Three Reasons Not to Give Your Kids Flu Shots

Most of the time we focus most of our writings on kids exercise and nutrition. Occasionally we want to provide critical information to you to help educate you and your family on pressing issues.

I’m sure you’ve seen countless television and radio reports of the federal and state governments pushing you to not only vaccinate yourselves but your kids too with the flu vaccine. Let me just give you a few reasons as to why you shouldn’t do that.

• The majority of flu shots contain 25 micrograms of mercury or more. This amount is considered unsafe for people weighing less than 550 pounds! The groups most affected by mercury or thimerosal are infants, kids and the elderly. Check out all of the nasty ingredients in the flu shots here. Not only that, but flu shots increase the chance of getting alzheimer’s X10.

• There are no studies that have conclusively proven that any of the flu shots prevent flu-related deaths among the elderly. Why is that important? Because that is one of the main targets of the government pushers.

• If you get the flu shot, it is highly probable that you will still get the flu. This is because it only protects against certain strains and the CDC has actually guessed WRONG the last few years.

These are just a few of the many reasons not to give your kids a flu shot. They aren’t effective and they actually cause severe health problems. Let me leave you with a short list of ingredients in the flu vaccines.

• Formaldehyde – a known cancer-causing agent
• Aluminum – a neurotoxin that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease
• Triton X-100 – a detergent
• Phenol (carbolic acid)
• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)

What is the solution? Kids exercise and kids healthy eating. Especially vitamin D which is one of the most beneficial vitamins for preventing disease. This is the sunshine vitamin. The vitamin D is formed when your skin is exposed to healthy amounts of sunshine. When it’s winter and there is less sunlight then getting an appropriate vitamin D supplement is best.

Kids indoor exercise is a must as well. Other flu avoiding activities include:

• Eat healthy and avoid sugar
• Eat garlic regularly
• Adequate sleep
• Good hygiene

Let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help you and your family.

Source: Mercola

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Babies and Exercise

I’ve been interested in exercise for a long time.  When I was in junior high I wanted to be stronger so that I could be a better baseball player.  Ok, I won’t lie … I wanted bigger muscles too.  When I was in high school I loved exercise because the most conditioned ballplayers usually end up doing better than other.  What does this have to do with babies and exercise?  I’m not really sure!

I guess I’m trying to say that having a baby has allowed me to research in-depth on what kinds of exercises our baby could do to help her physically to excel.  Now, I’m not talking about trying to get our baby to run on the treadmill or lift little baby weights.  That would be funny to watch if it were possible.

I’m talking about delicate exercises a parent can do with their baby everyday to help make them aware of things such as:

• Bending and moving baby’s arms and legs
• Gently moving baby’s head back and forth
• Holding toys or objects in front of them so they can grab it
• Holding them and allowing them to jump or bounce on you

Do you see how that works?  Those are just a few of the exercises with your baby that you can do.  Always be gentle and have lots of patience.  If they get a little fussy then just pause the exercises until they are ready to resume.  Sometime they can get information overload as they are learning and processing so many things.

No matter what, just have fun and enjoy these moments while at the same time using baby exercise to help them develop physically ahead of the curve.

What are some of the things you do for baby exercise or kids exercise?

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Holiday Gifts to get Kids Exercising

Christmas is only a couple months away, so now is a good time to start thinking of gifts for your kids. They most likely have a long list of wants for the latest toys and gadgets. How about giving them a gift they’ll love that also promotes exercise?

There are many wonderful items on the market that help keep kids in shape. Some higher-priced items include toys like the Wii system and the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle, a video game where young kids ride a stationary bike and learn at the same time.

Or, if you’d rather get them away from the TV, how about a skateboard, bicycle or pogo stick? If price isn’t a big issue, the possibilities are endless. Just visit your local sporting goods stores for ideas.

Exercising with your kids doesn’t have to cost money, though. There are a great number of kids indoor activities a family can do together for free this Christmas season.

So, as you spend countless hours roaming the mall for Christmas purchases, think of gifts your kids will not only love, but will also benefit from. Learning to enjoy exercise will profit your kids their entire lives.

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Strength Training for Kids

Strength training for kids has been researched and in most situations it is a safe option for youth.  I say youth and not kids for a reason.  You obviously don’t need to have your kids lifting weights at age five.

Let’s get the myths straightened out first.  Lifting weights will not stunt a child’s growth.  Many major fitness and medical organizations in the U.S. recommend strength training for youth. 

What is the acceptable age?  When they are able to accept and follow directions.  That can be estimated around the age of seven or eight years old.

The benefits are many.  Let me share a few with you now. 

• Muscular fitness
• Bone mineral density
• Body composition
• Motor fitness performance
• Injury resistance

Start slowly in coaching your kids when strength training comes into the picture.  Listen to your kids’ concerns and research the best you can.  Take your time and really focus on good form and learning the basics.

There are plenty of kids exercises and activities you can teach them.  You can not only use weights, but also medicine balls, resistance tubing and machines at your local gym.  I would also recommend doing full-body workouts when they first get started and not just focus on one muscle group.

Make sure you participate with your kids, which will make them more excited and have lots of fun!

Source: ACE Fitness

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Do Stretching and Kids Exercise Go Together?

You bet it does!  Kids are not always naturally limber which means that their muscles may be tight and susceptible to injury, especially during those years that their bodies are growing.

While we know kids exercise isn’t as intense as adult exercise, the need is still there to stretch each day after kids exercise. 

