Christmas is upon us, and with him comes the time to think about gifts for family and friends. It is not always easy to come up with original ideas and, for this reason, today we have thought of a list of 10 Christmas gifts designed for health&medicare, so that not only can they satisfy needs and be useful to those who receive them, but also do good. and that allows you to take care of yourself during the Holidays, and even beyond.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR HEALTH: 10 IDEAS (+1) TO PUT UNDER THE TREE
A sporty friend, an acquaintance who loves good food, an elderly relative, a brother or sister who loves the outdoors, a colleague interested in environmental sustainability, a friend who is passionate about reading and creativity, and much more: in the handbook of gifts below you will find ideas for many different tastes and needs.
Happy reading, and good looking for the perfect gift… also for the health of the recipient!
ESSENTIAL OILS
A gift certainly appreciated by those who love to take care of themselves, even using proven natural methods, are the essential oils, 100% pure, obtained by distillation or pressing of aromatic plants that have numerous beneficial properties for body and mind.
These oils can be applied to the skin, used for massages in different areas of the body, mixed with other products, such as almond oil, toothpaste, shampoo, and body creams, but also used in the kitchen, and sprayed with a burner. for essences or ultrasound diffuser.
Among these, for example, we recommend:
- lavender essential oil: facilitates relaxation, and is therefore particularly suitable for accompanying sleep and evening relaxation. Furthermore, it is perfect for performing anti-fatigue and anti-stress massages on the neck and head and soothes discomfort in case of contractures, headaches, or migraines. Perhaps not everyone knows that a few drops of this oil in the purest form can be added to a biscuit mix, to churn out delicious lavender-scented sweets.
- Lemon essential oil: has an invigorating and disinfecting effect and can be used to infuse energy with a massage on the temples or wrists. A drop of this essence can then be added to the toothpaste to promote antibacterial action in the mouth, or held under the tongue to disinfect the soft tissues and throat.
- Essential oils of mint and eucalyptus: particularly effective in winter, as they have decongestant and anti-inflammatory properties, and are therefore suitable for treating colds and sinusitis.
- Melaleuca oil, or tea tree oil: powerful disinfectant useful for treating wounds, abrasions, acne, and herpes.
These are just some of the many essences that nature offers us: to learn more about these products, we recommend that you discuss with a professional expert on the subject, who will be able to indicate the best methods of use.
Giving one or more essential oils as a gift means choosing a gift with multiple uses, perfect for taking care of your health and well-being healthily and naturally.
ACTIVITIES IN THE GYM OR POOL
A Christmas gift particularly suitable for those who love physical movement is certainly a sporting activity: this is why this year, under the tree, we can also offer friends and relatives a course in the gym or the pool.
Depending you can for example think of the tastes and personal inclinations we want to make a gift, of course, yoga or pilates, or, why not, acro yoga, a discipline that combines movements from the practice of yoga with acrobatics.
Thinking instead of older people, they might appreciate gentle gymnastics or dance classes, initiatives that – in addition to having a positive impact on the well-being of the body – also allow them to socialize and pleasantly spend time.
For those who love water, on the other hand, why not give a course on water aerobics, a sport suitable for everyone, practicable without age limits?
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING FOR TRAINING AT HOME
To stay on the subject, if the person to whom we want to give a gift is passionate about home fitness, we can consider giving one or more tools to train at home, which he can use, if necessary, with the support of an app dedicated to the sport do it yourself.
Some useful tools could be:
- step
- stepper
- elliptical
- rowing machine
- weights
- barbell
- rubber band
- fitball
- yoga mat
- kettlebell
- exercise bike and treadmill.
In addition, the gift could be accompanied by a set, or some pieces, of technical training clothing, with pants, tops, and possibly even sports socks.
CREAMS, CLEANSERS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS
A gift that will be very appreciated is the natural beauty products, made without the use of silicones and parabens, with ingredients derived from plants and organic preparations, without the addition of chemical compounds.
Depending on the person to whom we want to give a gift and his characteristics and needs, you can opt for different possibilities, including:
- face creams and masks
- face and body scrubs
- shampoo, conditioner, and hair masks
- body oils
- make-up remover products
- solid soap and shampoos, less aggressive and more sustainable types of cosmetics than liquid ones
- natural makeup and beauty products
- natural deodorants and perfumes
- creams and detergents dedicated to the skin of the little ones, with a careful eye to any needs of the child, who may tend atopic dermatitis, and therefore need ad hoc products.
You could then add to a gift of this type a manual on DIY cosmetics and products for face, body, and hair, to learn – for example – how to produce homemade sugar and coffee-based scrubs, face masks composed of honey, chickpea flour shampoo, or coconut oil hand cream?
EXCURSIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN NATURE
As mentioned a little while ago, giving experiences and activities is always an excellent idea: why not consider, therefore, to put an excursion in the open air under the tree of friends and family, to spend time together healthily and genuinely, taking the opportunity to also do physical activity?
