Host a fund-raiser party! Make your holiday party sparkle by having friends donate to your favorite non-profit. Educate your friennds about an organization they may no know about, and theme the menu around the cause!

Abhyanga or self-massage is a wonderful holiday practice to keep yourself grounding between the flury of way to many things to do. Sesame oil with lavendar, jatamansi and vetiver essential oils would be most helpful.

Vote with your dollars. Spend money on gifts that support something that you believe in.

Eat and love it! Lots of folks get worried about eating "unhealthy" food in these celebratory times. Don't! Remember you can eat delicious and harmonious food. Put the positive vibe on anything that goes inside your body! Remember, what you do 80% of the time is what really matters.

Fill the holidays with random acts of kindness: sing songs at elder care residences, bring blankets to a local animal shelter, set up a donation box at your work, or share a batch of kitcheri stew or baked goods with a neighbor.

U That right...YOU. Do something kind for yourself: a long meditation, a foot massage, or a day of silence. How about treating yourself to some professional bodywork, or prepare your favorite dish with love just for you.

Nature is a great healer. Take a walk on the beach, hug a tree in your local park or plan a day trip to the snow in the local mountains. Embrace Nature!

Fresh Ginger Tea: Simmer 2-3 quarter size slices of fresh gnger in 2 cups of boiing water for fifteen mintues. Makes a delicious cold-weather drink! Good for all doshas.

Fresh Pomegranates: Super high in cold- fighting antioxidants and fun to eat! Just don't wear white. In season now and Kapha and Pitta reducing.

Miso Soup: Builds a healthy immune system, especially when eaten 2-3 times per week. A cup a day keeps the doctor away! A great soup for vata due to it's salty taste.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, a magical time of parties, feasts and generous gifts. So why do so many people feel stressed when the holidays roll around?

The mental pressure of spending too much money, making too many decisions, and having too much to do causes Prana Vata to go out of balance. Prana Vata is the subdosha of Vata that is concerned with mental functioning. Aggravated Prana Vata can cause excessive worry, anxiety and insomnia -thus making it difficult to remain calm and make healthy decisions. It becomes a snowball effect, with the person becoming more and more stressed and enjoying the holidays less and less.

When Prana Vata goes out of balance it quickly affects other subdoshas such as Samana Vata, which supports digestion, and Apana Vata, which governs elimination. If compounded by eating too many sweets, skipping meals or eating late at night during the holidays, the result can be the accumulation of ama, the sticky waste-product of digestion.

Ama can cause constipation, weight gain, and even a holiday cold or flu. So how do you eat healthy and avoid getting sick or gaining unwanted pounds?