Adopting Healthy Lifestyles as a Family

Everyone in the Family should Live Healthy Lifestyles to Insure a Better Quality of Life

Living a healthy lifestyle is something that many people aspire to do. It's difficult to adopt a healthy lifestyle and keep up the routine. However, if the entire family lives a healthy lifestyle, it's easier to maintain and insure your health goals. Perhaps you have a job that takes up a lot of your time, or you're too busy with volunteer work, school, or anything else that life throws at you. No matter the reason, you need to make the time to become healthy and set a good example for your children.

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You're the only one that can change your everyday habits for the better, but it can be much easier to do if everyone in the family acknowledges the importance of healthy living. If our children learn from a young age what it means to eat healthy meals and exercise, they'll take that knowledge with them into adulthood as well.

Why should everyone in the family live healthy lifestyles? When you start living a healthy lifestyle at an early age, it becomes second nature. As you age, you'll be ready to adapt to lifestyle changes that will continue to improve your health and you won't get stuck in those addictive unhealthy habits that can lead to obesity and other chronic illnesses which can be a downer when you're searching for term life insurance quotes. Another added benefit of a healthy lifestyle is the opportunity to enjoy the time with your grandkids as an active participant rather than an inactive observer.

Tips on how to achieve a healthy lifestyle together as a family:

Kids Learn from Their Parents

Kids look at parents as their role models, which is why it's paramount that parents do their part and teach their children about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s eating healthy and nutritious meals, or the importance of staying active, you can always make a difference in the type of habits that your children adopt.

Use it as an Opportunity to Spend Time Together

Living a healthy life as a family gives everyone an opportunity to spend quality time together. Be mindful and add these tips to insure better healthy lifestyle results for your efforts.

1. Exercise

Rather than exercising alone, go for a walk outside with your family members. This also gives you an opportunity to properly talk to one another. It's a great way to bring up those difficult conversations you've been meaning to get started but never seem to find the time to do. Get fit with these fitness gift ideas.

2. Weekend road trips

Don't forget about road trips with kids This is the perfect opportunity for everyone to destress and improve mental health while enjoying some family fun, making lasting memories together, and insuring that your bond is strong. Road trips are also a great way to get to know each better. Share happy stories of your childhood, but remember to stay away from difficult subjects or anything stressful.

A Future Health Routine

It’s important to find a routine that everyone in the family will benefit from. If you plan on being active, why not do it while everyone is together? Plus, the activities your children pursue from a young age will impact their future, as well.

When your kids are grown up and they're young adults, who is to say that they'll not end up becoming personal trainers, physiotherapists, yoga instructions or something else that is a result of the activities they participated in as a family when they were younger? Often kids who sign up for football and discover a passion for it end up wanting to pursue this in the future, whether as a hobby or a potential career.

The same can be said for other jobs that are considered health and wellness careers. Of course, this is all based on a person's individual personality and what they enjoy doing. Perhaps you found an interest in personal training as a result of working with a trainer to improve your health. That might lead to a career change.

Don’t forget that no matter what you choose to do in the future, you'll have to acquire the necessary qualifications that allow you to make a career out of your health and wellness lifestyle. This is the case for those interested in personal training, for example, they can complete an online fitness course Leicester in order to get certified, making it an easy way to get educated on healthy lifestyle fitness careers. Keep in mind that different career paths will require different steps. Some will require certifications, some will require degrees.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle as a family is a win-win situation. Of course, you want the best for your family. So why not prioritize adopting healthy habits as a family into your daily routine? This will improve your quality of life, both in the short and long-term, improve your chance of obtaining affordable health insurance, and likely get you the best possible term life insurance quotes. You'll find yourself saving money on bad habits, insurance, and feeling much happier as a result of it all! These simple lifestyle changes can bring your family closer together. As always, I know you can do it!

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Get started with this Healthy Organic Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

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Healthy Living Tips and Ideas on Pinterest: Why I'm Taking Baby Steps to Change my Life

A few weeks ago, I published a post with a BMI calculator asking you to join me in my weight loss endeavor. I've been trying to shift my focus to healthy living. For me, eating isn't really the problem, but I'd like to get the entire family on a healthy schedule and diet. So, I've been visiting lots of healthy living websites looking for tips and ideas and pinning healthy lifestyle pins on Pinterest.

