Your loved ones are going to ask you what’s on your wishlist this year, so why not suggest items that can support and elevate your PCOS journey?
Share this thoughtfully curated gift guide with friends and family, or take advantage of the great Black Friday sales this weekend and snag a few things for yourself. My motto: one for you, one for me.
*Some of the links in this post are Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase an item from this post, I earn a very small commission (at no cost to you). this allows me to continue writing free and helpful PCOS content for you! – Tara
Gifts to Nourish
No matter where you are on the journey, nutrition is the cornerstone of successfully managing PCOS. Cultivating nourishing nutrition habits can be made a little easier when we have the right tools.
- Vegetable Chopper– Have veggies chopped in minutes for sauteing, stewing, roasting or throwing in a salad.
- Stainless steel lunch or snack bento boxes- These boxes make it fun to put together a lunch or snack and make sure your items stay separated. The stainless steel makes things extra cold in the refrigerator.
- Ninja Max XL Air Fryer– The air fryer is making the list again this year. It makes no fuss, quick and delicious meals. And this Ninja version features a ceramic basket, keeping the chemicals out of your food.
- Diabetes Meals by the Plate– Don’t let the name fool you, this entire cookbook is structured using the plate method (½ veggie, ¼ protein and ¼ carbohydrate) that I recommend to my PCOS clients. I consistently get great feedback on this cookbook when I recommend it. It takes the guesswork out of portioning and the recipes are simple and tasty.
- Ninja Blender– I had this model for years and used the single serve smoothie cups daily. It blends nicely and is moderately priced. If you want something a little upgraded, a Vitamix can’t be beat.
- Factor Meals Gift Card– These ready-to-eat meals make for great take-to-work lunches or dinners during a busy week.
- Our Place Always Pan– Non-toxic cookware is a must in a PCOS kitchen. The Always Pan is non-stick ceramic, comes in aesthetically-pleasing colors and looks stunning stored on the stove-top. It is a workhorse in the kitchen- sauteing, steaming, boiling, straining, braising, frying and searing, and is oven-safe up to 450 degrees.
- Meal planner tear-off pad– My Sunday morning meal planning practice is the key for me to make sure I have all the ingredients I need to make nourishing meals every day. I have used various tear off pads like these and they have been a game changer.
- Glass Food Storage– Avoiding plastic food storage is one of the most meaningful ways to decrease exposure to the endocrine disrupting chemicals in plastic materials.
- Zulay electric frother– I use this thing multiple times a day to blend up coffee, add collagen or other powders to liquids. Many of my clients like to use it when adding Ovasitol to beverages.
Gifts to Relax
Stress itself can wreak havoc on our health. But, in PCOS it can be a driver of elevated androgens (or male hormones) itself. Adopting calming self-care practices and rituals is part of a plan for each client I work with.
- Magnesium oil– If you’ve worked with me, you know my favorite mineral is magnesium. And while I often recommend it in oral form to support blood sugar regulation and relaxation, it can be used topically as well. This can be particularly helpful for sore muscles and to promote relaxation before bed.
- Shakti mat– This spiky mat might look more like a torture device and less like a tool for relaxation. But, accupressure has become one of my favorite ways to increase circulation and induce deep relaxation after just 20 minutes. I use it weekly to soothe my back and neck pain and support deep sleep.
- Five-minute journal– Over and over, I’ve seen the power of a daily journaling and gratitude practice to be a game changer for my clients and for me in my own life. This 5 minute journal aims to center you in a way that is easy to incorporate at the start of the end of your day.
- Cured Nutrition CBN Night Oil– If you have problems falling asleep and staying asleep, cannabinoids can be a gentle, non-habit forming way to support deep and restorative sleep, a huge pillar of PCOS management.
- Chunky knit throw– Cozy up with this blanket for your meditation practice or to sip some spearmint tea.
- Four Sigmatic Chill with reishi mushroom– This cacao blend makes for a delicious warm drink before bed and the reishi mushroom adaptogens help to destress and calm the mind anytime of day. I love to make mine with 2% milk and collagen powder to provide a serving of protein for blood sugar stability.
- Mame + Co. non-toxic candles– As much as we love them, your average candle is not hormone friendly. These small-batch candles are hand-poured with soy wax and non-toxic oils.
- Waking Up App subscription- Waking Up has quickly become my go-to meditation app and the best I’ve used yet. (PS. they do offer discounted or scholarship memberships if you are low on funds.)
Gifts to Move
Increasing physical activity is a transformative tool for PCOS and these wishlist items can make it a little more fun.
- Bala Bangles– Theses light weight can be worn on the legs or arms and come in 1 or 2 lb increments. I love using the 1lb for Melissa Wood’s pilates/yoga workouts.
- Class Pass gift card– If you’re just starting out creating a fitness routine, you may want to try out a few different types of classes to see what you like. Class Pass allows you to try multiple studios and classes during the month to see what type of movement you like best.
- Simple Modern water bottle– Elevated water bottles that come in beautiful colors. This is a less expensive, no-leak option to the Stanley and fits nicely in your car cup holder.
- Adidas No Show Socks– My favorite athletic socks I’ve worn for years.
- Stakt yoga mat– A yoga mat is a staple and the Stakt is loved for ability to fold up creating added thickness for versatility and extra support.
