Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Choices: A Summer of Wellness

 A focus on overall wellness in your family can naturally support substance abuse prevention. When teens feel healthy, busy, and confident, they are less likely to turn to alcohol or drugs. SSAPCO’s mission has always included promoting healthy alternatives for youth – helping them find fun and fulfillment without substances. So, challenge your family to make this summer about healthy living together. Encourage your teen to stay active, eat well, and keep their body and mind in good shape. Perhaps they can join a local sports league, go swimming at the pool, or simply take nightly walks – exercise not only improves physical health but can also reduce stress and boost mood (which means less temptation to use substances as a pick-me-up). Good nutrition and adequate sleep similarly make a huge difference in a teen’s mood and decision-making. Emphasize that taking care of themselves is part of being responsible – it’s hard to make smart choices if you’re overtired, hungry, or not feeling your best. You can even connect it back to prevention: for example, explain that substance use can wreck fitness goals or that a healthy brain doesn’t mix well with toxic substances. Moreover, getting involved in positive extracurricular activities – whether it’s sports, art, music, or a summer job – can actually protect against substance use by giving teens a sense of purpose and accomplishmentpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Research consistently shows that teens engaged in structured activities are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. So, by promoting a healthy lifestyle, you’re not only improving your teen’s wellness now, but also setting them up with habits and interests that steer them away from drugs and alcohol in the long run. It’s truly a win-win for prevention and for life!

Practical Tips for Parents:

  • Plan Active Outings: Take advantage of Idaho’s great outdoors – plan family hikes, bike rides, or even floating the Salmon River (with life jackets and safety in mind). These activities are fun, free, and keep teens active. Aim for at least one physical activity together each week. It keeps everyone fit and creates positive memories that don’t involve any substances.

  • Support Their Interests: If your teen shows interest in a sport or hobby, do what you can to encourage it. That might mean driving them to basketball open gym, helping them buy art supplies, or attending their summer league games. When teens are passionate about an activity, they’re less likely to jeopardize it by using drugs or alcohol. Plus, achievements in these areas boost self-esteem.

  • Healthy Habits at Home: Make wellness a family affair. Stock the fridge with healthy snacks (fruits, veggies, protein options) and involve your teen in cooking nutritious meals. Set a “no phones after a certain hour” rule to ensure everyone, including parents, gets good sleep. Perhaps start a family step-count challenge or a water-drinking challenge – friendly competition can motivate healthy habits.

  • Discuss Substance Effects on Health: Without being preachy, weave in some education about how alcohol, tobacco, and drugs can harm one’s health and fitness. For example, if your teen is into sports, talk about how smoking or vaping reduces lung capacity and endurance. If they care about appearance, note that heavy drinking or drug use can affect skin, weight, etc. Frame it as health facts rather than scare tactics. Understanding the real impacts on their goals (staying in shape for soccer, having energy for work, etc.) can reinforce their commitment to staying substance-free.

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