Five Healthy Gifts That Benefit Hormones

We tend to let the holidays steer us away from healthiness. Yet the holidays are the perfect time to stay on track and share our commitment to health through the gifts we give. Sure, a gift of fiber powder may not say “happy holidays,” but I’ve found five gifts that help reset hormones and will still impress your recipients.

1. 1. Spread happiness with fresh flowers. Participants in a 2005 Rutgers University study^[i] were shown flowers, fruit, or candles. Those who saw flowers responded, 100 percent of the time, with “what is known as the Duchenne smile—a heartfelt ‘true smile’ involving the mouth, cheeks, and eyes… And three days later, the flower recipients were still feeling happier than their cohorts in the study.” While the study was about behavior and not focused on hormones, flower-induced happy feelings mean that serotonin and endorphin hormones were being released. Since flowers make people happy, I love to give them, and in particular I love giving red amaryllis plants. These flowering plants work well indoors, making them a perfect winter gift ($20-50).
   2. Eat in order to lose weight. You read that right: Our nutrient-dense Reset360 protein bars are chock full of fiber, which helps activate and raise estrogen levels into the fat-burning zone. With their bang-for-your-buck nutrition, these are great as an on-the-go breakfast or a power snack ($16/16-pack).
   3. Order a DNA test. Call it the mean gene spit kit: 23andMe.com (a reference to a human’s twenty-three chromosomes) offers a mail-in, home DNA testing kit that uses a saliva sample. After analysis, the results are posted directly onto a personal online account. I recommend this test because it is an easy, convenient, and affordable way to assess a person’s genetic makeup, paving the way to planning for the specific hormone resets they need. Get one for yourself and for those you love ($149)
   4. Provide tailored meditation right to their ears. Meditation lowers cortisol and helps maintain optimal levels. The Muse Brain-Sensing Headband assesses your brain’s state and then provides concordant music or other sounds to easily enter a meditative state. This makes meditation fun, and there’s even a self-competitive, game-like option: I’m on level twenty! ($250)
   5. Boost immunity with an electric toothbrush. The healthier your gums, the better your immunity and longevity. The Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrush removes up to six times more plaque along the gum line than a regular toothbrush, leaving much squeakier-cleaner gums. (Approx. $60)

 Why not give the gift of health this season? And if you’ve got readers among your friends or family, get them The Hormone Cure. I wish you happy, healthy holidays that extend year round.

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[i] Haviland-Jones, J., et al. “An Environmental Approach to Positive Emotion: Flowers.” Evolutionary Psychology 3 (2005): 104-132.