For some people a healthy lifestyle can be easy to carry out but for others it can be difficult, or even impossible to execute. A healthy lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean a rigorous regime free of sugars and deprived of many tasty foods as the body also needs these types of foods in order to thrive.
When we talk about a healthy lifestyle, we are talking about a set of activities that help us pursue our life goals and that, at the end of the day, becomes part of our daily lives. A healthy lifestyle is linked to our eating habits, our attitude to change, discovering new options and trying new things, physical activity, sleep and maintaining good mental and emotional health.
Does it take courage to make these changes? The answer is yes, it is entirely our responsibility to achieve this balance. Moreover, when we are parents, it is crucial that we guide our children in such a way that they feel a healthy lifestyle is achievable and sustainable.
In recent years, scientists and health professionals have been studying the relationship between what we eat and who we are, i.e. the relationship between the food we eat on a daily basis and our brain development, academic performance, immune system strengthening, etc. With that said, it is now known that there is a direct connection between the gut and brain. It might seem strange as they are not even positioned close together, but the gut-brain axis is a reality.
The microbiota that lives in our digestive system guides our mood, attention, energy level, mental health, etc. to name a few. This makes us question what exact foods our children are consuming.
Now, how can we maintain a healthy microbiota? There are multiple factors, but one that I would like to highlight is sleep; how much are my children sleeping and is it quality sleep? Adolescence is such an interesting stage because of the many changes undergone; organs continue to develop and according to the National Institute of Mental Health the brain only finishes developing around the age of 25.
So taking care of our children's diet is not only important to maintain a healthy weight, but also impacts the whole functioning of the body, it can even trigger conditions such as anxiety, depression, etc.
Let's evaluate our lifestyle at home, let's be more present and conscious about what foods we buy, what foods we leave within reach of our children, consider whether we are getting enough quality rest, and whether we are moving and feeling our bodies. Let's be an example for them, let the good things be shared and let's live enjoying the pleasures of life.
We invite you to encourage your children to eat breakfast every day before leaving home, drink water to stay hydrated, teach them to make good snack choices, and enjoy what the school offers them in the school canteen Monday through Thursday at break & lunch time. Invite them to enjoy sports and make sure they are rested enough to come to school the next day. A well nourished body and a well hydrated and rested brain learns better.
References:
1. National Institute of Mental Health. The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know. 2023
2. Kumar,A.; Pramanik,J.; Goyal,N.; et al. Gut Microbiota in Anxiety and Depression: Unveiling the Relationships and Management options. Pharmaceuticals 2023,16,565.
Recommended reading:
A. La conexión entre el intestino y el cerebro puede proteger la salud mental. Gobierno de España, CSIC. Marzo 2023 Link: https://bit.ly/3RWg4TD
B. Thegut-brainconnection.HarvardHealthPublishing.HarvardMedicalSchool.July2023 Link: https://bit.ly/41RyoBI
If you want to learn more about this topic, click on the link below for more info. Online course, Carina Castro Fumero. “Segundo Cerebro y Alimentación”. Link: https://bit.ly/41QZJnG