Tomato plants in our organic garden.

I'm too young to be a hippie and too old to be a hipster, so I guess I'll just become a crunchy mama. I lean that way for sure, but it isn't always practical for me. I am into attachment parenting though, so I am well on my way. Only... I don't look the part. I lost my way, and I am struggling to get back to an appropriate level of fitness.

Fake it 'til you make it. That's what I intend to do.

Yep, I have a little garden patch, some chickens, and a few ducks. I've been building a coop and a barn for something else. Maybe a goat or a llama? It popped into my head this week that I need to build a greenhouse for my plants. I kill Rosemary every year. This year, I didn't even bother with her!

Enter Pinterest.

Wyandotte Chickens and Pekin Ducks at 3 months old.

If you follow this blog, you probably know we're kind of Pinterest superstars. As a visual person, I love Pinterest. No, I probably won't get back to any of the things, but I sure like to look at the pretty pictures and dream. So, what are my favorite boards for healthy living?

• Crum Creek is a health food company with the motto "indulge in healthy".  They have great Pinterest boards with lots of ideas for making healthy choices.

• Vegetarian Zen is a blog about a family learning to become vegetarians with the motto "happy body, healthy mind".  This is a great place to learn all about how to be healthy. Vegetarian Pinterest Boards.

• Pure Health Girls this is a site focused on raising awareness on how to take control of your health and longevity. They provide valuable information about the dangers of pesticides, hormones, and GMO's. See the Pinterest Boards here.

• Green Rainbow Revolution is a new company dedicated to finding the best ethical, healthy, and sustainable products. They have fun, educational Pinterest boards.

For great healthy living tips be sure to hop over to Pinterest and check out all of these great pinners :)

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Healthy Eating Tips for Busy College Student

You can Eat Healthy in College

Hectic schedules are inevitable for a college student. But studying hard doesn’t mean you forget to eat. Remember, your brain needs fuel. It is extremely easy and tempting to grab a cup of ramen or a pizza with a sprite and call it a day. However, this is neither feasible nor healthy. Great news!  It isn’t an impossible task to incorporate healthy meals into your busy routine.

Basic Nutrition

The basic food groups are something everyone is aware of. This will help you determine the amount and types of food you should consume to stay healthy. Eating healthy can be challenging, however, the consequences of unhealthy eating may be slow to occur but devastating in the long run. 

With issues like fatigue, depression, menstrual irregularities, gastrointestinal issues, and low immunity, “you truly become what you eat”. 

Most people are familiar with the classical food pyramid, however, in 2014 this was replaced with the plate. This showcased not only the recommended nutritive foods you should consume but also gives an idea about portion size.

However, keep in mind that the portion sizes vary greatly depending on your age, gender, and physical activity. For example, a college athlete will need far more calories compared to a chemistry undergrad spending their days in the lab. 

Recommended Daily Intake

Typically, a college student needs about 4-8 servings (3-5 for females) of carbs of which at least half should be whole grains. Protein intake of 45-55g per day is enough whereas curbing your dairy cravings to no more than three cups a day. 

Vitamin and fiber-rich fruits and veggies, thankfully have no strict restrictions, but the recommended minimum for 2-3 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruits daily. Always keep various types of brightly colored fruits and veggies in your routine, because all of these are packed with all the correct vitamins. Some of these include but are not limited to broccoli, carrots, spinach, oranges, kiwi, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, etc. (via HealthCanal.)

How Unhealthy Food choices Affects Us

College and caffeine are a tale as old as time. Deadlines, gruesome assignments, early morning lectures, or warm nights surrounded by friends, caffeine is a constant companion. However, constant caffeine intake is linked to insomnia, anxiety, poor concentration, and performance. 

Instead, try to sleep at least 7 hours (get off your social media past midnight!). Limit those caffeine cups to 1-2 per day and try to keep those all-nighters, only occasionally in emergencies and spaced apart.

Even though this is akin to beating a dead horse, fats are deadly when eaten excessively, it is a major culprit for cardiac diseases and stroke. Nonetheless, cheat days are allowed and moderate intakes are encouraged.

Whole grains are the better choice when it comes to carbs. Excess sugar is converted to fat leading to weight gain and is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Low-fiber refined sugar doesn’t trigger insulin which stores away the excess sugar, the pancreas is unable to deal with the sugar rush, hence you crave sugars only hours after that delicious pasta.

