Be mindful of the habits you pass on to your kids. One of them being how to get over something perceived as sad, frustrating, stressful, a sense of neglect, or upsetting in any way. Another involves celebration activities. Many times parents suggest with excitement in their faces and tone of voice, “hey, how about some ice cream!” or some other food. The typical foods suggested are loaded with ingredients that decrease the immune system, provoke insulin resistance, weight gain, hyperactivity or depression, reduce cognitive function, increase inflammation, and aggravate any pre-existing health conditions. They potentially create a habit of dealing with emotions through food, and this makes it difficult to break bad habits as an adult.

Other ways to process emotions are through music, hanging out with friends, just going through it (experience the feelings, not trying to avoid them), or changing your perception. An excellent strategy is to show them how to internally process their emotions, instead of relying on external sources. If you don’t know how, seek help from a counselor, psychologist, life coach, online psychology resources (https://www.psychologytoday.com), etc.

Doing this will help set a good path for your child as they grow, and is a great way for YOU to get involved in the movement of health towards #PREVENTION.