Guide to the best festive presents to ease your loved one's ailments

The gift of good health: From gloves for helping arthritis to bamboo pyjamas that soothe eczema, here’s your guide to the best festive presents to ease your loved one’s ailments

As shoppers head to the stores to buy their loved ones a special gift this Christmas, they may want to consider the gift of good health.

CAROLINE JONES has examined which products are worth investing in as the winter chill begins to make its arrival.

As shoppers head to the stores to buy their loved ones a special gift this Christmas, Caroline Jones examines which products are worth the investment. (Stock image)

BACK PAIN

Kalm Pilates back care gift card, £99, kalmpilates.com

Buying this gift subscription gives users access to Kalm Pilates’ 12-week course, an online programme consisting of a series of stretches designed to help ease back pain. You simply watch and follow the instructions.

Physiotherapist Sammy Margo says: ‘Regular Pilates has been shown to help with posture, muscle tone, balance, joint mobility — and lower back pain. Because it’s online you won’t be told if you are doing the exercises correctly, so if you suffer any discomfort, stop immediately.’

HEART DISEASE

Salter digital air fryer, £69.99, amazon.co.uk

This air fryer allows you to cook food such as chips and chicken with no oil — instead it circulates hot air through the food.

‘A great gift for those wanting to cook using little or no oil — either for heart health or to lose weight,’ says Dr Judith Holmes, a GP at Spire Parkway in Birmingham.

‘Small lifestyle changes like this are the type of changes most likely to last long-term.’

CooSpo Bluetooth heart-rate monitor with chest strap, £23.99, amazon.co.uk

Strapped around the chest, this monitor measures heart rate and number of calories burnt as you move. Dr Holmes says: ‘Self-monitoring in this way is known to help with both motivation and commitment. This little gadget could be just the encouragement someone needs to get moving more.’

TUMMY ACHE

YuYu bottle, £45, yuyubottle.com

A YuYu bottle, £45, from yuyubottle.com

It’s well-established that heat can help ease aches and pains and this extra-long 81cm hot water bottle means you can wrap it all around your body.

‘Although not a treatment, this hot water bottle could provide some relief from period pain or sore lower backs,’ says Dr Philippa Kaye, a GP in Barnet, North London.

‘The fact that you can wrap it around you offers even more soothing warmth — the added bonus is thanks to the bobbles moulded into the bottle’s rubber it retains its heat for longer.’

SLEEP PROBLEMS

Mela weighted blanket, £124, melacomfort.co.uk

The maker says using this cotton weighted blanket — at 15lbs, much heavier than a normal duvet, which weighs around 3lb — can help with anxiety and insomnia by providing a comforting, secure feeling in bed. Independent sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley says: ‘Weighted blankets do seem to be effective for anxious or restless sleepers, with one study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine finding nearly 80 per cent of users found them calming.’

Puressentiel sleep easy gift set, £19.99, uk.puressentiel.com

Mela weighted blanket, £124, melacomfort.co.uk

The 75ml air spray and 100ml massage oil contain 12 essential oils for a calming effect — the maker suggests massaging the oil into your skin to help you relax before bed and then spraying the air in your bedroom.

Dr Stanley says: ‘This set is a great gift to help someone who struggles to relax before bed.

A review of 15 studies published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that essential oils, especially lavender, could benefit those with mild sleep disturbances, mainly due to their ability to reduce anxiety.

Creating a sleep ritual will help you relax before bed, and release calming brain chemicals that help put you in the right state to fall asleep.’

DIABETES

HJ Hall diabetic socks, £5.50, hj.co.uk

Accredited by the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, these socks are made from 94 per cent cotton and have a cushioned sole with a smooth toe seam.

‘This is a good gift for those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as they often have poor circulation, which makes them prone to blisters, swollen feet and foot infections,’ says Dr Paul Stillman, a GP in Crawley, West Sussex.

‘The seams and loose knit should help to ensure good blood flow, while the padding provides protection in areas that might suffer from friction and are prone to injury.’

ARTHRITIS

Thermoskin thermal arthritic gloves, £26.39, completecareshop.co.uk

These gloves keep the hands warm and mobile while providing compression. By retaining heat, the maker says that they can help to ease the pain caused by arthritis.

