Share the joy of good health, wellness

"Your health is your wealth" is an oft over-quoted phrase. But the reality is that without good health, no gift of any value will make a difference in any recipient's life. So whether someone you love is seeking out better health, maintaining it or looking to get started in their wellness journey, we have selected some perfect gifts items and ideas for you! You can't literally give the gift of health and wellness, but you can support the journey.

Fitness membership

Think of calling your local gyms and finding out if they have gift certificates as a start but keep in mind that someone unfamiliar would also be intimidated. A better option would be to seek out a personal trainer and retain them for a month or two instead, or do one month of gym membership and training combined. This can help people get off to a great start.

But some people may prefer to stay indoors or at home too. For that, there are a plethora of options online and via apps such as Peloton, 7 Minute Workout, MyFitnessPal, Apple Fitness, 8fit, Centr (by Thor actor, Chris Hemsworth), Jillian Michaels, ThenX and FitBit. Locally there are numerous trainers and small fitness centres, and even yoga studios like Beyond Yoga that offer gift certificates for any number of single classes or unlimited month packages. Yoga is an excellent (and non-religious) practice that can strengthen the mind and body with breathing exercises that are more relevant now than ever.

Smart technology

Again, no shortage from local technology suppliers with basic smartwatches starting at a few hundred dollars to global brands costing a couple thousand: FitBit, Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy etc. For most starters, introductory FitBits are a good option or the Apple Watch SE (which lacks the SPO2 oxygen monitor and ECG functions).

However, wellness goes well and truly beyond how many steps you take or how many active minutes you have in one day. So here are some other areas you can consider:

Better Sleep

This gift category is wide open, but one of the fastest ways to improve someone's health is by way of deep sleep and adequate rest. There are many ways to achieve this. For example, getting an air-conditioning system installed is one way and a great gift of calm, temperature controlled sleep.

Still, there are numerous other ways, from pillows for side sleepers or ones with cooling memory foam to small room HEPA filters and humidifiers. In terms of air filters, you ideally want a HEPA filter (not a HEPA-type or an Ozone version), and for humidifiers, these are great when paired with calming natural oils like lavender. But do not, under any circumstance, purchase artificial oils as these will pollute the air and settle on surfaces.

Healthier eating

You can look up any number of local food places that offer some healthier options and find out if they have gift cards. You can make someone's resolutions much more manageable from businesses that offer salads and smoothies, so they have one less meal to decide on for a few days as they settle into their New Year resolutions.

Calmer mind

As the Stoic wisdom goes, all suffering happens in the mind. Most times, we remember the past or imagine the future when the aim is to be fully present. International best-selling author Louise Hay, who famously cured herself of cancer by changing her mindset, was one of the first mainstream writers to connect the link between the mind and disease. Achieving a calmer mind is as critical as realising a healthier body in the scope of personal wellness.

Today aside from books like Hay's You Can Heal Your Life which sold over 50 million copies; there are many options for reading. For the tech savvier, you can purchase them a Kindle and then, through the Amazon platform, gift them books. For the even more ingenious, you can buy subscriptions to apps like Balance and Calm, both in the range of US$50-70/year.

These come with hundreds of mindfulness meditations, music, and Calm even offers sleep stories for adults from megastars like Le Bron James and Matthew McConaughey. Balance is a personal favourite for its ultra smart AI that makes each experience feel personalised.

Above all, remember that the simplest gifts are often the best. Haemin Sunim, a Korean Buddhist monk, wrote in his international bestseller, Love for Imperfect Things, "When someone you love is in pain, the most meaningful gift you can give is your kind presence." And if for reasons due to the pandemic, you can't be there in person; make use of any video conferencing service to give the gift of your presence and time.

Presence over presents any Christmas!