Welcome to the category of my blog simply called ‘Healthy Tips.’ Many times, when I write articles for various publications, I need to find sources for the story as seen in Yahoo Shine (click here) or PBS (click here) about staying healthy. I was looking for experts and non-experts to chime in and give their favorite ‘tips’ to help kids and adults lead a healthy lifestyle.
The feedback for various stories was amazing. The sources had some fantastic points of view that could not be ignored, and I thought their opinions should be viewed on the Your Health Journal web site.
So, enjoy my new series, with some ‘great’ insight from some ‘great’ people giving exceptional and educational points of view.
Every day is a chance to make healthy choices!
The adage ‘the family that plays together, stays together’ has never been a more important concept than it is today – and not only because of physical activity benefits, but also to bolster social, intellectual, and creative skills, as well as interpersonal relationships. Whether it be play, a group challenge or a group workout, being active in a group allows us to fail, succeed, support and learn about our ‘teammates.’ We then better understand how to give our team, or family, advice/support – or how not to – and learn how to accept advice/support. In a land of ever-encompassing technology, it’s one of the few ways we have left to truly understand one another and how we really ‘tick.’ Oh, and of course with all this newfound technology, movement is more important than ever!
Blend technology with play. Many games offer the chance to move with a partner and be scored according to your accuracy. Be it dancing, boxing, bowling, I recommend checking out some of the WiiFit, kinetic or other technologies out there to see how you can cross generation gaps and meet somewhere in the ‘active middle.’
Create a common goal. Ever wanted to help out a friend? Volunteering for charities such as Habitat for Humanity can equate to a day full of activity and teamwork. Alternatively, a made-up/personal project with a tad of imagination and a non-food based reward can be a great way to enjoy the day with your family. Build a brick wall then take it down, paint something or make a rock garden. Make your own obstacle course, letting each member of the group create a different piece of the challenge. You’d be amazed what you can get out of rocks as weights and boards of wood as balance beams… A workout is only limited by your creativity, so let’s rally together and get moving!
– Jamie Atlas, a fitness professional known as the LiveWell Rally Man – for his work to motivate Coloradans to rally for healthier living.