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It's Easy To Get Hooked On Purse Accessories

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By IRENE MAHER, Channel 8 Medical Editor

Published: December 21, 2007

Giving the gift of health doesn't have to mean buying someone a gym membership or a treadmill. One of my favorite gifts reduces stress and supports a good cause.

It's called the Finders Key Purse, a sort of key chain that hangs on your purse, briefcase or backpack. I bought mine in a hospital gift shop several years ago, and ever since then I have been spared that frustrating search for keys in the black hole known as my purse. What a relief.

The Finders Key Purse has a hook that hangs over the edge of a purse. It's adorned with a wide variety of small ornaments from bears to butterflies to boots. Each year, the manufacturer, Alexx Inc., includes one design in support of women's health. The current collection features a pink ribbon, the symbol for breast cancer awareness. Ten percent of the purchase price will be donated to Healing Odyssey (healingodyssey.org), a support organization for women cancer survivors. At just $10 each, it makes a perfect, practical stocking stuffer.

Lindy Long, a local independent sales representative for Alexx, tells me customers like the idea that their purchase supports a good cause. "They always, always, ask if a donation is made. And if they're torn between several designs, they buy the one that benefits a charity."

Long also sells another innovative product that promotes good health. It's the Hot HangUps purse holder, which keeps handbags off of dirty floors. WFLA anchor Gayle Sierens recently received one as a gift and couldn't stop talking about it. It's a hook that hangs on the edge of a counter or tabletop. Instead of setting your purse on the floor, you hang it from the purse hanger. It's perfect for restaurants.

It made Gayle think of all the times, like most women, she places her purse on a high traffic floor, only to arrive home and, without thinking, plop it down on the kitchen counter. Yuk! Needless to say, Gayle spread the word on purse hangers through the newsroom like a virus. Hot HangUps start at $20. Check out Long's website at keepyourkeys.com for both items.

Here's another idea. Give the woman in your life a set of small hand weights. They build strength, help ward off osteoporosis and can be used at home while watching TV. Two-pound weights are best for novices.

You can get similar benefits from elastic bands. The least expensive ones look like oversized rubber bands. Just step on the middle of the band and slowly raise your arm, bending it at the elbow. These bands are great because you can stash them away in a drawer and take them on trips without adding bulk or weight to your luggage. They sell for as little as $6. For a few more dollars, you can get them with detailed instruction books, door anchors and plastic handles.

If you happen to know someone who wants to lose weight or manage a health condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, consider giving them a session with a registered dietitian. These experts will do a basic consult or make over a kitchen pantry. Some will even take a client to the grocery store and show how to shop for the healthiest foods. You can find registered dietitians in private practice through the American Dietetic Association Web site, www.eatright.org/findanrd. Registered Dietitian Christine Miller, who is in private practice in Tampa, tells me the cost varies depending on where you live. She says most dietitians in the Tampa Bay area charge $100 to $125 an hour.

You can give someone a salad spinner to encourage healthy eating; a gift certificate for a massage at a nearby salon or spa; a workout video or CD (I like Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away the Pounds" for an in-home workout); a pedometer to help with the daily goal of 10,000 steps; a book of puzzles to exercise the brain; or a beautiful bottle of imported extra virgin olive oil. You could make a donation in the recipient's name to a favorite charity (mine is the Judeo-Christian Health Clinic in Tampa) or simply give the gift of your time to help with organizing a closet, the garage or a collection of family photos. If you ask me, that's priceless.

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