Archives for October 2020

October 24, 2020 By GOQii 7 Comments

“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, a 42 year old working professional from Noida faced similar challenges as she tried her best to maintain the delicate balance between her work as an Academic Coordinator at Amity University and her household.

Before Being a Part of GOQii

Since 2012, Nirmal Bhatt has been suffering from hypothyroid and hypertension. Over the years, her weight had been increasing consistently. In 2019, she weighed almost 82kg. Her TSH was 10 and her BP was 150/110. Her diet was loaded with ghee and oil, zero physical activity and every weekend involved eating out. She always felt lethargic and given her routine, she lacked any motivation to do anything for herself. But all that was about to change!

Making a Lifestyle Change With GOQii

As a part of the deal with Star Health Insurance, she got a GOQii subscription as well. Living in a joint family with her husband and 2 grown-up kids, she says one can only imagine how hectic her life was. She had avoided talking to her GOQii Coach fearing that she’d be asked to make drastic changes in her routine which would be near to impossible to achieve.

She had heard from her friends how dieting works and she undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do any of it. Upon the brink of giving up, Nirmal decided to give GOQii a try after relentless calls from her GOQii Coach who refused to give up on her. Since taking that decision to move forward, Nirmal didn’t have to look back ever again.

Her coach explained to her how she can bring about small changes to her lifestyle and still achieve her goals. She stressed on 3 major changes which have contributed the most to her weight loss – reduced tea consumption, avoiding junk and sweets. Nirmal confessed to being a tea addict, consuming almost 7-8 cups of tea a day. Now, she has reduced to just 2 cups a day. In addition, she has also stopped consuming fried food and sweets – both of which she couldn’t resist before.

Physical activities were something she would never try before but has now become a part of her daily routine. During the 2 initial months of lockdown, she wholeheartedly gave herself up to an active lifestyle and worked out for an hour every day. Since May, when she resumed work from home, she still tries to complete her 10k steps on most days. Her secret, she says, is never sitting idle. She constantly tries to be on the move, walking, stretching as and when she can.

The other changes which were implemented by her coach include:

Intermittent fasting
Including salads in meals
Early dinner
Fixed meal time irrespective of other family members

Thanks to all the changes which she accepted, her weight has reduced to 67.5kg and her waist size has gone from 38 inches to 34 inches.

What Does Nirmal Bhatt Have To Say About Her Coach?

Nirmal Bhatt says that she can’t thank her GOQii Coach Meenakshi enough for all the cooperation, guidance and motivation she provided. During the early days, when Nirmal would get frustrated about preparing all the delicious snacks for her family and not get to eat any, Coach Meenakshi used to keep her morale high by reminding her that she has to fit into that lehenga while attending the next wedding. She used to keep nudging and pushing her constantly, giving her tips and ways to stay healthy even on days when she would absolutely want to do nothing. Owing to her positive outcome and the bond she and her coach have formed, Nirmal has renewed her subscription for a year.

“I want to tell this to all the womenfolk”, Nirmal says as she adds that, “It’s very easy to lose track of yourself while tending to your family and household responsibilities. Don’t ignore your health! You can only take care of your loved ones if you are fit. Don’t bother what others have to say about your appearance. Lose weight because you want to look and feel good. Not because your relatives or friends want you to. It’s not at all easy but it is definitely worth the effort. You can’t stop beaming when you get compliments on your transformation from friends and colleagues.”

What Does Coach Meenakshi Have to Say About Her Player?

Nirmal Bhatt was very determined,dedicated with the health goal to reduce weight and waist size when she came on board .She was suffering from thyroid, BP, bloating, emotional stress, less energetic and disturbed sleep. She wasn’t able to spare time for her health because of her busy schedule

We began with small changes like reduced tea, sweets, biscuits and added salads and early dinner along with 15 minutes of Pranayam. She lost 4.5 kg. weight with 1 inch loss in a month. We worked on stress and sleep by adding deep breathing and meditation to her routine. We followed 10 minute abs exercises along with some cardio like jumping jacks, skipping, spot jogging, plank. For dinner, we added proteins, beetroot juice, chia seeds – post which she lost 10 kg. and 2 inch loss in 4 months. Then we accepted challenges like reduced sugar, intermittent fasting and added flax seeds, green tea and virgin coconut oil in her diet – all of this with consistent 10,000 steps with strengthening exercises. She further lost 14.5kg and 4 inch loss. Her TSH level is now 6.5 which was 10.2 in 2019. BP is also under control but she takes medicines sometimes, not regularly. Nirmal is very honest about whatever she eats. The best part of Nirmal is trying to be active throughout the day to complete 10,000 steps challenge daily with any exercises.

We hope this story motivates you to make a positive lifestyle change! For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. To be a part of GOQii’s preventive healthcare ecosystem, visit our website now!

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October 21, 2020 By Kusum Soni Leave a Comment

How To Stay Safe From Infections During Navratri

This year’s Navratri is going to be both special and totally different since it is going to be celebrated amid a worldwide pandemic. Even though we all want to celebrate and enjoy after being locked down for the past few months, there is an apprehension in our hearts of getting infected. If you’re confused about what to do, we have a few tips to help you protect yourself and your loved ones during Navratri!

