Need a little help with some last-minute Christmas shopping?

We conducted an informal poll of sorts among members of the healthcare community in Southern Illinois and asked them what their top picks would be for a healthy Christmas gift, either for themselves, a loved one or friend.

Here are their top picks:

Wind trainer for bicycle.

If you have a bike and the weather is bad outside, Donald A. Lawrence, Ph.D, an avid biker and retired high school biology teacher in Carbondale, recommends you get your exercise using something called a wind trainer.

"This is a device to which the back wheel of the bicycle is attached enabling riding your bicycle in place, usually indoors," Lawrence says. "You can bicycle for exercise without riding on unfamiliar roads and of course if it rains (it) can be used inside."

Substituting for an indoor exercise bike, a wind trainer provides greater or lesser resistance as if you were road biking or on a bike trail, while you are indoors all the time avoiding road traffic and rainy weather.

Priced at anywhere between $80-$500 depending on the brand and features, some of the higher end wind trainers (priced at $800) come with a simulator that enables you to connect wirelessly to your PC. You can then track the progress you are making on a selected terrain on the screen, depending on the DVD you are using.

Stationary tandem bike

A stationary tandem two rider exercise bike is Thomas Hippensteel Sr.'s top pick for a healthy gift this Christmas. A Parkinson disease patient, Hippensteel is director of the Leadership Council, Southern Illinois Parkinson Support Group.

"PD patients need exercise, but do not have the strength, lung capacity and endurance necessary for raising their heart rate up to a beneficial level," Hippensteel says.

He loves the concept of a stationary tandem bike because it has dramatically proven to improve overall health while subduing tremors. An eight-week study at the Cleveland Clinic, found that cycling led to an improvement in the symptoms of Parkinson's, a progressive brain disorder that affects the body's ability to control movement.

"A strong rider is paired with a weak patient, whose feet are strapped to his pedals so he goes along for a free ride that is at a beneficial level," Hippensteel says.

According to Doug McDonald, owner of Phoenix Cycles in Carbondale, "You can take any tandem bike that you would ride outside and put it onto a trainer and come up with a stationery bike."

Entry level tandem bikes cost $600 and upwards, while indoor wind trainers start at $150 and go up in price. If that sounds extremely pricey, you might want to look at the classifieds for used tandems.

Pedometer

"Pedometers are a great tool to have when you are trying to increase your daily physical activity," says Mary Beth Long, R.N., Franklin Williamson Human Services Early Head Start Program. "It makes you feel good when you see your daily number of steps increase."

While a basic pedometer can be purchased for $5, you could spend as much as 70 bucks for a state-of-the-art pedometer that doubles as your training partner and comes with health management software that can be transferred from pedometer to your computer.

Stretch rubber bands

Stretch rubber bands help to strengthen, tone, shape, and rehab muscles, while improving range of motion. Priced at anywhere between $5-$15, the bands vary in resistance and come in various colors.

"These are broad physical therapy type bands that help you stretch and for me take the place of weight lifting," Lawrence says. "I stretch horizontally 20 times behind my neck area, 20 times in the front, 20 times diagonally left and 20 times diagonally right both in front. I can also adjust the strength of the stretch by shortening the starting length as grasped at the ends in both hands."

Lawrence advises you to pick up a number of these bands as they tend to eventually break if you are stretching every day over a long period of time.

Gym membership or personal training sessions

"I got my wife a few visits with a personal trainer at a local health club, and she loved it," says Dane Spalt, an account executive for the Southern Illinois area at Health Alliance Medical Plans.

A gym membership can be an excellent gift; after all it encourages a loved one to get fitter and healthier. However you must consider how close you are to the person before gifting them a gym membership, because the gift has the potential to offend. It's almost as if you are saying, "I think you need to lose weight."

In Spalt's case his wife had mentioned that she would like to work out with a trainer, but thought it was a luxury. So he went ahead and bought her the membership, without risk of hurting her feelings.

If you plan to buy someone a gym membership as a gift, make sure you present it in a positive, tactful way, so that you don't ruin the holiday mood for everyone involved.

Membership to a senior circle program

Debi Richardson, director of marketing and pubic relations at Crossroads Community Hospital in Mt. Vernon recommends getting a membership to their Senior Circle Program for seniors age 50 and above.

She thinks it's great because it's inexpensive and has great value.

"Members are treated to activities normally five days per week such as bingo, exercise, movie day, monthly Lunch & Learn, plus many day trips, birthday party, Fall festival, Spring soiree, and most importantly a lab voucher worth approximately $300," Richardson says.

Annual memberships at Crossroads Community Hospital Senior Circle Program cost $15 for single or $27 for couples. If Mt. Vernon is too far away for you, check with your local hospital or senior center for Senior Advantage programs.

Clarisonic professional skin care brush

"Once you use the Clarisonic brush it speaks for itself," says Amy Scutt, manager of the DermaCare Body Boutiques in Herrin, Murphysboro and Carbondale. "Your skin will never feel cleaner or healthier."

A little pricey maybe at $195, the Clarisonic professional skin care brush uses soft, gentle sonic action to remove more dirt (sebum and makeup) from your face than traditional, superficial cleansing. It also allows serums and moisturizers to absorb better.

Brought to you by the creators of the Sonicare(r) toothbrush, the brush was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things last year.

"My Clarisonic brush was the best investment I have ever made for the health of my skin," Scutt says. "It cleanses the skin six times better than manual cleansing. I use less moisturizer and less makeup, so it pays for itself. It's also waterproof, so you can leave it in your shower. It's great for any skin type."

Guardian medication dispenser

Need help with organizing, remembering and tracking your prescriptions?

Hippensteel suggests the Guardian Medication Dispenser. "It frees the caregiver from being tied to her watch all day long," he says.

Offering individuals and caregivers a simple, cost-effective solution to the day-to-day complications of prescription management, the device offers a clear voice, text message and flashing light that announces your medication. It even notifies the caregiver of a missed dose, holds 20-25 pills and supplements at a time and can dispense up to 60 medication cups.

In addition, the dispenser comes with a personal medical alarm, which serves as an Emergency Response System, allowing independent adults to get help whenever they need it.

"If you have a patient who needs to go to an assisted living place because they need help with medication and that's the only reason they need to go, this is a great alternative," says Carol Linke, R.N., Clinical Consultant at HLS Home Medical Equipment. "It enables many seniors to remain in their homes longer. You can rent the Guardian medication dispenser and medical alarm for $80 a month from us at HLS."

Massage and day-at-the-spa

A relaxing get-away experience, whether it's a massage, pedicure or manicure is what Margery Kemp, community services unit director, at Shawnee Alliance for Seniors, recommends.

"I think it's great because these are things I do not ordinarily do for myself," Kemp says. "It feels good to pamper myself now and then, and it's great for my mental and physical well-being."

According to Catherine Turner, Owner Great Shapes Fitness for Women, a therapeutic massage is the gift that keeps on giving. It relaxes the body, frees the kinks and twinges form the neck and gives you time to really relax.

"A spa package is "food for the soul" for me," Turner says. "I will gladly accept this gift any time my family would choose to give this gift!"

Gift cards

Gift cards to a spa or salon, products such as fragrant lotions, candles, throws, and books on better living or healthier eating is what Joan Hart, a valuable member of the Jackson County Mental Health Action Team and an active volunteer in the community, recommends.

Hart likes gift cards because you can purchase a gift card for any price and the recipient can choose from a variety of services and products.

poornima.jayaraman@thesouthern.com

351-5019