Healthy Habits Every Family Should Maintain

By sarah ghanem | December 2, 2019

We all want to live to watch our children grow. We also want to set a good example for our children when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. There are different entities of health, including emotional health, mental health, and physical health. The food you eat can directly affect your mental, emotional, and physical health. To live a healthy life, you don’t necessarily have to do a whole 360 on your current health habits. Making small constant changes is enough to start you on your journey. Here are a few healthy habits that you and your family should maintain.

1. Continue playing together

Playing together and doing other outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking, etcetera enables you and your family to stay fit. Additionally, it is a great way to bond with your kids. Obesity is a rising problem that cuts across all ages. Staying active as a family can go a long way to preventing complications that come with being overweight. Playtime should be a daily activity for your family. If games are not your thing, you can start with daily walks.

2. Hydrating

Our bodies are made up of 60% fluids. These fluids assist in digestion, the flow of nutrients in the body, creating saliva, among other functions. Additionally, water encourages healthy skin and helps maintain calories. Scientists say that you should drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water daily. Drinking enough water is an important healthy habit for both families and individuals.

3. Visiting the dentist

You have probably seen some older people with no teeth during their sunset years. This is a result of bad oral and dental care habits. Dental care involves not only teeth but also gums. For most people, brushing in the morning and before bed is the ideal way to keep their teeth healthy. Add a little flossing and mouth wash, and you are set for life when it comes to dental healthcare. But there is so much for you can do to maintain healthy teeth. For instance, reducing your sugar intake and drinking a lot of water is great for your teeth. 

Technology has come up with modern methods of keeping your dental formula in top shape. Laser teeth whitening has become a popular trend for people who want to have or keep their teeth pearly white. Before making a commitment to it, consider laser teeth whitening pros and cons, so you make an informed decision. Also, avoid over the counter teeth bleaching products as they can cause other complications. Regular visits to the dentist as a family can help prevent several health issues. Most of the time, we only know we have a problem with our teeth when it gets painful, but a dentist would have caught that before it became a serious problem. 

4. Maintain a healthy consumption of carbohydrates

Our body’s main energy source is glucose. Glucose is a sugar created by the body from foods rich in carbohydrates. Your body will either use glucose for energy immediately or stored for later use. Also, carbohydrates provide the body with numerous minerals and vitamins. Foods rich in carbohydrates include fruits, bread, rice, pasta, among others. A proper amount of carbohydrates also increases your fiber intake.

5. A healthy balance of saturated and unsaturated fats

Just like sugar, fats are important for our wellbeing. However, too much of it can lead to health issues such as heart disease and obesity. Saturated fats mainly come from animal food products such as ice cream, cheese, butter, and others. Unsaturated fats include avocados, vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, among others. Fried food often tastes better, but try boiling and steaming once in a while. Also, instead of eating meats with a lot of fat like pork often try having some fish or chicken. For a long time, saturated fats have been seen as more harmful than unsaturated fats. However, research has recently shown that maintaining a healthy balance between the two is healthier than avoiding saturated fats completely.

6. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables give our bodies a healthy amount of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It is important to have more fresh fruit juice than the manufactured juices. It is also advisable that you accompany almost all your meals with a sizeable amount of vegetables. Fruits are also a great snack for kids throughout the day. You can also make it fun and have a vegetable salad with fruits in it.

7. Eat small portions regularly

Eating small portions regularly is a great way to maintain a healthy diet. Additionally, it helps to control hunger and maintain body weight. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is not a good idea. It can lead to overeating, which means consuming more calories. There are ways to ensure that you have small portions. Some of them include; using smaller plates, cooking the right amount of food, ordering foods that have the number of calories indicated, or eating as a group when eating out.

8. Eat a variety of foods

You have probably heard of people living on a fruit diet only. While fruits are healthy, it is important to know that our bodies cannot get all the nutrients it requires from one source. Our bodies need over 40 nutrients and vitamins to function to its full potential. Change up your home menu once in a while and give the body what it needs.

9. Moderate your salt and sugar intake

The truth is that the body needs both salt and sugar. When you take both in excess amounts, it can lead to issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes. An excellent way to start moderating your salt and sugar intake is paying attention to the ingredients of the products that you buy. For example, products with high sodium content mean that they have high salt levels. It is also important to taste your food before adding more salt to it. Both salt and sugar add taste to food, but they are best taken in moderation.

If you haven’t started yet, then start living a healthy lifestyle now by practicing the above steps. Remember to start by making small and gradual changes.