Ten healthy gifts for festive season
Christmas festivity is all about celebrating our loved ones and showing them how special they are by giving them the gift that keeps on giving: good health. The trick here is plan early, shop or pay for services early to avoid last minute rush. Here are some ideas that can inspire and motivate your friends and family to keep their health goals in check, writes Nailantei Norari
Fitness
Get a gym membership for a friend or family member who enjoys or always wants to start working out.
A pair of good sport shoes, a fashionable workout outfit or a gym equipment are all great ideas for keeping your loved ones motivated to stay active.
Massage
A great gift this holiday season is to give someone special the opportunity to release their stress.
This is why receiving a massage is great to escape the holiday chaos and responsibilities.
You can learn about the various massage options and give your spouse a good one at home or book a trip to the spa together for this relaxing experience.
Health monitoring gadgets
Available in most fitness shops, buy your loved one a stylish activity tracker, a smart scale, connected blood pressure monitors to help monitor their steps, sleep, activity level, and calories burned.
The tracker can also monitor how many hours of sleep you get per night and roughly estimate the quality of sleep. You could also install them as android apps on your loved one’s phone.
Wellness or healthy cook books
Staying healthy is more than just staying active. Books on wellness or a healthy cook book are excellent gift options this holiday.
Providing your loved ones with a cookbook full of healthy alternatives to their favourite meals could be a big help in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
Healthy cookware
Gift your friend with cookware that do not pose health dangers. For example, an enamel cast cookware, unlike pans that are coated with a layer of chemicals to prevent sticking, they do not release gases or chemical particles into the air or your food when it is heated.
Other healthy cookware options include stainless steel utensils, glass jars or containers because they are non-porous, which means that odours and flavours can’t be absorbed.
Cutting boards made from bamboo are also less likely to result in cross-contamination than plastic boards thanks to the naturally-occurring anti-microbial compounds in bamboo.
Ceramic is also a great healthy kitchen ware gift because it is kitchen- and earth-friendly material that can withstand extreme temperatures.
Beauty gift
We all have that friend or family member who can’t get enough of beauty products.
How about getting them a healthy product with natural ingredients such as raw sheer butter, coconut oil, aloe vera among others.
They can be best replacement to some beauty products, which have additives that could be harmful to health.
Smart Shake shaker cups
Also available at health shops and large retail shops, smart shake shaker cups are made from BAP-free plastic, they don’t leak, and can be used to pack juice, smoothies, healthy concoctions.
They come in loads of vibrant colours and would make the perfect holiday gift.
Healthy food gift
The holiday season centres on festivities that include decadent food and drink. However, a loved one will not mind a food gift that encourages them to stay healthy.
Pick up a tin of green tea bags and a strainer for a gift that’s packed with antioxidant power.
Also, herbs and spices are packed with phytochemicals that lower inflammation and have natural antiviral and antibiotic properties.
Another gift is a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, that can lower cholesterol levels, which helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. A basket of fruits is also a perfect healthy food gift.
Cooking classes
This gift is for the person in your life who dreams of becoming a better cook or who just loves spending time in the kitchen. Cooking classes can also offer healthy food cooking ideas and alternatives.
Your personal time
Volunteer to be someone’s workout buddy. Create a reward system to present to them every time they achieve a milestone.
Also, just being there for your loved ones is a good compensation for the little time spent together throughout the year.
