A healthy kid is one who eats well, gets a lot of physical activity (exercise), and has a healthy weight. If you are healthy, then your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run around with your friends.

Kids can do a lot when it comes to their health. Here are five rules for kids who want to be healthy.  Kids should follow these rules most of the time, knowing that some times (like your birthday) you need a little cake and ice cream.

1. Eat a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. You may have one favorite food, but it is best choice to eat a variety of foods. If you eat different foods, the you are more likely to get all of the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods and old ones you haven't tried for a while. Some foods, such as green veggies, taste better as you get older.  You should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day - two fruits and three vegetables.

2. Drink water and milk most often. When you're really thirsty, cold water is the best thirst-quencher. Milk is also very important because kids need calcium to grow strong bones, and milk is a great source of this mineral. How much calcium do kids need? About 800 milligrams each day if you're 6 to 8 and 1,300 milligrams if you're 9 or older.

To give you an idea, here's a list of foods and drinks that would add up to the 1,300-milligram daily calcium goal:  2 cups of milk (600 milligrams of calcium); 2 ounces of cheese (300 milligrams of calcium); 1 cup of yogurt (315 milligrams of calcium); and 1/2 cup cooked white beans (120 milligrams of calcium).

You probably will want something other than milk or water, so it is okay to have 100% juice once in a while. Try to limit sugary drinks, like sodas, juice cocktails, and fruit punches. They contain a lot of added sugar. Sugar just adds calories, not important nutrients.

3. Listen to your body. When you're eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Sometimes, people eat too much because they don't notice when they need to stop eating. Eating too much can make you feel uncomfortable, and over a period of time, it can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

4. Limit screen time.  This is the amount of time you spend watching TV, DVDs, and videos, playing handheld computer games, and using the computer. The more time you spend on these sitting-down activities, the less time available for active stuff, like basketball, bike riding, and swimming. Try to spend no more than 2 hours a day on screen time, not counting computer use related to school work.

5. Be active. One thing kids can do is figure out which activities they like best. Not everyone loves baseball or soccer. Maybe your passion is karate, or kickball, or dancing. Ask your parents to help you do your favorite activities regularly. Find ways to be active every day. You might even write down a list of fun stuff to do, so you can refer to it when your mom or dad says it's time to stop watching TV or playing computer games!

Parents can be a big help if you want your child to be healthy.  You can stock the house with healthy foods and plan physical activities for the family.