20 Dec 2018 Healthy Gifts for Christmas
It’s definitely the most sugary time of year, whether you are in Salt Lake City, Utah, or anywhere. Hot chocolate, chocolate fudge, and chocolate cookies easily come to mind. And that’s not even mentioning all of the other holiday goodies—spiced breads, candy of all kinds, cakes, and pies—and very few of them are actually good for our bodies. Buddy the Elf, from the movie, The Elf summaries what the holidays are like perfectly when he says, “We elves try to stick to the four basic food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.”
You may have been working hard all year to be healthy or you may have someone on your gift list that you know isn’t going to go for the typical sugary holiday fare. What do you get friends who are trying to be healthy? What do you get for yourself? Luckily, the holiday season doesn’t have to just be about treats. Ask any family dentist in Salt Lake City and they will tell you to start now. Start some healthy traditions now. Your teeth will thank you and so will your friends.
Healthy Gift Ideas
- What about a sprouting kit? Sprouts can be a healthy addition to any holiday soup or salad. Did you know that they are really easy to grow? A sprouting kit may be the perfect gift for a healthy friend and not something he or she would think of buying.
- Foam rollers are great for anyone who works out, or just anyone with sore muscles. Perhaps you know someone who likes to spend their time at one of Utah’s awesome ski resorts. A foam roller is a great way to speed muscle recovery and reduce muscle soreness. They are easy to use, too.
- Body care products with natural ingredients. You can find many great lotions out there made without chemicals and dyes and scented with essential oils. They are an inexpensive luxury item and make a great gift.
- Essential oil diffuser. Diffusers not only add moisture and good smells into the air, some with healing qualities to them, they can also be a beautiful piece of home décor. You could include some popular oils like orange, lavender, or peppermint.
- A basket of healthy snacks. Your teeth will thank you for not having cavities and not needing dental fillings from loads of holiday candy. Even the healthiest person among us needs a snack now and then. It’s special to have some good-for-you snacks on hand. No matter what diet someone is on, nuts and dried fruits are usually welcome, as are some kinds of chips and granola bars. Kind granola bars, for example, only have a few ingredients and are low sugar. What about popcorn? Chips made from sweet potatoes taste good but are usually not fried in oil. Or you could include individually wrapped packages of fruit leather. Put any combination of these snacks together for a personalized gift.
- An iron fish. Most of us don’t get enough iron in our diets. An iron fish is a piece of iron, shaped like a fish, that you can put in soups or other dishes to increase the amount of iron in your food. It’s an easy way to get more iron and something that very few people have. It’s a perfect gift!
- A veggie spiralizer is a kitchen tool that transforms a zucchini or squash into this circular noodles. These noodles cook in just 3-4 minutes and are an easy way to add nutrition to any dish.
Good luck with your holiday shopping!