Archives for February 2019

February 21, 2019 By Dr Shreya Arora 4 Comments

Add Magic To Your Life With This Simple Technique

Positive Affirmations

More than often, we get disheartened if we are not able to achieve our goal well on time or if we face obstacles in achieving it. It’s not just related to our health journey but the journey of life as well. We face so many challenges on a daily basis. While some face them bravely by being positive and firm, others get discouraged or depressed for not being able to face failures. The way we deal with issues is different for each individual and that is okay!

Life is not about going through it passively, it’s about living it actively. Yes! Living life to the fullest. Joy comes from facing challenges head on, setting goals and giving it a 100% to achieve them with full zeal and spirit.

But how can we do it? That’s the big question with a very simple solution.

VISUALIZE
Yes, we need to understand that visualization is powerful enough to solve any problems that we face. Many of us don’t even realize that this power lies within us, all we need to do is use it.

We know that our body and mind are connected and our emotions are linked with our actions, right? For instance, if we are sad/depressed due to any reason, it reflects in our behavior. If we get irritated or angry/frustrated, the turmoil of emotions affects our health negatively.

HOW CAN WE WORK ON IT?
It’s simple! Just concentrate on your thoughts. What kind of thoughts are wandering in your mind? These thoughts have an impact on your feelings, emotions and actions. Trust me, if we are aware of the thoughts creeping in our mind, we have the power to change that thought, at that very moment. Don’t let the bad or negative thoughts enter your mind or affect you. There are thousands of thoughts in our mind. So, how many of them are we going to stick to or store, so that they can bother us? Make sure its none of the negative ones.

Hence, VISUALIZE, BE AWARE, KEEP NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AT BAY, GO EASY AND CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT TO A POSITIVE ONE!

Just close your eyes and visualize. For instance, if someone has a health goal of losing weight, but due to some reason, the player is not able to achieve it or is not getting the desired result in the stipulated time, the player might have some negative thoughts. The player may feel that ‘this goal cannot be achieved’ or ‘I can’t do it’. At this very moment, the player can stop this negative thought from entering his/her mind and instead visualize the positive, coming out of any fear that affects his/her mind.
Wake up every day with a positive mind and visualize. Visualize the day, how you are going to achieve your goal, what’s your target for the day and strive to fulfill that.
Never give up! It’s okay if you can’t achieve your target today, try again tomorrow.
If losing weight is the target, visualize that the habit, diet or exercise regime you are following is working for you and getting you closer to your goal. If any medical condition, then envisage that the treatment or the medication is working for you and improving your health.

Hence, it’s not only the physical aspect that we need to work on but the mind as well. Detoxifying our mind is equally important as detoxifying our body.

MAKE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

This has to be done every single day – Morning and night. Morning, you make an affirmation and visualize how you’re going to work on it. At night, introspect on how it all went and how the day was, just for a few minutes.
As soon as you wake up, make an affirmation with closed eyes. Spend a few minutes with yourself every morning and night.
Set it for a shorter duration or you can even set it for a week so that you can stick to it. Affirmations could be as simple as, “I will follow all my habits today”, or “I will be active today”, or “I will not get angry today”.
The key is to be committed and dedicated.

Once you start this process, you will see how your life changes positively. So go ahead and make one right now!

February 20, 2019 By Sunita Arora 1 Comment

Benefits of Fennel Seeds (Part 2)

Benefits of Fennel Seeds 2 In my previous blog, we talked about the amazing Benefits of Fennel Seed Water. In this blog, I am going to tell you about different ways of using Fennel Seeds for good digestion, eyes, hair and skin.

Fennel Seeds contain many useful, active ingredients such as:

Anethole: This is the main active ingredient of Fennel. It is antimicrobial (kills germs), mimics estrogen, and increases prolactin
Flavonoids like Quercetin and Apigenin: These are antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
Phenolic compounds such as Rosmarinic Acid and Chlorogenic Acids: These are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
Terpenes such as Fenchone and Limonene, which improve wound healing
Water-soluble vitamins like Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Thiamine(vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin b2), Niacin (vitamin B3), and Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
Fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, E, and K
Trace minerals and other elements like Aluminum, Barium, Calcium, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Lead, Strontium, and Zinc
Essential Amino Acids like Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, and Tryptophan
Dietary Fiber

Uses of Fennel Seeds:

a) Fennel Seeds after Meals: If you have acidity, indigestion problem, take ½ tsp of fennel seeds after meals. It helps in digesting food and reducing acidity.

b) Fennel Seeds Paste for Puffy Eyes: Make a paste by mixing Fennel Seeds Powder with cold water. Apply the paste under your eyes and wait for 5-7 minutes. Rinse with cold water and you’ll notice the difference immediately.

c) Fennel Seeds Paste for Acne: Make a paste of Fennel Seeds powder, Honey and Yoghurt. Apply the paste on the affected areas and let it sit for a good 10-15 minutes. Next, rinse with cold water.

