Four Good Reasons to Thank Your Dad

He told us to stop watching television and get upstairs to go to bed. In the summer months, he encouraged us to get outside to play ball, and then calmed our fears of getting scraped up by telling us a little dirt never hurt anyone. And when we were playing hard, he made sure we got a big, long, cold drink of water from the hose before we went running off to play again.

As we grew up, our dads provided guidance and advice, and though we didn’t think of his words as life-changing wisdom at the time, the things he suggested ensured that we were heading down a path of health and happiness for many years to come. On Father’s Day this year, take the time to thank your father. Here are four good reasons why:

1. He let you play in the dirt.

When children are not exposed to normal, natural environmental things, the immune system turns inward on itself and is not strengthened the way it should be. When your dad encouraged you to play and become dirty as a result, he helped your immune system develop stronger, which helped minimize the chance that you developed allergies and other auto-immune conditions later in life.

2. He insisted you get enough sleep.

Kids love to stay up late to play, watch movies or chat with their friends, but getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential for our bodies. When we sleep, the body works to heal and regenerate itself so that it can function properly during the time that we’re awake. A lack of sleep can interfere with your daily routine and activities, and it can inhibit the ability to function properly.

3. He made sure you drank enough water.

Kids hate to drop their bikes or take a break from a basketball game to grab a quick drink of water. They say they aren’t thirsty, or they’ll just get a drink of water later. Without water, the body can’t work properly, and it will shut down if it is deprived of its needed fluids. When kids—or anyone—is exercising, participating in a particularly strenuous activity or in warm weather, it is essential that they drink enough water. If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink water, that’s a sign that it’s needed water for a long time already.

4. He made sure you got enough exercise.

By the time we’re adults, we’ve somehow convinced ourselves that exercise has to be an unpleasant activity viewed with distaste. As kids, though, we rode our bikes, played Frisbee with our friends, jumped rope in gym class and enjoyed sprinting through the sprinkler … all of which were great forms of exercise. Playing is a great way to get our hearts pumping and muscles moving, plus it helps keep the body slim and strong and the brain energized.

The Specific Chiropractic Center is honoring all Dads during the month of June! Ask about our special Father’s Day promotion by calling 1-888-722-4467.

RESOURCES

“’Dirt is Good’ For Kids, Expert Insists.’ CBSNews.com (January 31, 2009) Retrieved May 20, 2011 from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/31/earlyshow/health/main4766105.shtml.

Gavin, Mary L., MD. “Why Drinking Water is the Way to Go.” KidsHealth.org. (February 2009) Retrieved May 20, 2011 from http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/water.html.

“Why Sleep is Important.” Education.com. (Reprinted with permission from the National Institute of Mental Health) Retrieved May 20, 2011 from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Parents_Why_Sleep/.