This Sunday is Mother’s Day. You didn’t forget, did you?
If you did, that’s okay. You’ve still got some time, and if you’re not sure what to do, I’ve got some ideas for you.
Last year, we talked about “ways to pamper Mom.” Check out that post if you’re looking to help Mom feel special this holiday.
This year, we’re providing ideas on how you can help Mom enjoy better health. We want our moms to feel good, so they’ll be around to share our lives with us as long as possible. As we all know, it’s not always easy sticking with healthy habits.
You can help by choosing one of the following ways to honor Mom this weekend. These are gifts that show you care, and that may also help Mom to enjoy better health for years to come.
1. Send a healthy care package.
If you can’t be there to share the day with Mom in person, send her a care package that you design yourself. It doesn’t have to be expensive-think about what your mom likes and fill the box with it.
Some ideas may include a collection of healthy teas, healthy snacks like whole-grain crackers or mixed nuts, nourishing skin care products (we suggest our CV Skinlabs products of course!), some key supplements like vitamin D and vitamin C, Epsom salts, and some tasty spices like turmeric or holy basil, both of which are packed full of health benefits.
2. Give her some reading material.
Does your mom like to read? If so, send her a book bag full of goodies. Choose one of her favorite types of novels, and then include a healthy cookbook, a humorous book (laughing is great for your health!), and perhaps another health book that fits her stage in life. Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup is a good one. Healthy magazines like “Women’s Health” and “Prevention” are also good ideas.
3. Encourage Mom’s flexibility.
Does your mom enjoy yoga? If so, try sending her some workout clothes, a new yoga mat, blocks and stretching bands, or some new yoga DVDs. If she hasn’t tried this wonderful exercise yet, pay for an introductory class at her nearby yoga center. Tai chi is another equally beneficial exercise that anyone can do, even those with joint pain or disabilities. Find an instructor in your mom’s area, or send her some DVDs and books so she can get started on her own.
4. Help Mom find some inner peace.
Moms are known to spend a lot of time worrying about everyone else. You can help her find some inner peace by getting her into meditation. Send her a meditation kit with some natural beeswax candles, some meditation CDs (Health Journeys has some nice ones), a comfortable cushion, an eye mask, a book about meditation, or even a coloring book (coloring can produce a meditative effect).
5. Get Mom walking more often.
Walking is one of the healthiest and easiest exercises we can do, but sometimes we just don’t do it. You can get Mom walking more often by offering to meet her once or twice a week to walk together. If you don’t live nearby, try sending her a pedometer, some cushiony walking socks, a nice light fleece jacket, a comfortable cap, some earphones for her music, or a gift certificate to her favorite fitness store where she can get some walking clothes and shoes.
6. Give the gift of sleep.
Does your mom get enough sleep? If she’s like many Americans, probably not. Yet sleep is critically important to health. It helps reduce the risk of disease and early mortality. Regular sleep deprivation, though, increases risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more.
Help Mom enjoy a more restful sleep by sending along some new sheets and bedding, a new nightgown and robe, some fuzzy slippers, heavy dark drapes, or even a quality humidifier. If she needs a new mattress, offer to help her shop for it, or get the family together to donate some funds toward the purchase. If noise is a problem for her, check into some of those white noise machines and let her try those to see if they may help.
7. Send Mom fresh produce.
Check around your Mom’s local area. Likely there are places that deliver fresh produce on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This makes it easy and fun to cook healthy homemade meals, and your mom may enjoy looking forward to the delivery.
If there is nothing like this in her local area, try online services like fruit-of-the-month clubs and organic home deliveries.
8. Clean up Mom’s water.
We don’t often think about what’s in our tap water, but recent reports of lead and polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs like PFOA) in the water supply have raised concerns that our water may not be as safe as we thought.
Chemicals can leach into the water supply wherever you are. Help Mom enjoy safer, better tasting water with a quality water filter. The Environmental Working Group’s has a handy guide to help you find the best one for your home.
9. Help Mom take care of her skin.
You knew we had to include this one, right? Moms rarely get time to take care of themselves. You can help by sending what she needs to enjoy healthier, more vibrant looking skin. We suggest a package of skin-care items like a skin brush, moisturizing mask, anti-aging serum, soft washcloth and towel, headband (to keep her hair out of her face), lighted mirror, and our set of CV Skinlabs products (Body Repair Lotion, Rescue + Relief Spray, Calming Moisture, and Restorative Skin Balm).
You can include as little or as much as you want. To dress it up, include a small bottle of essential oil, some pretty tissue paper, and a bow. You can even include some homemade skin care items if you like-simply mix the ingredients and put them into small travel bottles or Mason jars. We’ve got some good recipes for you here.
10. Give to Mom’s green thumb.
If your mom likes growing things, try sending her an indoor growing kit. There are many of them ready-made online that you can find, or you can make one of your own. All you need is the seeds, the planters and trays, the soil, and whatever else you think would help. If you’re handy with wood, you could make Mom some shelves or unique planters.
Do you have ideas for healthy gifts for Mom?