 

Salt and preservatives, rich processed meats, canned food, and packed meals are at risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and some cancers.

Dining Hall Tips to 

Planning is the best way to avoid giving in to your sugary urges. Browse through the dining halls menu online and decide your breakfast before going to bed, so you don’t buy meals with your craving eyes. Some college dining halls provide calorie counts for their meals. 

Keep an apple or some granola bars to your snack on your midday cravings and avoid the vending machine. Many healthy lifestyle snack options, like nut butter, crunchy seaweed snacks, and protein bars.

Try to keep a protein source on your plate as well as a fresh item. Salads are a great option and mind you, there is way more to salads than just lettuce. Choose grilled instead of fried chicken. Replenish your plate with veggies and choose brown rice over white rice.

Desserts can be fruit instead of sweetened yogurt. Replace your sodas with freshly pressed juices and water. Try different items on the menu regularly instead of sticking to a single item. Avoid lingering in the dining hall for long, don’t use the hall for group studying and projects. This will distract you and tempt you to eat more than you need.

There are many ways to make small changes to your diet which will make a world of difference only if you put your mind to it.

Dorm Room Cooking

Many dorms may not have adequate facilities for cooking meals regularly. In such cases, stock up your pantry with items like fruits, dried fruits, bagged salad greens, can tuna, whole grains (oats), yogurt, and popcorn. 

However, there are many ways to whip up easy meals for college students on the budget and drowning in deadlines. From baked salmon to chicken avocado, many easy weeknight dinners are great and take little time to make.

Microwave Meal

Microwave meals can also be healthy and quick to make. Scrambled eggs, lean cuisine, potatoes, can soup, single-serve quinoa, or brown rice cups can make simple, quick, and delicious meals. Top with seasoning and wash down with some freshly blended smoothies to keep you full for the day.

Eating Well on a Budget

Money is always tight for college students. The stress of college work can be so overwhelming that budgeting meals while keeping them healthy is the last thing on your mind. To help you here are some tricks to save your money and your health:

• Make a shopping list for each meal during weekends and only stick to that.

• Avoid buying expensive snacks like chocolates, chips, and packaged frozen meals too often.

• Shop for fresh produce and meats on sale. Not expired.

• Buy one or two expensive items like dressings and spices one at a time during each shopping trip to stock up.

• Always keep cheese and salads, greens on hand to whip up a quick salad with any leftover meat or fish.

• Stock your pantry with items that have long shelf lives to keep eating healthy. 

Establish an Eating Habit 

Two to three solid meals are a must, daily. Eat while you are slightly hungry and at specified times if possible with small intervals between snacks and meals. 

You are likely to eat more while starving, but frequent small meals will keep you full and functioning. Even if you can’t sit to eat because of classes or sleep, keep a snack to munch on the go.

Portion Control

Easier said than done. We all know that all college students are perpetually hungry. However, try to eat slowly and wait 10-15 minutes before the next round. Drink plenty of water and eat on a small plate these are just some tips that can help you understand and implement portion control into a healthy diet plan.

Furthermore, keep in mind that you can always have seconds later, so don’t pile your plate with everything in the dining hall or give in to that discount buffet.

A balanced meal of carbs, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats with a rainbow of fruits and veggies is ideal. Try to incorporate this as much as you can, at least daily if not every meal.

Smart Foods for Quick Nutrition

Adding a healthy item or two to your meal will not only improve the nutritive quality of your meal but also elevate its taste. Here are some smart foods to add to your meals or to snack on throughout the day.

• Beans

• Blueberries

• Dark Chocolate

• Dark green vegetables

• Oats

• Salmon

• Walnuts 

These tasty items also happen to be brain foods. So fuel your brain and get your gears working for that organic chemistry assignment.

Eat breakfast, even if you wake up at lunchtime

Running late for classes or oversleeping, we have all been there. Nevertheless, skipping breakfast for that isn’t the answer. Numerous studies have reiterated the importance of a healthy breakfast on classroom performance. 

On-the-go breakfasts like single-serve oatmeals, greek yogurt, hummus, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and fruits are highly packed with nutrients.

