Give the gift of better health

What to give? Figuring out holiday gifts, that painful conundrum that happens when the nights are longest and darkest, is upon us. Gifts can encourage or support good health. To help you out, we offer some healthy gift ideas.

Encourage healthy eating

Sprouts: Bring out the inner winter farmer! Help loved ones start their own sprout farm in their kitchen. A set of sprout jar lids, Mason jars, and seeds are all that you need. Basically, you soak the seeds overnight and then keep them moist by rinsing with water in the jar twice a day. In a few days, you have fresh green sprouts to add to salads, sandwiches, omelets, and more. Try radish sprouts — they have extra zing.

Local vegetables: A membership to a local grown farmers’ co-op can start a whole new way to get locally-grown vegetables and support local agriculture. Learn about one local food co-op at homegrowncoop.org. You can try it out yourself first.

Food ideas: At four p.m. each day, most people do not know what they will have for dinner. A healthy foods cookbook or a healthy foods magazine might inspire good culinary experiences.

Encourage movement

Active clothes: Having the right clothes can make exercise more enjoyable. A wicking shirt takes the sweat away from the skin, mitigating a soggy run.

Encourage more fun ways to enjoy moving the body with a book or an app for hiking, biking, or kayaking trails. Or maybe dance lessons will sweep your special someone off his feet.

Track it! Personal trackers or a bike meter can track steps and miles, calories burned, and carbon footprint offsets. Trackers help people set and achieve goals, keeping each person accountable to him or herself. Some trackers can also help a lost runner find her way home. A guide to selecting trackers can be found at http://bit.ly/RunningTrackers

Happy feet: Socks! Moisture wicking socks to keep the fee dry. There is nothing like the feel of new socks.

Safety: Helmets protect the brain. Fun designs make them more attractive. Bicycle lights and lights for runners make it easier and safer to exercise when the sun is not up.

For kayakers: A high quality, lightweight paddle (much appreciated after anything more than a short trip) and dry bags (to keep stuff dry) add to the ease of the sport

More exercise tools! Yoga mats, gift certificates for yoga or Zumba classes, sunglasses for outdoor activities, hair ties, gift certificate for running shoes (good shoes, fit to your foot, are a critical investment in your knees and hips!)

Help manage stress

Soothing music: Stress can certainly take a toll on our health. Gentle music can soothe the soul.

Desktop waterfalls: can take us to another place in our hearts and minds. Something about the sound of water falling calms frayed nerves.

Massage not only melts away stress, but also relaxes sore muscles.

Scents: Essential oils, incense, and candles, used cautiously (avoid fires) can create calming aromas.

Tea: A lovely teapot (check out the options in local Asian groceries) and soothing teas are great.

Relaxing journeys: A trip to the beach, visits to our wonderful state parks (floridastateparks.org/), kayaking on our great rivers (check out Wekiva Island and A Day Away) make wonderful trips.

Yourself: The most important of all is the gift of yourself, with a visit or a shared walk, with your full attention to share your love, it’s much healthier and endearing than anything you can buy.

Dr. Nancy Rudner Lugo, local workplace nurse coach with HealthAction.biz, helps individuals and employees understand their health, make healthy choices and achieve their health goals. Send your questions to [email protected]