Healthier for the Holidays Series: Giving the Gift of Health

This article was first published in theEl Paso, Inc。2017年12月18日。

This is the time of year we find ourselves wanting to show those around us how much we appreciate them, but are you stuck for ideas for those last few people on your holiday gift list? Is the pile of holiday cookies and candies making it hard for you to stick to your health goals? In this final article of our series called Healthier for the Holidays, we will consider some new holiday traditions that can refresh your gift giving and help you and your loved ones enjoy the gift of a healthier new year. Consider these gift ideas:

健康饮食的礼物。For those who show their love through baking, there is no need to throw out this tradition, but consider the amount and mix of goodies you give. Keep the sweets small and mix in some fresh fruit or flowers. Alternatively, instead of giving deserts, prepare a meal that the receiving family can sit down and enjoy during the hectic holiday season. For the gift that keeps on giving, consider giving cooking lessons. El Paso Community College Culinary Arts program has continuing education classes that include many options such as cooking basics, grilling and barbecuing, French cuisine, and others. Just look in their Spring continuing education catalog under Personal Enrichment. For those who already love cooking, give a new kitchen gadget or some unique spice mixes. I have enjoyed giving Fox Point blend and Sandwich Sprinkle mix fromwww.penzeys.com。

积极生活的礼物。您是一个祖父母，不想给另一个最终在壁橱底部的玩具吗？如何为今年的新运动队或健身班提供您的孙子注册？无论是游泳课程，篮球，排球还是足球，孩子们不仅可以获得健身，而且还能获得自信，领导力和团队建设技能，从参加体育和其他活动。只需查看即可www.elpasoymca.org或在线其他许多体育俱乐部。一生中成年人也是如此 - 提供瑜伽通行证，健身俱乐部会员资格或他们可以在家庭或办公室使用的一些新健身设备，例如这个浮标，就像我们在IHL上使用的那样。

时间的礼物。这是一年中最繁忙的时期之一。时间的礼物可以是最有意义的。雇用或提供自己的清洁服务，以帮助朋友为假期做准备。为您的列表中的那个忙碌的父母提供保姆几个小时。或者，通过与亲人花几个小时来赠送时间。这个想法对儿童尤其有影响力 - 与父母，祖父母或特殊成年人一对一的郊游让孩子感到有价值，这是在放学假期休息期间度过时光的好方法。

放松的礼物。管理压力是健康生活中最被忽视的方面之一，假期臭名昭著，以增加我们的生活压力。放松的礼物可以包括一些简单的蜡烛或泡泡浴，一些轻松的音乐，关于冥想或瑜伽的书或班级，或给水疗中心的礼券。我们的办公室已经开始了一个有趣的传统 - 通过当地的水疗中心安排取消泰国水疗中心，在我们的年终庆祝活动中按摩。他们将两名带按摩椅的治疗师派往我们的办公室。我们都一起享用健康的饭菜，轮流接受按摩。

Leah Whigham is a nutrition and obesity scientist. She is Executive Director of the Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living and an Associate Professor at UTEP. The Institute for Healthy Living provides leadership through innovative and sustainable approaches to promote healthy eating and active living in the Paso del Norte Region.