I woke up yesterday, prepared my morning Yogi tea and then was greeted by my youngest who promptly told me that she would be leading me in my morning yoga practice. Let me know tell you, it was the best yoga practice ever! We did every animal pose imaginable and some new ones that I had never heard of :) My body, mind and heart were soaring the rest of the day.
Being a yoga instructor, it's only natural that all three of my children have experienced yoga and know many poses. They may not practice yoga everyday, but they each do yoga several times a week. I have taken this a step further by including them in most of my classes by being my assistants. This not only gives them a sense of responsibility, but also allows other children their age to see yoga being practiced.
There are endless forms of physical activity for children to participate in such as soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, karate, I could go on and on (see suggested list at the end). My children are also involved in other activities as well, however, it is interesting to see the connection between yoga and the other activities. Yoga allows my children to perform their other sports with ease and, although my kiddos have loads of energy, yoga gives them the tools to quiet their minds when they need to concentrate.
Keeping children physically active benefits their bodies and minds. Without using all the medical mumbo jumbo, it works their musculoskeletal system which affects their muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. So basically, every inch inside and out of the body is impacted by being physically active, allowing them to stay sharp physically and mentally.
Activities combined with a proper diet sets children up for the best possible healthy future. Put your energy into prevention instead of battling disease and illness. Even if you feel your family is predisposed to certain disease, you hold the key to keeping those genes turned off by staying active and focusing the family diet to be centered around whole foods. Whole foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. Do your family a favor by avoiding processed foods, refined sugar, refined flour, refined oil, artificial dyes, artificial colors, fats from animals and limiting or eliminating animal protein. By doing this you will not only be saving your children's health but you will also be saving money by not visiting the doctor, hospital or pharmacy. The money that would have otherwise been spent on curing can be spent on enrolling your children in a new activity.
Eating a varied whole foods diet gives children all the protein, calcium, iron, omega 3's and other vitamins and minerals that they need to develop. Supplements and vitamins can be a healthy addition, so long as they are not used to take the place of eating healthy. As a vegan/vegetarian family we take B-12 since that comes from microorganisms that typically get washed away from the foods we eat thanks to our germ-a-phobic society (unless you are eating animals which, by the way, only contain B-12 because of the grass and soil they have eaten :) Children can also take a multivitamin to reinforce their growing bodies and have your mind rest at ease. Probiotics is another important factor to consider. Probiotics are the good bacteria guys that help the body get rid of the bad bacteria guys. Having a healthy digestive system keeps the entire body working properly and disease free. Probiotics can be acquired by eating yogurt (preferably non-dairy), fermented foods (tempeh, pickled veggies, miso, sauerkraut) or taking a probiotic supplement.
Children deserve the best future possible and that comes from setting them up with healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Budget Friendly Activities
1. Take a family walk or hike - turn it into a picnic by bringing a backpack full of healthy energy sustaining foods and drinks.
2. Buy a box full of sidewalk chalk - set them loose on the driveway or sidewalk. Don't worry, everything is washable, even the kiddos.
3. Make some eco friendly bubbles - they can help make the recipe and then have fun blowing bubbles. Make it more active by having them run around trying to pop them all before they hit the ground.
4. Check out the inexpensive summer toys at Target, Walmart or The Dollar Store - look for ones that involve the whole family such as baseball, volleyball or badminton. If you don't have enough yard space, head to the local park for a game or two.
5. Depending on the age of your children - contact local pet stores or animal shelters to see if they need volunteers to walk dogs or play with any of the other animals. This is something an adult and child could do as a team effort.
6. Volunteer with the city to pick up garbage around the city or at parks - not only are they being active but it's a great way to teach the idea of "giving back".
7. Create Little Chefs - get them in the kitchen with you and have them help create tasty healthy snacks and drinks.
There are endless forms of physical activity for children to participate in such as soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, karate, I could go on and on (see suggested list at the end). My children are also involved in other activities as well, however, it is interesting to see the connection between yoga and the other activities. Yoga allows my children to perform their other sports with ease and, although my kiddos have loads of energy, yoga gives them the tools to quiet their minds when they need to concentrate.
Keeping children physically active benefits their bodies and minds. Without using all the medical mumbo jumbo, it works their musculoskeletal system which affects their muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. So basically, every inch inside and out of the body is impacted by being physically active, allowing them to stay sharp physically and mentally.
Activities combined with a proper diet sets children up for the best possible healthy future. Put your energy into prevention instead of battling disease and illness. Even if you feel your family is predisposed to certain disease, you hold the key to keeping those genes turned off by staying active and focusing the family diet to be centered around whole foods. Whole foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. Do your family a favor by avoiding processed foods, refined sugar, refined flour, refined oil, artificial dyes, artificial colors, fats from animals and limiting or eliminating animal protein. By doing this you will not only be saving your children's health but you will also be saving money by not visiting the doctor, hospital or pharmacy. The money that would have otherwise been spent on curing can be spent on enrolling your children in a new activity.
Eating a varied whole foods diet gives children all the protein, calcium, iron, omega 3's and other vitamins and minerals that they need to develop. Supplements and vitamins can be a healthy addition, so long as they are not used to take the place of eating healthy. As a vegan/vegetarian family we take B-12 since that comes from microorganisms that typically get washed away from the foods we eat thanks to our germ-a-phobic society (unless you are eating animals which, by the way, only contain B-12 because of the grass and soil they have eaten :) Children can also take a multivitamin to reinforce their growing bodies and have your mind rest at ease. Probiotics is another important factor to consider. Probiotics are the good bacteria guys that help the body get rid of the bad bacteria guys. Having a healthy digestive system keeps the entire body working properly and disease free. Probiotics can be acquired by eating yogurt (preferably non-dairy), fermented foods (tempeh, pickled veggies, miso, sauerkraut) or taking a probiotic supplement.
Children deserve the best future possible and that comes from setting them up with healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Budget Friendly Activities
1. Take a family walk or hike - turn it into a picnic by bringing a backpack full of healthy energy sustaining foods and drinks.
2. Buy a box full of sidewalk chalk - set them loose on the driveway or sidewalk. Don't worry, everything is washable, even the kiddos.
3. Make some eco friendly bubbles - they can help make the recipe and then have fun blowing bubbles. Make it more active by having them run around trying to pop them all before they hit the ground.
4. Check out the inexpensive summer toys at Target, Walmart or The Dollar Store - look for ones that involve the whole family such as baseball, volleyball or badminton. If you don't have enough yard space, head to the local park for a game or two.
5. Depending on the age of your children - contact local pet stores or animal shelters to see if they need volunteers to walk dogs or play with any of the other animals. This is something an adult and child could do as a team effort.
6. Volunteer with the city to pick up garbage around the city or at parks - not only are they being active but it's a great way to teach the idea of "giving back".
7. Create Little Chefs - get them in the kitchen with you and have them help create tasty healthy snacks and drinks.
No comments:
Post a Comment