Health

4 Ways To Prevent Health Problems In Your Kids With Advice from Dr. Ryan Shelton, Zenith Labs Medical Research Director

All parents want their kids to be healthy, but kids are going to get sick from time to time, no matter what you do. Getting sick occasionally is a normal part of being a child and when they are mixing with a lot of other kids, illnesses get passed around very easily. You don’t need to worry if they get ill every now and again, but you should be concerned if it becomes a regular thing. Even though you can’t stop them from getting sick sometimes, there are ways that you can improve their health and make it less likely. These changes will also help you to prevent more serious issues. These are some of the best ways to prevent health problems in your child.

Feed Them Healthy Food

This is vital for a number of reasons. Firstly, if your kids are eating a lot of fatty and sugary foods all of the time, they are likely to gain weight and if they are overweight from a very young age, it can be very difficult for them to lose weight and stay healthy as they get older. But if you get them into good habits now, they will be a lot healthier when they grow up. Healthy eating isn’t just about weight either, it’s also about nutrition. The body needs all sorts of nutrients from food, and if your kids are eating junk food all of the time, they will be missing a lot of the vital vitamins that their body needs. This will weaken their immune system and make them a lot more likely to get sick. That’s why it’s so important that you feed your kids fresh, home-cooked meals on a daily basis. Make sure that you swap out those unhealthy snacks for some better alternatives as well. If you are really worried about their vitamin intake, you can get some multivitamins for kids, but as long as you are feeding them enough fruit and vegetables, you shouldn’t need to do this.

Dr. Ryan Shelton Zenith Labs recommends the following: “The most important thing that people can do to support their overall health is to eat a balanced diet. People should balance whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables in their diet, leaving sugars, oils, and fats to be consumed in smaller quantities.”

Encourage Exercise 

Exercise is vital if you want to stay healthy, even when you are a child. But getting children to exercise is increasingly hard because you are competing with screens, and they might prefer to stay inside instead of going outside. That’s why it’s so important that you encourage them to exercise as much as possible. Banning screens completely is never a good way to go because it will just cause tension. Instead, you should limit their time on screens to an hour or two a day, and then encourage them to go outside and play afterward. You should also consider exercising as a family because your kids are more likely to stay active if you are setting a good example for them.

Have Regular Checkups 

When you get older, it is recommended that you have a regular checkup with the doctor to make sure that you don’t have any health issues that need to be dealt with. But why should you only do that when you are older? If you want to make sure that your kids are healthy, preventative care is very important. Taking them to the doctor on a regular basis will help you to catch any potential problems early and deal with them before they develop into more serious health issues. Make sure that you take the time to look around for the best pediatrician in the area and set up regular appointments. It’s best if the same doctor sees all of your children because this will make it easier for them to diagnose issues that are impacting the whole family, and to recognize hereditary health problems.

Maintain A Good Sleep Schedule 

Sleep has such a huge impact on our health and lack of sleep can cause a lot of problems. It increases the likelihood of mental health issues, reduces cognitive ability, and damages the immune system. In children, a lack of sleep can have an impact on their development, so it’s vital that they have a good sleep schedule. But all parents know that’s easier said than done with young children that don’t want to go to bed. However, there are some simple things that you can do to improve their sleep routine. Most importantly, they need to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Having that set routine in place will make things a lot easier because their body will get used to the schedule and they will feel tired at the same time each night. You should also try to limit screen time a few hours before they go to bed because it can disrupt their sleep.

 

You can never avoid childhood illness completely, but if you follow these steps, you will be able to reduce the chance of serious health problems in your kids.

 

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