Good News Tucson - A Family Values Publication

How To Stay Healthy As A Family

by Rachael Martin MS, RD

Families, in general, are not what they once were. We juggle careers, kid’s activities, and general business. Here are some tips for keeping a busy family healthy:

• Try to slow down the pace. Stress effects everyone—toddlers to teens.

• Look at eating habits. If you are on the move, bring along healthy foods for everyone so you can minimize reliance on fast foods.

• Try once-a-week cooking. Make meals in advance to freeze, so that real food can be reheated for meals, rather than relying on take-out.

• Enlist the family’s help. My 8-year-old loves to help with meal preparation, cleaning, and laundry. She’d make dinner every night on her own, if she could! Many kids, especially older ones are well-capable of taking on more household tasks, while learning enduring life-skills at the same time.

• Does everyone exercise in your family? Carving out time for each member is so important. Try taking walks around the soccer field with some of the family while others are playing, or adjust your schedule for exercise time for you. (Don’t laugh, you can do it!)

• Preschoolers and teens are often a risk for gaining unhealthy weight if food choices, and exercise opportunities are not given adequate attention. Take a look at this in your family.

• You’ve heard it before, but how much TV, Nintendo or computer use goes on in your house? Try to limit everyone’s time (even parent’s), and include more activity and less of the snacking that often accompanies these activities.

• Relax; you don’t have to live a perfect life! You can make changes slowly, and maybe put up with a little dust in order to get everyone out to move or make healthy meals!

Rachael Martin, M.S., R.D. is the owner of Eating and Body Image Solutions, a nutritional therapy and consulting business. She can be reached at 235-1568 or ebis-rd@earthlink.net.