Can we officially name 2021 as the year of the home? With more people than ever working from home, and social distancing because of the pandemic, many folks have put a lot of time and energy into making their home an oasis. People are moving into new homes, relocating to new cities, building new additions (Kie and I are currently building a garage with a full bedroom/bathroom upstairs) and nesting at record rates.

For anyone on your gift list struggling with health issues, or even gift-ee’s who are just health conscious, this list is for them. I’ve included beautiful, useful, non-toxic options, half of which are produced locally, and all which will be loved by the recipients!

1. East Fork Pottery

Drop dead gorgeous pottery produced right up the road in Asheville from regional clay. They carry many sizes of plates, bowls and cups, from the tiny, bitty bowls, all the way to their huge mixing bowls, including full place settings. They currently have 4 core colors that are always available, but they also release limited edition and seasonal colors a few times a year. 

Their mug is the absolute, all time perfect mug – I have 3 in various colors that I drink pretty much everything out of when I’m at home. I imagine a beautiful gift of a mug along side some delicious teas, or a big bowl with a soup cookbook. The perfect pottery to make all your healthy meals look even better.

2. Branch Basics

Probably not the most sexy gift of the bunch, Branch Basics makes non-toxic cleaning products. One of the ways we can control our toxin exposure is by choosing to use clean home products as much as possible. 

Branch Basics makes a super green cleaning concentrate that’s also surprisingly effective. A kit comes with multiple spray bottles (they even offer them in glass now!) which allow you to mix the concentrate with different ratios of water to make an all-purpose spray, window cleaner, hand soap, and a super heavy duty bathroom scrub.

This is what we use here at the clinic, and at home, to clean everything from the floors to the bathroom.

3. Smithey Cookware

Looking for a splurge for someone special? This Charleston based cookware company hand makes cast iron and carbon steel skillets and Dutch ovens. They are sooo gorgeous, and are the only cookware on the market that polish the inside of the pans and pots to create a non-stick surface that will never chip, crack or peel.

Anyone who loves to cook will adore these pieces. I love me a non-toxic, non-stick surface, and in my opinion cast iron is the way to go. Not only does it infuse your food with a little extra iron (especially great for women who tend to be low in iron) but it never comes off. Even cookware with non-stick ceramic or other non-toxic coatings don’t last forever because the coating wears off over time. Not so with cast iron.

4. Blue Ridge Aromatics

Is there someone on your list who loves scents? Consider gifting a room diffuser with a few essential oils to mix and match. Diffusers are a great, safe, and healing way to add scent to your space.

This isn’t just a feel good thing (though it does that too). By using essential oils instead of, say, candles or Febreze, you get the added benefit of cleaning the air of microbes that could make you sick. Inhaled essential oils also settle the nervous system, calming anxiety, and do so without chemicals or smoke.

Blue Ridge Aromatics is another Asheville company distilling regional plants. They have a curated collection of oils that are created right down the street, producing a super high quality oil that smells amazing.

5. Brooklinen

The best linens and towels for creating a super cozy bed and bath. For me, there’s nothing better than sleeping in on the weekend, spending the morning luxuriating under warm covers, then hopping into an extra long, steaming hot shower. If you’ve got anyone like me on your list, I have a feeling they’ll appreciate these.

Brooklinen is a fairly new, Brooklyn based company who got their start because they couldn’t find hotel-level-awesome sheets for sale at a reasonable price. We use their percale sheets and duvet cover at home, and they really are the perfect sheets. They feel crisp and cool when you climb into bed, and get softer the more you use them.

6. Horti

I can’t believe we now live in a world where you can go online and order the gift of a plant subscription – to be delivered on your timeline, to wherever you wish! But alas, this is where we are. And thank goodness. One of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality is to have a few houseplants scattered around.

Taking care of houseplants is also a great way to get a little closer to nature, to get out of our busy minds and into our bodies. Horti offers this opportunity with their plant subscriptions. Along with a monthly plant, they send care directions, which allows you to learn how to grow your green thumb slowly over time. 

Author:
Dr. Elizabeth Williams, DACM, LAc. is an acupuncturist, herbalist and Doctor of Chinese Medicine in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in women’s health, digestive issues, psycho-emotional issues and chronic illness. She’s passionate about helping people feel their best and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the community. Elizabeth is the owner of Dragonfly Acupuncture & Massage on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 864-451-4313 or scheduled online.