I strongly believe in this adage – Happy healthy parents make happy healthy children. Health is above everything else and one must keep that in consideration all the time. Some times as parents we tend to ignore our own health especially moms. Being healthy is as important as taking care of your kids. So, to take care of the health of your family, you have to be healthy too.

Here are a few ways by which you can take care of the health of your family–

  1. Exercise – Make fitness a priority by following a regular exercise regimen. Kids learn by example and when they will see you doing a regular physical activity, they will surely learn the value of staying fit and healthy. Involve them in your workouts, take them walking or cycling with you.
  2. Eat healthily – We are what we eat. As a mom and a nutritionist, I make sure I teach my kids and family to not only choose but also eat healthily. I know it’s easier said than done, especially when you have kids who are fussy eaters. Here also you can lead by example by eating and cooking healthy yourself, eating together as a family without gadgets and involving them in grocery shopping etc. Avoid giving them too many sugar-filled drinks or caffeinated beverages.
  3. Sleep – I can’t stress this enough that good sleep is very important and it’s often ignored by many people. I make sure that my kids follow a sleeping pattern. On weekends and holidays, it’s not easy to follow it but just make sure they get their 7-8 hours of sleep. Less sleep can lead to low concentration in school, irritability and mood swings. It is also a cause of many lifestyle diseases.
  4. Regular check-ups – My husband and I try to go for yearly health check-ups. I also make sure that my daughters’ vaccination charts are complete as these are few ways to ensure you are taking care of the health of you and your family. Another thing which I feel is very important for everyone is having a good health policy. It can help you in case of any kind of medical emergencies or anything hospital related.
  5. Good hygiene – Hygiene and fitness go hand in hand. I always tell my girls to wash their hands after coming back from outside and also before eating food. Kids are always among many other people throughout the day like classes, playgrounds, library etc. It’s best to follow good hygienic methods at home and also teach your family the importance of it.
  6. Water – I make sure to drink at least 2-3 litres of water daily and it’s a habit for me now. My daughters are learning it too as I remind them many times a day to stay hydrated and why it’s important. I replace all plastic bottles with glass and steel bottles at home. We follow a simple method at home to make sure we drink enough water daily. I have tall glass bottles which have measuring numbers on them. One can easily come to know how many glasses they had and how many more they need to drink.
  7. Yoga and meditation – I practice yoga regularly for a year now and can feel the difference. I have also taught Surya Namaskar to my family. Meditation is something which you can even try with kids. These days there is so much stress in even kids’ lives. Meditation and yoga can be stress busters and good for health too.

We spoke about the importance of investing in a good insurance policy. You should choose a policy with a premier insurance company that has good offerings and exceptional customer support. A well-rounded insurance policy covers doctors’ fees, medical tests costs, any kind of hospitalisation, and many such things that might eat up your savings (if you do not choose a good policy). It’s better to be insured to avoid any last minute hassles. There are different types of mediclaim policy for family and you can choose the one which you suit you best.

How do you take care of your and your family’s health? Do share the tips which you find helpful to take care of the health of your family.

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