When you’re a parent, you spend a lot of time worrying about your child and their health, so it’s very easy to neglect yourself. But as a parent, your own health is important. After all, you can’t run around after your kids and deal with them if you are sick. Even if you’re a busy parent with young children, here are some things you can do to look after your own health.
- Get help with medical complaints
As a busy parent, you no doubt put things off when you feel ill. For example, if you have headaches or aches and pains, you’ll usually just shrug it off and take painkillers. But this can lead to medical issues getting worse. You should consider seeing a specialist on a private basis, such as a physio Leichhardt as soon as you have any issues. They can check for underlying issues and give you ways to deal with any conditions.
- Take regular exercise
OK, so as a busy parent, the thought of getting regular exercise might be laughable. But it’s so important to be active for a short amount of time each day. Once your children are a little older, you can even get them involved. For example, you can do yoga with your kids, with plenty of videos online for families to enjoy, or some other ideas for exercise you can do with children include:
- Long walks outdoors
- Buggycise classes
- Tennis, badminton or team games
- Dancing
- Cycling – smaller children can ride in a trailer or attached seat
Exercise doesn’t have to be at a gym or on a treadmill, as long as you are moving and getting your heart rate up, it’s all good and it all counts towards your weekly goals.
- Eat well
You spend a lot of time worrying about your child’s diet, making sure they eat their seven a day and don’t eat too much sugar, so make sure you take stock of your own too. The good thing about family life is that you’ll cook a lot from scratch and sit down for dinner together, but when things get busy, it’s tempting to grab fast food. There are lots of resources online about basic nutrition, which can help you get healthier in the long run.
Not only is eating healthy good for your child, but it also sets them up for a healthier life. Children who are overweight often struggle with their health as they get older, so the younger they learn good habits, the more likely they are to be healthier as an adult.
Parents often find it hard to stay healthy, as they’re too busy to address health issues, and things like exercise and proper diet easily fall by the wayside. However, health should be a top priority for those with kids, as a healthy parent is likely to be happier and able to enjoy their time with their children more. Follow the tips above and you can get on your way to a healthier lifestyle, no matter how busy you are.