Life gets busy; there’s so much hustle and bustle, so much that needs to get done. It can honestly be super understandable why health gets taken into the backseat. However, as everyone knows, you can only go so long with making poor health choices before they really start to show. For example, if you’re constantly eating junk food and getting little sleep, then of course, it’s going to get to a point where anxiety and poor mental health start to show.
Physical and mental health are super intertwined, and the health choices you and your family make today and reflect on tomorrow. When it comes to you, your spouse, your children, and the rest of your family, you want them to have long, happy, and healthy lives, but in order for all of that to happen, according to our contributing writer, they truly do need to make health changes, and that requires for them to take their health more serious.
So, how can you instill it into your family, specifically incorporate it into their lifestyle as if it were second nature to have a healthy life? Well, here’s everything that you need to know!
You Have to Start Leading By Example
When it comes to health, particularly getting yourself and your family to take it seriously, it’s all going to start with practing what you preach. So, you’ll need to demonstrate your commitment to a healthier lifestyle by embracing positive habits yourself. Whether it’s making nutritious food choices, staying active, or managing stress effectively, leading by example sets the tone for the entire family. If they see you do it, they’ll know it’s easy, plus they’re going to take you seriously if they see that you’re doing it and you’re enjoying what you’re doing. So this is something you’re definitely going to want to keep it in mind. Eventually, since you’re leading by example, slowly but surely, this is going to eventually become ingrained in the family culture.
Keep the Family Active
This doesn’t necessarily need to be about exercising; honestly, if you force someone (regardless of age) to exercise, they’re going to resent you, and they’re going to hate exercising. So, it’s really all about doing something that’s fun, something enjoyable, something that doesn’t feel like a grueling work out. Think of a hike, for example; it’s fun, most people really enjoy it, and it is technically an exercise.
Even taking your kids to the park to play is another example since they get the chance to run around, climb on the monkeybars, and so on. This not only promotes physical health but also fosters bonding and shared experiences centered around well-being. So, just keep in mind that this really needs to be enjoyable; if it’s enjoyable, then it’s going to be easier for your family- particularly your kids to understand why health needs to be taken seriously.
Consider the Meals
In a way, this piggybacks on what’s up above. Just as exercising doesn’t need to be grueling, one’s diet doesn’t either. You don’t have to feed your family unseasoned steamed veggies and dressing-free salads in order to have a healthy diet. So, instead, you can explore new and tasty recipes that incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. There are plenty of recipes circulating online and offline that are loaded with healthy recipes. In general, making healthy eating enjoyable reduces resistance and increases compliance.
But it doesn’t have to end there; why not get them involved in the making of the food itself? If you have kids, this is going to give them a much better idea of what is and what isn’t healthy, so eventually, they’ll be making better lifestyle choices for their diet. So, it’s best to just go ahead and involve the whole family in meal preparation.
Cooking together can be a fun and educational activity, and it encourages everyone to appreciate the importance of nutritious food. Plus it takes pressure off of you from doing all the cooking, too.
Mental Health Still Needs to be Prioritized
One good thing about the modern day is the fact that mental health isn’t such a big taboo as it once was. There used to be so much negative stigma when it came to mental health, but this is slowly going away, and more advocacy is here. So, with that said, let your family know and understand that mental health is just as important as physical health and how closely intertwined they are. All you need to do is create an environment where family members feel comfortable discussing their feelings and mental well-being. In general, open communication helps identify and address mental health concerns early on.
Incorporate Mindfulness
Another thing that’s best to keep in mind, along with mental health, is mindfulness. Admittedly, the concept is still fairly new, but it’s not just adults who benefit from practicing this; kids do, too. So, go ahead and introduce mindfulness practices such as meditation or yoga as a family. These activities can promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance overall mental resilience. While it sounds unusual, this is something that everyone could truly benefit from regardless of age, it’s truly invigorating.
Schedule Regular Checkups
It’s honestly on the parents to make their children take doctor visits seriously. Sure, most kids hate going to the doctor’s office since it can be seen as scary. But as a parent, you, of course, need to teach them the importance of going to regular visits. Sometimes, this can be difficult, especially since medical visits nowadays seem to become more and more expensive.
But you, your spouse, and even your kids need to have their checkups before their bodies change as they get older. Things like glasses are needed unexpected visits due to accidents, and even dental-related checkups. Honestly, it’s best to look into dental insurance with no waiting period or at least some health insurance that can help. But overall, get good health insurance, and make sure that you and your whole family don’t skip out on visits to the doctor.
Set Realistic Goals
These don’t need to be specific to each family member, like having one kid lose a certain amount of weight. Instead, set goals that all the family members can do together, such as going out a couple of times a week and being active together or cutting out soda. Just make sure these are realistic, and remember, baby steps are okay, too.
Limit Screen Time
Everyone can benefit from cutting out some screen time, everyone can. Why not go ahead and make it a goal for the household to cut down on this? You could easily designate certain areas or times in your home as tech-free zones to encourage physical activity and face-to-face interactions. It could even be certain times of the day, too, such as no more screens past 8:00 pm, for instance.
There are health concerns when it comes to screens, so everyone could benefit from this. So, dont think of this as a punishment, and inform your family of the risks. Remember, taking your health more seriously needs to be a part of the lifestyle, and in order for something to really be apart of the lifestyle, there needs to be education.
Emphasize the Importance of Sleep
As you know, everyone needs their sleep; even animals need their sleep. It’s best to go ahead and develop consistent bedtime routines for family members- yourself included, ensuring they get adequate and quality sleep. Children especially hate going to bed, depending on their age, it’s almost as if it’s a punishment (even though it’s not). A lot of them would rather stay up and keep playing, and they don’t entirely understand that they’ll feel worse the next day without all of that sleep.
So, you’ll need to help encourage health sleeping habits both for you and your kids. So, go ahead and share information on the importance of good sleep hygiene practices, such as limiting caffeine intake before bedtime (such as cutting out soda) and creating a comfortable sleep environment like a night light and soft bedding. In general, you know that it’s easier to go to sleep when the conditions are just right, so you need to keep that in mind.