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Wednesday's Health Report: Yoga, enjoyable exercises are great ways to start healthy habits in kids
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BATON ROUGE — Yoga is good for both the mind and body.
And it's not just for adults; there are also benefits for children.
"It's a good way to get moving. It helps with flexibility. It helps with strength. But it also helps with mindfulness," pediatrician Gina Robinson said.
Kids ages 6 and up should get at least one hour of physical activity a day, and yoga can be a fun way to help them reach that goal. Along with the physical benefits, doctors say practicing yoga encourages mindfulness and teaches kids tactics like deep breathing.
It allows them to be in the moment and tune out the distractions of cell phones and other devices. Deep breathing can also be used outside of yoga to help kids manage difficult emotions from stress to anxiety.
When it comes to trying yoga, parents can lead by example.
"We are the best example for our children. So, when we want our kids to participate in things, we want them to try new things, a lot of times it helps if we do it with them," Robinson said.
Whether it's yoga or something else, experts say you should try to find a physical activity your child enjoys. It makes it much more likely they will reach exercise goals.
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