How To Stay Safe During Navratri

Have enough calories from healthy food, including lots of different colored vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, pulses, and legumes in small and frequent meals at regular intervals. Also, make sure that you eat food items that are easy to digest.
Stay hydrated: Water intake can be challenging during fasts. Water cleanses our body and adequate hydration levels can help maintain the health of mucous membranes and decrease irritation while coughing, sneezing, and even just breathing. It helps flush out toxins/pathogens. So, hydrate yourself with plain water, coconut water, lemon water, kokum water, lukewarm milk, buttermilk, fruit smoothies, etc.
Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can affect how fast you recover from illness and your susceptibility to infections. Throughout our sleep, the immune system releases proteins known as cytokines that have protective properties against infections/inflammation, and sleep deprivation can decrease the production of these protective cytokines. Hence never miss 7-8 hours of sleep.
Continue with physical activities like walking and yoga. It increases blood circulation which also expedites the circulation of antibodies or WBC’s and facilitates their reach to the site of infection efficiently and facilitates recovery. Regular physical activity also helps reduce stress, which can be a major contributor to compromised immunity.

How To Prevent Exposure to the Virus (As per WHO)

If I am attending a small gathering or an event, what precautions should I take to protect myself and others from getting infected with covid-19?

Always check local regulations before attending an event.
Stay at home if you are feeling unwell.
Always comply with the following 3 basic preventive measures,
Maintain at least 1-meter distance from others, and wear a mask at all times.
Cover a sneeze or cough with a tissue or bent elbow and immediately dispose of the tissue in a closed-lid bin. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or with a hand sanitizer.

If I am organizing a small gathering or an event, what precautions should I take to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among guests?

Always check local guidelines before planning your event.
Brief guests about precautions before the event starts; during the event, remind guests of these precautions and ensure they are followed.
Choose outdoor venues over indoor spaces – if indoors, ensure the area is well-ventilated.
Minimize crowding by staggering arrivals and departures, numbering entries, designating seats/places, and marking the floor to ensure physical distancing between people of at least one meter.
Provide all necessary supplies to attendants/participants – hand hygiene stations, hand sanitizer or soap and water, tissues, closed-lid bins, distance markers, masks.

What You Must Avoid Doing

No calorie-dense fried, sweets, gravied foods
No starving: Do not stay hungry for long as starving releases the stress hormone cortisol, which can suppress some immune responses. So, if you are planning a fast, it is important to take care of your health and plan your meals at frequent intervals.
People who are ill and with certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiac disease, kidney disease, breathing difficulties/asthma/sinusitis, etc., and including those with Covid-19, must be exempt from fasting.
Avoid the 3 Cs: Spaces that are Closed, Crowded or involve Close contact. Outbreaks have been reported in closed, crowded indoor settings where people talk loudly, shout, breathe heavily or sing. In such environments, the virus appears to spread by respiratory droplets or aerosols more efficiently, hence, taking precautions is all the more important.

This year, because of the global pandemic sweeping across all the globe, we will have to do our part, to curb the spread of coronavirus. Hence, enjoy the celebration of the festival responsibly and judiciously!

We hope this article helps you! To further track and mitigate the spread of infections, get the GOQii Smart Vital which measures vitals such as blood oxygen (SpO2), body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure – all of which could help you flag out any possibilities of an infection.

#BeTheForce of good health during Navratri!

October 19, 2020 By Roopa Tandur 3 Comments

Which Foods Are Good For Liver Repair?

Liver is the largest endocrine gland located in the right side of the upper abdomen. It has the most important function in the body that includes sorting out:

Which nutrient or medicine should be processed, like proteins into urea
Which nutrient should be converted for storage like vitamins and minerals, sugars into glycogen
Which nutrient should go to the blood and which ones need to be eliminated through stool.
Improving a person’s immunity

Though the liver can regenerate itself, there are many foods which one can consume to keep it healthy and safe. Any damage to the liver can cause metabolic disorder and death. So let’s look at some foods which can help you with liver repair!

