Healthy Gift Ideas

It's the season of giving once again. Still not done with your gift shopping? Why not consider some healthy and possibly life changing gifts for your loved ones.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with all of the products mentioned.

1. Gift certificate to a cooking class

Whether your loved one is vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian or an omnivore, there are classes all around town for everyone. This may give them that nudge to start eating whole foods made from scratch.

2. Book for Self Care

If you know a bibliophile, especially one who is ready to jumpstart the new year with healthy living, this one is an inexpensive option. Get the most updated version where most of the science is up to date. I especially like Cleveland Clinic's Chief Wellness Officer, Dr. Michael Roizen's books.

3. Cookbook

A Mediterranean diet cookbook for your omnivore friend or a whole food, plant based cookbook for the vegetarian, or vegan friend. These are the food that has the most evidence of health benefits. Depending on the study you're looking at, a plant based, whole food diet can increase your lifespan between 7 to 14 years. You can even compile a scrapbook of recipes for those of you who are crafty.

4. Accelerometer Pedometer

It can be a stand alone pedometer or one that is incorporated into a smartwatch for the active friend. The accelerometer pedometer is a little more advanced in that it measures vertical, lateral and longitudinal acceleration while a pedometer measures the upward and downward movement of your hips. Although the step counts are not exact, I think they still give you an approximate idea of your daily activity. The surgeon general recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity in a week. Although the 10,000 steps have been debated on, it is an achievable goal for most individuals and gets you close to the 150 minutes of moderate exercise. The goal is to sit less people.

5. A meditation app

Did you know that stress management is one of the best ways to take care of your brain? A little guided meditation is one way to manage stress. Here is a link on how to give an app for a gift. https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/give-ios-app-gift-how-to

6. A group getaway

If you are feeling extra giving, a trip to somewhere with friends may just be helpful for your friend's health and yours. It could just be a daytrip a few miles away or a trip somewhere exotic, but the point is to maintain close friendships and being with people close to you. Social isolation in real life (not on social media) is detrimental to our mental health. Here is a good article outlining the many studies on social isolation - https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/isolation-effects.htm

7. A subscription to your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

With this, your friend or loved one will be encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetable, which we know are good for our health. At the same time, you can support the local business.