Kid’s Health Tips

You hear a lot of talk these days about healthy kids. Being healthy means you are a kid who eats well, gets a lot of physical activity (exercise), and has a healthy weight. If you're healthy, your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run around with your friends.

Some steps only parents can take - such as serving healthy meals or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take charge of their health.  And you should!

Here are four rules to live by, if you're a kid who wants to be healthy - Exercise; Eat right; Get plenty of rest; and Say no to tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.  The trick is to follow these rules most of the time, knowing that some days might call for cake and ice cream.

This information is no substitute for real medical advice.  You still need to see your doctor regularly, and especially if you are feeling sick.

Dr. Cleo's Four Rules for Healthy Kids:

• Exercise
  • Your number one job as a kid - and it's a fun one - is that you get to figure out which activities you like best. Not everyone loves basketball or soccer. Maybe you enjoy karate, or kickball, or dancing. Ask your parents to help you do your favorite activities regularly.  It is important that you find ways to be active every day. You might even keep a list of fun stuff to do, so you can refer to it when your mom or dad says it's time to stop watching TV or playing computer games!
  • Being a healthy kid means limiting screen-time - TV, DVD's, video games, the Internet (even educational sites, like this one).  The more time you spend on these sitting-down activities, the less time available for active stuff, like basketball, bike riding, and swimming. Try not to spend more than 2 hours a day in front of a screen, not counting computer use related to school.
    

• Eating Right
  • Balanced Diet
    • You may have a favorite food, but the best choice is to eat a variety. If you eat different foods, you're more likely to get the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods and old ones you haven't tried for a while. Some foods, such as green veggies, are more pleasing the older you get. Shoot for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day - two fruits and three vegetables.
  • Healthy Snacks
    • Fruits and Vegetables
      • Fruits and vegetables make great snacks. They a filled with the vitamins and minerals your body needs to grow. Eat them in place of candy, cookies, and chips.
  • Low-fat or Fat-free (skim) milk
    • There's a reason your school cafeteria offers cartons of milk. Kids need calcium to grow strong bones, and milk is a great source of calcium. How much do kids need? You should have 3 cups of milk, or other calcium-rich dairy foods like cheese and yogurt, every day.
  • Drink Lots of Water
    • Our bodies need water to work properly. So, when you're really thirsty, cold water is the No. 1 thirst-quencher. It helps you replace the water you lose each day through regular activities - even breathing causes some water loss. If you're going to be going outside, it's a good idea to drink water before, during, and after you play, especially if it's hot.

• Plenty of Rest
  • Dr. Cleo says "Kids need sleep!"  Sleep gives your brain and body a break.  When you don't get enough sleep you can be cranky, and less able to think clearly and follow directions.
  • Most kids between the ages of 5 and 12 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night.  But you are not alone.  Animals need sleep too.  Here are some animals and how much they sleep:
    • Lions As much as 20 hours per day
    • Chimpanzees About 12 hours per day
    • Pigs About 8 hours per day
    • Koala Bears 18-20 hours per day
    • Cats Average 16 hours per day
    • Mice About 12 hours per day
    • Elephant About 4-5 hours per day
    • Sloth About 20 hours per day
    • Giraffes About 30 minutes a day (broken into 5 minute naps!)
• "Say NO to Drugs"
  • While some drugs help people stay healthy, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs are very harmful to people, especially children.  There are lots of reasons people chose drugs. Maybe they don't know how dangerous they are. Or maybe they feel bad about themselves or don't know how to handle their problems. Or maybe are getting pressure from their friends.  Or they don't have parents they can talk to. To be safe, never ever take any drugs unless Mom, Dad or the doctor says it's okay.