By: Chris Scharfe 

Not scientifically reviewed by Dr. Eeks 

If you feel that your family life doesn’t perhaps have as much structure as you would like it to have, or you feel that things are becoming a little disjointed, fear not. There are several ways to get it back on track.

Healthy habits don’t just involve eating well and staying active – they involve various other things, such as good communication and spending quality time together.

Here are 5 healthy habits for the whole family.

Don’t skip breakfast

Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day, so unless there is a reason you need to skip it, such as intermittent fasting or if you are following medical advice, try to make sure you eat something. Food is fuel not only for your body but for your brain and will help with concentration and focus, and will also provide you with a much-needed energy boost.

Although you may be tempted to give your kids cereal each day, opt for fresh fruit or oatmeal instead. Most breakfast cereals have added sugar, salt, and a host of other nasties, so fill your family up with the good stuff, and it will help keep them healthy.

Look after your skin

Despite our skin being the largest organ of the body, it’s probably one of the most neglected. Drinking 2-3 liters of water a day will keep you hydrated and help to give your skin a wonderful natural glow.

Adults should also try to incorporate some form of skincare routine into their day to help slow down the aging process, keep skin looking plump and healthy, and reduce any visible signs of aging. A moisturizer morning and night is a must, and if you want to take it one step further, applying a serum beforehand can do wonders. Vitamin C serum benefits, in particular, are widely spoken about these days and can help dimmish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration and help provide a younger, fresher complexion. So, if you don’t already use it, it’s worth looking into and adding to your daily skincare routine.

In addition, both children and adults should wear sunscreen during warmer weather to help protect the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Eat together

If mealtimes in your home consist of everyone eating at different times or a quick meal in front of the TV, try to get back to basics. Eating together is not only far more enjoyable but promotes good communication too. Talk about your day, share memories, and laugh with each other.

It may, of course, not be possible to do this every evening if you all have different schedules, but if you can, then it’s a healthy habit to adopt. It’s also the perfect setting to teach younger kids to lay the table and learn table manners.

Spend quality time together

When we lead a busy life, family time can become too thin on the ground. If this sounds familiar, you should try and set aside at least an hour or two each week to spend time as a family. From playing a board game to taking a walk or going for a picnic, there are hundreds of family time options – many of which require little to no pre-organizing.

Working and taking care of a home can be tiring and stressful, but you must never lose sight of the fact that family is the most important thing we have. We only get one life, and spending it with our loved ones should always be a priority.

Eat a healthy diet

There are so many processed foods on our grocery store shelves these days that it can be difficult finding anything that is 100% healthy. Studies suggest that a whole food plant-based diet is the healthiest diet of them all and can help to prevent and, in some cases, reverse many diseases and illnesses.

Try to keep your consumption of animal proteins to a minimum and eat a wide variety of vegetables, legumes, fruit, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. If you are struggling for inspiration, there are thousands of whole food plant-based recipes available online, so you should have no trouble finding some delicious and nutritious ideas.

Not only will this way of eating improve your health, but you may also be surprised at how much more energy you have throughout the day. If a fully vegan diet isn’t feasible, why not try meatless Mondays or cutting back on dairy initially and work your way up from there.