A very Health Gossip gift guide 🎄
30+ remedies, experiments & indulgences from friends of the newsletter and my very own brain...
The gift guides this year are never-ending, the buzz around them even more so. I’ve been hesitant to make this newsletter product-oriented — health can’t be bought, duh — but in the spirit of the holidays, I decided to make an exception.
To follow: things that I’ve been either already loving or secretly coveting, along with recommendations by past/future guests and friends of the newsletter… we got a bit carried away — for paid subscribers, check out part two.
Happy shopping! 💋 Lily
Living Libations Ozonated Happy Gum Gel
Anna, an occasional penpal and former health food shop girl, is a longterm disciple of LL. “I could live without LL but it makes me feel like a princess and makes the appearance shine more…There’s a magical and divine quality to their products.”
You really can’t go wrong here (unless you have acne-prone skin — the Best Skin Ever is comedogenic). Their oral care is particularly pioneering; Anna likes the Happy Gum Gel, which you can floss with, and the Yogi Tooth Serum, though its taste can be a bit strong for some.
Incandescent Light Bulbs
The best gift* you can give your loved ones this winter: replacing all of their LEDs with incandescent bulbs. While they’re technically banned in the US, you can still find them at eBay, Amazon, or your local corner store (full guide on retailers here).
If you want to get fancy, I also love this full-spectrum light bulb from Block Blue Light. Depending on the time of day, it can be toggled to three different settings — daylight, dusk, and sunset. (The daylight option doubles as a “HappyLight” for super dreary days, or mornings started on the wrong side of the bed.)
*The blue light that LEDs emit are messing with our circadian rhythms and melatonin production… They’re also a vibe killer. Check out Sarah Kleiner’s work if you’re curious to learn more.
Pearl Incense Stand
Via Emilia, a last-minute find for last-minute gifters. This one is IRL only — find it at Japanese stationary shop Niconeco Zakkaya before it sells out ;)
Shakti Acupressure Mat
Friends of Health Gossip Laura and Laura have raved about their shakti mats for what feels like years. I’ve never personally owned a full mat, but after trying them out a few times, I’d have to second their raves. When asked about the experience, Laura B. says: “Only for the brave.”
EMR Tek Firewave Red Light Panel
After using my infrared face mask as a makeshift red light panel for far too long, I finally made the jump and got this red light panel from widely-vetted EMR Tek. Noteworthy features: a customizable timer, ability to toggle between two different light types. Use code ‘LUCKY19182’ for an extra discount.
Los Angeles Apparel Garment Dye Yoga Leggings
These yoga leggings aren’t organic or 100% cotton (95% Cotton/5% Elastane, alas), but they’re a nice transitional option for when you want to ditch synthetic activewear (microplastics) and don’t want to spend $$.
LA Apparel also make a nice fleece-lined option, for those with an actually cold winter…
Other brands with 100% cotton, or mostly cotton, options: Mate, Hardtail Forever, Pact (the leggings are a bit stiff, but I live in their camisoles), Organic Basics.
Ballet Warm Up Booties
A recommendation from both Sotce and Fi, who has been known to sport them as house slippers. “The booties pad household comfort with the disciplined gait of the off duty ballerina doing her taxes in the hallway of the rehearsal studios,” says Fi. “Lounging as adagio.”
The Chi Machine
A surprising rec from a very mainstream TikTok influencer, who praised it for its lymphatic drainage-promoting properties (see the video below). Don’t pay attention to the price — there are plenty under $100 on eBay, if that doesn’t gross you out.
Beeswax Candles from Bigdipper Wax Works
Beeswax candles are to soy candles what incandescent bulbs are to LEDs. I love the Serenity-scented votive candles from Bigdipper (also sold at Whole Foods), but even the ‘unscented’ ones give off a subtly sweet honey smell 🐝
Mansa Snow Chrysanthemum Tea
Emily calls this her winter health tonic and “the prettiest tea I’ve ever seen.” According to TCM, it’s very calming and great for the liver and eyes. If you’re my mom, you didn’t see this!
