Once upon a time, the act of eating was viewed as an intimate practice of communing directly with nature to not only fuel the body, but also calm the mind and honor spirit. Our ancestors viewed mindful eating as a ritual of devotion to our higher selves and to the land they called their temporary home.

Unlike our close descendants, we have become overwhelmingly disconnected from the land that provides for all the intimate process of harvesting and preparing our own food.

Our busy schedules have forced us to rely on outsourcing our abilities to prepare a truly nourishing meal. We eat in our cars, at our desks, and at times, while walking to and from appointments.

What we eat is equally important to how and why we eat when considering a healthy diet as a whole.

Mindful eating for on-the-go Vatas

Vata types tend to munch at a rapid pace and snack often. When we eat in this way, we tend to swallow large amounts of air which can lead to gas, bloating and excessive belching. When we eat too quickly or in a rush, we disrupt our digestive system and deny ourselves the experience of the divine communion between the external world and internal world of our own body. According to Ayurveda, dis-harmony between these worlds creates dis-ease.

Action: Practice slowing down.

How: Connect with your food by ditching your utensils and occasionally eating with your hands. Another simple way is eating in a quiet environment away from stimulus like phones and computers.

Mindful eating for strict Pitta dieters

Pitta types tend to be intense dieters which doesn’t always equate to proper nourishment. When we eat as a form of punishment for consuming that muffin or box of cookies, we stress our bodies further with guilt, shame and frustration.

The placebo effect has proven to be a whopping 50-70% effective in pharmaceutical trials. You can be eating top shelf organic foods, but if your thoughts are rooted in negativity, your digestion is sure to be compromised.

Action: Ease up!

How: Prepare your mind and gut by offering a simple act of gratitude or prayer before meals. Take time to honor how blessed and fortunate you are to have food in front of you while 12.9% of the population or 795 million people are suffering from starvation.

Mindful eating for foodie Kaphas

When we eat beyond our stomach’s capacity, we disrupt the elements in our stomach and can cause indigestion, discomfort and heaviness in the mind and body.

Many of us have attempted to ground the busy monkey mind by over filling our bellies beyond capacity. This phenomenon is commonly known as binge eating. Deep seated emotions tend to trigger poor eating habits. Yoga and most forms of movement are healthy practices that allow us to tap into our subtle bodies and begin the healthy dialogue between mind and body.

Action: Lighten the load.

How: Find yourself after meals stuffed to the brim? Instead of falling into the negative self-talk spiral, try going for a 5-10 minute brisk walk around the neighborhood. Walking after meals aids in digestion and settles the mind.

Remember, your body knows, feels, and is constantly communicating with you.

If you take time to listen closely, you can remember the art of tapping into the innate intelligence that governs your whole mind-body complex. Through mindful eating, we get direct feedback from our inner nutritionist about how to properly nourish our unique mind-body type and build immunity against disease.

Look here. Finding the best gift for the people you love doesn’t have to equate to spending a lot of money. With a little bit of thought and an ounce of creativity, you have everything you need to give a gift that will be appreciated and remembered long after the holiday season. After all, some of the best gifts received are those that are thoughtful, practical, and build a strong connection.

We all have a special someone in our lives who is very creative and spends most of their time dabbling into all sorts of new hobbies and experiences. We also have people who are very precise about what they enjoy and have special preferences about how they live their life. Finally, we have a number of individuals who are our go to angels for unconditional comfort, love and support.

Shopping for your loved ones based on their dosha is a simple formula that only takes a moment of intentional thought. Ask yourself, what their nature? Are they more like a social butterfly who is creatively expressive? Would they appreciate a gift that is more practical or applicable to their athletic hobbies? Or is this a simple person who enjoys quality time spent with loved ones?

Listed below is your Ayurvedic guide to help you shop for your loved ones based on their dosha’s nature.

Gifts for your dreamy Vata types

Vata types tend to be creatively expressive individuals who enjoy trying new things and having new experiences. This holiday season, give the beloved Vata’s in your life the gift of structure. By nature, Vata types tend to live in the clouds where they can dream freely and reflect this in the material world by having many things going on at on time. Consider the gift of a passion planner or dream journal to help them organize their thoughts and turn their dreams to reality.

Gifts for the go-getter Pitta types

Pitta types tend to be practical individuals who know exactly what they like and don’t. This holiday season, give your beloved Pitta’s the gift of relaxation. It’s most likely that your fire-y loved ones are exhausted come the holidays. Pitta types are always doing something or doing everything. The gift of an Ayurvedic abhyanga oil massage or a small bundle of self-care goodies for a DIY spa day could do wonders for these busy-bees.