Stretch each major muscle group for 20-30 seconds.  Do not use a bouncing motion.  During your kids stretches make sure they hold the stretch.  Bouncing or not staying steady may cause discomfort, as well as not working as effectively.

Your kids stretching should take around 10 minutes. 

Kids stretching not only prevents injury, but it also helps their flexibility and range of motion.

The best time to stretch is after kids exercise and not before.  That is because the muscles are loose and warm.

The best way to get the muscles loose before kids exercise is to do a light warm-up.  Here are some examples:

• Light jogging
• Running in place
• Riding bike
• Calisthenics

And remember, parents are the model for kids.  With that in mind, go ahead and stretch with them!

For expanded articles and kids exercise ideas please visit MyFamilyExercise.com

Kids Indoor Activities Versus TV Watching

There are plenty of kids indoor activities which will lead to good health instead of sitting in front of the TV, wasting away.  Almost 50 percent of kids spend close to two hours a day watching TV.  What’s the problem with two hours of cartoons, you ask?

The April 2004 journal Pediatrics found that every hour of TV viewing increases a child’s probability of having attention problems at age seven by nearly 10 percent.  Kids who watched TV for three hours a day between the ages of one and three were 30 percent more likely to have attention trouble by age seven than those who viewed no TV.

Here are a few suggestions for kids indoor activities that could replace TV watching:

• Ball bouncing, balancing, rolling
• Dancing to music
• Stretching
• Scavenger hunt
• Indoor bowling
• Read and walk game

There are literally dozens upon dozens of creative kids indoor activities that your kids can participate in which will assist in their health, growth and learning.

We have come up with tons of kids indoor activities and exercises that will help you!  In the meantime, try your best to start weaning them from the TV and into more productive kids activities.  You need to get involved in your kids lives. 

What have your experiences been with your kids and TV?  We’d love to hear from you.

Saving Money and Kids Exercise

Sure, the current world economy is taking a hit right now.  You have to cut back on your budget.  You don’t have to cut out kids exercise!  Even though you may have to cut back on a lot of activities, like vacations, you can still have fun together as a family for free.  

What a great way to relieve stress and just plain have fun.  Yes!  I’m talking to you, parent!  Have fun participating in kids exercise with your children … for free!

You and your kids will stay healthy, have fun and save money all at the same time.  You can conduct kids exercise activities from your own home.  There are all kinds of activities you can do in the yard:

• Tag
• Relay Races
• Hopscotch
• Soccer
• Kickball
• And More!

How about kids indoor exercises?  I’m glad you asked!

• Jumping jacks, pushups, jump rope, etc.
• Scoop Ball
• Dance Dance Revolution Game
• Many more kids indoor exercise ideas

Again, most of these kids exercise suggestions are completely free of charge!  Relieve stress and have some fun family time. 

Do you have some cool kids exercise ideas?  Let us know!

After School Kids Exercise

Your kids are well into the fall semester at school this year.  I’m sure you are busy helping them with homework, attending school programs and just making sure dinner is ready for the family every night.

How is their exercise activity going?  Are they involved with any after school kids exercise activities at home?  The general consensus for grade-schoolers and teens is that they should be getting at least one hour of moderate-intensity physical activity per day. 

Parents are to be models for their kids when it comes to exercise.  I know that your schedule is packed.  Here are a few ideas.

Multi-task
Turn household chores into fun kids exercise games.  How about in-between errands, stopping at the park to play on the playground.

Family Fun Time
Power walk as a family after dinner or play around together in the yard.

Do you have any ideas that you’ve tried with your family?  Leave your comments here.  We’d love to hear from you.

Visit us for more kids home exercise ideas.

Can a Video Game Make My Kids More Fit?

The American Council on Exercise researched and found that all persons ages 12-25 in a test had a marked increase in exercise intensity. Adult participants burned more calories.

On average, subjects burned five calories/minute on light mode, six calories/minute on standard mode and eight calories/minute on difficult mode.

Although I wouldn’t recommend long periods of video game use on a regular basis, I think kids exercise games such as Dance Dance Revolution are beneficial every now and then. Better options are to conduct fun kids exercise activities outdoors or even creative kids indoor exercises.

What do you think?  Do your kids play exercise video games such as Dance Dance Revolution?  Are they getting their heart rates up and sweating?

Disabilities and Kids Exercise

If getting kids to exercise is a challenge, working with a disabled child can sometimes be even more challenging. But, depending on the type of disability, there are various opportunities to making sure a child with disabilities is physically active.

While exercising with other kids who have similar handicaps may be encouraging to a child and beneficial on many levels, it’s not always necessary to enroll children in such groups. Exercise can also be done within the home, with the parents as coaches. The key is knowing how to keep your child physically active.

A 1998 study done by Emory University and the University of Georgia found that children who exercise regularly develop strength, coordination and flexibility. Exercise improves a child’s academics, behavior and social interaction and decreases the likelihood of depression. In addition, as children become more active, secondary health complications decrease.

For these reasons, exercise for a handicapped child is just as important, if not more, than exercise for a child without disabilities. If you’re not sure what type of exercises your child can participate in, talk to their doctor, school PE teacher, a specialist, or contact a local nonprofit organization that can help.

Each child with special needs requires unique treatment, so knowing the best exercises for your child is crucial. Educating yourself with such information is valuable for their health, both physically and mentally.

Do you need ideas for fun exercises for kids?  Visit our kids exercise articles page to learn more.