The holidays may be a traditional time of American excess, but
this Christmas or Hanukkah, consider giving (and getting) a few
items to help you fight off those unwanted holiday pounds and ring
in a healthier new year.
The holidays may be a traditional time of American excess, but this Christmas or Hanukkah, consider giving (and getting) a few items to help you fight off those unwanted holiday pounds and ring in a healthier new year.
One of the first steps toward being healthy is actually valuing your health and that of your loved ones, a gift that will last a lot longer than that bottle of wine and box of truffles you were thinking about buying mom and dad this year.
Here are a few gift ideas the family will enjoy:
Sonicare Elite Toothbrush
$59.99 to $114.99 at Drugstore.com
Oral health, as I’ve reported in previous columns, is linked to total-body health, and nobody cleans a mouth better than Sonicare. And unlike traditional electric toothbrushes, Sonicare is gentle on teeth and gums, a boon for someone with receding gums, sensitive teeth or weak enamel.
Pedometer with Alarm
$30 at The Discovery Channel Store
Keeping track of your daily exercise can’t get much easier than with a simple clip-on pedometer, but this one has an added feature for those with medical concerns out on the trail. The pedometer includes a large panic button that loudly calls for help.
Belly Dance For Beginners: Slim Down
$16.18 at Barnes & Noble
Who said getting in shape couldn’t also be sexy? This half-hour workout is an intense fat-burner, but it might just get you in the mood to try out a few of those hip-drops for your hubby, too. For more training to aid you in those private performances, consider picking up The Sensual Art of Bellydance: Basic Dance as well. It’s only $14.98.
Personalized Yoga Bag with Mat
$100 at Red Envelope.com
Not only will the yoga-fiend in your life be getting in shape, they’ll be looking good while doing it.
90-Day Gym Membership
$149 at 24HourFitness.com
Getting in the habit of exercising can be the most difficult obstacle to overcome on the path to fitness. If you know someone who keeps talking about getting a gym membership, but never has, consider giving a gym membership. Once they’ve had the opportunity to get in the gym and see how much better they feel, the motivation is more likely to continue past 90 days.
Paraffin Foot Bath
$137.95 at HealthyFeet Store.com
Dipping your feet in hot wax may sound like some sort of strange torture, but it’s actually a therapeutic experience. Paraffin wax not only softens the skin, but the wax’s ability to lock in heat promotes circulation to the least-reached extremities (hands and feet), dramatically alleviating the pain associated with arthritis and improving health for diabetics.
