2017 Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

I love bright lights and shimmery glitter. I love finding reasons to celebrate. And I love to be LOVED, which is why I absolutely cherish the holiday season. Beyond the parties, presents and dressed up people, what truly makes the holiday season special is the positivity that radiates. People come together to celebrate the season and enjoy each other. For all those celebrations and gift-giving events, we’re back with our fourth edition of the Pretty Wellness Healthy Holiday Gift Guide. Truly thoughtful gifts warm the hearts of both the giver and receiver. This is why I love sharing my favorite holiday gift ideas that promote wellness.

Infused Water: Recipes & Tools

I used to be addicted to soda pop. As early as junior high, I saved my babysitting money to buy Diet Orange Sunkist. Fast-forward, this habit continued well into adulthood. At my former job, I ran into meetings double fisted with two Diet Dr. Peppers. I thought I needed the caffeine to replenish my energy and the sweet taste to satisfy my cravings. However, once I dived into researching all the detriments of a diet filled with chemicals in packaged foods and drinks, I quit soda immediately. I still missed the taste, though, so looked for alternatives. I tried to rationalize why buying fun, fizzy and hip drinks were right for me. Though when it came down to it, spring water provided the highest number of benefits including detoxification, hydration and skin beautification without any of the toxic “natural flavors.” So, to make it taste good, I started infusing different fruits and vegetables with my water. I love it so much that I recommended it as a substitute for sugary drinks when I appeared on The Dr. Oz Show.

Eco-friendly Tips for a Green Holiday Season

The bright lights, celebratory feasts and gifts galore enhance the holiday season. However, all the wrapped presents and Christmas lights shining all night long, form a ton of excess garbage and energy. The Center for Disease Control reports that Americans throw away about 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. If every American family wrapped just three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. That got me thinking. Since I research and report on taking small steps toward better health, why don’t I investigate easy, eco-friendly tips to go green this holiday season.

2016 Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

For bargain shoppers, creative gift-givers and home decor aficionados, the most wonderful time of year is the winter holiday season. What truly makes the season so special is the daily love and cheery sentiments. Although, in this month of festivities, who doesn’t enjoy a silly secret gift exchange or meaningful present from a loved one? Now in our third year, it’s our tradition to showcase our favorite holiday gifts that promote wellness. Check out our newly-released 2016 Healthy Holiday Gift Guide that includes ideas for kids of any ages. Hopefully these will impress and excite your favorite wellness warrior, fit kid or friend who’s ready to take small steps toward better health.

A Smile Experiment for the Holidays

No matter who you are, where you live or what your background is, this time of year tends to be chaotic for everyone. The days are jam packed with work meetings in an effort to get it all in before the holidays; social calendars are filled, often double booked on weekends for both kids and adults; and the shopping trips often create heightened traffic and chaos in our local communities. It’s hard to be zen because everyone is moving in different directions. So many Americans cite the holidays as the most stressful time of year. So, how can we really make this easier on ourselves? Last year, I showcased some of my favorite tips for de-stressing over the holiday season. This year, I want to keep it simple – just smile.