It’s that time of year again when we think about how to show our love to family, friends and community. Gifts don’t necessarily come wrapped in a little box to make a big difference. Consider some of these options:
The Gift of Time
Some of the most meaningful gifts are gifts of time.
We can volunteer. Being deliberate about calling or visiting our elders, cooking for people with stressful circumstances, pitching in to clean a park, serving meals at a shelter are just a few examples. Volunteering is good for your community and good for your soul and health.
We can spend time with someone we love. Time with friends and family is precious. It is not only enjoyable, but also contributes to better health. Finding time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the season with loved ones can help us feel more connected. My family loves to wander the local Christmas market, drive the neighborhood to view holiday lights and spend afternoons baking together.
We can make something for someone we love. Imagine how much your dear friend would love 2 quarts of soup or a soup assortment! Or a box of dark chocolate bark, a bag of homemade granola, delicious spiced biscotti or salted date caramel turtles all dolled up in a box with ribbon. A work of art, a lovingly knit cowl, or a hand-sewn sachet filled with lavender and rose petals fall into this category, too.
The Gift of Health
The New Year is a perfect time to renew focus on health. Consider giving devices or experiences that can gently help your loved ones reclaim healthy habits.
Wearable fitness devices are revolutionizing the way we monitor our health. I continue to marvel at the technology that is available for home use. If you or your loved one are driven by data, these devices can help you monitor and optimize your health trends. These are some of my top picks:
Created by neuroscientists and physicians, the Apollo wearable device delivers gentle, soothing vibrations, called Apollo Vibes™, that are like music your body can feel – higher vibrations improve your energy and focus, while lower vibrations reduce stress, help you relax and fall asleep.
The Oura Ring can be worn both day and night to capture activity, movement and sleep data. This data is used to calculate scores for “Readiness, Sleep, and Activity” giving you an accurate read on your overall health. The Oura Ring only uses Bluetooth during data downloads and can be safely used on a regular basis for those that are concerned about EMF exposure.
The Apple Watch has the capacity to monitor blood oxygen levels, electrocardiogram (ECG) and can provide notification for high and low heart rates or irregular heart rhythms. I personally use an Apple watch to monitor my steps, sleep pattern and daily heart rate variability (HVR).
Comprehensive lab and lifestyle assessment At Relish Health I have many tools to provide detailed evaluations of one’s nutritional status, hormone balance and stress levels to help make a personalized plan for optimal wellness. Learn more about available tests here.
The Gift of Wisdom
As a bookophile I believe books are always a great gift. These are a few books on my recently enjoyed list and wish list.
Creative Acts for Curious People “A delightful, compelling book that offers a dazzling array of practical, thoughtful exercises designed to spark creativity, help solve problems, foster connection, and make our lives better.”—Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author and host of the Happier podcast
The Art of Fermentation "The bible for the D.I.Y set: detailed instructions for how to make your own sauerkraut, beer, yogurt and pretty much everything involving microorganisms."--The New York Times
The Body Keeps the Score “Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies
A GIFT For you… a jump start on a new you in the new year:
ProLon is a fasting mimicking diet system that gives you all the benefits of a 5-day fast while enjoying food. Increased focus, fat focused weight loss, enhanced cellular renewal and improved metabolic health are well documented benefits. (Learn more about the fast here.) Prolon kits can be purchased through Fullscripts or pick up at the Relish Health office.
Some gifts never go out of style. Check out the gift guides from
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022
(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)