HEALTH AND FITNESS: Tips For A Healthy Return To School

This week marks the start of another school year for many children in our area. Students, parents and teachers begin another year of opportunities for children to learn and grow through math and science, literacy, art and music.

But even children need to know about proper nutrition and physical activity, because good health and education are essential to lifelong happiness and success. However, most children do not receive meaningful education on nutrition, physical activity and health in most schools.

To be clear, this is not the fault of teachers or school leaders whose skills are limited by local, state or federal regulations. These issues inevitably become “homework” and are the responsibility of parents and other caregivers. Here are some suggestions for improving the health and well-being of our children and families.

Make sure all family members are active every day. Physical activity is essential for everyone's health. Above all, it can strengthen your immune system and help it fight all types of viruses. Plus, exercise helps you work and learn better, and makes it easier for you to do what you love in your free time. Adults should be active at least 30 minutes a day. Walk your dog, work out at the gym and it all counts. The goal for kids is 60 minutes a day to exercise, exercise, and play. As a bonus, you can complete at least some of the missions together to make class a family event!

Make healthy eating a family project. There is a lot of confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet, but there are guidelines that almost everyone agrees on. First, eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat at least 5 servings a day, but try to double the amount. Second, add sugar and limit the salt content. This is difficult because most processed foods contain salt, sugar and other sweeteners. Too much sugar is known to lead to obesity, heart disease and certain cancers. So it's one of the smartest diets you can do. Salt isn't necessarily bad on its own, but less salt almost always means less processed foods and more "real" foods. Finally, think about portion sizes. Large portions and second (and third) servings are the main reasons people gain weight over time.

Plan to eat together at least once a day. Most experts agree that family meals are important for developing good communication and healthy eating habits. With our days filled with work, school, and other activities, it's unrealistic for many families to have dinner together every night. So start by planning at least one family meal each week. This is a good opportunity to teach children about food and cooking. It's even better if you cook the food together.

Make getting enough sleep a priority. Many American adults and children don't get enough sleep. Many American adults and children don't get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can affect children's growth, development and learning. It can also affect an adult's productivity. The health effects of chronic stress are well known and we need to recognize sleep deprivation as a form of stress. A good goal for adults is to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. School-aged children need 8-12 hours, younger children more. As difficult as it may be, going to bed earlier can benefit everyone in the family. Limiting the time before bed (TV, computer, tablet) can also help improve sleep.

Of course, these ideas are easier to read than to implement, especially for busy families. But moving more, eating better, and sleeping more, especially when you do it together, can help your family have a happier, healthier year.

"Experts" give advice on returning to school/"Experts" give advice on returning to school