6 Christmas Gift Ideas For The Health Conscious

Christmas is hell! – make no bones about it; Christmas is hell if you are a health conscious person who would, for the other 360 days a year, be very careful what they ate and drank. Over the Christmas period it is probable, nay expected, that you will drink too much and certainly eat too much.

Look at Christmas dinner. If you are lucky there's no starter, so it's straight into mountains of turkey (not bad for you at all if you avoid the skin) and stuffing, sausages wrapped in bacon, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots and brussel sprouts plus bread sauce, cranberry sauce and lashings of gravy. No one is allowed just one helping – you have to come back for more. Then there's the Christmas pudding – heavy with fruit and nuts (and fat and sugar) – and brandy butter – that's sugar and butter with a splash of brandy in it to you and I. Then mince pies and nuts and chocolates just to finish you off.

Beer beforehand and wine with the meal, followed by brandy and/or port and then more beer as you settle down in front of the telly to watch the Queen's speech (or Die Another Day on the other channel), whilst the kids slowly dismantle the presents they woke you up at 5.00am for. No wonder you fall asleep after that lot!

Tips for the health conscious – take the turkey (no skin) and the boiled vegetables and avoid the gravy and sauces. But take the wine – it is a celebration after all!
So to make up for this digestive assault, what should you buy for the health conscious friend or relative at Christmas time?

1. A ticket to Tokyo, where the 25th. of December is a normal working day and they don't really celebrate Christmas. Although they do celebrate the 23rd. of December, which is the current Emperor's birthday. Plus, Japanese food is generally really healthy – fresh meat and fish with crisp vegetables and boiled rice.



2. How about individual packets of bran, cracked wheat, hazelnuts, raisins, dried cranberries and coconut flakes for them to mix and make their own delicious muesli?



3. What about some weights for general exercises or for increasing the effects of walking/jogging? Probably best not to buy them for someone who lives far away – they will cost a fortune in postage!



4. A pedometer to work out how far they have walked in a day. Some pedometers have a conversion to show how many calories have been burnt - 'must have' information for the health conscious friend or relative.



5. A pull-up or chin-up bar can easily be fitted across a doorway either permanently or removable in seconds and is excellent way of toning up the muscles of the upper and lower arm and increasing upper body strength.



6. Health conscious friends and relatives would love a spa day – lying there being pampered all day, generally treating their bodies as 'a temple' and having someone to massage their temple for them. Me? I think I'd take the Vineyard experience!

Phil Ward works for Gizoo, which sells unusual Christmas gifts. Gizoo offers a wide choice of inexpensive Christmas stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts, together with pampering Christmas gifts for her and healthy Christmas gifts for him.