95210 sounds like a zip code in the United States but this is a little more than just some area in California. These are important numbers to remember for the whole family and not just for the children! In this edition of our newsletter, we will be discussing about them.
Each number represents a significant part of healthy living.
9… nine hours of sleep each day
What can help you lose weight, improve your mood, memory, and metabolism and give you more energy? SLEEP! YEP. Experts tell us we need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily. Most major catastrophes have been associated with poor judgment from lack of inadequate rest.
When we sleep, our brain forms new pathways to help us learn and remember information. Sleep helps us regulate the hormones that control hunger and satiety. We also regulate insulin, the hormone that helps us control our blood glucose during sleep. We build new cells and repair worn muscle cells during sleep.
In children, 80% of bone growth occurs during sleep hence children need adequate sleep for healthy growth.
5… five servings of fruits and veggies daily
I know it sounds like a tall order but to help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers, it is recommended that we consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
This is doable! Typical examples of one serving of vegetable or fruit is a medium-sized banana, medium-sized orange or apple, about 10 pieces of grapes, ½ cup of pineapples, a full cup of Ugu or Efo, a full cup of okra, etc.
It is suggested that half of our regular plate of food should be fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables contain healthy calories that help to boost immunity and the calorie content is low compared to other food groups.
Some people will get their servings at one goal by making smoothies. This is a very healthy way to get our needed servings.
And children can get their fruit serving as their snack for the day. Offer fruits/ veggies instead of packaged drinks, chocolates or cookies.
2… two hours of TV/ screen time
Pediatricians recommend that children less than 2 years of age should not engage in TV viewing. Limit TV viewing and electronic games to not more than 2 hours every day for children older than 2 years. This is because violence and sexual images constitute a significant part of television programs that have a negative influence on childhood and ultimately, adult behavior and values.
Excessive TV viewing also makes us gain weight because it’s a sedentary activity and we are likely to take unhealthy snacks while we are it….Couch potato syndrome.
There should be no TV or electronic games or computers in children’s bedrooms because this interferes with sleep.
1….one hour of physical activity
We all do not have to join a health club or gym to get active. There are a number of creative ways to get that one hour of physical activity daily.
The once a week physical education class in our schools is not catching it. Children need more than that. One fun way to about this is by doing this together as a family. Take walks or cycle around the neighborhood together regularly. This also provides a platform to strengthen the family bond.
Rather than taking the elevator at work, take the stairs instead. At the malls, park far away from the entrance. Taking a brisk walk is probably one of the cheapest forms of exercising. Walking is also thought to be better than running especially if there are joint issues.
0… Zero sugar or carbonated drinks.
The whole idea is to eliminate sugary beverages from our diet. It must be noted that the so-called fruit drinks are also loaded with sugar. It has been discovered that a typical bottle of soft drink contains about 8 to 10 cubes of sugar. Now, how many people will dump 8 or 10 cubes of sugar in a 50cl cup of water or beverage?
On average, most people drink a bottle of soft drink per meal. Nutritionists and experts have said that for good weight control and a healthy lifestyle, we must eliminate or reduce sugar intake to the barest minimum.
Here a few tips to reduce sugary beverage consumption…1. When taking meals, DRINK WATER instead of juice or bottled drinks. Jazz up your water with a slice of lemon for a great refreshing taste and the extra vitamin c.
Start at home, limit the purchase of sugary or fizzy drinks. Always have bottled water with you on outings. It reduces the chance of buying bottled sugary drinks.
The 95210 Health initiative has been adopted in many countries around the world to get its citizens to develop a healthy lifestyle. Please practice and share with all, 95210 let’s live healthily… LET’S GO!!
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