8 Habits Of Extraordinarily Healthy Families
We enlisted a few health experts to give you the tips and tricks of fit families that you can borrow to keep your own brood in top form. Think tiny tweaks to what you’re already doing, not complete habit overhauls — we promise.
1. They Get Outside And Play Together
One of the very best ways to get in shape — at any age — is to get moving. We’re not talking signing up for half marathons here; it could be a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood.
2. They Have No-Phone Zones
No iPads, no iPods, no phones, texting, tweeting — none of that. Come up with a plan that outlines times and spaces where screens are off-limits, such as at dinner table, in the bedroom and during designated homework time.
3. They Make Meal Prep A Fun Family Activity
Invite your kids to tackle dinner this week. They’ll need some guidance, but having children participate in meal prep and be a part of the cooking process is a great way to promote healthy eating habits and make them more interested in learning about smart, healthful food choices.
4. They Organize Their Schedules Around Good Health
To keep your family on the track toward healthy living, try getting a calendar and putting it in a place where everyone in the family can see. Then use it.
5. They Rethink Snacktime
Keep within easy reach snacks such as veggies and hummus, almonds and fruit; when you and the kids are low on energy after a full day, it’ll be easy to grab the cut-up carrots and celery or an apple from a bowl on the kitchen table.
6. They Communicate
Almost all experts suggest families eat meals together, which encourages them to talk, discuss and share about their day. Mental health, sleep, experiences at school and how they’re interacting with others are so closely linked, and if something is bothering or troubling a child, it will affect their overall well-being. Weekly check-ins, either as a whole family or one-on-one between parent and kid, are a good way to make sure there is open communication.
7. They Wind Down Together At The End Of The Day
The whole household (parents, too!) should be winding down during the hour or so before bedtime. Read together or individually, or play a game (after homework is finished).
8. They Know How To Keep Exercise Fun
Not only do healthy families get outside and play together, they know staying active is a lifelong habit — and routines can become dull after a while. Families should consider yoga, running or high-intensity interval training in order to mix things up.
The World’s Biggest Candy Company Is Taking A Stand On Sugary Desserts
Mars, the biggest candy producer on the planet, may pull its M&Ms, Snickers and other candies out of fast-food desserts if those desserts contain more than a day’s worth of added sugar.
Hint: That standard applies to pretty much every fast-food dessert.
At least one health expert says Mars is “silly” to consider removing its candies from sugary desserts, considering its products aren’t healthy to begin with. But in our opinion, the candyman is onto something.
A small bag of regular M&Ms has 30 grams of sugar, beneath the recommended limit of 50 grams per day for added sugar set by the Food and Drug Administration.
But even a teeny-weeny “snack size” McFlurry with M&Ms exceeds the limit by almost 20 percent, at 59 grams of sugar. Cutting M&Ms from the order would allow consumers to stay under their sugar limit for the day, if they’re conscientious about the rest of their meals.
Whole Foods Nailed For Unsanitary Conditions In Food Prep Plant
East coasters who rely on Whole Foods’ ready-to-eat meals to live are going to want to rethink their strategy for a while.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently nailed Whole Foods for filthy, injurious conditions at a plant in Massachusetts that prepares ready-to-eat foods for the high-end supermarket chain. The meals are distributed throughout 74 stores in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Northern New Jersey.
The sickening details in the FDA’s letter, dated June 8, explain that plant workers were preparing foods in areas where condensation dripped from ceilings, doorways, drainage pipes and fans, or in areas that didn’t have adequate splash guards to protect from hand washing stations. The letter also alleges that employees didn’t take breaks to wash their hands or change gloves between handling foods and packaging them into bulk cartons. Inspectors also observed an employee spraying down work surfaces in close proximity to others who were packing ready-to-eat salads, which meant the sanitizer liquid was sprayed onto an open container of salad greens.
These sanitation violations meant the food products “were prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health.”
Whole Foods pushed back on the FDA letter, and said that they’ve addressed the violations.
3 Things You Need To Do NOW To Become A Morning Person
1. For starters, night time prep is half the battle.
A few minutes at night to set up the coffee pot, lay out an outfit, and get your lunch together for the following day can be a godsend come sun-up.
2. Set two alarms.
The first one is gentle, within reach and set for five minutes before you really need it. This soothing sound will slowly wake you up. The second one should be louder, placed across the room and set for the time you actually need to get up.
3. Do something that is genuinely, authentically YOU.
Too many people give themselves exactly enough time to hurriedly get ready for work and get out the door. Give yourself a little “me” time before the hustle begins. Enjoy your coffee slowly. Take a walk or do 10 minutes of yoga. Do a little bit of journaling. If you walk out the door with peace in your heart, you’ll carry it with you throughout the day.
Just for you!
We don’t know what you do for a living, but we do know you likely need a break. And, nearly halfway through the year, we’re challenging you (yes — busy, overworked, financially stretched you) to #TakeABreak. During the month of June, we’ll help you nail down how many vacation days you have at your disposal, figure out where to go, and plan a trip you can actually afford. For 30 days of travel tips, cheap flight hacks, vacation ideas and wanderlust galore, opt in below.
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