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5 Simple and Effective Home Remedies For Common Cold

common cold home remedies

The common cold season is here, where common cold is not that common! Symptoms such as congestion, a runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, body aches, low-grade fever and Malaise (general unwell feeling) run rampant!

The Common Cold is an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) mostly caused by the Rhinovirus. It is very common during this time of the year but can be managed well with these 5 simple home remedies!

1. Ginger Ale 

Simply boil water, switch off the flame, add a crushed(inch sized) piece of Ginger to it, half tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, and cover it for 3-5 minutes. Strain and have it with a tsp of raw organic honey. It works very well for clearing congestion, improve runny nose and also to relieve headaches and a sore throat.

2. Chicken/Veg Broth 

Boil chicken or any veggies of your choice with 1 onion, few pods of garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger, salt and black pepper. Once boiled, remove the onions, ginger, garlic, blend them and add them back to the broth. The anti-inflammatory properties in them will help reduce congestion, can open up a blocked nose, will give a soothing effect to the body and help in reducing any aches/pains.

3. Lukewarm Water Gargles 

Gargling with Lukewarm salt water works wonders to clear any throat itching/congestion, as salt has a tendency to absorb the water and along with it the infection causing Microbiota. Best time to do this is early in the morning after waking up.

4. Honey-Pepper Mix 

Mix 1 tsp of raw organic honey with a pinch of black pepper and half tsp fresh ginger juice. It is a good remedy to reduce dry cough. Works very well on an empty stomach.

5. Hot Water Steam 

Boil water in an open vessel, add a tsp of turmeric powder or Eucalyptus oil(1-2 drops) in it. Cover your head with a towel while covering the vessel. Take this hot water steam in the morning and evening for 10-15mins to cure blocked/stuffy nose and/or Chest congestion.

A simple Tulsi leaf decoction works wonders as well in reducing the effects of Common Cold. You can also check out LIVE and archived classes on GOQii Play on combating common cold.

We hope this article was helpful to you! How do you combat common cold? Let us know in the comments below!

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Here Is Why Group Workouts Are The Best For You!

Group Workouts and Its BenefitsWhether you’re a newbie or a veteran to the fitness world, working out with a lively group of like-minded people with similar goals can turn any heart-pounding, sweat dripping and running out of breath experience into an enjoyable activity!

It is no surprise that group workouts can turn even an hour-long session into a fun one. Let’s see how it can prove advantageous for you!

1. Motivation

Perhaps the most difficult task is getting off the couch or bed. But, when you have a group of enthusiastic individuals backing you, no task is impossible! One is likely to workout harder as a part of a group rather than by themselves. A shout out of motivation from a friend is sufficient to keep anyone going!

2. Well-Planned Workout

As group workouts are planned from variations to the body parts that will be covered, it is easier to follow suit with other individuals than when one is alone. Group workouts generally have a fitness instructor who guides participants with proper form, benefits and helps the team avoid injuries.

When working out alone, one tends to neglect certain exercises and be choosy. Thus, group workouts help in removing many mental blocks and helps you follow through with routine.

3. Accountability

To be effective, any exercise needs to be performed using the correct form and posture, regularly. When in a group, skipping a class might make you feel guilty as you need to provide a reason to your buddies the next day. Being in a group automatically makes you more accountable.

4. Camaraderie

Since the whole group is sailing in the same boat, you tend to discuss problems and solutions related to workouts with your teammates. Meeting your fellow class members daily builds up good camaraderie and soon you have your own tribe!

5. Economical 

Though everything comes with a price tag, group workouts are quite economical. The professional fees are shared among the group as a result of which it doesn’t disturb your budget.

6. Sustainable 

Besides all the above-mentioned advantages, of the most crucial one is sustainability. Group workouts are constantly refreshing, challenging oneself improves the endurance level and helps to break the plateau. Thus making it an inseparable part of your lifestyle!

To put it in a nutshell, group workouts are beneficial as it not only keeps you physically fit but mentally happy too!

If you’re looking for group workouts in your city, join our GOQii Active Sunday Sessions and meet like-minded individuals for a good, early morning workout! Register here: https://goo.gl/KN82CU (Please note that the registration link activates and refreshes every Friday).

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Overcome! Achieve! Excel! Shivkumar Vishwanathan User Journey

User Journey

There is definitely a lot of struggle in the process of getting healthy after being sedentary for too long. But what if you’ve been active and healthy your entire life? Do you keep pushing yourself to the limit, consistently improve or stagnate? Shivkumar Vishwanathan found himself in such a predicament and what did he do?

Before GOQii

Before joining GOQii, Shivkumar Vishwanathan was regular at the gym from 2007 to 2014. He stopped training once his trainer quit the gym. Due to the lack of motivation from a trainer, he didn’t hit the gym for almost a year. But Shivkumar Vishwanathan was not someone who could stay still. He wanted to continue being active and decided to look for a fitness tracker that would help him. It was purely by chance that he found GOQii in late 2015. What attracted him to GOQii was the personalized coaching feature, which at the time was not available with anybody else.

Passion for Cycling

Shivkumar Vishwanathan used to cycle to school back in the day. Later, when his family was aversive to him commuting to work on a motorcycle, he bought a bicycle on a whim! What began for purely commuting purposes soon became a passion.

