A comprehensive list of ideal gifts for the health-conscious person in your life
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Living with a doctor definitely has its benefits, but also comes with challenges for someone like me, who is not a naturally health-conscious person. I often tease Dinner Table Doctor about his fiber intake, yet he clings to the eternal hope that some of his advice and healthy lifestyle will somehow rub off on me.
In truth, I do listen to him far more than I let on. I want to be a healthy person. It’s just that being healthy is sometimes really hard and often not much fun. I think most people want to live a healthier lifestyle, but sometimes find it a daunting and challenging. If you or someone you love is trying to be healthy and fit, here are some gift ideas that may encourage their efforts. I either have these items myself or DTD has them – I promise that I will not lead you astray. These gift ideas are for the person who wants to embrace fitness and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Good Shoes: If you’re looking for a good pair of shoes at a great price, try Joe’s New Balance Outlet. DTD and I often get shoes from this site. It is legit. The selections are a little limited but if you find what you’re looking for, the prices are low.
Cookbooks: Cookbooks are no longer needed for recipes, but some of them are excellent sources of motivation while offering interesting information, and many cookbooks are beautiful works of art. I find most of my recipes online, but here are a few cookbooks which I own and use again and again for a variety of reasons:
Motivational Water Bottle: For many years I was addicted to Diet Coke. I tried to give it up on multiple occasions. I finally kicked the habit by drinking lemon water and now I can proudly say that I drink a ton of water and rarely have soda. I love the sour lemon flavor in my water and sometimes I add a few sprigs of mint as well. This water bottle helped me get there after years of struggling.
YoNaNa: You may have seen the commercials for this and thought it was just another gimmick, but our family has had several years of YoNaNa delight! It is absolutely true that you can quickly make a frozen dessert that is healthy and delicious. While it’s not as yummy as ice cream, it is still a treat and much better for you, since it is vegan, dairy-free, frozen fruit. You can indulge every night! It’s an especially great gift if you know someone with lactose intolerance.
Beans: DTD is a member of a bean club. You read that correctly. Some people join book clubs; some people join wine clubs. DTD is in a bean club and every so often a box of heirloom beans arrives at our door, which makes him giddy as a schoolgirl. He now calls beans from the grocery store “commodity beans” and they are only used in emergencies since they are subpar. The heirloom beans come from Rancho Gordo and there is a waiting list to get in the club. They are delicious beans, and we have a wide variety of beans on hand at all times. My fiber intake has never been better. Although you probably can’t get into the exclusive bean club in time for the holidays, you can order some bags of beans from their website.
Whole Grains: If you know someone like DTD who is trying to eat mostly whole grains, you can appreciate that many of these items are difficult to find and costly. This is exactly why a basket of them makes a great gift.
Flour alternatives: There are so many great alternatives to flour and they’re not all for those on a gluten-free diet. Many of us like to use flour alternatives because it’s usually a much healthier way to go. (If you read my post titled “Is White Bread Bad for You?” you know how DTD feels about white flour.) Once again, these specialty flours can get expensive, so a basket of them makes a terrific present for the health-conscious baker in your life.
Salt Free Spices: If someone you love is on a low-salt diet, help them out by purchasing these gourmet spices as a gift. Life is way too short to eat bland food!
Vegetable Spiralizer: Do spiral veggies taste as good as pasta?? HELL NO! They are a lot healthier, however, and they actually taste great if you’re a veggie fan like me and DTD. Spiral veggies are also really pretty, so they liven up a recipe and impress guests.
Apple Watch: If you read my post “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with One Step” you may be surprised to hear that I now have an Apple Watch. DTD just bought me one primarily because I often miss texts and calls when I stick my phone in the bottomless chasm that is my purse. After many years of saying I would refuse to wear an Apple Watch, I finally gave in. It has taken some getting used to, but I now love it. I am notified when I get a text or email without frantically searching through my purse for my phone. Rings show my daily activity, including my active calories, total steps, and workouts completed. I like to yell at it every time it reminds me to stand up. I mean, who does it think it is?? Notifications in the Heart Rate app will alert me to any irregularities, so I can take action and consult my doctor (or complain to my resident doctor). Apple Watch can also detect if you’ve been in a severe car crash or taken a hard fall and connect you with emergency services, share your location, and notify your emergency contacts, which gives me some peace of mind because I find myself hating freeways lately. Apple offers military discounts too, which is nice since DTD is a Navy veteran.
Wireless Headphones: I absolutely love my AirPods. Walking or cleaning while listening to my favorite podcasts or dancing alone to some Eurovision tunes is often the highlight of my day! I think this is the perfect gift for anyone who like to be entertained while they are working out, hiking, or walking.
Stylish Workout Gear: DTD and I just purchased this adorable pink workout gear for our daughter who is a freshman in college and has started exercising regularly. It is definitely more fun to hit the gym when you have useful gear that looks great.
Mental Health Helpers: Everyone needs a boost now and then. While exercise has definitely been proven to help our mental health, it’s also important to remember to indulge in hobbies for relaxation. If you are thinking of the perfect gift, try to center it around something you know they will enjoy but rarely spend money on. Maybe it’s going to the theater or a concert, lessons with an instrument, a good book, or supplies for a hobby such as baking. DTD is a huge baker, loves coffee, and enjoys a good bottle of wine, so we have given him several gifts centered around these interests through the years. After all, he needs to have some fun now and then!
Hopefully you now have some wonderful gift ideas to give to that health-conscious person in your life, or to give to that person like me who is constantly struggling to live a healthy lifestyle! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!
Dinner Table Doctor 