It's stressful being a mom, even when you're mothering adult kids who never call. Once you give birth (I wouldn't know, but so I hear) a switch is flipped that never allows the thought of your child(ren) to be far from your mind — and heart. So this Mother's day you can treat the woman who brought you into this world with the same old one-two combination: brunch and jewelry or lunch and flowers, but why not make this year different? Help your mom help herself with a gift that's all about health, healing, and much-needed relaxation.

If I were a mom, I'd be thrilled to receive:

A yoga class package Take care of a month's worth of classes for your mom or if she's brand new, buy her a introductory course to yoga. You can find a yoga center near you at Yogafinder.com or you could go the extra mile and buy her a complete yoga gear setup to help get her started.

A Thai massage No oil, no undressing, no poking and prodding — just pure stretching bliss. Thai massage works through energetic blockages in the body through strategic stretches. The recipient wears comfortable clothes and is manipulated through a series of poses while exerting no effort — many of the poses are yoga-like in nature. The result? A sense of openness and energy that rarely accompanies your traditional Swedish kneading. Find a practitioner at Thaimassage.com.

30 minutes of reflexology Skip the manicure and pedicure and get right to the good stuff. Reflexologists trigger points in the feet (the hands too) that correspond with internal organs and other areas of the body. It's a two-for-one gift that can help your mom treat a specific ailment while giving her feet a necessary rub down. Find a reflexologist at Reflexology World.

A vegetarian cooking class If your meat-eating mom has expressed some veggie curiosity, now is the time to fully expand her horizons. A professional vegetarian cooking class will show her that vegetarianism is about more than tofu and broccoli. The Natural Gourmet School in New York, the San Francisco Vegetarian Society, and the Vegetarian Society of the District of Columbia are great places to find a class near you. For other locations check the Cooking School Guide.

An appointment with a holistic health counselor Changing your diet is easier said than done. Your mother knows this. If she truly wants to establish healthy eating patterns help her by booking an appointment with a holistic health counselor — like Alex Jamieson. To find a holistic health counselor near you check your local health food store for information or talk to alternative health practitioners (acupuncturists, massage therapists, aromatherapists, etc.). The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is also a good resource.

Image: lovetomom.com