Protection
Put yourself at ease by protecting those you love
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{{label}}23 November 2017
Proper nutrition is on every parent’s mind when it comes to raising kids. A healthy diet brings plenty of benefits for growing children, especially in preventing health conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the need for healthy eating in early childhood to reduce the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis, heart ailments, high blood pressure and iron deficiency, among others. Healthy kids are also less prone to developing cavities.
That is why healthy eating habits must begin as early as possible to develop well-nourished children. For first-time parents, it can be a challenging task to serve healthy food to your kids on a daily basis. And with treats such as pizza, candies, doughnuts and other similar calorie-laden goodies, sweet and savory snacks are just so hard to resist!
One doesn’t have to possess medical or scientific knowledge to create a healthy eating environment for the kids at home. Parents can take cues from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), which promotes the food plate model, Pinggang Pinoy; it recommends what type of foods to eat for Filipinos from different age groups.
Kids between 3 to 12 years old have boundless supply of energy. They can spend hours upon hours running and jumping around every single day. To sustain their energy levels for all their physical activities, they need carbohydrate-rich foods such as rice, pasta, root crops and breads. Whole grains are much better choices then refined grains because the former offers more nutrients and fiber. So opt for brown rice, oatmeal, corn and whole wheat bread as healthier picks for kids.
All parents want their children to grow big and strong. At their tender age, kids undergo different developing stages in their body. To facilitate their growth, don’t forget to serve protein-packed foods like fish, lean meats, eggs, chicken, as well as nuts and beans. These foods are very much needed in growth and rebuilding of body tissues.
As much as possible, fat-rich fish like sardines and tuna should be given to kids twice or three times weekly so that they can get adequate amounts of fatty acids to fight heart diseases. For strong teeth and bones, load up on calcium through a steady daily dose of milk.
FNRI puts great emphasis on the intake of fruits and vegetables to aid the regulation of different body processes. Children require the essential minerals, vitamins and fiber that they can easily get from consuming veggies and fruits. Parents should also remember that kids must have adequate water for hydration.
Moreover, keep sugar-sweetened drinks out of their reach. There would be less risk of tooth decay and obesity if kids stay away from such beverages. Processed foods like sausages, potato chips, canned soups and instant noodles have high amounts of salt, sugar and preservatives—which deter the proper growth of children. Use salt sparingly when cooking meals as well, and opt for steaming or baking instead of frying to reduce the amount of oil in food.
Raising nutrition-smart kids works best if the family engages in bonding activities like taking walks in the park or riding bikes during weekends. Healthy living habits are not that hard to commit to, especially if you have the BPI AIA Wellness Series to help you. Parents with growing children will find it easy to stick to their parenting goals if they are living a healthy and active lifestyle.
This innovative range of insurance products offers protection solutions while giving you rewards in return for making healthy choices through AIA Vitality. Upfront additional life coverage, and discounts from a wide range of wellness partners are made available to policy holders and members of the program.
If you want to become more active and be a good role model for your kids, then visit the BPI branch nearest you to inquire about the BPI AIA health and wellness programs.
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