From the Heart

Give the gift of health this holiday season

By Dana Cullen, UVA Dietetic Intern

This holiday season, forget the endless platters of cookies, fudge and pies and instead opt for giving friends, family and co-workers something their hearts will appreciate.

When it comes to giving food as a gift, choose foods that are lower in calories, fat and sodium. Check out the Trim Your Tree and Lots More article for tips to make your favorite recipes with less fat and calories. Another effective strategy is to trim down portion sizes. Instead of making whole pies, make mini pies as gifts—less time and less calories!

To help spread good health (and cheer), consider these healthy food gifts:

A Set of Spices and Herbs: Whether it’s the herbs you grew in your garden or a set you bought at a gourmet food store, both are a great addition to any kitchen. Use spices and herbs to infuse flavor to dishes without adding fat or extra sodium. Add a personal touch by including favorite recipes that utilize herbs and spices. 

Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar: A touch of balsamic vinegar can spruce up any salad and encourage eating more leafy greens. Olive oil is also a great gift idea as it can be incorporated into a variety of dishes. It contains monounsaturated fat—a healthier type of fat which may reduce total cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol. 

A Basket of Fruit: With all of the tempting holiday treats, we sometimes forget daily essentials such as fruit. A festive basket of fruit can often serve as a centerpiece as well as a visual cue to eat more fruit.

Cooking Class: What better way to learn new cooking techniques, how to prepare different foods, and test taste delicious recipes that will keep giving! Just be sure that the classes have a healthy focus that is in keeping with your heart healthy wishes for them. Don’t forget to invite a friend to Club Red’s cooking events. Just make sure they become Club Red members.

Don’t limit healthy giving to food gifts. Friends, family and co-workers are sure to love these:

A Water Bottle or Tea Mug:  Personalize it with the recipient’s name, pictures, or sayings that remind you of them. We often don’t drink enough water and having a fun water bottle may encourage drinking more water and prevent dehydration.

Pedometer:  This relatively inexpensive gift keeps track of steps taken. It is recommended that we walk 10,000 steps a day. With a device that calculates the number of steps, it will motivate your friend, family member or co-worker to walk more.

Massage or Day at the Spa: All the stress begins to mount up after the holiday shopping, gift wrapping, guests and parties.  The extra stress of the holidays can make an impact on the heart. What better way to relieve stress than a massage or day at the spa!           

Gift Certificate for Gym Classes: This makes for a great gift especially for that friend or family member who is interested in exercise, but may be hesitant to spend money on a gym membership. Look around at area gyms to check rates and see what classes they are offering.  Most gyms offer a variety of classes so the recipient can choose the classes they wish to take – fun options include yoga, Pilates, spinning or Zumba. If you’re buying certificates for friends, buy an extra one for yourself and make the classes a Girl’s Night.

Remember, think outside the snow globe this holiday season; help improve the health of your friends, family and co-workers—and give the best gift of all.