Parents know the impact they can have in helping children avoid illness and injury. Here are five health tips from Brian Lund, D.C., of the Carlson Chiropractic Clinic of White Bear Lake, including age-old (and still essential) advice as well as more contemporary tips.
1. Make sure every child gets at least eight hours of sleep per night.
2. No matter how busy your child might be with school, family or other responsibilities, make sure you allow at least a half-hour of exercise or play time daily.
3. One of the most basic rules for raising healthy kids still holds true: Make sure they eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for snacks and lunch.
4. Don’t forget the importance of starting each day with a good breakfast—with one or more protein sources.
5. One common cause of aches and pains and possibly more serious musculoskeletal problems is the book-filled back pack. Make sure you child’s sack is equipped with wide straps, and make sure they make a habit of wearing both straps. Also, it’s never a good idea to carry more than 20 to 30 percent of a child's body weight in the back pack.