Thermoskin thermal arthritic gloves, £26.39, completecareshop.co.uk

Pharmacist Sultan Dajani says: ‘Some do find that arthritic gloves improve their symptoms.

Unlike normal gloves, which just provide warmth, these tight-fitting gloves appear to work by compressing swollen joints, which can relieve stiffness and reduce inflammation and pain.’

Headspace subscription to pain management programme, £49.99 for one year

This subscription to the Headspace app includes access to specific sessions for helping to manage pain — simply listen to the ten-minute guided meditations.

Sultan Dajani says: ‘Several studies have found meditation training reduces pain. It’s thought to work by changing the areas of the brain involved in pain processing and teaching people to react differently to their pain.’

SKIN CONDITIONS

Foreo Espada, £129, currentbody.com

This battery-powered device emits blue light to fight acne at home. Simply turn on and hold on the blemish for 30 seconds at a time.

‘This is good for mild acne,’ says Dr Anton Alexandroff, a consultant dermatologist at BMI The Manor Hospital in Bedford.

‘Blue light therapy has a proven track record for treating acne as it kills the bacteria in skin that are responsible. It won’t be as powerful as a clinic machine, but could help milder cases.’

Soothe eczema pyjamas, £59.95, everything-for-eczema.myshopify.com

These pyjamas are made from bamboo, which the makers say is the ideal fabric for itchy and sore skin as it’s thermo-regulating (keeps you cool), antibacterial and very soft.

Dr Alexandroff says: ‘Pyjamas made of bamboo are a thoughtful gift for anyone with eczema, because it’s a non-irritating, cool fabric to wear that could reduce itching. It also has mittens that will stop people scratching in their sleep.’

GUT HEALTH

Kefirko complete kefir fermenter starter kit, £27.99, amazon.co.uk

Fermented foods contain bacteria said to improve digestion and even help irritable bowel syndrome.

This kit contains everything you need to make kefir — a fermented milk drink full of live cultures.

‘Many people use kefir drinks to help with gastrointestinal symptoms, and there is some evidence of clinical benefit in those with constipation and dairy intolerance,’ says Dr Andrew Millar, a consultant gastroenterologist at BMI King’s Oak and Cavell hospitals, North London.

‘But it’s important that gastrointestinal symptoms are properly assessed by a GP.’

PAINFUL FEET

OOMG recovery sandal, from £80, oofos.co.uk

According to the maker, these absorb 37 per cent more impact than traditional footwear and can help relieve painful foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis — an inflammation of the band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot, causing intense heel pain.

‘This is a decent gift for someone with plantar fasciitis, which is common in runners or people with jobs that involve being on their feet all day,’ says Michael Clements, a physiotherapist at BMI London Independent Hospital in Stepney Green.

‘NICE guidelines recommend sufferers wear a cushioned shoe with an arch support, which this shoe has. Simple stretches to the calf and sole of the foot can also be effective.’

Carnation Footcare PediRoller soothing foot exerciser kit, £10, firstaidfast.co.uk

This kit contains a plastic foot roller with a ridged surface to massage tired feet, reducing tension and stimulating circulation — as well as providing relief from common foot pain.

It also comes with a cooling gel for use with the roller.

Michael Clements says: ‘People with painful feet will always be happy to receive a gift to help alleviate the discomfort.

‘Massage does help reduce some types of foot pain, and applying a soothing pressure to the feet by rolling them over this gadget could help relax any tight muscle tissue.

This combined with ice for ten to 15 minutes over the painful area would help.’

And don’t forget the dog

For the dog, shoppers can purchase the PitPat activity monitor, which costs £39 at pitpat.com

PitPat activity monitor for dogs, £39, pitpat.com

Around half of all UK dogs are classed as overweight according to PDSA vets’ charity, which can lead to joint problems, diabetes and early death.

This nifty fitness tracker — basically a Fitbit for dogs — can be attached to your pooch’s collar where it syncs with your phone to monitor their daily activity relative to their size and breed.

This makes it easy to ensure they’re getting enough exercise to stay trim and healthy.

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