose what they want to do for a half hour, like read a book, watch a show or make a craft. If the kids are young, take turns giving the adult some free time or hire a babysitter everyone once in awhile. You need to take some time for yourself, once a day is best!

Try incorporating these tips one at a time until being a healthy family becomes a daily habit. Remember, you have to do something over and over to make it a habit, so don’t give up, make some good habits!