“The Belly rules the mind. ” – Spanish Proverb

 

Based on the American Academy of Family Physicians Health Bulletin  here are some healthy family lifestyle tips:

BE ACTIVE

• Make regular physical activity a high priority for you and your family.
• Walk or bike to school or work
• Pedometers can be an excellent way to motivate kids as well as adults to increase daily physical activity

EAT SMART

• Don’t force children to clean their plates or bribe them with dessert to finish a meal
• Reward desired behavior with praise, extra attention and privileges, not with food
• Eat more whole foods. Whole foods do not have the added ingredients that make our taste buds happy, like fat, sugar, and salt. Instead, they are rich in vitamins and minerals that have not been altered.

 

FEEL GOOD

• Be a positive role model as a parent, sibling, aunt/uncle, mentor
• Emphasize the importance of good health, not ideal weight
• Unconditional love, support, acceptance and encouragement are most powerful tools that families have for raising health, happy children