Last year, I wrote an article itemizing my favorite things from 2017. This list of food and home products was popular with those of you searching for health related holiday gift ideas, so I am continuing the tradition this year!
Many of you are already familiar with Oprah’s favorite things, which she puts out annually. The good news is that my list is actually affordable for a family on a modest budget. These ideas are also all planet friendly and health enhancing.
I published last year’s favorite things list a bit late in the holiday season. Some of you emailed asking if I could please write it earlier this year. So here we are already … three days before Thanksgiving!
I hope you enjoy browsing through!
Portable Near Infrared Sauna
The benefits of near infrared heat and light are well established in the scientific literature. Near infrared saunas are a great way to enjoy these health benefits, which have at least 9 distinct advantages over traditional and far-infrared saunas.
Every member of our family uses our near infrared sauna. Even our pets love it. You can see one of our cats enjoying a sauna above. The unit she is cozying up to is a portable infrared sauna that is brand new this year. We also have the full body near infrared sauna (coupon code HEALTHYHOME will give you 5% off, a 100 day free trial, and free shipping both ways).
This portable device makes it easy to enjoy the health benefits of near infrared heat and light while working at your desk, reading a book, or just relaxing on the couch. You can move it around to any spot in the house that is convenient.
For those of you who travel, take it with you on the road as it comes with a handy carrying case!
This portable sauna model (incandescent bulbs only!) is a good alternative to a full body near infrared sauna if you just don’t have 20-30 minutes to spare on any given day.
If you are on your feet all day, try placing it on the coffee table or ottoman and prop your feet up about 8-12 inches away for a foot detox that feels amazing.
Pre-Soaked White Kidney Beans
Jovial Foods has an organic line of pre-soaked and cooked beans that are indispensable for the traditionally minded cook.
In particular, I love the white cannellini (white kidney) beans. I use them to make a fast pot of chili without all the effort of soaking the beans first.
If you’ve been wanting to switch to soaked beans to enhance digestion, nutrient absorption and reduce the potential for gas/bloating, try them. They come in glass jars too which eliminates the toxin risks from packaging materials.
Activated Charcoal Toothpaste
If you’ve been wanting to try activated charcoal for natural tooth whitening but prefer toothpaste, try Magic Mud Activated Charcoal toothpaste with coconut oil and bentonite clay. I love this stuff for traveling.
It comes in cinnamon, wintergreen, peppermint and spearmint flavors. Our family has tried and likes them all (my favorite is the wintergreen and cinnamon).
Fluoride free, NonGMO, and no glycerin or SLS.
Grain Free Tortillas
Finding low carb or grain free tortillas that don’t contain junky ingredients or additives is tough.
This year, I discovered Siete Paleo Tortillas and absolutely love them. By the way, Siete also has a healthy line of grain free tortilla chips too.
Choose from tortillas made from cassava or almond flour. If you are sensitive to xanthan gum, choose the cassava chia seed tortillas.
GAIAM Foam Roller
The Gaiam Foam Roller is a simple device that you can use to give yourself a therapeutic massage anywhere you need it.
You simply use your bodyweight to roll out your back, glutes, legs (front or back), and shoulders to give yourself a gentle, effective and penetrating muscle rub.
Each foam roller measures 18×36 inches and comes in a variety of colors.
Fruit Sweetened Chocolate Syrup
If you are sugar free, enjoying a treat that contains quality ingredients and is sweetened only with honey or fruit is a challenge.
My favorite sugar free chocolate treat is Date Lady’s Chocolate Date Syrup. Sweetened only with dates, it is the perfect topping for strawberries, sliced bananas or homemade ice cream. Or, just enjoy a bit straight off the spoon!
Use coupon code HealthyHome and get 15% off your first order and use coupon code HealthyHome2 for 5% off every time you re-order!
Moon Cheese
PLEASE NOTE: As of 2022, I NO LONGER recommend this product. The company has been bought out, and the ingredients are now TERRIBLE. DO NOT BUY MOON CHEESE.
Moon cheese is dehydrated cheese bits. That’s it.
It is completely shelf stable for months and comes in small, reclosable pouches that you can take anywhere for a fast, satisfying and nutritious snack. Great for lunchboxes too.
Moon cheese comes in cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, sriracha and pepperjack.
Bone Broth Soups
Finding soup made with real bone broth is next to impossible unless you are lucky enough to have a traditionally minded cafe in your community.
This year, Bonafide Provisions has come out with a tasty line of 7 different soups made with REAL bone broth. Check them out here.
I keep a half dozen of so bags of these soups in my freezer for quick lunches when I am out of soup and don’t have time to make a pot.
Note: I have checked with the company and these soups are cooled to room temperature BEFORE packaging. Also, the soups and broths gel in the refrigerator just like homemade. They are NOT watered down like other brands.
These bone broth soups are not on Amazon, but if you order off the Bonafide Provisions website, use coupon code HEALTHYHOME to get 20% off your entire order (plain broth too!).
Grassfed Meat Sticks
If you don’t like the firm. chewy texture of jerky, finding decent tasting meat sticks with a softer consistency is difficult.
This year, I discovered Paleo Valley meat sticks that are the perfect size (about the same as a cheese stick) for snacking or lunchboxes. My son has a stash in his college dorm room which he eats for fast breakfasts too!
They come in beef and turkey. Both are equally delish.
Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns
Finding decent hot dog and hamburger buns at the healthfood store with no additives and a soft texture is impossible in my experience.
Even Rudi’s organic brand from Whole Foods and other healthfood stores contains unacceptable ingredients such as added sugar and vital wheat gluten (seitan).
If you are looking for quality hamburger and hot dog buns that are soft like commercial brands, try Organic Bread of Heaven. Their buns are made with organic flour and a few other quality whole food ingredients. No added gluten or sugar!
