Teachers For A Democratic Culture

As was mentioned in the first part of this article, reforming health education means that we first need to reform parents. Parents are the ultimate educators of their children and teach them 75% of everything that they know. They have a huge impact on their children and the habits that they pick up. If a parent for example is a health nut, then it is likely that the child will come to school with healthy lunches and snacks and will not be obese, nor will he or she want to be. They will want to emulate their parent.

With that being said, it is very important that parents begin to live a healthy lifestyle that their kids can reciprocate. Parents should be exercising daily for at least 45 minutes a day. Parents should be eating healthy meals like those provided by the Medifast diet plan.  They should also be drinking plenty of water, at least 4 bottles a day.

Be cognizant of the kinds of foods that you are purchasing from the grocery store. Don’t keep you pantry stocked with sodas, junk food, cookies, chips, pretzels, and candy. These things contribute to chidlhood and adult obesity and really aren’t good for anybody.  Most junk food is stuffed with either too much sodium or too much sugar, neither of which are good.  Try shopping for healthy items like rice cakes, fruits, vegetables, granola bars, yogurt, cheese, and make sandwiches for your children. Instead of packing their lunch kits with Capri Suns and other fruit drinks, send them to school with bottled water. It’s much healthier and will give them energy. But the only way to expect a child to do any of this is for their parent to be actively involved in achieving a healthier lifestyle.

Parents that are overweight typically have children that are overweight and that isn’t good. If you are an overweight parent do something about it. Get on a weight loss program. Again, diets like Medifast can help to jump start the process and spending a few minutes doing cardio and weight lifting everyday will do the rest for you. Get you and your kids healthy today and make Health Education Reform a reality!