d) Fennel Seeds Water for Hair Fall: Boil some water with a few spoons of Fennel Seeds in it. Once boiled, strain the water and let it cool down. Next, rinse your hair thoroughly with the water. Repeat this twice a week for quick results.

e) Fennel Seeds Paste to Hydrate Itchy Scalp: Make a paste of Fennel Seeds Powder with Yoghurt and apply the paste evenly on your scalp. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off.

f) Fennel Seeds & Oatmeal Anti-Aging Mask: Take 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, and 1/4 cup of boiled water and mix well. Apply this mask on your face and leave it on for 20 minutes.

g) Fennel Seeds as Mouth-Freshener: Roast Fennel Seeds with equal quantities of Fenugreek and store it in a jar. Use this mix as a mouth-freshener. This mix can be used as a replacement for your sugar cravings – extremely helpful for Diabetics.

h) Fennel Seeds Toner for Puffy Eyes: Take 2 tsp of Fennel Seeds and ¼ cup of hot water, combine them and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, strain and pour in an airtight container , keep refrigerated for up to one week .

i) Fennel Seeds to Improve Eyesight: Take 100gm each of Fennel Seeds, Almonds, Rock Sugar and grind them well in a mixer. Have 10gm of this mixture every night before bedtime you will notice your eyesight getting better.

How to Store:
Store dry Fennel Seeds as you do in case of other seeds. Place whole seeds in a clean, air-seal container and store in a cool, humid-free and dark place. Ground and powdered Fennel Seeds should be stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers and should be used sooner since it loses flavor quickly due to evaporation of its essential oils.
I hope these suggestions are useful to you and will help you utilize this versatile seeds better.

How do you use Fennel Seeds? Let us know in the comments below!

February 18, 2019 By Rajashree Hota 6 Comments

9 Tips For Self-Motivation

9 Tips for Self-Motivation As part of my regular conversation, I asked one of my players about exercise.

“I don’t feel like it!” He replied swiftly.

Seeing his lack of motivation, I nudged him a little gently to give it a try. He sulkily replied with an “Okay!”

The same episode unfolded the next day with him being unenthusiastic about exercising. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to motivate him day after day. After a while, I realized that the player completely lacked intrinsic or self-motivation i.e the motivation that comes from within.

Self-Motivation emanates from one’s own sheer willingness to achieve a goal that has been set for oneself. Many times, we promise ourselves that from next week or next month we will start exercising, leave sugar or work towards a healthier lifestyle but how many times do we sincerely stick to these goals? Of course, the desire to change our lifestyle for our own good has to be self-motivated, but seldom are we able to maintain the interest levels to achieve a goal.

Self-Motivation is quite important when it comes to being fit. We start well with following a routine of waking up early and going for walk, a run or to the gym. The first few days of the week go by as per routine but suddenly there is a radical dip in the levels of our motivation. In most cases, the loss of motivation occurs when we step on a weighing machine and see no change. Another reason could be a negative, self-criticizing thought patterns where we compare ourselves to skinny models or chiseled athletes thinking we’ll never be like them, instantly hammering our motivation into a million pieces.

If you’ve been seeking self-motivation and aren’t able to find it, here are 9 surefire ways to stay motivated!

1. Do It Only If You Want To
If you are exercising for the sake of it, let’s embrace the truth, it won’t work. Motivation levels will drop easily when you do something you don’t want to. To keep going and feel motivated from within, you need to enjoy your workout. To stay fit, experiment and find out what activity you like the most.

2. Stop Criticizing Yourself
If you start comparing yourself with someone you think is perfect, then your motivation will bite the dust. Realize that the person next to you who is in perfectly good shape took the time and effort to look like that. Instead of dwelling in self-degrading thoughts and criticizing yourself, put in a fair effort.

3. Picture Yourself a Few Years From Now
Picture a healthier you, a more slimmer or good looking you. How would you like to see yourself after a year from today? This thought itself can motivate you from within.

4. Get Over Your Laziness
“Not now”, “Maybe tomorrow”, “I will start from Monday”, “May be next month”… Do you recognize these statements? They are evident signs of procrastination and laziness. Very soon, the “not now” becomes “never” and we hardly try to achieve any pending health goals we may have. What should we do? Get over it and start moving! Try playing some energetic music around you, change your lazy looking, comfort filled environment and get yourself going.

5. Focus on the Goal
This is the most important thing you need to do. Focus on your goals, whether it is to achieve balance in your lifestyle, eat healthy or lose your weight, start focusing on your goal. More than often, we divert from our original goals and start over-thinking. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, stop thinking about the clothes that you are not fitting in right now, or what will happen if you do and do not lose weight. Just tame your mind and focus on your ultimate goal!

