Expert advice: 5 ways you can support all aspects of your family’s health

Photo above by Tyson via Unsplash.

In August of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started a nationwide tour to discuss the physical and mental wellness of students going back to school. The tour began in Pittsburgh at the YMCA in Bethel Park, where Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC, shared what the YMCA is doing to support students — and how parents can, too.

During my interview with Dr. Cohen, one thing she said stuck out to me: “I want folks to know that the CDC is working for them every day to protect their health and improve their health… for the whole of your health, which includes mental health.”

As a high school student, I and many others can easily forget to take care of our whole health or even understand the correlation between physical and mental health. But it’s incredibly important. Whether we realize it or not, every part of us and our routines make up our well-being. Dr. Cohen and the CDC shared these examples to help support you and your children’s mental and physical health:

Eat Healthy
Think about what you’re eating and what it does for you. Eating protein is great because a healthy diet benefits your body and improves brain function. With a healthy diet, your brain can process things more easily and your body gets the nutrients it needs to produce neurotransmitters for a happier and healthier day.

Get Good Sleep
Lack of sleep can affect emotional vulnerability, so it’s important to get rest. Eight hours helps your body function and take on every day to its fullest potential. With sleep, your body runs more efficiently and you can go into the day feeling more emotionally aware.

Go Outside
Turn the time you normally spend with friends inside into active time outside. When the weather is nice, make a goal to get fresh air, sit in the sun, and spend some time off screens. Outside, the sun gives you vitamin D and the fresh air is invigorating, offering a mental reset.

Maintain Physical Health
Make an effort to wash your hands and get booster shots. Taking steps to maintain physical health guarantees you are your best self. Feeling better physically can improve your mental mindset going into each day.

Get OK With Feeling Uncomfortable and Making Mistakes
When asked how to support the younger generation’s health, Dr. Cohen said, “That’s what being a teenager is about. It’s about practicing what we want our life to be in the future and practicing resilience: OK, a hard thing happened. How do I process that?” Cohen elaborated that people who practice making mistakes and forming connections with friends and family (in real life) have stronger health and resilience.

It’s familiar advice — we often hear these basic “get eight hours of sleep” or “eat healthy” comments  But it’s important to realize those small things really do have large benefits for your mental health, as well as physical health. As a high school student at a college preparatory school, I can find it difficult to practice good mental health. But by trying to stay healthy physically and get good rest, I start every day feeling like I can do my best.

If you are a parent trying to support your kid, share the message that feeling good is taking care of every piece of you. Maybe brushing your teeth helps you feel mentally clean before bed, eating your favorite meal can make you and your body happy, or seeing friends is good for your happiness and overall function.

Healthy habits reap various benefits. Anyone can choose to start taking care of themselves and others in their life. Now that you know how your mental and physical health correlate, what changes will you make to benefit the whole of your health?