8 Healthy Christmas Gifts

By Wendy Benson, RD
[Happy Holidays]
In this world of ever-evolving health trends, there's sure to be someone on your list who would love a nutritious gift.  Wendy Benson, RD, writes.
Every year, we tell the children that Santa will be riding around on his sleigh delivering gifts to boys and girls all over the world.  He’ll climb down the chimney, put the gifts beneath the tree and eat the milk and cookies before taking off for the next house.  Sounds pretty realistic, right?

There’s another element of this story that is not spoken about as often, but is true nevertheless:  Santa Clause is obese.  Not only that, but he’s an old man.  On top of that, he is presumably in perfect health.  For those of us caught up in the health conscious world of today, this element of the story is even more difficult to believe.  After all, shouldn’t Santa have had a heart attack by now?  Don’t they have any health professionals up at the North Pole?

A Health Conscious Santa

So let’s stop and think for a second.  What if Santa’s large girth were to cause some serious health problem?  What if he became enlightened and felt health was a gift to be treasured?  What presents would our new, health-conscious Santa be packing in his sleigh?

what Santa would pack for…
The Busy Person

For the family or friend who juggles many roles and is short of time, a cookbook focusing on healthy meals is a great gift idea.  Two of Santa’s picks might be Great Food Fast, from Dietitians of Canada or 365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association.  These two books have many easy-to-prepare recipe and meal ideas along with nutrition tips.

what Santa would pack for…
NEXTContinued on next page...