Another alternative for saving your loved ones money at the dentist is to buy them a discount dental plan. I have a DentalPlans.com membership and it saves me a lot on most of my dental procedures.. and it only cost me $80 for the whole year. And you can sign up your friends and family easily. Just a thought.. and I was kind of surprised you didn't mention it in the article.
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If you're shopping for a new or reluctant exerciser, make it a social activity. Offer to take them shopping, and then work out with them a few times. To help recipients know how to get moving, consider simply printing out some basic "Healthier Life Steps" information from www.ama-assn.org— a free extra to throw in the box with the gift certificate or the running garb.
8. Health Monitoring Gadgets. While buying someone a bathroom scale might be a bit insulting, high-tech at-home self-test kits such as a blood-pressure monitor could be just the ticket. Eighty million Americans have high blood pressure, and only a third of them have it under control. In September, Consumer Reports gave top marks to the Omron Women's Advanced Elite and CVS by Microlife Deluxe Advanced blood-pressure monitors ($100 each).
For a diabetic friend or relative, consider a blood-glucose meter. In September, Consumer Reports gave the OneTouch UltraMini ($20) its top rating for accuracy, consistency and ease of use. For supplies and cookbooks, the Diabetes Mall at Diabetes.net offers gift certificates And, Dlife.com has this guide to buying for diabetics. Also consider a pedometer, available for as little as $20.
9. Pick Up the Check. Most restaurants now offer healthy options. One way to find good spots: the National Restaurant Association's partner site, www.healthydiningfinder.com. According to the NRA, 77 percent of consumers say they would like to receive a restaurant gift card or gift certificate on gift occasions.
10. Good-For-You Reads. Skip the fads and invest in books like the American Medical Association's "Complete Guide to Prevention and Wellness," the American Pediatric Association's "Caring for Your Baby and Young Child," or even the hard-core Merck Manual. Also helpful: "The Pill Book: An Illustrated Guide to the Most-Prescribed Drugs in the United States." Also consider healthy cookbooks. The AMA sells "AMA Family Cookbook: Good Food That's Good for You," "Healthy Heart Cookbook," "Diabetes Cookbook," "Hypertension Cookbook" and "The AMA Family Health Cookbook." Or consider Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian."
The bottom line: the economy may be going downhill, but that doesn't mean your loved ones' health needs to follow suit.
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