GOQii

Blog

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Archives for June 2017

June 13, 2017 By Anusha Subramanian 2 Comments

Going beyond Barriers with Divyanshu Ganatra

Divyanshu

Late August Last year he tread upon the road unseen. He rode 550 kilometres from Manali to Khardung La along with his sighted captain Gagan Grover to become the first tandem cycling pair with a blind rider to achieve a feat like that! He is doing this same ride again this year but with 8 more blind individuals and 4 amputees and one quadriplegic and few sighted riders. He is raising funds for the same through a crowd sourcing platform.

https://gocrowdera.com/in/ngo/M2K2017/Adventures-Beyond-Barriers-1459

“This is a chance for cyclists to discover new perspectives while simultaneously spreading the message of inclusiveness and accessibility,” Says Divyanshu to Vishal Gondal, in the newly launched ‘Beneath the Force-The Vishal Gondal Show’.

Divyanshu, is somebody for the last two decades, ever since he turned blind one morning has been fighting attitudinal barriers on a day to basis. No matter how educated, well read and a great orator that he is, his resume never finds takers.

“There is a shame and stigma associated with disability,” says Divyanshu. There are 200 million disabled people that is close to 15% of the population. “We are the largest invisible minority community,” he adds.

According to Divyanshu, blindness is not his disability. Disability is in people’s mind and it is a social construct. He says that his biggest handicap is because the world is not designed for persons with disability and not designed the way it should be wherein there is equal opportunities for all. Today, the able bodied people are decided what a person with disability can do and not do.

“People in my community want to do new things. They want to experience outdoor adventure sports but, unfortunately nobody has presented them that opportunity. Most do not want to empower us. They want us to remain the way we are. Therefore, ABBF was started to provide that opportunity to one and all,” says Divyanshu.

Divyanshu’s message to persons of disability and the others out there is ‘believe in yourself and don’t let the world decide for you. Imagine possibility for yourself’.  

 Going forward Divyanshu wants to get away from the city and stay amidst the mountains and grow his own food, keep continuing to work for the betterment of his community and want to see the end of special schools.

Listen here :-

https://soundcloud.com/vishal-gondal-show-beneaththeforce/episode-2-going-beyond-barriers-with-divyanshu-ganatra

June 9, 2017 By Dr Manali Rao Leave a Comment

Vaccination: Prevention is better than Cure!

News_2014_0820_Polio_Full
All of us have seen Mr. Amitabh Bachchan saying ‘Do boondhZindagiki’, but very few of them would have realized the magnitude of importance of that advertisement. The fact that one of the most vivacious and accomplished Bollywood star is chosen as the brand ambassador for the campaign of immunization shows us the important role it plays in every child’s life.

What lead me to writing this blog?

Having a month old baby at home and finding myself pouring over the immunization schedule made me think that there are so many people unaware of the importance of vaccination.

Vaccination-Image 1

The last week of April is the World Immunization Week. It is a global public health campaign to raise awareness and increase rates of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world.Each World Immunization Week focuses on a theme and this year it is “VACCINES WORK”. 

So what is IMMUNIZATION?
It is the process by which an individual’s immune system becomes fortified against an agent (known as the immunogenic).

Immunization is done through various techniques, most commonly vaccination. Vaccines against microorganisms that cause diseases can prepare the body’s immune system, thus helping to fight or prevent an infection.

Immunization can protect against 25 different infectious agents or diseases, from infancy to old age, including diphtheria, measles, pertussis, polio and tetanus. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates active immunization currently averts 2 to 3 million deaths every year.

Vaccination-Image 2

The WHO lists 25 diseases for which vaccines are available:

  1. Anthrax
  2. Measles
  3. Rubella
  4. Cholera
  5. Meningococcal disease
  6. Influenza
  7. Diphtheria
  8. Mumps
  9. Tetanus
  10. Hepatitis A
  11. Pertussis
  12. Tuberculosis
  13. Hepatitis B
  14. Pneumococcal disease
  15. Typhoid fever
  16. Hepatitis E
  17. Poliomyelitis
  18. Tick-borne encephalitis
  19. Haemophilusinfluenza type b
  20. Rabies
  21. Varicella and herpes zoster (shingles)
  22. Human papilloma-virus
  23. Rotavirus gastroenteritis
  24. Yellow fever
  25. Japanese encephalitis
  26. Malaria
  27. Dengue fever

There are also some vaccine-preventable diseases, which are not on the WHO-list, probably either since the vaccine is not very good according to present standards, or the disease is not any longer a threat.