Intimissimi Modal Cashmere Ultralight Top
Following the natural fiber theme, these tops are a must — both utilitarian (read: actually warm) and flattering. My only regret is not buying more pre-TikTok trend, when they were a cool $39 and Emily S and I thought we were in on a little secret.
Knit Body Bottle Shawls
Holly is a genius knitter and People’s Wine alumnus (RIP). These shawls are great for keeping your favorite bottles cloaked and cozy; they also work well for blind testing, or as a hostess gift. If you’re in NYC, you can pick one up @ her sale this weekend — otherwise, DM to place an order!
Leela Quantum Energy Frequency Card
Back in the days when I worked in corporate media and was on hundreds of PR lists (RIP), I was gifted a frequency card from Leela Quantum Tech. The theme that I opted for was “Unity” — and honestly, after carrying it in my wallet for a few years, I have felt more connected to humanity. It also makes for a nice boxcutter in a pinch.
Stamina Folding Trampoline
For rebounding, of course. You can go fancier, but this under-$50 option might just do the trick… Plus, it’s foldable for easy storage.
ION Gut Support
My doctor recommended this to me a few years ago when I was having some gut issues. It tastes like dirt because that’s where it comes from — ancient dirt, of course (our current soil is incredibly mineral depleted, hence the gut issues).
St. Mark’s Yoga Giftcard
Gift cards as typically thought of as lazy or last-minute, but they can actually be remarkably thoughtful. (Early in adulthood my family would gift me Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods giftcards, and I would think of them every time I bought groceries.)
If you or your giftee happens to live in NYC, a giftcard to St. Mark’s Yoga is a no-brainer. If you call them, you can probably work out a deal that covers their breathwork classes, too…
Other giftcard ideas: King’s Spa, Mermaid Spa (via Criss), Bathhouse (Lola recommends the Flatiron location over Williamsburg — less influencers).
Chic Simple: Body
Asher recommended this a little while ago. There’s not much information online about its contents, apart from this Amazon review (12/18/2000):
“This is a sumptious exploration of the human body, organised in neat sections as in the other books. Will you learn anything you didn't know before. Probably not. Will you finish the book feeling good about the body within which you live. You probably will.”
Also of interest, from the same series: Chic Simple: Clothes, Chic Simple: Storage, and Chic Simple: Home.
A 5-Gallon Tub of Epsom Salt
Enough to last them a few months. For the full healing bath experience, bundle the bucket with baking soda, essential oils, and a nice apple cider vinegar (not Bragg’s, rumor has it they use Bill Gates’ apples!).
Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies Deck
Informed by the I Ching and currently out of production, this card deck comprises over 100 prompts and strategies for generating new ideas. It was originally intended for musicians, but can be applied to virtually any form (a writer on here uses them as a makeshift tarot deck).
Cynoplus Thyroid Medication
If there’s one thing that health Twitter has taught me, it’s that most people (especially women, 70% of them) have an underactive thyroid. This is a huge rabbit hole — for beginners, check out Veronica or Andra’s posts, among others — but for the sake of concision, I’d recommend buying your likely-hypothyroid loved one Cynoplus thyroid meds for an easy $25 (Bitcoin preferred).
MexiPharmacy also stocks Tret (0.05%), Ivermectin, and even Ozempic (kind of)… the opportunities are endless!
This is mostly a joke. If you have questions or suspect that you’re hypothyroid, please see a trusted doctor for guidance and bloodwork.
My Happy Feet Foot Alignment Socks
Originally recommended by Teak, these socks are probably the cutest (and most comfortable) way to realign your toes. I’ve also heard good things about YogaToes, though they’re quite bulky and might be uncomfortable for the uninitiated. (Beauty = pain x2 for those with bunions from poorly fitting — read: beautiful — shoes.)
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