Archives for April 2021

April 17, 2021 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Take The Best Route Forward! Lakshmi Ajitha Gets Healthier With GOQii

Being healthy is a consistent effort. No amount of crash dieting or overworking yourself at the gym for a few months can resolve health issues which have piled up over months and years. Many people find it difficult to follow a healthy routine. Sometimes, all you need is a little encouragement and the right guidance to get you started – something out player Lakshmi Ajitha realized through her association with GOQii!

Life Before GOQii

Lakshmi Ajitha is a 33 year old working professional from Bengaluru. She said that she’s always been on the heavier side since puberty. Post marriage, her weight only increased due to hormonal and lifestyle changes. Since the lockdown in March 2020, she only gained another 5-7kg. When someone would comment on her weight, she would turn to crash diets and quit them with zero consistency. Junk food, indulgence in sweets with no restrictions, eating out and lack of physical activities only contributed to her weight gain and slowly, all sorts of health issues such as thyroid and PCOS began creeping up on her.

In August 2020, a fitness challenge was rolled out in her company, and all who registered, received a GOQii tracker with 3 month subscription. Being someone who always lacked the inclination to do any kind of activity, she thought this might finally motivate her. So, she registered for the challenge and then there was no looking back.

Changing Habits To Improve Lifestyle

Lakshmi says though she received the tracker and had a coach assigned, she never took it seriously for at least a month. Then in October, when she was away on a 2 week vacation, there were numerous messages on her app from her Coach, expressing concern over her inactivity and not interacting with her. She felt there was someone who was really worried about her health and wished to help her.

She then had a call with her GOQii Coach Priyanka Mangla, who understood everything about her lifestyle, diet pattern and daily routine. She then slowly introduced small changes like a basic walk everyday to complete 5k steps, increasing water intake and cutting down on her tea intake from 5 cups a day to just 2 cups in a week. These changes also included avoiding maida, all kinds of processed food, reducing rice intake while increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Most importantly, her Coach taught her how to control sweet cravings which was a major challenge.

Lakshmi Ajitha says her coach never forced anything, always gave alternatives and gently guided her to the right foods. She always gave a reasoning as to why she should or shouldn’t do something. The Coach was also strict with her logging food and activity everyday.

Lakshmi says the best thing she liked about her Coach was that she appreciated even the smallest of her achievements, understood her body and suggested suitable options.

On the physical activity front, the third month saw her completing 10k steps everyday and thereafter, she was slowly introduced to basic bodyweight exercises. Sometime during December, she experienced knee pain which turned out to be OsteoArthritis. Her coach shared exercises which would not strain her knees and now the pain is very mild and only aggravates if she does any jumping activity.

Results After 6 Months Of Making a Lifestyle Change

Her weight reduced by 14kg over the last 6 months. In October and November, where her monthly cycles used to be completely unpredictable, now they have regularised and that too without any medication. Her TSH which used to hover between 7 and 12 until October last year, has come down to 1.4 when she last checked in February.

Lakshmi says what she liked about GOQii is that they focus on giving the best routes for the user rather than constantly nagging them about different plans and subscription renewals. She feels that’s the reason why she preferred to stick to GOQii rather than switch to competitors. She also finds GOQii Play as a huge repository of interesting and varied content.

In her own words, “Taking the first step is the most challenging and Priyanka did manage to break through my laziness and pulled me on the track to good health! Her concern seemed genuine and she was well qualified which further gave me the confidence to follow her instructions”.

Does Lakshmi Ajitha’s story inspire you to make a lifestyle change? Then download the GOQii App and subscribe now! To read more inspirational stories, check out Healthy Reads.

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April 16, 2021 By Srini Leave a Comment

Sleep Series: The Relentless Rivalry of REM and NREM

When we sleep, we go through a few stages. Prominent among them are REM and NREM. It is observed that for some non-specific reason, there is significant movement of the eyeball in all directions rapidly during REM sleep BUT does NOT send any visual signals to the brain. Hence, the name Rapid Eye Movement ( REM) sleep and the opposite – Non REM sleep. Some also say that they are “deep sleep” vs “shallow sleep” which I am not a great fan of. I believe they are simply various stages of sleep.

Courtesy: sleepadvisor.org and Mathew Walker.

IF we draw a graph of brain neural activity, the graph will look something like this

As you can see, at the start it is the NREM which is occupying the real estate and the REM shows up intermittently. Approximately each of the cycles lasts for 90 minutes and then it changes. But in general, we can see the domination of NREM in the first half and REM in the second half.