- Oura Ring– If you like analytics, this is THE whole health tracking device. Oura measures and tracks your sleep patterns, activity and recovery, heart rate/variability, temperature and menstrual cycle, collecting and presenting the data in a way that motivates change and encourages you to work WITH your body. (Bonus: Oura can be paid for using FSA/HSA accounts)
- Girlfriend Activewear– Ethically made and using recycled materials, this activewear line makes classic pieces for all body sizes, XXS to 6XL.
- Nike Running shoes– Everyone needs a pair of comfy shoes and Nike never disappoints.
- Non-slip resistance bands– Resistance bands make strength training easy no matter where you are.
Gifts of Clean Beauty
Creating a non-toxic skin and beauty routine is important when dealing with a hormonal condition like PCOS. These are some of my favorite products and few I am looking to try.
- Lux Unfiltered Hydrating Self-tanning Cream– If you’re pasty like me and appreciate a year round glow without looking like an Oompa Loompa, this is for you. Bonus, it smells FANTASTIC.
- Dime Beauty perfume sampler– It’s tough to find fragrance without synthetic chemicals that can be problematic for hormones. This perfume sampler gives you an intro to their best scents- 7 Summers is BEYONNNNDD. Dime also offers other effective and affordable clean skincare.
- Dae Shampoo and Conditioner– I’ve been a fan of Amber Fillerup for years and plan on trying out her desert-inspired line including the very popular 3-in-1 Styling Cream.
- Primally Pure Dry Shampoo– Dry shampoo is notorious for containing harmful chemicals- .This brand offers a great, effective option in light or dark formulas. Their deodorants are also some of their best sellers.
- Biossance Squalane Oil– Biossance is my number one go-to clean skincare brand. I’ve been using their squalane oil for 5 years every night before bed and it’s changed my skin. I also love their Lactic Acid Resurfacing Serum and Omega Repair Cream.
- Esker Body Planer– This gentle body exfoliating tool is on my list this year.
- Merit Beauty Cheek Balm– Another fav clean beauty brand, this balm is so creamy and blends in for a beautiful glow and can be used on cheeks, lids or lips. Also, love their Brow Pomade and creamy Highlighting Balm. Their complexion set is a great intro to their products.
- Vanity Planet Essia Ultrasonic Exfoliating Skin Scrubber– Remove blackheads and impurities using ultrasonic vibrations and encourage deeper penetration of your face products. (I ordered this today!)
- Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extension Mascara– Hands down, this the best mascara I’ve ever used. I have thin, sparse lashes and this turns them up like nothing I’ve ever used.
Gifts of Support
- Spearmint tea and Anthropologie monogram mug– Drinking spearmint tea twice a day is a food-based and inexpensive way to lower androgens and improve related symptoms. This box of 48 tea bags makes sure you are stocked and a fancy mug elevates the daily ritual.
- FullWell prenatal– This is THE best formulated prenatal on the market, with optimal amounts and bioavailable forms of nutrients. You won’t find another prenatal with as much choline, critical for neural development. Their new Fertility Booster is a great addition for anyone on a fertility journey. Use code TARAN10 for 10% off. You can layer this on the autoship discount for a total of 20% off.
- Daily Planner tear-off pad– I use this daily planner every weekday to keep me straight. If you get overwhelmed easily, this helps you take it one day at a time.
- Natural Cycles fertility tracking subscription– Natural Cycles is a non-hormonal, FDA approved fertility tracker to plan or prevent pregnancy. Using your basal body temperature, NC uses an algorithm to track your fertile and non-fertile days. Bonus, it integrates with Oura ring if you have one.
- PCOS Pro nutrition counseling– With nutrition and lifestyle changes as the recommended first line in PCOS management, working with a PCOS dietitian can be a game changer. Anyone who mentions this post will receive 10% off an initial session with me.
- Ovasitol– A staple of PCOS care, this combination of inositols have been well-researched to decrease androgens, improve insulin resistance, support egg quality and cycle regularity and decrease sugar and carb cravings. Use PRC code 689146 for $10 off
- 101 Essays That Will Change Your Life & The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest- IMHO Brianna is a profound voice of our generation and one that deserves to be amplified for the messages she shares. The Mountain of You is a book about self-sabotage and self-mastery and just an uplifting and validating book for anyone struggling with overcoming obstacles.
Just for Fun
A few fun items and some of my personal favorites.
- Madewell Perfect Vintage denim– Ninety percent of my denim is Madewell and the Perfect Vintage is a classic fit coming in regular and plus sizes. Their magic pockets are just that- MAGIC.
- Hot Girls Have PCOS tee– I LOVE THIS.
- Quay sunglasses– Cute and durable shades
- Cupcakes & Cashmere– I am a fan of Emily’s (the queen of the ear party) and her unique earrings have become my most worn pieces over the last couple of years.
- Rebecca Minkoff Chevron Quilted Crossbody bag– RM has been a favorite of mine for years.
- PCOS Awareness sweatshirt– September is PCOS awareness month, but you can wear this year round to elevate public awareness.
- Minted personalized stationery– I love sending handwritten notes as a special touch to show my appreciation, and these personalized notes feel so elevated.
- Vintage Havana sneaks– I wear these just about every day. They go with literally everything from shorts, to jeans to dresses and aren’t the cost of a car payment (looking at you Golden Goose).
- Archies– My sister got me these last year and they are the most comfortable slides I’ve ever worn. Despite being soft and cushy, they are so supportive, especially in the arch. They feel like walking on a cloud and are my go-to sandal for heading out for quick errands.
- Clear toiletry/makeup case– For the car, storage or travel.
I hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!