  1. Anthrax
  2. Plague
  3. Q fever
  4. Smallpox

IMMUNIZATiON SCHEDULE :

SL. NO. AGE VACCINE DISEASE
1. Birth BCG + OPV Tuberculosis + Polio
2. 1.5 months DPT +

OPV + IPV +

HBV +

HiB

Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

Polio

Hepatitis B

H Influenza B

 

3. 2.5 months DPT +

OPV + IPV +

HBV +

HiB

Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

Polio

Hepatitis B

H Influenza B

 

4. 3.5 months DPT +

OPV + IPV +

HBV +

HiB

Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

Polio

Hepatitis B

H Influenza B

5. 9 months Measles Measles
6. 15 months MMR Measles

Mumps

Rubella

7. 18 months DPT +

OPV + IPV +

1st booster HiB

Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

Polio

 

8. 4.5 – 5 years DPT +

2nd booster OPV

Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

Polio

9. 10 years Tdap/ Td Diphtheria

Pertussis

Tetanus

VACCINES UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES;

SL. NO. AGE VACCINE DISEASE
1. 2 years

Booster dose  to be given every 2-5 years

Meningococcal Meningitis
2. < 9 years : 2 doses to be given every year.

 

> 9 years – 1 dose to be given every year

Influenza Flu
3. 0,3,7,14,28 days Rabies Rabies

SIGNIFICANCE:

Vaccination protects children from serious illness and complications of vaccine-preventable diseases which can include amputation of an arm or leg, paralysis of limbs, hearing loss, convulsions, brain damage, and death.

Elimination of polio in India:

Polio was last reported in India in West Bengal and Gujarat on 13th January, 2011.

On 27th March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared India a polio free country, since no cases of wild polio had been reported in for three years.

As of mid-2016, only Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan have wild polio cases.

The Pulse Polio Initiative (PPI) aims at covering every individual in the country. It aspires to reach even children in remote communities through an improved social mobilisation plan.

  • No child should miss the immunization.
  • Cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) are to be reported in time and stool specimens have to be collected within 14 days.
  • Outbreak response immunization (ORI) should be conducted as early as possible.
  • Maintaining a high level of surveillance.
  • Performance of good mop-up operations where polio has disappeared.

ADULT IMMUNIZATION:

Even adults need to be immunized from time to time. It is recommended for adults who meet the age requirement, lack documentation of previous vaccination or lack of evidence of previous infection. Also older adults with medical conditions like Diabetes need to be immunized as recommended by their Doctor.

IMMUNIZATION AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER:

> 10 years females

 

0 dose

After 1 month

After 6 months

Protects against HPV (HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS) which causes cervical cancer.

Immunization is one of the safest ways for you to protect your health. Vaccine side effects are usually mild and go away on their own. Severe side effects are rare.

Regular immunization of your child will prevent many serious diseases. Follow the schedule and the advice of your child’s Pediatrician. Minor illnesses are not a contraindication to vaccination. Report any adverse events following immunization.

 

 

 

June 8, 2017 By Komal Mehta 9 Comments

How to eat to beat high blood sugar

good-carbs

Moderation is key holds true for all including people who are diabetic. There is no specific diet plan or pattern for Diabetes. It’s the small changes that you make with foods that will in turn help you normalize the blood sugar.

Here are few pointers for you to take note of

  • Have small and frequent meals: Having small meals will control the sugar spikes. Long gaps between meals can increase as well as drop the sugar. Long gaps also leach out energy and makes you tired. Having 4-5 small meals with balanced carbohydrates helps managing sugar well.
  • Choose the right carbs: All the grains have carb, be it potato or oats, it’s the quality which matters. Opting for carbs allowing slow release of sugar are best to choose. Carbs with high fiber content like whole wheat flour, Jowar, Ragi, Oats can help control sugar as it will release the sugar slowly and control blood sugar not showing those spikes.
  • Avoid processed foods: We all know refined foods; packaged foods are not that great for our health. With diabetes, it affects the blood sugar directly. The refined food gets absorbed very easily as it lacks fiber and can help increase sugar. Always add lots of vegetables or protein rich food if you have to have a packaged food and portion control always works for best results.
  • Add more proteins: Protein rich food are not readily available to raise blood sugar. You will see the positive impact on blood sugar once you add protein foods with every meal. Having more sprouts salad, paneer bites, curd raita fills you up as well as stabilizes sugar
  • Include Fiber: Fiber plays an important role in digestion of food. Fiber not only delays sugar absorption but also binds cholesterol and reduces the risk of obesity, heart ailments. Don’t think twice add those raw salads, soups to major meals.
  • Cut down fat: There is nothing wrong if the fat is coming from right source. All vegetable fats from avocado, seeds, nuts like peanuts, almonds, home- made ghee are all good to go. Just make sure it is in moderation. Good fat helps you manage weight which has direct relation with sugar control and in a way also helps release sugar slowly as fat takes time to digest.
  • Exercise: How much ever you control over food but if the muscles are moving you get to see the best results. Just a 40-minute brisk walking increases blood circulation, manages weight and fat metabolism. Every 5% reduction in weight has positive result with diabetes, heart health and overall wellbeing.
  • Cut out the refined sugar: Aim to have as less sugar as possible. Direct form of sugar results in major spikes. Cutting on refined sugar, cadies, cakes, pastries definitely gets the sugar high and it stays for 3 months as the blood RBC is made every 3 months. High HbA1c is associated with long term complication. It is best to try and keep the HbA1c in control by having a good portion control with right choice of food.

