In today’s super fast lifestyle, healthy living can feel like a big challenge. Sometimes it may seem impossible to gather your family and enjoy dinner together. Hectic schedules, endless obligations – taking time to have a proper meal may feel like luxury. Healthy eating is a foundation of healthy living; people who tend to eat “on the go” usually consume more unhealthy food, eat larger meals than they need to and chew less. With time, this can seriously hurt a digestive system and eventually – our health. So let’s make a first step toward healthy living: let’s eat healthy.
Inspiring healthy living – do you know why family dinners are so important?
If healthy living feels daunting, here’s some encouragement to help you understand you can fight the challenge.
Families who make time to enjoy meals together are more likely to:
– Eat healthier meals. Kids are usually not fond of fruits and vegetables, especially if they can get their hands on fast food and treats. At family meals, parents can have more control over what their kids eat. There are many tricks and advice on how to make children eat vegetables. By encouraging a healthy diet, you are making a solid foundation for your child’s healthy living – with less chance for obesity, hearth diseases, diabetes etc.
-Be more connected and involved in their children’s’ lives. Family meals are a perfect time to chitchat with your kids. What happened in school, about their friends, their interests, about things they like or dislike. Parents who use this time (when their kids’ attention is not distracted by playing computer games, listening to music or watching TV) to communicate and connect – tend to get more engaged in the daily lives of their children and are more likely to hear if some serious problems come up. Building trust between kids and parents is extremely important. Kids who feel it’s safe to reach out for their parents any time are less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, consume drugs and generally less likely to get involved in risky behavior.
-Suffer less stress and tension at home. Suppers can be stress relievers and an oasis of positive conversation. The feelings of belonging, acceptance and togetherness are powerful weapons against stress accumulated during the day from demanding jobs, overwhelming obligations or peer pressure – it’s immensely beneficial both for parents and children. Emotionally balanced people are better parents and more likely to help their kids develop stronger self-esteem.
-Build healthier eating habits. Our taste in food, number and quantity of daily meals and the way we consume them – our eating habits are usually built during childhood. Children who are used to eating healthy food from an early age tend to keep those habits later through life. Kids who eat unhealthy fast food in large portions and often eat snacks in between are less likely to adopt a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables later in life. Smaller, healthy meals eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly are the best way to provide our body with the vitamins and nutrients necessary to built a strong immune system and stay healthy.