Initially, cycling for even 5-10 km used to be tough. When he registered for BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux) chapters for long-distance endurance cycling, his GOQii Coach was able to help him improve his stamina and endurance.

His GOQii Coach used to give him targets to complete every week, progressively increasing distance and speed. The training strategy was charted out to gear up methodically for the ride. On the nutrition front, he was asked to consume complex carbs and proteins.

He was advised to begin carb-loading 3-4 days before the ride and his GOQii Coach also advised him on how to stay hydrated during the ride and what gels to use for quick energy. His Coach also suggested protein supplements, vitamin D and B12 supplements.

Thanks to all these inputs and support from his family, especially his wife who watched his diet, helped him cut on sugar and implement suggestions by his GOQii Coach, he can cycle for 100 km effortlessly.

He attempted the Mumbai – Pune and back 300 km ride in January, 2019 but, had to pull out midway. He, however, has two successful completion rides namely Mumbai – Charoti 200 km last November in 12 hours and the Mumbai – Kamshet 200 km night ride in April 2019.

Currently, he has cycled in every country he has been to. He did a 55km ride in North England, braving the rain and the extreme cold.

Completing the Kailash Parikrama

One of his close friends wanted him to go on the Kailash Parikrama along with him. They gathered 15 of their friends and decided to do it last December. When his GOQii Coach got to know of this, she immediately suggested that he do a lot of cardio to improve his cardiovascular fitness and to get his heart to pump at a higher rate. Resistance training also became a part of his routine to improve stamina and endurance. He began eating a diet that was rich in antioxidants. This consisted of more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. He also ate iron-rich foods that improved his blood circulation.

The highlights of the expedition were that he did not suffer from any stomach issues or headaches which are common among people while acclimatizing to higher altitudes. He didn’t face any major issues thanks to his training and diet. He was happy that he didn’t have to pop a single pill during the entire expedition.

The first day they covered 15km at an altitude of 5000mtrs and 22km on the 2nd day which was a climb to 5620mtrs. This was extremely excruciating and painful due to the lack of oxygen. 7 out of 15 of his friends, including him, completed the Parikrama. The expedition was a success for him although it was physically and mentally challenging.

Although physically fit, Shivkumar Vishwanathan wanted to push past his limits and take up challenges to test himself. He says it was because of the guidance, motivation and inputs from his GOQii Coach that he could overcome his challenges and achieve everything he has so far!

He plans to visit Tokyo to watch the Olympics and cycle in Japan! We look forward to hearing more of his adventures!

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High Intensity Interval Training and Its Benefits

HIIT and its benefitsYou have definitely come across the term HIIT in the past few years. High Intensity Interval Training is an exercise routine which people swear by to get the best results! While there may be a lot of confusion as to what exactly HIIT is and who should do it, we’re here to clear out the confusion!

What is High Intensity Interval Training?

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training, also known as Sprint Interval Training or High Intensity Intermittent Exercise is a form of a workout designed to lose body fat and increase stamina.

In this routine, a person performs a burst of high intensity exercise [say sprinting for 30 seconds] followed by a short burst of active rest [say walking/jogging for 30 seconds] for a total of 4-5 minutes. You can then take a minute or two of rest and repeat the same pattern with other exercises.

The main aspect of this routine is that you can’t rest. You are always moving and doing either high or low intensity exercise. HIIT is suitable for all ages and can be done 4-5 times a week for best results.

It is advised to begin HIIT training with a 1:1 ratio of high and low intensity which means 30 seconds of high intensity and 30 seconds of low intensity. When you can do it easily then the ratio can be 2:1 of high and low intensities.

Benefits of HIIT

  1. Quick Workout For Busy Individuals: HIIT workout can range from a 10 minutes to 45 minute sessions consisting of one or different exercises. It is the best exercise routine if you have less time on your hands and want to get the best results. You can lose up to 500 calories in a 40-45 minute workout depending on the exercise and the ratio you choose.
  2. Fat Loss: HIIT raises the heartbeat to the fat burning range rather quickly and keeps it there because of no rest. This gives amazing fat loss results in a relatively short amount of time compared to conventional cardio. The results are visible too.
  3. Increased Endurance: This exercise routine is very helpful to increase stamina even if you start at the lowest speeds. Many players who perform HIIT have found that they can run longer at higher speeds when they followed this routine regularly for some time.
  4. Improved Brain Functioning: Research done at various institutes has found that following an HIIT routine for some time causes the following changes which increase the brain’s functioning capacity.
    • Increases the number of neurons in the brain
    • Better cognitive functioning
    • Reduced stiffness and inflammation in the nerves
    • Increases the development of new blood vessels in the brain
  1. Better Physical Performance: Research done at the University of British Columbia found the following benefits of HIIT over the traditional long duration, moderate intensity workouts
    • Higher stamina
    • Longer endurance
    • Higher metabolism
    • Increased speed and agility
    • Higher peak power

So now we see that HIIT is not your usual go-to method for reducing fat, but it is also very helpful in improving important aspects of both mental and physical performance. You can include it in your current workout or try it instead of your current cardio routine for a week.

Here is a Quick HIIT Routine You Can Follow  

  • Jumping jacks – 1 minute
  • Squats – 1 minute
  • Spot Running – 1 minute
  • Squats – 1 minute
  • Jumping Jacks – 1 minute

Rest for 1-2 minutes and do 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

Was this article helpful? Did we miss out on any facts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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