Don’t fall for that diabetes friendly, sugar free products. Just choose from the natural foods available to have desirable blood sugars. It’s not as difficult just a few choices that will make you feel better and keep you in best of health.

June 7, 2017 By Trishala Chopra 17 Comments

Is DOMS stopping you from workout?

powercouple_rotator
The moment I recommend intense workout to my players, they start saying this:-

“My body is paining, the workout which we did yesterday was not for me”

“I guess I did wrong workout, my body is paining today”

“I guess I pushed it beyond my capacity, is that the way it should be?”

In none of the above cases my players said, let me workout today and see if it is still there. Everyone says that I just cannot do the workout today, I need a break. So a question arises here is, should you workout with so called post workout pain?

Let me clear out some facts!

Technically, Soreness is of 2 types:-

(1) Acute muscle soreness

– Which is felt shortly after the workout but it disappears in few hours.

(2) The pain or the numbness which you feel post workout is not a pain. It is DOMS!

DOMS- Delayed onset muscle soreness.

– DOMS is typically begins within 12-24 after exercise and it can last up to 72 hours.

couple-workout

What happens during DOMS?

DOMS develop as a result of microscopic damage to muscle fibers which are involved in the type of exercise you are doing.

This damage can be because of the excess stress on particular part of the body during the exercise regime. DOMS is basically a side effect because of damage to the repairing process of the body.

Does lactic acid play an important role in DOMS?

Well, I have heard this quite often that the pain in my body is because of lactic acid accumulation. Just to get the facts out lactic acid does have an important role in acute soreness but not DOMS.

It has absolutely nothing to with your DOMS.

What causes DOMS?

Activities which leads to lengthening of muscles with excessive force leads to DOMS.

These are the most common examples of activities causing DOMS:-

– Jumping exercises.

– Aerobic exercises.

– Jogging.

– Crossfit.

– Strength training exercises.

– High intensity interval training.

Severity of DOMS completely depends upon the type and intensity of force applied on that muscle during that activity. Higher number of repetitions causes more DOMS then lower number of repetitions.

Can DOMS occur to everyone?

 

Well, yes DOMS can occur to everyone who is exercising. It is a myth that DOMS can occur to only those people who are new to exercises.

It can happen to people who are working out since ages as well but, the only difference will be the severity of DOMS.

If you are exercising since long time, your body gets adapted to it as a result your performance will not be affected completely.

If you keep training yourself for the same activity for years, you become less susceptible to DOMS in that particular exercise or activity.

Is soreness the only cause of DOMS?

Well no. Here are some most common symptoms of DOMS other than soreness:-

– Swelling in the area of extreme pain.

– Stiffness of joints.

– Tenderness.

– Reduced strength.

Should you workout the next day with soreness?

Most of players say, they just can’t workout because of the pain. If the pain is extreme and unbearable it is okay not to do extreme exercise but, it completely okay to do some light workouts or something as simple as stretching.

If you try and workout the next day, the symptoms of DOMS will start vanishing while you are performing the activity but there are chances that they might reoccur post workout (In your recovery process).

Don’t work out on the same muscle groups after DOMS. For example, if you are having severe soreness post jogging then you can workout on your upper body the next day. There is absolutely no need for – NO WORKOUT!

If the symptoms are extremely unbearable and excruciating then yes, do not workout.

How to ease DOMS?

 

  • To reduce the symptoms, apply ice pack on the area where it is paining.
  • Gentle massage.

These are just to reduce the symptoms but the complete healing can take place only after the exact diagnosis.

