An Acupuncturist & Herbalist's Holiday Gift Giving Guide

I love finding the perfect unique gift. I want to make or choose something that my loved one may not get for themselves but something that will make their lives meaningfully better, easier, more healthful, or more beautiful. In the shopping or creating process, I also bring my values to bear: supporting a small business or creator, looking for solid sustainability and labor practices, and staying away from products with toxic ingredients, tons of plastic, and huge carbon footprints.

Keeping all that in mind, this holiday season, here are some of my favorite gifts:

For the Athlete Looking to Recover Better:

• wthn's at-home cupping set to support recovery and circulation

• moxa heat packs to warm sore muscles for deeper stretching and pain relief

• Two topicals that I use often in clinic to relieve your aches and pains:

  • Bamboo Pharmacy's herbal Relief & Recovery oil chock full of medicinal herbs**

  • Wintergreen's cooling magnesium gel

For the Skincare Queen:

• Redermavive's Red Rescue & Renew facial oil, a clinic favorite for all kinds of inflammed, dry, scarred, and sensitive skin**

• One of Lanshin's beautiful facial Gua Sha tools, -- write a note encouraging your loved one to check out her amazing tutorial videos

• Root & Bones Beauty Blend herbal tonic

• OMAD's Miracle Balm regenerative healing mask**

For the Expecting Parent:

• The First Forty Days by Heng Ou is a simple instructive book to teach you how to have a well-nourished postpartum era and the simple recipes are delicious!

• Herb Folk's Yin & Yang Tonic Herbs for broths (better yet, get a few packets to keep on hand & drop off bone broth in those precious first few postpartum weeks!)

• A gift certificate for postpartum doula or night nurse care!

For the East Asian Philosophy-Curious:

• A copy of the poetic Tao Te Ching-- 81 poetic meditations on the nature of life and awareness in Taoism. I love Brian Browne Walker's elegant translations, and I've heard great things about the deeper commentary offered by local publisher City Lights' translation by Roger Ames and David Hall.

• I also love venerable Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh's books; You Are Here is a great place to get started.

• For a more active option, sign you and your loved one up for a Qi Gong or Tai Chi class and try the moving meditations that are part of the East Asian Medicine tradition!

For someone looking to cut back on their caffeine habit:

• A beautiful Luvhaus mug or tumbler crafted right here in West Oakland

• A fun stars & moon themed tea strainer & one of Blue Willow's delicious loose leaf green tea

• Tricia Hersey's beautifully illustrated Rest Deck of practices and inspiration to cut back on the need to "do" all the time.

For the burgeoning herbalist:

• Erin Masako Wilkin's book Asian American Herbalism,

• Schedule a date to visit my favorite local bulk herb apothecary, Lhasa Karnak, together! (I don't see gift cards available to buy online but hopefully they sell them!)

For the Wellness Homebody:

The perfect combination for a cozy reflective practice:

• A hand-poured, non-toxic candle from Juniper Ridge

• The Heart Led Workbook for intuitive living & creative embodiment

• Bendichas Manos ceremonial drinking cacao

None of these links are affiliate links and I don't profit at all from you making any purchases found here. I carry a few of these items in the clinic (starred**) as they're products I love to use, but really these are just products, books, and companies that I have found hugely supportive or beneficial to myself or to my patients and want to support!