From Little Seeds Grow Mighty Trees: Nurture your Children's Health and Wellness

The health and well-being of children should be of the utmost concern to us, considering they are the foundation of our society. For children to live healthy and happy lives, we must ensure they receive the finest care as parents, carers, and community members. In this blog, we'll go through a few essential tips for raising child health awareness.

Handy Tips and Tricks to Foster Child's Health & Wellness

It's only normal for you to want the best for your child as a parent. It's not easy to become a parent, especially when it's your first time. Of course, you don't want to do anything wrong that would impair your child's development. So, here are some of the important and useful tips to help you safeguard the health and well-being of your child.

1. Proper Nutrition

Eating all kinds of different colour food in a day is the key to a healthy and balanced diet because each has a unique mix of nutrients - both MACRONUTRIENTS (Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat) and MICRONUTRIENTS (Vitamins and Minerals). Parents should encourage their children to eat a variety of food, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products.

Along with filling half of your child's plate with colourful vegetables and fruits, split the other half between whole grains and healthy proteins. Check out a few tips and tricks mentioned below.

• The more vegetables you eat, the better

• Potatoes and French fries don't qualify as healthy veggies because of their harmful impact on blood sugar

• Choose whole or thinly sliced fruits (rather than fruit juices)

• Consume butter occasionally

• Opt for plain milk, plain yoghurt, minimal cheese, and other unsweetened dairy products

• The finest option for soothing our thirst is water. As simple to locate at the closest tap, it is also sugar-free

• At all points in time, we should avoid giving too much salt and sugar to children.
  Note - In a movie, if you eat one bucket of popcorn, then your child's one-week requirement of salt is almost complete

• Replace inactive "sit-time" with active "fit-time"

• Develop the habit of eating raw fruits and vegetables

2. Regular Exercise

Children should at least get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily. Exercise can help build strong bones and muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and boost mental health and mood. This can include running, playing any sport, and swimming.

Here are some facts about how regular exercise might benefit your child:

• Exercise is shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in children and adults

• Studies show that physically active children tend to perform better academically

• Children get opportunities to communicate with classmates and learn social skills through physical activities

• Regular exercise can help children develop a habit of being active, which can lead to a healthier lifestyle in the long term

3. Proper Sleep

Children need more sleep than adults because their brain and bodies are still developing. It is recommended that children between the ages of 3 to 5 get 10-13 hours of sleep per day, children between the ages of 6 to 12 get 9-12 hours, and teenagers get 8-10 hours of sleep per day.

Here are a few reasons why proper sleep is essential for children:

• During sleep, the body releases growth hormones essential for children's physical and mental development. Proper sleep helps children to grow and develop healthily

• Sleep is vital in consolidating and organising the information children learn during the day

• Adequate sleep helps children retain and recall what they have learned, improving their academic performance

• Lack of sleep can cause children to become irritable, moody, and hyperactive. Proper sleep helps children to regulate their emotions, behaviour, and mood

• Children who get enough sleep are less likely to be overweight, develop diabetes, or suffer other health problems

• Sleep also helps boost the immune system, reducing the risk of getting ill

4. Immunisations

Immunisation, also known as vaccination, protects individuals from infectious diseases by administering vaccines that stimulate the immune system which produces antibodies against specific pathogens.

Here are a few reasons why immunisation is necessary for children:

• Immunisation can protect children from severe and sometimes deadly diseases, such as polio, measles, tetanus, and whooping cough

• When a large population is vaccinated against a particular disease, it can create herd immunity, which means the disease is less likely to spread within the community. This can protect vulnerable individuals who cannot receive vaccines, such as newborns and those with weakened immune systems

• Immunisation is a cost-effective way to prevent diseases. The cost of vaccinating a child is much lower than the cost of treating a child with severe infectious disease

• Vaccines have been rigorously tested for safety and efficacy before being approved. The risks associated with vaccines are extremely low compared to the dangers of contracting a severe infectious disease

It is necessary to emphasise that youngsters are not miniature adults who should be treated as such. Paediatrics and child health care focus on delivering effective and appropriate attention to all children. Promoting a nutritious diet, frequent exercise, excellent sleep hygiene, immunisations, good mental health, and safety for children should be a top priority for parents, caregivers, and community members. By following these tips, we can support kids to live happy, healthy lives and create a better future for everyone.