Healthy living isn't just for your mom, dad and other adults. If you're a child who wants to be healthy, get sick less often, grow quickly and stay strong, three specific actions can help. You may need an adult's help with some of these actions, so first sit down with your parent or guardian and talk about the healthy goals you're trying to reach.
Eat Good Food
The key to being a healthy child is good food, according to the University of Cincinnati Wellness. The university reports that kids aren't as healthy today as they were two decades ago, but you can change that. By choosing healthy foods instead of unhealthy foods, you can lower your risk of health problems like diabetes or obesity.
If you're trying to eat healthily, nutrition experts offer several tips for kids. The University of Mississippi suggests that you not eat meals or snack while watching television or playing on the computer. The computer or TV can distract you and cause you to eat more than you need. When you choose the foods you eat, focus on vegetables and fruits, of which the National Institutes of Health recommend five servings every day. Finally, make sure you're eating protein. Protein helps your body grow. Recommended sources of lean protein include fish, poultry like chicken, low-fat milk, eggs, beans and nuts, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Exercise
It's easy to lose track of time while you're playing a video game or watching TV, and soon you've spent hours not moving. Not exercising can make you gain weight and leads to other health problems. For these reasons, the National Institutes of Health suggests limiting your time in front of the computer or television and that you exercise for at least 60 minutes every day. The institute reports that daily exercise can help you grow stronger and study better in school.
There are all kinds of ways to exercise. Get your friends together to play field games like soccer or baseball. If you're alone, the University of Cincinnati highlights exercises like jump rope or walking. If your school or community centers offer it, you can also lift weights in a gym or run on a track, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Get Lots of Sleep
When you sleep, your body repairs itself. It's also during your sleep that your body releases peak amounts of growth hormones, which help you get taller and stronger. If you don't get enough sleep, you may feel grumpy or not be able to focus on your schoolwork. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise children to sleep for 10 to 13 hours a night, while adolescents and teenagers need 8.5 to 9.5 hours a night.
You can help yourself fall asleep faster and enjoy a better rest by following good sleeping practices and schedules, according to the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Stanford University reports that you shouldn't watch exciting movies or TV shows or play exciting video games before going to bed because such stimulation can make you feel more awake. The University of Michigan Health System recommends going to bed at the same time every night, and doing whatever it takes to calm you down, like reading a book or having your parents read a book to you.
References
- University of Cincinnati NetWellness: Good Food, the Key to Healthy Children
- University of Mississippi: Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle
- Weight-Control Information Network: Helping Your Child - Tips for Parents
- MedlinePlus: Child Nutrition
- MedlinePlus: Exercise for Children
- MedlinePlus: Exercise and Children
