Back to school health and diet tips

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Summer vacation is over, another school year is underway and fitness experts give parents advice on getting their children interested in healthy snacks this school year.

Ricky Martinez, co-owner of Pump Nation in Brownsville discussed back-to-school health tips for children. He emphasized the importance of sending kids to school with water instead of sugary drinks to maintain focus and avoid hyperactivity.

“I want to always make sure I send them with water. I know a lot of parents tend to do juice and Gatorade. Send them with water. Nothing better than having some water in your system. A lot of these other drinks have a lot of high sugar. We want to avoid that, especially for younger kids. You know, it’ll make them hyper, and then, you know, they can’t focus on school, and they’re all over the place,” said Martinez.

He also highlighted the need for nutritious snacks like fruit and popcorn over chips and cookies.

“Send the kids with oranges, apples, and other fruit. Kids like chips so give them popcorn. It’s a better alternative, not as high in fats and a lot less salty,” he said.

Pump Nation offers classes for all ages, from nine-year-olds to senior citizens, and organizes challenges to foster community and accountability.

They are located at 413 Ruben M. Torres Blvd. Suite 6 in Brownsville, is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information call (956) 484-0225 or on Facebook .

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