Hayden Pasco, MD Primary Health Group - Short Pump |
Children learn by watching other people — especially their parents. Set
an early example for them by taking the time to eat healthy, exercise, and rest
well. A common problem is that parents want the best for their kids, but they
make different choices for themselves because it is easier. Don’t make separate
meals for different members of the family, and encourage eating together. Food
choices, eating behavior, and habits that we see in adults are directly related
to what we were exposed as a child. Parents have the power to shape those
patterns by making healthy lifestyle choices for their family and children
early.
Women are especially guilty of putting everyone else’s needs before
their own. Sick mothers are often bringing mildly ill children in for appointments
and not being seen personally because they “just don’t have the time” to get to
the doctor themselves. Being the backbone of most fast-paced families, women
need to pay special attention to their own diet, exercise, and sleep regimen
because otherwise they won’t have the energy they both want and need to care
for their families. Sleep is an especially important factor in this equation as
it becomes difficult to think clearly and function at 100 percent without it.
Ultimately, sleep deprivation, in the name of putting the family first, will
result in reduced immune function, welcoming more illness and crippling
fatigue.
Parents should agree what type of lifestyle goals they want to instill
in their family while prioritizing their own health needs. Raising healthy,
happy kids requires a well-planned strategy to which everyone commits. There
are several ways to include everyone in healthy activities on a regular basis –
take the dog for a walk after dinner, ride your bikes together (with helmets,
of course!), or just play catch in the yard. Another avenue to spend time
together, while instilling the values of healthy nutrition, is to start a
backyard garden. This will not only be fun for everyone, but will ensure easy
access to fresh vegetables. We are actually heading into a garden-planning season,
so it’s a good time to visit your local garden store and get educated.
We eat a lot of processed foods because they are convenient, and often
simple diet modifications can not only improve our general health, but prevent
more serious diseases later in life. Try to shop around the outside of the
grocery store aisles and eat natural foods. Make cooking healthy meals part of
the family routine. There are tremendous online resources for natural recipes
and ways to eat well without breaking the budget.
The American Heart Association notes that roughly one in three American
children today is overweight. This epidemic is a significant issue both
nationwide and locally here in Richmond. We start looking at Body Mass Index
(BMI) in children at the 2-year well-child visit. If we find that the child is
trending towards overweight at an early age, we work with families to come up
with a plan that addresses both nutrition and exercise, ensuring a healthy
trajectory going forward. Because children naturally want to be active, most of
these behaviors can be easily modified by motivated parents, reducing issues
later in life.
Weight can be an emotional issue for all involved, and children become
increasingly aware of this as they get older. It is important to communicate
effectively with children about healthy lifestyle choices and try to structure
family activities to appropriately encourage them. Your thoughts on weight
issues may be different than those of your child, and it is important to reach
a common ground because everyone internalizes the issue differently.
Instilling healthy habits and maintaining them as a lifestyle is
actually pretty easy and manageable when done with the proper amount of
planning and commitment. A simple first step is cooking at home and eating
meals as a family, leading into spending quality time in the evening after the
hustle and bustle of the day is over.
If you have any questions about wellness, or would like
to schedule a consultation with Dr. Pasco, please call Primary Health Group –Short Pump at 804.217.9091.
No comments:
Post a Comment