This post brought to you by American Heart Association. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Little Family Adventure.

We want the BEST for our families! We want them to be happy, active, and most of all healthy! As parents, we make decisions every day that affect our health and that of our family, friends and other people around us. Our goal should be to help those we love to live a healthier, longer life. I have some tips that WILL help you do just that! Let’s start with your “WHY.”

Why do you want to live a healthier, longer life?

• Is your reason…
• Yourself?
• Your Kids?
• Your Family?
• Your Friends?
• Something Else?

 

My motivation for living a healthier, longer life is my family.

• I want my children to continue to grow into amazing individuals with a world of possibilities open to them.
• I want my husband and I to grow old together.
• I want my family to be healthy, so we have the ability to explore the world.
• I want my family to live life to its fullest and collect a lifetime of memories together.

 

Why do I want to be healthy?

Several years ago, our family wasn’t in the best of health. My husband suffered from high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. This was really scary for me because both sides of our family suffered from heart disease and I lost my father when he was just 63 years old. I suffered from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and had severe anxiety/panic attacks. Our kids were often sick and they all had horrible year-around allergies. At our worst, our diet was awful! We opted to eat out and/or cook convenience-style meals rather than doing any real, healthy home cooking. We were overweight and weren’t very active because we either didn’t feel well or lacked the energy to do more. There had to be a better way to live! We decided that enough was enough! We made the conscious choice to eat healthier and be more active. As a family we started cooking more together, added more real food into our diet, and got active together. We have documented many of our adventures here on the website for all to see. Today, under the care of his doctor/physician my husband is off his cholesterol and blood pressure meds and controls both through diet. My kids are rarely sick and I’m no longer having issues with low blood sugar. I still suffer from anxiety, although not as bad as before. Exercise and being more active have helped our family tremendously. We've defined our “why” and have become a healthier and more active family because of that motivation. We have done so much as family over the past few years. The memories we’ve made together are priceless. I can’t wait to see what adventures we’ll have in the future. I want to share a few tips from the American Heart Association's Life Is Why campaign to share a few tips to help you live a healthier, longer life.

Choosing to live a healthier, longer life

One of the easiest ways we found to eat better, without breaking the bank, was to add more fresh fruits and veggies into our diet.

Simple Trick to Eat Healthier

We ALWAYS have a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter. Anyone can just grab a piece of fruit when they are hungry. It makes healthy snacking easier and REALLY convenient.

The American Heart Association's Pinterest page site has a great list of healthy snacks under $1 per serving. Some of our favorites include:

• An Apple (raw or chopped in a fruit salad)
• A Banana (alone or in a yogurt parfait)
• 6 ounces of Yogurt (great in its own or in a smoothie)
• 8-10 Baby Carrots (Our favorite is with chickpea Hummus)

Find more budget friendly, healthy snacking ideas on Pinterest.

Plus, if you want to buy produce that is in season (which is also a great way to save money), find the full guide on Pinterest

Find Your Why Whether you are making the choice to be healthy for yourself, your family, or for other reasons, knowing your “Why” is where you need to start. It will provide you with continued motivation to do and be better. You will be inspired too see how your decision to live a healthier, longer life affects those around you. You may even be surprised at just how far your choice to be healthier reaches. As parents, we affect real change in the health of those we love. I know firsthand that when I place a priority on health, my family does too.  It also affects those around us; our friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. The fact that you are reading this article is proof of that! Making the decision to be healthier allows us to go out, experience, and share the journey with you. Get Out and Find Your Family Adventure The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association want people to experience more of life's precious moments with the ones they love. To do this, it’s essential that you are healthy in both heart and mind. Define your “Why” and have fun with your family! Let your reason for living a healthier, longer life, motivate you to live a healthier, longer life! You can start today!

Here are some simple things you can do to help your family live a healthier, longer life.

1. Eat more fruits and veggies
2. Decrease sodium in your diet
3. Limit sugary sweetened beverages
4. Be physically active every day
5. Monitor and control your blood pressure

The American Heart Association (AHA) has resources that can help too!

Visit their Life Is Why website and Pinterest page for healthy recipes, tips and tricks to improve your life, plus information and resources on improving heart and brain health.

Together we can make the changes needed for a healthier, longer life for ourselves and for our families. Everyone has a reason to live a longer, healthier life. What’s yours?