Smart Back to School Health Tips for Your Family

The start of the school year is a perfect opportunity to recommit to health and wellness. Whether your children will be in the classroom or doing remote learning, starting off on the right foot is a smart strategy. From packing healthy lunches to family physical activities, you and your family can have a more successful school year by following Advantage Care Health Centers’ back to school tips.

The Benefits of Making Health a Regular Part of the School Day

Healthy eating and regular exercise are highly recommended for both adults and children, because it improves overall fitness and provides other important benefits, including:

• Healthy and strong immune system
• Stress relief
• Stronger bones and muscles
• More energy
• Improved strength and endurance
• Better sleep
• Higher self-esteem

Easy and Effective Back to School Health Tips

To live a happy, healthier life this school year, master these four basic activities: eating right, being active, reducing screen time and getting enough sleep.

Eating Right

Learning to eat right is one of the back to school health tips your family should be paying the most attention to. Following a balanced diet — which includes foods that are lower in fat and have fewer calories — helps with maintaining a healthy weight, improving energy and reducing the risks of developing health problems, including heart disease and diabetes.

Tips to Help Your Family Eat Right

• Review recommended dietary guidelines
• Make food shopping a family activity
• Choose foods that are lower in fat and have fewer calories
• Create family healthy eating plans

Being Active

An active lifestyle is another key to getting and staying healthy. When combined with eating right, it can make a big difference in both physical and mental health.

How to Get Healthy the Right Way

• Get the whole family involved
• Start slow
• Be consistent

Ways to Get Active

From after-dinner walks to bicycles rides, there are many simple and safe activities any family can do to stay fit.

• Walk for exercise 
• Play sports, like basketball
• Jump rope
• Dance
• Play tag

These are just a few suggestions. Feel free to pick healthy activities that you think will work well for your own family.

Reducing Screen Time

Today, we are pleased with many great technology options, like cell phones, TV and more. While we all enjoy watching movies or scrolling through social media, too much screen time can have a negative influence on your family’s health and wellness.

As a parent, be a positive role model by reducing your own screen time first.

Try to limit screen time to two hours each day for children two years of age or older. Encourage your children to play outside after the school day or turn on the radio at night for a family dance party.

Schedule a Medical Checkup at Advantage Care

The last on our list of back to school health tips is to consider scheduling an appointment with your health center. At your visit, you can receive recommended medical services, including screening, vaccinations and school physical. By checking in with your health care professional, you can make sure your whole family has a happier, healthier school year.

Request an appointment today.