Kitchen tools that aid weight-loss
Spiralizer: The spiralizer is a cutting device that helps you make all-veggie noodles that you can sub in for grains (think zucchini pasta, where zucchini is the pasta). There’s an online sub-culture around it, with recipe networks, forums, and product reviews of variations (retro, handheld, tabletop). The main story though, is about people who’ve lost weight spiralizing. Get it at: Lakeland (Bengaluru, Pune), KitchenAid or multipurpose online stores.
Other ideas: A cutting board with drawers, so you can chop in front of the TV; fruit infuser bottles that let you to put fruit in the holder, its goodness seeping into the water. Try House of Quirk,InstaCuppa, Steelo (amazon.in or at a department store)
Clothes that are kind to your skin, the people who make them and the environment
There are two broad types of certification, both feeding our sense of well-being: environmental and social impact. Look for labels that say B Corp, Ecolabel by the European Union, Fair Trade, GCC Brandmark, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), USDA Organic, World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). Also check the Fashion Transparency Index (2016), says Suki Dusanj, India coordinator, Fashion Revolution. H&M, Inditex (that owns Zara) and Levi’s make it to the top of the index, making them most transparent, in terms of policies. Desi brands such as Doodlage and House of Wandering Silk upcycle fabric, while No Nasties does organic clothing and Masilo sources organic cotton for its bedding.
Fitness equipment that can save the cost of a gym membership
Have a friend who really likes to move it? There are plenty of gift options, says Nisha Varma, an American College of Sports Medicine exercise physiologist and a Reebok Master Trainer based out of Pune. “I would put a wearable fitness device on top of that list,” she says. “We think that because we burn so many calories, we can justify food intake. This really can be an eye-opener,” she says.
Want to up your quirk quotient? Think of fun protein shake bottles, customized T-shirts or mugs, maybe even a towel with a tongue-in-cheek quote printed across it. A piece of equipment is not a bad idea either. Think colourful terrabands, gym balls, a yoga mat, foam rollers, maybe even a kettlebell or dumbbell. “Things you can use at home if you don’t have access to a gym,” says Varma.
Cosmetics that don’t hurt
Let’s face it: the average person uses a mind-bogglingly large number of chemicals to look and smell presentable. So if you gift personal-care products, minimise the damage. “It is impossible to get absolutely chemical-free products,” says consultant dermatologist and aesthetic physician, Shwetha Rahul. The next best thing, she says, is to opt for paraben-free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic stuff. “Never buy makeup with a metallic finish: lead is added to get that gloss and shine. Gift essential oils instead of perfumes. Go organic as much as possible,” she says. Brands she suggests? Just Herbs, Juicy Chemistry, Aroma Essentials, Soul Tree, Soul Flower .
Green offerings
Most of us don’t have backyards or balconies to garden in, but we can still get some green in life. “Succulents are low-maintenance and work well in terrariums,” says Shruti Hariharan, who runs Goli Soda , a store offering green and upcycled options. At work, use upcycled containers for the money plant family. Avoid cacti, as people are superstitious about it. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied , found that putting greenery in office spaces increased productivity by 15%. Shop at theorganic.life, mybageecha.com, gardenguru.in, plantsguru.com . Or gift a garden at mysunnybalcony.com or greenmylife.in .
The book How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants That Purify Your Home or Office
Earthen idols that serve as soil once immersed in, Urban Farm Guide
Food that is both healthy and tasty
“Look to kind gestures rather than mass-buying packaged food that is heavy on salt and sugar — yes, even certain exotic packaged dry fruit. Instead, take along a fruit salad for an evening visit, make a puffed-rice-based snack, or some almond milk without the sugar for an aging relative, payasam with dal and jaggery, or even a millet halwa using a raisin pulp for sweetening and organic desi cow ghee,” says Dharini Krishnan, Chennai-based dietician. Not in a DIY mood? Gift a basket of organic produce from your garden. Remember, even a bean-to-bar type chocolate with low sugar is high in potassium, is not suited to those with kidney problems.
Go-to services, for the last-minute gifter
Because emotional wellbeing is a thing, whether it’s your overworked parent or colleague
Experiences
E xcitinglives.com offers a range of experience packages, from an exhilarating Cessna 172R flying experience at the Aligarh Air Field, to Ayurvedic oil treatments and massages across fourteen cities.
Healthy dabba
Chenn ai’s A Salad Company and Bengaluru’s Nuts Over Salads , offer meal subscriptions. In Mumbai, Caloriecare.com let’s you choose a plan according to workout or medical needs, and happygrub.com has dieticians customise meals.
Music
F rance-based Qobuz and US-based Tidal stream music for USD 10 and USD 20 subscriptions respectively, boasting a wide of high-res soundtracks for iOS, Android, PCs and Macs, and promising to make up for the allegedly quality-bereft listening experience you’ve had so far.