What I do is ship in a half dozen freshly baked bags at a time and freeze what I won’t use in a week. Yes, you can get freshly baked bread shipped right to your door affordably! These buns are only about $5 per bag!
Use coupon code MYFIRSTORDER at checkout and get 10% off.
Note: these buns are not sourdough with a chewy texture. They are very light and soft like conventional buns. If you eat buns frequently, I suggest the sourdough pretzel rolls instead.
Foam Bed Wedge
One of my children sprained his knee last month. When this happens, elevation is important to help drain the fluid, reduce swelling and speed recovery.
To achieve these goals, our Physical Therapist recommended placing a Foam Bed Wedge under the mattress. This device angles the joints properly to minimize swelling and help drain fluid at night.
This wedge has helped tremendously with healing. If you have any family members recovering from knee, ankle or back injuries, this device might prove helpful. It could prove beneficial post surgery and for those suffering from acid reflux too.
I hope you’ve found some good ideas scanning this list of some of my most favorite finds over the past year!
Sarah…thank you for all your valuable information. I have a concern about the pillow wedge though and what it is made of…would not this memory foam be toxic?
I’ve answered this question below. Hope that explanation helps!
Love this – thank you! Can’t wait to get my hands on some of those Jovial beans! I almost never remember to soak my beans. Thanks again.
I’d like to find out if there are chemicals in this product, too. If so, I personally would not support companies like this with my dollars. I only say this because I was chemically injured, and therefore, feel very strongly about not purchasing anything that may further compromise my health or the health of others. Even if purchased with precautions, one still has to be exposed to it temporarily and sometimes, it’s just that one exposure that can tip someone’s health over the edge. I’d surely opt out of anything foam-based or flame retardant proof. These companies need to be sent a clear message to produce safe and healthy products.
I agree! Perhaps you can find a brand that is a certified organic one. I haven’t seen one myself. I am happy with the quality of ours. It is underneath the mattress temporarily so I’m not overly concerned. As I mentioned in another comment, you can easily encase it in a sealed bag if you are especially sensitive to foam based products.
Hi Sarah, their website says out of stock/unavailable. The vitamin I.U. of the D3 in this product seems very low. 166 I.U., another bottle said 300 something….maybe that was the capsules…Anyway, I’m used to taking a fish oil supplement that has at least 2000 I.U. in it. Are you concerned the D3 is too low? If not, why? Thank you!
The Dropi is a natural product … so the Vitamin A and D are in the proper proportion and not adulterated in any way. A cod liver oil with 2000 IU of D in it per serving has been fortified with synthetics. I would avoid that type of product. The Dropi should be back in stock within a couple of weeks from what I’ve heard. Here’s my review of it. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/dropi-cod-liver-oil/
Thank you, Sarah, for continuing to provide us with a wealth of sensible information about good choices for health and wellness. What is your current top recommendation for a healthful fish oil? Thank you, and best wishes to you and yours for the holidays.
Thank you for the kind words! The fish oil I recommend is Dropi … our whole family takes it and has for several years. It is raw, tested for purity and contains natural A/D in the correct ratios in addition to omega-3 fats. http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/dropi-extra-virgin-cod-liver-oil/fish-butter-oils/?a=58537
May I just add – these are just awesome finds! Thank you! I have been using the Siete Tortilla chips for more than a year now and they are so delicious – such a nice substitute for wrecked guts that can’t afford any grains at all. I’ve purchased a few things from your list! I’m really looking forward to the beef sticks!
For an even more affordable sauna, purchase just the near infrared 250w light bulb on SaunaSpace site and a cheap housing for $15 from Home Depot or Lowe’s. I have strung three of those on a tension rod on the floor of a closet (without clothes) and it is just incredible for a cheap full-body sauna under $100. That setup does come with warnings, being above me – but I’ve ensured that it is absolutely secure with additional string tying the lights to the closet rod just in case, and I’m careful not to sling sweat, which could cause the bulbs to break and that would be dangerous. The same setup could be made for a side-shining setup, because the lamp housings have clamps. Not as pretty as Sauna Space, but hey. It might be the difference between having one and not, and a family that’s lost everything due to uninsured illness will really benefit. 🙂
I recently read an interesting article on activated charcoal in toothpaste and affecting remineralisation of teeth. Activated charcoal naturally absorbs things, including minerals. So, if used twice daily, it could end up absorbing the minerals in the saliva and affect the calcium/phosphorous balance that Dr Price spoke about, along with other important minerals. This could end up affecting thr mouth’s microbiome as well if used as a daily toothpaste.
So the advice was to not use it daily or as a long term solution in order to avoid this problem. It’s still the safest whitening ingredient in toothpaste though.
Good point. I do not use everyday. Just a few times a week.
Does the foam pillow contain flame retardants?
It might .. so many foam products are treated these days. That said, we put it underneath our natural/toxin free mattress so it isn’t anywhere near the face or nose. You could also put inside a garbage bag for extra peace of mind if you prefer.
That is so funny that your cat loves the sauna! Was it a cold day when she did that? I am wondering if the warmth is what she was drawn to.
Actually, whenever I turn on the portable sauna light, she likes to sit near it regardless of the temperature. It was a warm evening (about 75F) when I took that photo … so there is more to it than warmth that attracts her as she could sit near the oven on the floor in the kitchen and get the same experience (but she doesn’t do that). The light attracts her too and she likes to roll on her back in front of it sometimes and expose her belly which is what she does on sunny days on the driveway (nearly half the sun’s rays are near infrared!). There is something very instinctual about what she does when that sauna light is on for sure! Exposing the belly to the sun’s near infrared waves is very beneficial to gut health. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/gut-problems-get-that-belly-in-the-sun/