Make sure you take exercise 101

Yes, we have all heard this advice and we hate it. But this advice is repeatedly drilled into people’s minds for a reason: it works. Incorporate exercise into your routine, like your classes you shouldn’t miss. 

Set up a workout corner in your room, walk to class, join a gym or join the college sports team or local fitness centers, the options are endless once you put your mind into it. Improved mood, sleep, and good memory will help you gain better results. 

 

Limit alcohol intake

The one beverage with absolutely no nutritional benefits and is detrimental to your health is alcohol. The occasional light drink during parties is acceptable but indulgence is a recipe for disaster.

Loss weight sensibly 

Starvation is never the answer to losing weight. You run the risk of developing eating disorders with fad diets and diet pills. Studies found no link between certain food combinations with weight loss. Instead balanced meals with exercise are the surest way to maintain a healthy weight. Remember health is not measured by the models and celebrities on social media and magazines.

Enjoy your pizza with half the cheese, baked potato, a regular size roast beef sandwich, or green salad. Forego the tasty trio: French fries, fried chicken, and fish sandwiches which are loaded with fat. This way you can enjoy fried food guilt-free.

Conclusion

The best advice for healthy eating is to take things easy. Keep your bones healthy with calcium-rich foods, stay hydrated and please try to sleep. All of these steps work in tandem to keep your mind and body healthy. Enjoy weekends thoroughly.

Gauge how your body reacts to different foods and adjust accordingly. Armed with the correct knowledge, tackle your next semester with a healthy body, sharp mind, and less stress. Remember, you can consistently score high as long as you are healthy.

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Monkey Treats: Healthy Crunchy Granola Banana and Chocolate Chips on a Stick Recipe

Monkeys' love them! How to make a healthy banana snack for kids.

We found this fun Monkey Treat or Banana on a stick recipe in an old, kid's cookbook from the 1970's, but they used Mayo as the glue and other yucky stuff. We prefer vanilla yogurt and granola for a healthy snack for kids.

Cool Summer Healthy Treat:  
Frozen Banana, Chocolate Chip, and Granola on a stick. 

Fun Monkey Craft Mask for Preschool

Healthy banana on a stick recipe.

To Make this Banana Snack you will need:

bananas, vanilla yogurt or vanilla pudding, 1/4 c. chopped peanuts or 1/4 chocolate pieces or 1/4 crushed graham crackers, spoon, and wooden popsicle sticks. Makes 2.

Bananas make a healthy snack for toddlers.

Peel a banana and cut it in half.  Put a wooden stick in each banana half. With your spoon, spread yogurt or pudding lightly on banana. Roll the banana in a plate of chopped peanuts, chocolate pieces, graham cracker crumbs or all three for extra 'Yum'!  

First Grade Monkey SIGHT WORD Activity

Roll banana in chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.

Make sure you read some silly monkey books afterward.


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Helping Your Kids Stay Fit and Healthy

 Get Started with these Quick Parenting Tips Today

All parents want their children to be happy and healthy, but it's often difficult to encourage our kids to follow a healthy lifestyle, especially if they have grown used to sweet treats and like to spend a lot of their time in front of their screens. If you’re a parent who is concerned about their child’s health, or would just like a few useful tips to keep in mind, below are a some simple suggestions on how you can help your children stay fit and healthy. You know how to do it, getting started is the hard part. So, here's your motivation.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience.

Diet

A good place to start is looking at your children’s diet and whether or not there need to be some changes here. You don’t have to feed your kid all organic food to make sure they maintain a good diet, and obviously, not all households can afford the more expensive products. If you want to make sure your kids are eating well, make sure they get plenty of fruits and vegetables and lots of good carbohydrates. 

Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

If your kids are fussy eaters, think of creative ways to get them to eat a variety of foods, like making them a healthy smoothie or soup so the veggies and fruits are hidden from view. Also consider taking time to cook meals with your children so they can start to learn this important life skill and about nutrition and what constitutes a healthy diet. We've started ordering dinnerly, an economical food delivery service. Teenagers can cook their own gourmet meals or easy weeknight dinners, you choose the recipes each week.

After School Snack Planning Ideas Printable

Exercise

Sticking to a good exercise routine, can be difficult. Kids are no different. The best way to encourage your kids (and yourself) to get moving is by finding a sport or activity that they truly enjoy. By making exercise fun, kids are more likely to engage and exercise regularly, especially if their friends are involved. Get the family out and moving together on weekends, whether it’s going for hikes or playing Frisbee together in the park.

