Perfect Health - The best health gifts may be hard to wrap

We go through this every year.

It’s as reliable as the reindeer, as consistent as the candy canes. It is as much a part of the Christmas season as the lights and songs and decorations.

It is the annual quest for the perfect health gift.

It is roughly analogous to the annual quest for the perfect toy gift, or the perfect jewelry gift or the perfect gadget gift.

But there’s something about the perfect perfect health gift that sets it apart from other presents, from even the most beautiful of baubles, or the hottest technology tools.

It matters.

In addition to any other virtues of fun or excitement it may have, a health gift is important. It’s got gravitas, because quite simply, no matter our age or other interests, there’s little more valuable than our health and wellness.

So every year I field questions about products or books or programs that someone might want to give a loved one. Naturally, what’s best depends on the recipient. People really want to hit the mark with this present, and the more the recipient seems to “need” a little health help, the more the giver tends to fret over getting it right.

And very often, there have been some misses already, the year’s supply of yucky-tasting meal replacement powder, the uncomfortable exer-cycle that wound up as an awkward clothing rack.

When you consider that health gifts really ought to be as individually tailored as our health needs and health care, you can see that getting the right one may actually require the recipient’s participation in selection.

That said, there are three general things I find people need when they’re trying to lose weight and get healthy. In fact, they’re almost universally worthy, and could be offered to almost anyone on your health gift list. But how you package them may take some thought and creativity.

Perfect Health Gift #1: GUIDANCE
People today often expect too much of themselves—and others—in terms of understanding what it is they actually need to do to get healthy, particularly when overweight or obesity is at issue.

We have access to information like never before, yet two thirds of Americans are still overweight; diabetes is on the rise; the average American is too sedentary, eats too much processed sugar and not enough potassium.

Information is great. But while factoids about the “average American” can help us see the problem, they may not help us identify our own best solutions. Most people need help using the information, sorting out what applies to them and how.

We need guidance as individuals, for our own bodies, not for some composite average.

People who are seriously overweight truly need medical attention, because untreated, the complications of obesity lead to life-threatening health problems.

But almost anyone who is chronically overweight could use some professional guidance, whether it’s from a doctor, nutritionist, therapist or personal trainer.

Perfect Health Gift #2: TIME
Yes, time, and I don’t mean a sports watch.

In a very real sense, this is ultimately what leads to perfect health. It is what our health is about anyway—the quality and quantity of the time of our lives. We try to get healthy because we want to stay around longer, and feel better while we’re here. But research shows that people cite a lack of time as a major barrier to both eating better and getting more active.

It’s pretty much a no-brainer that a mom with three kids in grade school has a lot of demands on her time and might be hard-pressed to carve out a regular window for exercise.

But a retiree might also have a pretty active schedule, without actually being physically active in a way that’s focused on improving health.

For anyone, shopping for and cooking wholesome meals takes effort, and certainly more time than calling for pizza or Chinese.

So while a generous gift of a gym membership could be a great present for someone with the flexibility to add a work-out routine to their schedule, in practice, it might not be, well, practical. Gyms and health clubs count on that. If everyone who had a membership at a given gym actually showed up to work out, the place would be worn out!

But a few dollars devoted to a babysitter to watch the kids for a couple hours, twice a week, might better enable mom to put an exercise routine into practice, whether it’s at a gym or just taking off for a brisk walk through the neighborhood.

I have seen people commit significant sums of money to health pursuits that require significant commitments of time—as gifts, or even for themselves—with the idea that the expense itself will provide the impetus for action. But that kind of pressure can be stressful and actually counterproductive.

Perfect Health Gift #3: SUPPORT
On the other hand, if part of your gift is your committed participation in an effort, that’s another matter. In fact, that could be the difference between success and failure of any new health-related venture, whether it’s exercise, dietary change, or other lifestyle adjustments.

And that applies whether the beneficiary is a pal, spouse, child or the whole family!

How can you package your support? That’s wide open. The point is to avoid anyone being isolated in a get-healthy effort while everyone around them is carrying on as usual.

If there’s a gift of new exercise equipment, It might be best to situate it somewhere the whole family can easily use it, rather than in someone’s personal space.

If Dad’s just trying to increase his overall activity level, maybe everyone could get a pedometer and the whole family could get on board.

If your mother is trying portion-controlled diet meals for a while, maybe your tradition of a weekly pizza and a movie could be adjusted to a salad and a walk before the show.

There are lots of ways to show support and encouragement, and when it comes to weight loss, the best ways just happen to be good for everyone.

And that makes it the best gift of all.

Through Thick & Thin: Perfect Health
Buying health-related gifts for someone is tricky, because people’s health needs are personal and unique. That means that a health gift should be as individual and tailored as a person’s health care. But everyone trying to improve their health could use a little guidance, time and support.

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