Starting The School Year Healthy!

If you have students in the home, it is important to make sure they are healthy for all of the learning and growing that will take place all year. Healthy habits take time to form. It also takes a long time to break bad habits. Help your students to cultivate healthy habits now. Here are a few important tips for the school year.

1.Get adequate sleep! Most children and many adults do not get enough sleep. Depending on their age, children and teens should get between 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night. Students should be able to stay awake throughout the day without caffeine. Too many people depend on caffeine or sugary foods to help them get through the day. A body that is well rested will be able to stay awake throughout the day.  In the Journal of Sleep Restriction, a study published documented how sleep deprived preschool students ate more sugary foods. Another reason to get enough sleep is that, Lack of sleep stimulates appetite-promoting effects.

2.Eat real food! Start the day with fresh fruits or real smoothies made at home, not the store bought items filled with sugar. Eat eggs, oatmeal or healthy muffins with your fruit. Processed quick breakfast foods do not fuel the body all day and they set us up for exhaustion mid morning.

3.Pack real food for lunch! It is tempting to use lunchables and other prepared foods for an easy lunch prep. All of these items are again filled with processed foods that our bodies do not thrive on. Pack fruits, veggies, hummus or other dips for lunch along with maybe a hard boiled egg or a healthy sandwich and water that will fuel your student for a healthy day without the sugar crash and cravings that processed foods guarantee….

 

4.Exercise! Many schools no longer have a daily physical fitness class. Exercise is great for our muscles, our heart and our bones. If your student doesn’t play a sport regularly, ask them to take a walk with you after dinner or a bike ride after school. Find ways to encourage exercise for the whole family. Exercising will help everyone to sleep better and have more daily energy.

 

5. Cut back on sugar! Sugar suppresses the immune system. It is hard to stay healthy during the school year, especially once cold and flu season are here. Strengthen the immune system by finding ways to cut out treats and desserts throughout the week for a healthier year.