Healthy Gifts for Seniors this Holiday Season

Buying gifts for the family can be nerve-wracking. You really don’t want to buy them something they won’t like or use, but you don’t want to be generic and just get them a gift card. When thinking of gifts, consider what they need. For instance, seniors in your family could benefit from fun, active gifts that promote a healthy lifestyle. These gifts help the seniors in your life feel better in their day to day lives so they can enjoy their golden years even more. Here are some great ideas for healthy gifts for seniors this holiday season.

If They Have Aches & Pains, Get Them a Foam Roller

Foam rollers are an excellent tool for relieving aches, pains, and stiffness. As we get older, we lose elasticity in our connective tissues and joints. Using a roller helps gently warms the body up so you can feel better and get moving again. Rollers can be used on the back, hamstrings, calves, hips, and thighs to ease the pain.

To use a foam roller, lay on a carpeted area and place the sore part of your body on top of the cylinder. Gently roll the foam roller in both directions. If you find a specific tender spot, hold the roller there for about 10 seconds, until the muscle relaxes. Continue down the length of your muscles, working out knots and stiffness.

If They Love Sweet Things, Get Them a Personal Juicer

Fresh fruit smoothies are perfect for seniors because they are packed with vitamins and minerals as well as healthy enzymes that improve both digestion and the immune system. An added benefit is their sweetness-- as we age, we lose our sense of taste and gravitate towards sweet things. They are perfect for seniors who need help adding calories to their diet to put on weight. Fresh juice is much better tasting than those chalky nutritional shakes you buy at the store, and they are fun to make!

Here are some of our favorite juice combinations for seniors:

• For anti-aging: almond milk + blueberries + strawberries + kale + beet
• For a boost to the immune system: beet + carrot + celery + broccoli + garlic
• For digestion: papaya + kale + cabbage + ginger + lemon
• For weight gain: coconut water + avocado + strawberry + banana + peanut butter
• For antioxidants: Greek yogurt + blueberries + raspberries + pineapple + banana

If They Love Trying New Things, Get Them Yoga or Tai Chi Classes

If your loved one prefers experiences over things, yoga or tai chi classes are a great way to get them involved in something new and exciting that can also be good for their health. Yoga and tai chi are perfect for seniors who are looking for ways to be more active, while still being gentle with their bodies. The beauty of these exercises is they can be as gentle or strenuous as you want – it’s all about listening and training the mind/body connection.

Yoga incorporates different breathing techniques with the physical effort of holding different positions (called asanas). Positions are easily modified for beginners while the focus on breathing helps create a calm, meditative state. According to Drugrehab.org, “Learning how to handle stress and anxiety can be difficult, but it’s imperative for your well-being. One of the most popular ways to do this is to practice meditation/yoga and learn mindful thinking, which focuses on the present rather than the past or future. Instead of worrying about the things you can’t change, train your mind to be in the present moment.”

Tai chi is the practice of completing choreographed sequences of slow movements. Like in yoga, those practicing tai chi also focus on the breath. The additional focus on the Yin-Yang philosophy of harmonizing opposites helps set it apart.

Buying gifts that promote a healthy lifestyle are perfect for the senior loved ones in your life. You can get them something that both caters to their interest and needs as well as helps them live out their golden years feeling great. Get them a foam roller to help with minor aches and pains that make it tougher getting up in the morning. Or you can give them something to experiment with in the kitchen like a new juicer. If they see every day as an opportunity to try something new, yoga or Tai chi classes benefit seniors both physically and mentally.