Family Medicine specialists are personal providers for all people of all ages and health conditions. They are a reliable first contact for health concerns and directly address most health care needs.

Our providers help patients prevent, understand, and manage illness, navigate the health system and set health goals. Our patient care teams adapt their care to the unique needs of their patients and communities. They use data to monitor and manage their patient population, and use best science to prioritize services most likely to benefit health. They are ideal leaders of health care systems and partners for public health.

In today’s society, raising healthy, active kids can be difficult, but having healthy kids is important. Many children are now going through life struggling with being overweight or obese and suffering from a chronic condition like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and high blood pressure, among many others.

Here are some ways to help your family and children eat better:

• Start every day off with a healthy breakfast
• Let the kids help plan and prepare one meal each week
• Eat more vegetables and fresh fruits. Aim for a total of 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day
• Drink plenty of fluids, like water, low-fat or nonfat milk, and low-calorie beverages
• Serve food in small portions
• While eating better is an essential way to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to get kids up and moving as frequently as you can.
• Try to get between 30 and 60 minutes of physical activity each day
• Include physical activity in your daily routine: walk as a family before or after meals, or go play your favorite family sport together
• Remain active in the home and get the kids involved and help with chores like dusting and vacuuming, or go walk the dog together! These small activities add up and are good ways to burn calories
• When planning vacations, be sure to include activities like hiking or biking to the itinerary
• Limit TV, computer, and video game time to less than two hours per day; less screen time, more physical activities instead!

By following some or all of these tips, we hope that you and your family can begin the journey to living a fun, healthy, and active lifestyle!