Some people are so difficult to buy for at Christmas. I know I’m often stuck for ideas. What about something that’s good for their health?
Zumba classes
A blend of salsa and other Latin dance moves, zumba gives you a great cardio workout and can help to tone your body. It can also assist with weight-loss and will have the endorphins zinging about your body, which will improve your mood. There are lots of classes available around the country, with many offering concession cards.
Healthy cookbooks
There are loads of great books available to inspire people to eat more healthily. Look for ones that use lots of fresh, unprocessed ingredients, such as Real Fresh Food by Kiwi couple Roger and Anna Wilde (see wildhealthfood.com) or Julie Le Clerc’s oade By Hand (see penguin.co.nz).
Pedometer
These nifty little gadgets attach to your belt or waistband and count the number of steps you take. We should all be trying to take 10,000 steps a day and wearing a pedometer can help to encourage this.
You can get very basic models that simply add up your steps or more complex versions that can give you information such as how many calories you’ve burned.
Juicer
If you’re struggling to get your five-plus fruit and vegetables a day, juicing can help boost your intake. Because juices are easily digested, they’re especially good for people who have stomach problems or a poor appetite. Raw juices may be able to stimulate your bowel, liver and kidneys to work better and help eliminate toxins from the body.
Video game
An active video game is one way of getting a couch potato motivated to move. There are many different options, from cardio or weight training through to dancing or sports. Research shows that children who play active games use three to six times more energy than normal. They are most physically active when playing games that involve dancing.
Electric grill
Grilling food is a much healthier option than frying in oil. Frying is believed to produce free radicals, substances which can damage your body’s cells – increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease and premature ageing. Frying food may also destroy some nutrients. on the other hand, grilling won’t produce free radicals (unless you burn the food) and when you grill meat, the fat will run off.
Electric toothbrush
The first step to good oral health is brushing your teeth properly and while some people manage this easily with a manual toothbrush, others (such as children, the elderly or people with dexterity problems) need a bit of extra help. Research has shown powered brushes with circular bristle heads that rotate in alternating directions are better at removing plaque and reducing the risk of gum disease than manual brushes.
Health watch
A new study shows that men have higher rates of prostate cancer in countries where more women take the contraceptive pill. Scientists say they don’t know what causes the link, but it could be due to men being exposed to more oestrogen, which affects their hormone balance. Since oestrogen doesn’t break down easily, it may be excreted by women and enter the food chain and water supply.
Good news for cheese lovers – new research shows that cheese may not be as bad for cholesterol levels as other animal fats. A Danish study has found people who ate controlled amounts of cheese had lower levels of bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than when they ate comparable amounts of butter.
