Warm weather = Outdoor activities!
Spring has sprung and the weather is getting warmer! That means more opportunities to go play outside in the sun!
Try:
Going for a bike ride together as a family
Play tag
Have a three-legged race
Have a picnic at a park or in your own backyard
Do some gardening – plant flowers or vegetables together you can all watch grow and enjoy
Fly a kite together 
You can find dozens more fun ideas at familyfun.go.com. When playing outside though, it’s important to take into consideration issues on safety, allergies, etc.
Enjoy the weather and happy playing!
Easter Done Healthy
Celebrating Easter is such a wonderful occasion. Being together with family, Easter egg hunts, dying eggs, and sharing a delicious meal together. Lots of times though, the foods we enjoy on this holiday aren’t the best for our health. So, here’s some tips on how to keep this holiday fun and healthy!
Put together healthy Easter baskets filled with toys and healthy snacks
Play fun, active games like “capture the egg,” “bunny tag,” etc.
Get out in the fresh air for some Easter relays like “pass the egg” and “duck race”
Prepare a a healthy meal fresh with spring vegetables and other low-fat sides
And just enjoy one another’s company! Happy Easter season!!
Cute and Healthy Springtime Snacks!
With the arrival of spring, I thought it’d be fun to look around for some fun, healthy Spring recipes that the whole family would enjoy. This is what I discovered:
A creative twist on a classic!
Apples, nut butter, and carrots make a beautiful butterfly!
Carrots planted in a lovely pot of hummus make this springtime treat lots of fun!
Look how pretty! And scrumptious! So the licorice isn’t super healthy, but it can either be omitted or replaced by something else!
All of these springtime snacks and many more can be found at familyfun.go.com - check it out, there are lots of great ideas!
April Showers
We all know the adage, “April showers bring May flowers”… spring is upon us once again and that means it is the rainy season! Just because it’s rainy outside though doesn’t mean we have to veg in front of the T.V. – we can still be active and have buckets of fun inside!
familyfitness.about.com offers some great ideas that are fun for the whole family!
1. A treasure hunt
2. Put on a play/talent show
3. Indoor sports with foam balls
4. Go out to a bowling alley, roller rink, etc.
5. Train/play with pets
6. Make a sand-free sandbox
7. Do a fitness video
8. Go out and play in the rain! Then come back for some warm soup!
9. Make a fort
10. Balloon volleyball
11. Crafts with clay, paint, etc.
12. Games that get you to move – Twister, Wii, etc.
They sound so fun huh? You can have a great time with these even when it’s not raining outside! getkidsinaction.org also has some great information on staying active on a rainy day and some additional activity ideas!! Enjoy the showers!
“Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-free”
This week (April4-10) is National Public Health Week!! 
This year’s theme is “Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-free.” The APHA noted that there are about 150,000 people that die each year from injury, and there are nearly 30 million people every year that go to the emergency room because of injury. So, in order to achieve a more healthy nation, the APHA chose this theme to help educate people on injury prevention so that those numbers can be lowered.
Each day of the week was dedicated to a different location in which we can practice safety and injury prevention.
They gave useful tips such as installing smoke alarms, assessing potential hazards, covering electrical outlets, etc.
They encourage wearing safety equipment, holding fire drills, etc.
Wearing helmets, warming up, drinking water, monitoring children, etc.
Wearing seat belts, buckling children in car seats/booster seats, encouraging the PTA to have teen driving safety programs, etc.
Joining a neighborhood watch, keeping weapons locked and away from children, work with schools to implement bullying prevention programs, etc.
There are plenty more great tips on their website, so check it out! As we go about our lives at home with our families, at work, at play, on the move, and in our communities, let’s try to use these tips to keep ourselves and our loved ones more safe!
47 ways to a more active family!
Readers Digest provided a list of 47 great ways to get moving with your family. 
Some of my favorites were:
- going on a treasure hunt
dancing during commercial breaks
play flag football together with table napkins
have a race where everyone run as a different animal
“waltzing” with your baby when he or she cries instead of stuffing in a pacifier, etc.
You can find even more great ideas at www.rd.com/family/47-tips-for-a-healthier-more-active-family/
Try these and if you have more great ideas please feel free to post them!!
