December is upon us, and the stress of holiday shopping comes with it. If you don’t know what to ask for this holiday season, I’ve compiled a list of suggestions from me, fibro parents, and others living with a chronic illness. Here is the 2017 Fibromyalgia Holiday Gift Guide.
2017 Fibromyalgia Holiday Gift Guide
Essential Oils
There are various natural ways to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, and one of the ways I prefer to do that is with essential oils. Essential oils do not claim to cure anything; they aid in a more comfortable way of living. There are three ways to use essential oils: aromatic, topical, and internal. Some essential oils can be used in all three ways, while others cannot. Look for uses or warnings on the labeling of all essential oils. When in doubt, contact the company’s website.
CBD Oil
According to Medical Marijuana, Inc., cannabidiol, or CBD, is a component found in cannabis and occurs naturally in significant amounts. While extracting CBD oils from marijuana plants is illegal, extracting CBD oil from hemp plants is not.
CBD is not psychoactive like THC (it won’t give you that high). It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. It relieves nausea, eases headaches, and relaxes muscle tension. CBD products include capsules, drops, gums, lotions, high-concentration extracts, and more.
Aromafloria Muscle Soak Collection
Aromafloria aromatherapy products are manufactured in a USDA-certified organic facility that is 100% wind-powered. Ingredients are carefully sourced from fair trade markets worldwide. Great care is taken to ensure that our suppliers adhere to the highest ethical standards and that all organic plant-based materials are harvested from renewable and ecologically sustainable growers. Every effort is made to leave a minimal environmental footprint to keep Earth’s natural resources intact for future generations.
The Muscle Soak Collection includes bath salts, foaming bubble baths, massage oil, and body scrub. Even in the same collection, these products work differently for me. Aromafloria’s collections align with my natural treatment needs and deliver on that promise. The products relieve tired muscles, ease tension, and promote calmness, all essential in healing fibromyalgia. I love these products for various reasons, and I’m sure you’ll love them, too!
Coloring Books and Pencils
According to Medical Daily’s article The Therapeutic Science of Adult Coloring Books: How This Childhood Pastime Helps Adults Relieve Stress, coloring relaxes and calms the mind like meditation. Our brains switch off, and we focus on the task at hand – coloring.
With anxiety and stress being high for me at this time, I’ve been coloring with my kids a lot lately. I didn’t realize this was therapeutic for me, but it makes sense why I’ve been drawn to it recently. A fibro parent in our group suggested this holiday gift, and I agree it’s a great idea!
Check out these coloring books from Amazon.
Weighted Blankets
The use of weighted blankets is becoming more popular among those who cannot get quality sleep. The creator of the weighted blanket, Keith Zivalich, said in a recent interview, “The added weight causes the brain to release neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that improve moods and induce a calming effect.”
Check out these weighted blankets on Amazon.
Heating Wrap
My problematic areas are my neck, shoulders, and upper back. Those are the areas where I feel the most painful, burning sensations. I tried a heating wrap for this area, and it helped tremendously with the pain and tension. Read the review and rating here.
A heat wrap will reduce chronic pain for the following reasons: hot therapy, covering problem areas, not too hot to the touch but effective, lightweight, portable, washable outer cover, filling that does not shift or bunch, and compact.
Here is the heating wrap I used from Amazon.
Cannabis Gifts
Medical marijuana (also known as cannabis) is a hot topic in the chronic illness community for various reasons. Cannabis can relieve pain including neuropathic pain, stimulate appetite, slow or stop seizures, relieve nausea and vomiting, reduce muscle spasticity in MS, and improve sleep.
In an interview with Donna Burch, Donna addressed the questions about medical marijuana, including if it’s addictive, what are the side effects, why it’s a Schedule 1 controlled substance, why it works well with those living with fibromyalgia, the difference between medical marijuana and the marijuana found on the streets, how to use it without getting high, and more. It can all be found here in the Fibro Live show called Medical Marijuana – Yes or No?
For gift ideas, try these resources:
- Leafly is an online and the world’s largest cannabis information source. You can find information regarding the cannabis flower, topicals, edibles, and concentrates. Here is their Leafly Holiday Gift Guide.
- Brian Koerber also compiled a list of 12 Stoner Gifts for the Cannabis Connoisseur in Your Life on Mashable.
- 4:20 Smokers also had an impressive list of gift ideas, including a car air purifier! Check out the Top 10 Cannabis Gifts Every Stoner Would Like to Get for Christmas.
Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes are a great way to receive a gift! Here are three great subscription boxes, and visit The Mighty for more subscription boxes for those with chronic illness.
- Stashbox is a subscription box that delivers various items straight to your door each month. Click here to check it out.
- ChronicAlly: The ChronicAlly Box is a unique collection of items for those with a chronic illness.
- Dollar Shave Club: The Dollar Shave Club is one of the most popular subscription boxes. Its free shipping, and low-priced deals make it the most desirable razor.
Pillows, Pillows, Pillows
Proper neck support is essential for those living with chronic pain, particularly neck pain. Some pillows to try are a bath pillow, a quality pillow for bed, and a neck pillow.
These are some cute bath pillows!
Massage or Spa Certificate
Massages are great for relieving tense muscles and easing any stress on your body. Asking for a gift certificate for a massage (catered to those with fibromyalgia) or to a spa is one way to help your aching body!
Arthritis Gloves
One fibro parent recommended arthritis gloves. These gloves are designed to help with achy hands, including those afflicted with arthritis and painful joints. They provide slight compression, increasing circulation and reducing pain. Here is the link to the IMAK Compression Arthritis Gloves product on the website.
You can also find them on Amazon.
Cleaning Service
Keeping up with household chores can be daunting and physically demanding. Having someone from a cleaning service give the house an overall clean can be a huge help, even if the service only thoroughly cleans the floors, vacuums the carpets, or cleans the most painful areas. All of this can be helpful.
Sorensen’s Natural Remedies
With the inability to take pain medications, I’m continually searching for natural pain-relieving products. Sorensen’s Natural Remedies did not disappoint. From their all-natural ingredients to their effectiveness, I recommend giving each of these products a try. They are affordable (especially with the money-back guarantee), natural, and effective. I’m confident you will like each of them as much as I do. I give them four out of five stars.
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