Outdoor Play Ideas

Oral Hygiene

As well as making sure they’re eating right and getting their hearts pumping, also watch out for your children's oral health. A lot of kids don’t like having to brush their teeth before bed, particularly if they’re already tired and cranky. However, this is an essential routine they need to get into early to avoid problems with their gums and tooth decay, which can be very painful and unpleasant. Make sure your kids brush their teeth twice a day, and be sure to teach them how to floss. If they hate toothpaste, have them brush with water to get the food out and then do an oral rinse.

Is Chewing Gum good for your Teeth?

Mental Health

Physical health is important, but your child’s mental well-being is also crucial to help them stay physically healthy. This isn't always as easy to see, but the best way you can help is by creating an environment at home where your child feels comfortable talking with you about their feelings and problems. If you discover concerning behaviors, ask your kids' teachers if they've noticed anything at school. The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but especially our kids.Make sure you're paying attention, any changes in behavior might be a cry for help. Kids are struggling with depression from being forced to stay inside.

Mental Health articles from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Raising kids is the most challenging thing anyone can do. Keeping your kids fit and healthy is an important part of parenting. Hopefully, these tips will help you find new, creative ways to keep your kids happy and healthy. Be sure to click on the titles between the paragraphs above, for more detailed information on each topic.

As always, thanks for reading. You matter.

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How To Take Care Of Your Entire Family This Winter

Flu and Cold Season is on the Way

The beginning of the school year, can signal the beginning of colds and flu in your home. When the weather becomes cooler and the days grow shorter, health may become a significant concern. Coughs, colds, and even the flu, as well as more severe diseases, can suddenly become considerably more common. It's essential to understand some of the ways you can help your whole family stay healthy during winter so you can enjoy the time you spend together while everyone is safe and sound. The following tip will help you take care of your family during winter months of cold and flu season.

Tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season

Eat Healthily 

Our bodies are amazing machines that convert what we put into them in the form of food and drink into energy and hormones that do everything for us. We are happier and healthier when we eat the proper meals. A bad diet means our immune systems don't work as well as they should, and sometimes shut down altogether, so eating correctly to get enough vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies strong and ready to fight off the numerous illnesses that attack us, particularly during the winter months, is crucial. Try this recipe for baked salmon.

Adopt Healthy Lifestyle as a Family

Fruits and vegetables are the simplest methods to get these nutrients, so getting your five a day is critical. If it's a challenge to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet, try preparing a nutritious morning smoothie for everyone.  Here's a fun way to get kids to eat potassium rich bananas.

Keep Clean 

The simple act of washing your hands can help to keep everyone in the home healthy, and not just the individual who did the hand-washing. The initial point of contact between you and a virus or illness is usually your hands. Giving a loved one a hug, shaking hands, holding hands, and so on can spread diseases from one person to the next. By ensuring that everyone washes their hands frequently (particularly after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and wiping your or a child's nose), you can minimize the chance of unpleasant diseases spreading. If washing your hands causes dry skin (as it may during the winter months), then invest in some excellent hand lotion as well to keep the momentum going. 

This "how to wash your hands" interactive printable lesson is great for the classroom or homeschool, it explains the importance of hand washing in detail and makes it fun.

Check The Animals 

If you have pets, you might discover that they are prone to sickness during the winter months as well. They, too, have immune systems, and although they don't function exactly like ours, that doesn't mean they can't become sick. It is important to take your pet to a great vet, such as exceptionalpets.com, if you suspect they are ill. In this way, you can keep your pet healthy, and everyone else in the family since some animal illnesses can spread to humans.  Our pets can even catch Covid19, so if you're sick, watch them for symptoms. Our bird, a Cockatiel, was very sick when we had Covid, luckily he recovered with some TLC.

Exercise

Getting adequate exercise is another brilliant way to strengthen the immune system. This could be as easy as taking your dog for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Park a bit further away from the supermarket's entrance, so you'll have to walk a little longer. Spend some time cleaning up the leaves in the garden. It doesn't have to be an exercise class or an hour at the gym, and the more people that participate, the better.  We've got some fun PE Activities to get you moving,check them out!