How to prevent DOMS?

 

If you undergo severe DOMS on your first day of your workout you probably have might done something wrong.

Check for these points before doing your next workout:-

* Proper form:-You need to be extremely careful while doing exercises especially the one with weights.

* Progression should be extremely personalized:- It should always be started at a slow pace and it should be light with least repetitions (2 different people cannot do the same intensity exercises- It should be personalized)

* Intensity plays a very important role:- It should be started with low intensity depending upon the muscle strength and then it should be gradually increased.

Once you start taking care about these points and train yourself, your body will start preparing itself for the same exercise in future.

Remember the old adage that says there is NO GAIN, WITHOUT PAIN!

DOMS cannot be completely avoided but, the severity can be reduced by taking care about the points mentioned above!

– Light pain cannot stop you from working out.

– Sometimes working out the next day makes you to recover faster!

So the crux of this entire article is, please do not skip workouts because of your soreness! Go ahead and do some light exercises or target a different set of exercises!

 

 

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Search

Recent Posts

  • Simple Ways to Overcome Depression
  • 4 Essential Vitamins That You Should Consume This Winter
  • Tired All The Time? Start With These Superfoods
  • Does Exercising In Cold Weather Have Any Special Benefits?
  • Healthy Eating: Dates and Nuts Custard

Stay Updated

Archives

  • January 2021 (18)
  • December 2020 (27)
  • November 2020 (25)
  • October 2020 (27)
  • September 2020 (26)
  • August 2020 (26)
  • July 2020 (27)
  • June 2020 (27)
  • May 2020 (25)
  • April 2020 (26)
  • March 2020 (24)
  • February 2020 (22)
  • January 2020 (17)
  • December 2019 (21)
  • November 2019 (24)
  • October 2019 (25)
  • September 2019 (24)
  • August 2019 (18)
  • July 2019 (23)
  • June 2019 (22)
  • May 2019 (25)
  • April 2019 (24)
  • March 2019 (23)
  • February 2019 (21)
  • January 2019 (25)
  • December 2018 (17)
  • November 2018 (11)
  • October 2018 (12)
  • September 2018 (13)
  • August 2018 (23)
  • July 2018 (17)
  • June 2018 (23)
  • May 2018 (17)
  • April 2018 (28)
  • March 2018 (19)
  • February 2018 (14)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (16)
  • November 2017 (28)
  • October 2017 (22)
  • September 2017 (23)
  • August 2017 (10)
  • July 2017 (12)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (14)
  • April 2017 (9)
  • March 2017 (7)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (12)
  • December 2016 (10)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • September 2016 (8)
  • August 2016 (13)
  • July 2016 (11)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • May 2016 (13)
  • April 2016 (18)
  • March 2016 (19)
  • February 2016 (8)
  • January 2016 (8)
  • December 2015 (6)
  • November 2015 (10)
  • October 2015 (8)
  • September 2015 (10)
  • August 2015 (14)
  • July 2015 (12)
  • June 2015 (15)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (13)
  • March 2015 (10)
  • February 2015 (6)
  • January 2015 (13)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (12)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (16)
  • August 2014 (14)
  • July 2014 (9)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (8)
  • April 2014 (5)
Mukul Bhartiya

Always Look At The Big Picture – Mukul Bhartiya User Journey

We often treat health as a one off objective but what happens once we achieve our goal? Do we fall back to our previous habits? While keeping health goals, it is important to always look at the big picture. While losing weight is a good target, being healthy … [Read More...]

Rishikesh Ayre

The Right Guidance With Gradual Change – Rishikesh Ayre User Journey

Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change but don’t know how? Does it take every ounce of motivation for you to move? Do you need a nudge in the right direction? These are all valid questions and you’re not alone. Sometimes, we want to begin something new but don’t know where to start. […]

Nalin Talwar

Nalin Talwar Goes From Couch Potato To Fitness Freak!

Can you make a positive lifestyle change in just 3 months? Is it even possible? After completing 3 months with GOQii, our player, Nalin Talwar decided that it’s a good time to share his experience. He did face some unfavourable experience with the hardware but for most of it, his overall experience has been good. […]

Nirmal Bhatt

“Don’t Ignore Your Health!” – Nirmal Bhatt Shares a Message For All Womenfolk

As a working woman, managing a professional life and a personal life can be quite challenging given the status quo that exists in our society. Sometimes, so much effort goes into looking after a household as well as crushing it in the professional field that one easily forgets to take care of themselves. Nirmal Bhatt, […]

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Copyright ©2016 GOQii