Foods That Help Liver Repair

Coffee: Studies prove that coffee drinkers are at less risk of developing liver disease. Caffeine in coffee slows down scarring and helps fight liver cancer especially alcohol related cirrhosis. The acids in coffee can also help fight against the Hepatitis virus.
Green Tea: is high in antioxidants. Hence, it improves liver enzymes and prevents oxidative damage and fat deposition in the liver. Studies prove that green and black tea extracts reverse the negative effect of a high fat diet but the studies also involve large quantities (5-10 cups) of tea so being cautious and consulting a doctor or dietician before deciding on the number of cups per day is a good option.
Berries: Dark coloured berries like blueberries and cranberries contain anthocyanins which give them the dark, deep colour. They help in improving immunity and reduce formation of scar tissues and lesions in the liver. Consuming berries 3-4 times a week also inhibits the growth of cancer cells in the liver.
Grapefruit: contains antioxidants known as Naringenin and Naringin. Studies have shown that antioxidants Naringenin can reduce development of hepatic fibrosis which is build-up of excessive connective tissue leading to chronic inflammation. These antioxidants decrease the amount of fat build up in liver tissues and increase the amount of fat burning enzymes which prevent excess fat build up in the liver, thereby, reducing inflammation. Antioxidant Naringin improves the liver’s ability to metabolise alcohol and reduce negative effects of alcohol to some extent.
Beetroot: is an excellent food for liver health as it helps breakdown toxic waste which can be excreted but acts well when taken in juice form. It contains nitrates and antioxidants which reduce oxidative damage and inflammation by increasing detoxification enzymes and improving bile. Betaine and Pectin present in beetroot helps in removing toxins from the body and prevent their re-entry.
Cruciferous Vegetables: like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale have glutathione which triggers enzymes of the liver that help eliminate toxins from the body. They also help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as they help reduce fat in the organ and inflammation as well. These vegetables have high levels of indole which helps lower inflammation, which is generally present in obese people.
Nuts: are nutrient dense snacks which contain unsaturated fats, vitamin E and antioxidants and micronutrients (selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and many others) which help dilate blood vessels, reduce inflammation, oxidative stress and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Eating a handful of nuts regularly helps keep your liver healthy!
Fatty Fish: like salmon, tuna, and sardine are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and prevent build-up of excess fat and maintain enzyme levels in the liver. Try including fatty fish like salmon and herring 2-3 times a week in your diet.
Olive Oil: contains omega 6 fatty acid which helps reduce inflammation. Studies show that olive oil is a good source of triglycerides which are processed outside the liver and hence help reduce deposition of fat cells in the liver. Having 1-3 tsp of olive oil daily in the diet helps clean the liver and supports weight loss. Be sure to balance this oil with other healthy fats.
Garlic: contains selenium which helps detoxify the liver and activate enzymes that help the body remove toxins. Garlic contains Allicin, which gets activated when crushed. It is a powerful antioxidant, antibiotic and antifungal in nature. The antioxidant compounds in garlic act as a barrier between liver and toxins and keep toxic substances away.
Grapes: especially the red and purple ones contain resveratrol, an antioxidant which helps reduce inflammation and remove toxins, as they contain vitamin C. They also increase antioxidant levels in the body.

We hope this article helps you with your liver repair. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more information on this subject, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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October 16, 2020 By Neha Goyal Leave a Comment

Is Lactose Free Milk The Same As Dairy Free Milk?

Many of you must have heard about lactose intolerance. When somebody has this condition, milk falls in the list of “don’t” for them. It is a very common digestive problem where the body is unable to digest lactose, a sugar mainly found in milk & most dairy products. What it means is that your body does not have sufficient amounts of the digestive enzyme ‘Lactase’ to break down milk sugar. Lactose free milk is free of these carbs that cause discomfort while providing all the benefits of regular milk.

What is Lactose Free Milk?

Lactose free milk is commercially produced in such a way that it is free of lactose. For this, 3 methods are used:

Addition of lactase enzyme in the milk which pre digests or breaks lactose into simpler sugars. Thereafter, milk is pasteurized to deactivate lactase to increase milk’s shelf life.
Passing milk over lactase which is bound to a carrier. Using this method produces the same effect as above, but the enzyme is not present in the milk.
Mechanical removal of lactose through membrane fractionation & other ultrafiltration techniques while preserving normal flavor of milk.

With the first two methods, breakdown of lactose into simpler sugars gives milk a sweeter taste (as perceived by your taste receptors). But ultra-pasteurized milk tastes different (cooked flavor) due to heat applied during preparation.

What Are the Pros and Cons?

Now that you know what lactose free milk is, you might be wondering if it is good for you. Some reported benefits include:

Prevents symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Easy to digest.
A little sweeter than regular milk.
Good for bones as calcium & Vit D is the same as before. In fact, some manufacturers fortify it with extra calcium & Vit D.
Low fat versions are good for heart health.
Complete protein profile.

Despite its benefits, there are also some cons to it: .

Not suitable for people with dairy allergy.
Not suitable for vegans.
Technically it is a processed food as it is treated with heat & chemicals to make it safe for use.
Sometimes sweeteners may be added by manufacturers.
Presence of simpler sugars due to breakdown of lactose might increase the glycemic index of the product.

Difference Between Lactose Free and Dairy Free Milk

While these two sound similar, they actually aren’t. Despite being different from regular milk, lactose free milk is prepared from regular cow milk. Basically, it’s an animal product which still has proteins like whey & casein in it after removing lactose. On the other hand, dairy free milk is a plant based product, made using nuts, seeds, grains & legumes. These milk options are very popular among vegans or people with dairy allergy (immune system’s reaction to proteins in milk) to replace regular milk in different recipes. There is a wide array of dairy free alternatives available in the market these days such as rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, flax milk & soy milk.

So the final take away from lactose free vs dairy free is that something dairy free is automatically lactose free but not vice versa. Now that you know the difference, your choice will be dependent on your health and body! We hope this information helps you. If you have any queries, leave them in the comments section below!

For more information and topics like these, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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