If you’re like most moms, making sure that your family is happy and healthy is your absolute non-negotiable number one priority. The thought of someone in your family falling ill or succumbing to mental illness no doubt sends shivers down your spine – and rightly so! If you’re feeling like you need to up your health and happiness game in your family lately, check out these 7 awesome tips for making sure that everyone in your family is happy, healthy, and can do what they love!
- If you have kids, vaccinate them. This is absolutely a number one priority. So many easily preventable and terribly deadly diseases are out there. You would not want your kids to fall prey to something you so easily could have protected them from. Plus, there is actually exactly zero evidence that vaccines cause autism or have any other adverse health effects at all (except for the very, very rare case of an allergic reaction).Make sure that you’re being a responsible mom and take your kids for their routine vaccinations, as well as yearly flu shots! You can still buy essential oils for their relaxation-based health benefits, but remember, there’s just no substitute for Western medicine.
- Feed them lots of veggies. Trust us, we get it. At the end of a long day, you just want to pop a can of hamburger helper in the microwave, dish it up, and let your kids have at it washed down with a glass of chocolate milk. This will only lead to illness down the road. (Plus, you really should not be microwaving cans anyway.) It only takes a little effort to ensure that your kids are eating whole veggies at every meal. And instead of red meat like hamburger, try to choose healthier, cleaner options, like fish, occasional chicken, and plenty of plant-based protein. This will ensure that as your kids grow, their heart grows healthy with them.
- Get plenty of exercise with them. One of the most fun and rewarding things you can do with your kids is to get outside and exercise with them. Your kids will love the time they get to spend running around at the park with their mom, and they’ll be much healthier with a solid dose of running around injected into their daily schedule. You’ll be healthier for it too! Try to take the kids outside for some outdoor play at least three times a week. Ball games, tag, and footraces can all be great ways to keep your little ones active and ensure they’re growing strong.
- Make sure you get checkups at the doctor regularly. This goes for everyone in your family. Your kids should be getting a checkup every few months, especially if they have any chronic conditions like asthma or a serious allergy. But, just because you’re all grown up doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be getting checked up on at least once a year too.And, it’ll be a slog, but try to get your husband in there for a prostate and testicular exam. He won’t want to do it, but it’s an easy and quick thing to do, and the best way to stop prostate cancer – the most common cancer among men – is to prevent it early. Get yourself a regular mammogram and pap smear too. You want to be there for your kids long-term!
- Drive safely. Every year, tens of thousands of Americans get behind the wheel of a car never to return home again. Car accident deaths are one of the top killers in our country, and you should absolutely not take this likely.Invest in a safe car for your family. Do not drive after drinking, do not text and drive, and do not drive if you are overcome with emotion. While you’re driving, you should devote your full attention to the road. Do it for your kids if not for yourself.
- Check up on mental health. With suicide as another leading cause of death in the US, mental health is absolutely every bit as important as bodily health. Be sure that you’re checking in often with your family to make sure everyone is okay. Open yourself up so that if something is wrong, they feel comfortable to tell you so.
Those are our tips! Be sure that you follow them well, and your family will be happy and healthy as ever.