Gifts for the nurturing Kapha types

Kapha types tend to be generous individuals who enjoy giving their time, love and energy to everyone around them.  This holiday season, give your beloved Kapha’s the gift of a new experience. By nature, these Earthy types tend to be unbelievably generous with their time and energy and are often known as the “rock” or support system of their loved ones. Kapha types are effortless individuals who thrive off the heath of their relationships. Consider a gift like concert tickets or dinner reservations to a new restaurant in town or simply give them the gift of quality time with you.

Personally, I like think of the holidays as the perfect excuse to build healthier relationships and stronger connections with those we care for and love. May this intentional way of giving gifts based on the doshas help you in enjoying the true meaning of this holiday season.

Read next: How to be productive based on your dosha

What may seem productive and growth-stimulating for you may be unconducive and stunting for others and vice versa. According to Ayurveda, knowing the nature of your personal elemental framework (dosha) is the key to unlocking your true path to a productive and purposeful life.

In a Pitta (fire) driven society like the United States, it is easy to lose our way and get fixed on the collective “doing mentality” and forget how to step into our personal element and simply “be”.

According to Ayurveda, anything in excess in the realms of diet, lifestyle, work, exercise, etc. causes stress to the body and mind. It’s no wonder why we call this type of self- induced stress a “burnout”. This ego-trap of doing too much depletes our wellspring of energy and leaves little room for active rest and being. Important note to remember: Doing does not always equate to productiveness.

Based on which dosha is predominant at the moment, you may feel called to adopt one or more of the following Ayurvedic self-care rituals listed below to help you maintain a solid ebb and flow of productivity and active rest––of doing and being.

Here’s what to do when you are feeling unproductive based on your dosha.

What to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed and your energy is stretched out thin:

Say hello to your doshic imbalance of excess Vata (wind) energy.

It is very difficult to be productive when the mind is constantly bouncing between thoughts and projects––with no system to root and structure your brilliant ideas. The irregularity and airy nature of Vata needs a system of consistency to help ground these types.

Vata’s mantra for attaining a sense of flow and ease is “routine, routine, routine.”

Establish a consistent practice of eating, sleeping, working, etc. around the same time each day. Begin slowly by choosing one simple practice to integrate into your morning routine such as sipping hot water first thing upon waking. This is one of the best Ayurvedic practices to help calm the mind through the digestive tract and promote proper elimination.

Once you’ve established this practice consistently for a week, add another practice to your morning routine such as 15 minutes of deep breathing or meditation. In this way, you will soon create structure in the form of a morning ritual that primes you for the demands of the day.

What to do when you’re feeling burnt out and can’t find a way to separate work from personal life:

Meet your doshic imbalance of excess Pitta (fire) energy.

It’s easy to fall victim to thinking we “need to do more” or “we are not doing enough.” The sharp intellect and firey nature of Pitta has no problem convincing the body to keep going until it is run down and burnt to exhaustion.

This false idea of productivity has a tendency to negatively affect all relationship types.

Pitta’s mantra for establishing a steady stream of productivity without the burnout is “do what you can, with boundaries as the plan.”

Establish healthy boundaries that allot time for play and active rest––may it be going to the ocean, practicing yin yoga, or spending time with nurturing friends. Healthy boundaries also mean healthy communication with your self. Encouragement over judgment can be the difference between thriving on conscious production and wilting from inordinate to-do lists.

What to do when you’re feeling weighed down and it feels nearly impossible to find your spark of motivation:

Meet your doshic imbalance of excess Kapha (earth) energy.

Productivity is nearly impossible when you are feeling unmotivated, mentally bogged down, and lack luster. Furthermore, without acknowledging the need to be naturally stimulated, the gravity of this earthy energy could feel like going down the dark rabbit hole of un-productivity.

Kapha’s mantra for breaking through a thick slab of stagnancy is “the more you move, you’ll find your groove.”

Integrate invigorating activities into your routine like weight training, dancing, and power yoga to spice up your lifestyle and move prana (life- force energy) within the body. Enjoy foods like freshly cracked black pepper and fresh ginger that stimulate the mind and keep the digestive fire strong. The strength of your digestive fire is a direct reflection of your ability to process information, ideas, and thoughts. Consider intermittent fasting to jumpstart your mental and physical digestion.

Your elemental ratio of the five elements––wind, space, fire, water, and earth- can be used as a tool for greater awareness of personal needs, wants, tendencies, and habits. Consider your dosha, or mind-body constitution your detailed roadmap for navigating the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual worlds to experience a deeper connection with yourself.