6. Set Small Targets and Give Yourself a Reward
Reward plays a very important role in self-motivation. Start with small goals, or what we like to call S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) goals and reward yourself every time you achieve one of them. For example, if your ultimate goal is to lose 25kg, have a “S.M.A.R.T” goal to lose 4 to 5kg per month and when you manage to achieve it successfully, reward yourself with something you like. Be it new clothes or even a new phone.

7. Set Penalties
If Rewards work then penalties work as well. By penalties, I don’t actually mean punishing yourself to the extent of starvation when you eat junk food or excessively working out every time you skip exercise. Instead, do it in a positive way. Like every time you miss exercise or eat something unhealthy, put a certain amount of money in a penalty box, which will ultimately go to your friend/ spouse/ kids or colleagues. That will motivate you enough to not skip exercise the next time.

8. Pen It Down
If you write your goals and dreams on a regular basis, you are 42% more likely to achieve those goals, says a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews – a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California. Try maintaining a journal and write your goals as well as achievements down on a daily basis.

9. Do It For the Selfies!
It may sound funny but if you like to take pictures and post them on social media, you might actually likes this idea. Going for a workout? Take a selfie! Bought yourself new gym clothes? Take a selfie! Lost two inches? Take a selfie! Apart from the shares and likes, you will also be able to map your progress through pictures. So give it a try. It definitely worked for me!

In closing, remember that being self-motivated takes a lot of willpower. You need to feel good about yourself as well as better yourself on a daily basis. No amount of external motivation is enough if you don’t have the inclination to accomplish your own goals.

Is there a way you keep yourself motivated? Share it with us in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

February 16, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

From Scalp Issues to No Issue – Incredible Change with GOQii

From Scalp Issues to No Issue - Incredible Change with GOQii Since GOQii’s inception, our core motive has always been to help people help themselves. With a majority of healthcare services focusing on sickcare instead of getting you healthy, GOQii chose to be different. GOQii chose to be an enabler.

We understand how frustrating it must be for someone with a health issue to keep looking for a solution in traditional healthcare and not find it. Like most people out there, Manisanthosh Bondugula suffered from a condition that Allopathy could not solve. After a lot of searching, Manisanthosh found GOQii.

For well over 3 years, Manisanthosh Bondugula, a 26 year old, working professional from Hyderabad, suffered from a condition known as Scalp Psoriasis – which is a skin disorder that makes raised, reddish and often single or several scaly patches that affect the entire scalp. When Allopathy couldn’t help, Mani began reading books for a solution and one of the books he read was ‘The Great Indian Diet’ by Luke Coutinho and Shilpa Shetty. Impressed and intrigued by the content, he reached out to GOQii’s Master Coach Luke Coutinho, who then introduced him to GOQii and Mani’s life began changing for the better.

In 2017, Mani became a GOQii Player. After much conversation, Mani’s coach diagnosed that his scalp psoriasis was caused by multiple issues which involved stress and sleep. His coach explained why he had these issues and how he can overcome them. The long-term goals assigned to him were to Manage Stress and Good Gut Health to Manage Psoriasis.

Mani’s coach asked him to consume chamomile tea to improve his sleep and asked him to add nuts and salads to his diet. He was asked to consume veg proteins for breakfast and dinner to improve his stamina. He was to avoid tamarind, curd, fish and non-veg entirely. To compensate, he began eating a lot of veggies and fruits. Additionally, his coach also advised him to participate in activities that gave him pleasure.

Currently, Mani is regular with meditation and walks 5km every day. When he finds the time, he performs yoga as well. He drinks 1 glass of lemon/honey water to detox his system and boost metabolism. He drinks milk with a pinch of turmeric before he sleeps to boost his immunity and healing. Initially he consumed Quinoa but replaced it with Millets as suggested by his coach. He also adds salads and sprouts to his meals.

After 2-3 months, Mani began noticing changes. His sleep improved and he lost 4-5kg. As of 2019, his Scalp Psoriasis has been cured by 90%. He is closely working with his coach to resolve the rest of it. Since 2017, Mani has had 4 GOQii coaches and has had a good experience with all of them.

With all that he has learned, Mani can now manage his lifestyle on his own. He told us, “For over 3 years no Allopathy doctor could help me. They kept telling me that the issue cannot be solved but when I got GOQii, it felt as though someone gave me a helping hand and pulled me out. It changed everything and it is awesome!”

Since being a part of our ever-growing family, Mani has recommended GOQii to 20 of his friends and acquaintances. He has subscribed to GOQii Play and follows dance workouts, yoga and breathing exercises. He had also attended the first GOQii Active Sunday in Hyderabad.

In closing, Mani had to say, “GOQii is an enabler. It doesn’t provide you with half knowledge. There’s only so much you can learn from a book and a book can’t tell you everything. Having a coach by your side does wonders as you can interact and get precise solutions for your problems, what you should and should not do and even your diet.”

We hope Mani completely recovers from his issue and is able to lead a happy and healthier lifestyle!