I love how there are so many ways to be active, have fun, and teach your children from an early age to lead a healthy lifestyle. You don’t necessarily have to be working out at a gym or some other structured exercise. Leading an active life is fun, makes you and your family feel great, and through doing these activities together you grow closer together. It’s a win-win all around!
For more motivation to be active, check out the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digetsive and Kidney Diseases)’s tips. You can learn more about why it is important to be active and how to overcome barriers you may be facing.
So get out, and go have some fun!
Great Website!
I just came across a fabulous website that’s helpful for kids, teens, and adults and their health. There’s a kids’ section that has “Kid’s Dictionary of Medical Words,” games, yummy kid-friendly recipes, fun quizzes, and simple explanations of how the body works, and other great things that help kids understand and get excited about their health. In the teens’ section, there are topics that are relevent to teens. There are things that discuss puberty, body image, relationships, healthy school lunches, even ways to deal with bullying and ways to study better and find good friends. On the parents’ site, there’s tips on how to have a healthy family dinner, after school snack ideas, FAQs on breastfeeding, information on growth and development of children, parenting advice, and much more! This site is so informative and I recommend you go take a look at it with your whole family! Happy learning!
Week of the Irish!
One of my favorite holidays is about to happen in just a few days – Saint Patrick’s Day!! Coming from an Irish family, we always celebrate the day by decorating, wearing green, and of course eating plenty of yummy Irish food! I have such fond memories of spending time with my family on St. Patty’s day and of course I love the food! The usual menu of corn beef, potatoes, and Irish soda bread however, isn’t quite the best for our bodies and well-being, and so this year I decided to search for some other healthier options! I also wanted to look for foods that were fun that kids would love to help make and eat. There are lots of great, festive, fun and yummy recipes out there. Here were some of my favorites that are great for kids and the whole family:
Shamrock Toasties 
Healthy, cute and fun! The kids will love it! How convenient that a slice of green pepper makes the perfect shamrock shape!
A heartier, more nutritious version of one of my Irish faves!
Kids will feel luckier than a leprechaun when they eat this warm, healthy delight!
And of course, you can’t forget the green with this sweet, healthy treat!
Happy cooking and happy eating this St. Patty’s Day!
Running With Angels
Recently I’ve been reading a book entitled, Finding the Angel Within by Pam Hansen, who discusses the correlation between spirituality, bod
y image, and self-worth. It’s a great book and I recommend it to anyone! Previous to this work, she also wrote a book called Running with Angels. This one was all about her struggles with the health issues of her children and herself and how she was able to overcome those struggles. Readers experience the heart-warming and inspiring journey from Pam’s depth of despair to crossing a marathon finish line. It allows readers to discover how connected the body, mind, and spirit are, and how it is possible to overcome any obstacle. Following the publishing of Running with Angels, Pam also decided to organize a 5k Run/Walk event in which donations may be made to Women’s and Children’s Services Angel Watch at Utah Valley Medical Center, Orem Community Hospital, and American Fork Hospital. The race takes place May 21, 2011 at 8 a.m. at Thanksgiving Point Gardens in Lehi, UT. Through May 7th, registration fees are $20 for adults, and $15 for children 14 and under. After that it’s $30 for everyone. This would be a great activity for the whole family that supports a worthy cause! When you register you can register individually or as a team and set up an account to keep track of donations your receive for the cause. I just registered today and am so excited! You can find out more information and register for the race on the Running With Angels website. To find out more about Pam Hansen’s inspiring and uplifting books, you can read reviews, purchase the books, contact Pam, etc. here. Definitely worthwhile! Happy reading and running!
A Healthy Family is a Happy Family
Hello everyone! Thanks for coming to my family health blog! My goal for this blog is provide people with useful ideas to promote the health of their families. My philosophy is this: a healthy family is a happy family, and a happy family is a healthy family! In fact, several studies have proven this to be true. Family relationships, happiness, and health are all quite interconnected. When a family eats well together and plays well together, they are much better off.
So let’s get started on healthy recipes, activities to get your family moving, improving relationships, and experiencing overall better health!
