At this time of the year many become frantic searching for the perfect gift. Give the gifts that will inspire health (I have no financial interest in any of my suggestions.)

1. Shower filter. If you live in an apartment, condo, or don’t have complete filtration for your house, consider an Aquasana inline shower filter head. Reduce your exposure to chlorine, VOC’s and heavy metals. Your skin and hair will love it.

2. While you are installing the shower filter, add in a ShowerBreeze Oral Irrigator. It is basically a water pik system for your showerhead. Irrigate and keep your gums healthy. Get the extra long hose and your grout will never look better.

3. Staying in the bathroom – a bidet seat. We attribute the high incidence of hemorrhoids in the United States to our poor diet but culturally we have poor bathroom hygiene. If you got fecal matter on your hands, would you wipe it of with a tissue? The Euros have bidets; the Japanese have bidet seats. These seats attach directly to any standard toilet. Press a button and the nozzle comes out to wash the designated area. Fancy versions are heated, have dryers, and pulsing actions. Extremely helpful for urinary tract infections, candida, and hemorrhoids. Toyo and Church are common brands. Home Depot carries bidet seats.

4. Kitchen scale – portion distortion is the main reason for being over weight. For one month weigh your food and track how much you are actually eating.

5. Balance ball – use it as your desk chair, sit on it while you eat or watch TV. Aside from building core strength, increased proprioception leads to an increase in mental function.

Celebrate your own health and enjoy your holidays.