Please note this post contains affiliate links. This means that I may benefit financially from any purchase you make. However, I am very strict with what I promote, and I only include things I love myself and/or think would be helpful to my readers.
November 1st is here and that kicks off the upcoming holiday season for many! Whether you start your holiday festivities now or later in the season, I wanted to make sure you had a roundup of my top 5 gift ideas for the health-conscious crew.
1. Give the gift of fitness
This doesn't have to just mean a membership to the gym (although in the winter, many people do prefer to work out in a gym rather than in the freezing cold!). If you're shopping for a loved one who isn't a big fan of the gym, consider gifting a portion of or a whole year of membership for a different type of fitness membership such as ClassPass, FitReserve or even a few classes at their favorite studio! You can even help this person stock up on important necessities for a home gym! Great examples include yoga blocks, resistance bands, workout DVDs, weights and even exercise machines!
2. Give the gift of answers to stubborn health issues.
If one of the loved ones on your shopping list has been having some health issues, why not gift them a tool to give them some insight into what might be causing issues for them? My recommendation is to start with the gut- you can actually order a stool testing kit which your giftee can receive and collect the sample at home. All the giftee has to do then is ship the sample back to the lab and in return, this person will receive a full report on how well his/her bacteria in the digestive system are balanced, if there is an abundance of "bad" vs "good" bacteria or vice versa and more! They'll even get personalized and actionable, step by step recommendations on how to improve their gut health from a registered dietitian! This is super helpful for someone who needs a little insight into what might be causing his/her health ailments but it's also very interesting for the everyday health conscious giftee!
3. Give the gift of a session or package with a professional.
Has anyone on your list been continually talking about finally scheduling that appointment with the [insert professional here: massage therapist, esthetician, nutritionist, personal trainer, acupuncturist, etc]? Help them out! Many health professionals will offer a package price if you purchase multiple sessions up front or even just purchase one session so that the person on your list has one more reason to finally set up that appointment!
4. Give the gift of a genetic health test.
Nutrigenomics (the study of how food and nutrition effects our genes) is a hot topic now- and who wouldn't want a meal plan and exercise plan customized just for them, based on their specific genes? There are many tests out there- so pick one that is aligned with the special person on your list's interests. Does he/she want to lose weight? Perhaps this genetic test (complete with customized meal plan and exercise plan) would be the best choice! Is this person interested to know what health conditions he/she is must susceptible to? This test might be a better choice. The important thing is to do your research and make sure the test is from a reputable company. Many of the sampling is done by cheek swab. It's quick and easy, you can do it at home and the best part is that it's super personal and individualized!
5. Give the gift of healthy food!
The biggest complaint I hear in my private practice from my clients is that "being healthy is just so much work!", "I have to meal prep and plan, exercise everyday- ugh!". Well, the good news is that there are some prepared meal services out there that I do love (not that they're perfect but they may be a better alternative to takeout or skipping meals entirely)- and would make a great gift for your very busy health conscious loved one. Some examples include Veestro and Hungry Root. Amy's Light in Sodium meals are another good choice and can be found in most supermarkets (perhaps in this scenario a gift card to the nearest grocery store would be a better option than gifting the actual meals!). Or, if you're a real over-achiever you could even meal prep some meals, freeze them and offer those as a gift for your loved one to keep! If you need meal prep containers, these are the ones I use (although if you're a fan of glass check these out).
I hope this list can help some of you out who are stumped on what to get that relative who "has everything" they need or gives you some fresh ideas for the health conscious person/people on your list.
And also, let's not forget to GIFT OURSELVES! Maybe the gift ideas on this list seem more relevant for YOU, and if so, go with it! Don't forget the importance of self care and rewarding yourself during this busy season! To schedule a free consultation with me, click here!