Here are some tips, designed for different tastes and needs:
- a Nordic walking excursion or a sporty walk
- a snowshoe hike in the snow at a high altitude
- a forest bathing session immersed in the woods
- an excursion between mountain huts, accompanied by an expert guide
- a lesson in skiing, snowboarding, or other snow sports
- a tour in a historic park or garden.
THE REUSABLE BOTTLE: USEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE
We know that drinking the correct amount of water every day helps our bodies stay healthy.
One of the best ways to remember to drink and hydrate properly is to always have a bottle with you, preferably a thermal and steel bottle, to be filled with water, but also with tea or flavored herbal teas.
Giving a reusable water bottle is, therefore, a useful gift – because it can be kept in a bag or backpack and always be at hand – and also sustainable, as it greatly reduces the purchase of plastic water bottles.
FOR THOSE WHO DO SMART WORKING: THE ERGONOMIC CHAIR AND THE FITBALL
In the last two years, smart working has entered almost all homes: carrying out one’s profession in this way, to date, seems to be the new dimension of work which, as we know, despite having considerable advantages, is not free from critical issues. and special needs.
Among these, for example, there is the need to have adequate working space, especially if you spend many hours sitting at the computer: in this case, the posture plays a fundamental role, to avoid pain in the back, neck, head and to the joints.
This is why an ad hoc gift for the health of those who work from home can be an ergonomic chair, sitting on which you correctly position yourself to align the head, neck, back, and buttocks, and significantly reduces the risk of contractures and muscle pain.
An alternative to the ergonomic chair is the fitball, a rubber ball on which it is possible to sit in a correct position naturally. Furthermore, as we have seen above, the fitball is also a tool for carrying out some fitness exercises: by choosing this option, you can therefore make two gifts in one.
FOR LOVERS OF READING AND WRITING: BOOKS, NOTEBOOKS, AND DIARIES
Those who love reading and writing know-how much dedicating time to these activities contributes to their well-being and to cultivate their passions.
Reading books and texts aimed at the needs of the person is considered a therapeutic act in all respects: bibliotherapy has been studied since the early 1900s as a source of help for psychiatric patients and, over the last century, has been investigated how books can reduce stress and reduce anxiety.
Even writing can have a real therapeutic value, just as it was theorized in the 1980s by the American psychologist James Pennebaker, who thoroughly investigated the benefits of expressive writing on health, a theory that was then deepened in numerous subsequent studies.
This is why giving away books, notebooks and notebooks is always a good idea, both within novels and fiction, and focusing on other types of reading, such as:
- biographies and stories of characters that can be inspiring
- travel books and notebooks
- recipe books and natural cooking, with a look at vegan, gluten-free and seasonal cuisine
- personal growth and empowerment books
- graphic novels and collectible comics
- picture books and photo books
- books on spirituality
- classics, storybooks, and children’s books, which can be enjoyed at any age.
AIR PURIFIERS
In the winter period, we spend more time indoors and, for this reason, the quality of the air we breathe in the confined spaces and the general healthiness of the spaces in which we live and work become more fundamental than ever. That’s why, for this Christmas, we could give away some products that clean the air in different ways.
There are real electric purifiers that filter particles and bad smells, such as those of cooked food and smoke, but also eliminate most of the germs and bacteria present in the indoor air.
Another possibility is the Himalayan pink salt lamps, consisting of a light bulb inserted inside a salt plate coming from the rock salt plates that rise on the slopes of the Himalayas: these are compounds that have more than 250 million years, and the salt of this type has numerous beneficial properties, including:
- generates negative ions that neutralize the positive ones present in the air of our homes, thus reducing the electromagnetic fields produced by household appliances, mobile phones, and computers
- they absorb moisture and purify the air
- diffuses a pleasant and soft light.
Using a salt lamp therefore makes you more relaxed and allows you to create a healthy and pleasant atmosphere around yourself.
Finally, why not purify the air thanks to plants that take care of just this, and at the same time furnish and give a touch of green, such as:
- the aloe vera plant
- the sansevieria
- il ficus benjamin
- Orchidea
- he buddies
- azalea
- the gerbera.
Friends and relatives will surely appreciate a gift that combines usefulness for the home and well-being, why not consider having one of these products found under the tree?
GIVE HEALTH AND GOODNESS TO EAT
Christmas is one of the moments of the year when the culinary tradition and the desire for conviviality and typical flavors become more intense.
This is why among our gifts there could also be something to eat, preferring healthy, tasty and seasonal preparations, including for example:
- Christmas ginger and cinnamon cookies
- biscuits with dried fruit
- chocolate cookies prepared without butter
- chocolate salami, also without butter
- a delicious water pie with apples and cinnamon
- a savory strudel with ricotta and chicory, perfect as an appetizer
- a jar of pesto with Jerusalem artichoke and walnuts, excellent for seasoning pasta.
