Fall la la la Gifts! Christmas is just around the corner and in case you are struggling for ideas for gifts this Christmas, I’ve got your back! ;) I’ve compiled a list of 10 items that not only make great gifts but also help keep you and your loved ones healthy and happy over the remaining 3 months of winter. These items will help lift your spirits and keep the winter blues at bay! SO even if you have bought all your gifts refer to this list for some much needed self-care and health support over the winter months.
Many of these items I use on a daily basis and many are on my own personal lust list. Each Item I’ve thoughtfully selected on 3 criteria:
1. It would make a great gift
2. It is a high quality product that will be an investment in the long run.
3. It would genuinely help keep you happy and healthy through winter.
Verilux compact personal lamp
This company is straight BRILLIANT! As you already probably know, over the winter months you may not have as much energy or feel as happy compared to summer. This is because not only are days shorter but because it’s colder most people in America rarely leave their houses except to maybe walk to their car. Humans need a certain amount of sunlight to get vitamin D, to regulate our circadian rhythm and improve the hormonal cycles like producing enough serotonin. Sunlight exposure affects us through our eyes and through our skin. Indoor fluorescent lights do not have the same full spectrum as sun light and therefore our bodies don’t register the same beneficial effects. This can leave many of us feeling depressed, fatigued and irritable. This company has produced sunlight lamps that have a comparable full spectrum light just like sunlight! Simply place it on your desk while working and you will be soaking in all those sunny benefits without changing your habit or facing the cold air.
2. Gratitude journal: zen as f**k
It can be easy when the weather is gloomy and to get into a negative thought loop. You start to notice how GREY things are in your life, your house is a mess, you feel fat, and so on. This is why starting a gratitude practice is a GREAT idea during winter. It helps to rewire your brain to be more optimistic, it improves your immune system and you feel more happy as a result.
This was the most exciting gratitude journal I found! It’s funny, witty and sarcastic with loads of helpful tools and tips to improve on your gratitude and self-care practice. Oh and it’s Beautiful too! It’s almost too pretty, you won’t want to ruin it with your handwriting. It’s so fun you will actually look forward to coming to it day after day!
P.S. would make a great gift for your teenager ;)
3. Bee powered
This is my new favorite bee brand! I literally have a jar in my pantry as we speak and I eat a teaspoon every morning! The owner has an amazing story where her discovery of bee products helped her to overcome crippling autoimmune conditions. This Canadian based company takes quality to whole new level. They double lab test their honey to make sure their bees haven’t been exposed to pesticides when pollinating. It’s actually scary to think about how much of the honey on shelves today are ridden with traces of pesticides their bees have been exposed to in the pollination process. Your mind can go at ease with this brand.
This particular product is a blend of royal jelly, (which is AMAZING for balancing hormones), propolis (which is like a naturally antibacterial and antibiotic, GREAT for your immune system), and raw honey (of course). Since I’ve been supplementing with this product I've had more energy and my libido has been boosted, (a very unexpected and pleasant surprise!). This tells me this product has been great for my hormonal health because as I always say: a happy libido means happy hormones!
4. Four stigmatic hot coco
You may have seen this brand floating around sprouts and other health food stores lately and that’s because it’s AWESOME! They are famous for blending wild crafted medicinal mushrooms in a delicious warm elixirs which you can sip instead of your adrenal crashing coffee! This one in particular blends wild crafted Reishi and raw cocoa to make a delicious hot cocoa superfood that feels like an indulgence!
Reishi mushroom is a very powerful mushroom revered in Chinese medicine, it is known as the King mushroom as only kings were wealthy enough to afford it. Legend has it that if monks were roaming the mountains and came across this mushroom it was a blessing from God, as it has powerful spiritual energy and help in spiritual awakening and connection. It is also one of the most well researched herbs in the world, proven to be an immune modulator (meaning it suppress an overactive immune system and strengthens a weak immune system) which may be very beneficial to anyone suffering from autoimmune conditions. It is also an adaptogenic herb which helps your body better handle stress and has been known to alleviate anxiety and depression. It is a very powerful adaptogen and generally helps your body work better in a multitude of ways.
5. Monk fruit extract
Ok this is something I have on me, literally ALL. THE. TIME. It’s my favorite non sugar sweetener and the best, in my opinion, on the market! It’s great because each one of these little bottles have 200-300 servings, so they last forever and are small enough to always have in your purse. They don’t have a weird aftertaste like other sweeteners, stevia “cough, cough”. It doesn’t mess with your blood sugar in a bad way and it actually helps to fight against cavities. Oh and did I mention, it’s DELICIOUS! Add it to your teas, oatmeal and other snacks and deserts!
6. Bulletproof activated black charcoal
Yet another staple in my life!! I always have these on hand because they are LIFESAVERS! I have to have them when I travel to keep me from getting food poisoning and I keep them on hand in case I eat something I am sensitive to like dairy or nuts. They are also great to take when drinking alcohol because they help to prevent the dreaded hangover the next day. I have a bottle in my car, I usually have a few capsules hidden away in my purse and my friends can always depend on me to have some when their tummy doesn’t like something they ate. Black charcoal essentially just soaks up everything you consume and is great for soaking up toxins as well! Do keep in mind that they also soak up any GOOD nutrients you get from your food and can make you dehydrated!
I usually mostly use them when I am at a restaurant and I don’t know what they put in the sauces, like dairy or preservatives that would make me feel crappy for the following couple of days. I also use them on the rare occasion I am drinking with friends.
I’ve tried multiple brands and this one is THE BEST! Bulletproof double lab tests ALL of their products and “bio-hacks” them to make sure they work the best with your body. This one combines coconut to cover more surface area and soak up more toxins than other brands.
7. Santa sold shrooms
This is just plain fun!! Written by the owner and CEO of Four Sigmatic, he has written a very interesting and fun “children's book” for adults that traces back the true history of Santa Claus all the way back to indigenous traditions through the lens of a child, set up like a story book. This makes a great gift or stocking stuffer!
8. Essential oil diffuser
Essential oils can literally lift your mood or calm your nervous system and there's no better way to always have them going than with an essential oil diffuser! I love to put a few drops of lavender when I am stressed, or peppermint when I need to focus and right now I am loving Christmas blends of cinnamon and thieves! This simple diffuser will get so much use out of it, it’s more of an investment!
9. The swag produce bag
This kit is a recent addition to my lust list and I can’t wait to wink to my family that it would make a great gift ;). These vegetable bags actually work to keep your vegetables fresher 3x longer! One person reviewed it and said their veggies were fresh for 2 weeks!! I don’t know about you but I HATE throwing out vegetables because they went bad before I could actually use them!
The bags are made from cotton and have a special layering that helps to bring enough air flow and moisture to the veggies to prevent ripening. This will not only save you money in the long run but will also insure you are getting the most nutrients and more bang for your buck. That’s because the fresher the veggies, the more nutrient dense it is!
10. Honest bubble bath
I love to relax with a nice hot bubble bath! BUT I HATE to see all of the chemicals on the bubble bath label! I have been searching for a safe and clean bubble bath for literally MONTHS! I went to sprouts, I went to natural grocers and I’ve had my eye on amazon. SO when I finally found this company I nearly leaped! FINALLY, a clean plant based ingredient list that is BPA free, Phthalate free, and sulfate free! It’s affordable too! At only $7 a bottle it’s a STEAL! Warm yourself up with a hot bubble bath this winter and feel good about it too! :)
