Essay Example on Major cause of morbidity and mortality are related to lifestyles Issues

When preparing a healthy meal for your family use fresh ingredients use fresh herbs and spices for seasoning instead of salt Steam your vegetables instead of boiling them the darker the color the higher the nutrition Grill or bake your meats instead of frying Replace higher fat less nutritious ingredients with healthy substitutes For example use egg whites instead of the whole egg Another example is to use applesauce instead of sugar in baked goods Eat lean meats and trim off the fat and skin before cooking Brown rice and whole wheat pasta are healthier alternatives to white rice and white pasta skim milk or almond milk is also a better and healthier alternative than whole milk Encourage your family to eat at the dinner table together This eliminates distracted eating helps to realize the cues to fullness It also encourages talking which helps to eat slower When using portion control here are some things to remember promote proper portions When feeding toddlers remember it is a ¼ the portion of food as an adult ½ slice of bread ½ a fruit ½ of an egg 1 ounce of meat the size of a matchbook 5oz of fruit juice When portioning out food for young children try to be aware that it is ½ the amount of food as an adult 1 slice of bread 1 cup cooked vegetables 1 medium fresh fruit 1 egg 1 5 ounce of meat ½ cup of milk Other Suggestions look at the serving size on the labels don't place family style dishes on the table avoid letting your children eat from the container and pre pack snacks for school with correct portion sizes 

Put the unhealthy foods out of site and healthy ones close Adults portions are as follows 1 slice of bread 1 cup of dry cereal 1 cup of cooked vegetables 1 piece of fresh fruit 1 cup of low fat milk 2 eggs and 3 ounces of meat Some suggestions to prevent obesity and disease are as follow eat low fat and low sugar snacks eat more fruits and vegetables and drink 8 10 glasses of water daily Other recommendations are to record what you eat for a few days and if what you eat does not resemble the food guide pyramid make some changes It is important to aim for 30 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week Make time for the entire family to enjoy regular physical activities together Be a healthy role model for your children Children will more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and be more active if their parents are setting a good example Eat meals together at the dinner table avoid eating in front of the T V Being active as a family As a family make a list of activities to do together 

Make sure the activities are thing everyone can do together Keep a family activity log and plan one or two activities per week Be safe by using backpacks and strollers so smaller kids can be included Start with short walks add more distance gradually Try scavenger hunts this can help keep children from being bored Ask them to find things such as a green house red leaf etc Sign up for a family run walk with your community such as a charity walk outdoor activities bike rides play tag jump rope or play hopscotch a family basketball game or fly a kite Indoor activities ideas include have a family dance night or have a hula hoop contest Another idea is to set up an obstacle course in the basement garage or spare room Some ground rules for the whole family to follow limit TV hours limit use of video games computer games don't use food as a reward Make an active lifestyle a priority When the family gets together to eat healthy and do physical activities children will learn that eating healthy and being active is fun and a healthy way to live