Kids and Heart Disease

Not everyone is aware of this, but raising a heart healthy kid is becoming more of a concern than ever. With the basic unawareness that exists regarding this issue are kids that have very adult related health problems, like high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, along with being significantly overweight. The consequences of this? Kids that are at a risk for problems related to heart disease as stated in a informative March 2011 Parenting School Years article. Here's some suggestions for protecting those miniature ticker's of our kid's.

Normal BMI's

Make sure you visit your doctor or pediatrician regularly so he can keep tabs on your child's weight and body mass index, otherwise known as BMI. As your child continues to grow their weight gain should normally trend upward gradually. If your doctor spots a sharp increase since the last visit, he'll let you know whether or not there could be a concern.

Enough Sleep

Dr. Stephen Daniels, M.D., the chief pediatrician at Children's Hospital in Denver states in this article states that there have been many studies done in the past that show a distinct correlation between kids that aren't getting enough sleep at night and weight gain. Routine bedtimes will help to maintain a good sleep schedule for those kids that are at risk for heart related problems.

Avoid Processed Foods

Cutting back on processed foods and beverages will make a huge difference in managing these heart health issues. Not only will your child be doing a better job of warding off these diseases but his entire health in general will be improved.

More Omega-Fatty Acids

These are fats, however, they're good ones. They will help to decrease blood pressure and replace the old not so good fats with healthy more nutritious fats. They also are abundant with the antioxidants that fight cell damage. You can find these in whole foods like beans, nuts, as well as the leafy greens.

Exercise

Let's not forget the most important component to preventing these heart health problems for kids...activity. Nothing will be more beneficial to the success of your child's health than exercise. Making sure they get enough by limiting their computer, and t.v. time will be a plus in managing this well Perhaps getting them involved in a sport could be an option.Source:

March 2011 Parenting School Years