Interesting Facts on REM and NREM

Dream your way to creativity: As homo sapiens came down from trees to sleep on flat grounds, they developed REM sleep as an evolutionary advancement. REM sleep is responsible for the evolution of creativity, memory and problem solving. It is during REM sleep, the neural network gets more intricately wired with new synapses being formed. In some sense, it is the REM sleep that contributed to the supremacy of humans over other animals.
Early morning school timing inhibits creativity: If schools, colleges or universities start pretty early in the morning, it is quite possible that the student has to wake up early and hence, foregoes some part of REM sleep. That is NOT good news for memory and creativity, which are most critical for studies.
Sleep algorithm is an enigma: NREM has been measured in 4 stages depending upon how deep it goes. The deeper it goes, the body gets better rest and the housekeeping activity of scavenging the brain of useless memory and storing of useful memory in the long term storage area happens – this is a totally involuntary activity based on an enigma algorithm. God/Nature is the first and best coder.
Forgetting is beautiful: The brain decides to delete (forget) what is irrelevant. You will definitely not remember what breakfast you had the same day last week. Forgetting is an essential function just as much as remembering is.
Striping emotion – REM heals: REM sleep is responsible for stripping emotion from past events over time. For example, you would remember the death of a close relative. But rarely you can recollect the emotions that were recorded when it happened. It is a blessing in a way. It is not the Time, but it is REM that heals!
7 hours or nothing: 5 cycles of 90 minutes – 450 minutes approx. 7 hours gives you a good full cycle. Anything less is like jumping 90% of the well! Short sleep leaves work undone and there is no use. You add to the pressure of work.
There can be no sleep “Deposit” and Sleep “Loans” ( this would appeal to the Finance community). You cannot oversleep to compensate for a past deficit nor you can accumulate a deficit to be cured by oversleep a bit later. It is 7.5 to 8 hours a day, every day! You would now have understood why from the chart above.
You cannot “Live your dream”: The motor activity other than breathing is all frozen during REM stage , all muscles (particularly limbs) are frozen – imagine you swishing your sword or trying to run away when chased by a cobra! It protects you from getting injured!
You are not meant to remember your dreams: You will only remember that you had vivid dreams or nightmares. Dreams have been the subject of so much research. Only one thing is clear – every dream is made of illogical and impossible combinations. If you behave during the day like the way you behaved in your dream, you will find yourself in a psychiatric ward. It is the façade or alibi as the brain is reorganizing the hard disk.
Dreams have no meaning: Do not over analyze, dreams have no hidden meaning. If you need to know something, why would it be revealed in your dream? It would rather appear in Times Square visible to all.
NREM is all about detox and growth: NREM sleep detoxifies the body, grows tissues, improves immunity, repairs injuries. Breathing slows down, body temperature goes down, blood pressure drops and the body gets a deep relaxation to get ready for the next day.
You need both: It is NOT that NREM is better and preferred than REM. Combined activity and result from both is critical for overall physical and mental health.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article on REM and NREM sleep. Stay tuned for more from the Sleep Series by Srini! To read more about sleep and sleeping techniques, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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April 15, 2021 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Welcome the Summer With Sunscreen

We all know the Ozone layer is depleting, making the Sun’s harmful rays stronger than ever. It is only natural for us to take the necessary steps and protect ourselves from these rays. In this article, we will help you understand the importance of Sunscreen and why they are necessary to face Indian summers. Before we get to why you should be using sunscreen, it is also important to pick out the right product for you.

Choosing the Right Product

There are numerous brands out there which sell sunscreen. The key to choosing the right one is to know your skin type. Based on your skin type, you can opt one for oily skin, sweat-proof, etc.

You might have seen the term “SPF” on sunscreen bottles. This stands for “Sun Protection Factor”. The SPF rating determines how much protection you will receive from the sun’s UVB\UVA radiations. A SPF of 30 gives you 97% protection, and SPF of 50 gives you 98% protection and an SPF of 100 gives about 99% protection. SPF between 30-50 is good enough for Indian skin.

Reasons Why You Need Sunscreen

The summers in India are often very ruthless. The most important thing to understand is that nobody is excluded from the use of Sunscreen. People who tan easily, people who don’t, fair skinned, dark skinned, children and everybody else, should use it if you are going to be exposed to the Sun.

The UV rays from the sun are one of the major enemies of our skin! While Vitamin D is necessary, these UV rays damage our cells which results in wrinkles, dark circles, premature ageing, inflammation and acne. UV Rays can even cause skin cancer.

These are enough reasons for you to start using sunscreen. Even though sunscreen doesn’t avoid these conditions completely, it is a very important step towards protection from the sun. Remember that a higher SPF won’t have any effect on sensitive skin. To get 100% protection from the sun’s powerful rays, you will need clothes that cover your entire body, sunscreen, and a hat or something to cover your head.

How To Use It the Right Way

Take a small amount, approx a small coin size of sunscreen on your palm
Apply it gently on your face
It should look white when you apply it on your face
Apply it 15 minutes before you step out so it can be properly absorbed by your skin
You can apply it twice a day

If you are someone with any kind of allergies or other skin problems, consult a doctor. With expert advice, you can choose the right product for yourself and make the most out of it.

Now you’re all equipped to welcome summer with a smile! For more summer tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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April 14, 2021 By Mubasheera Chaiwala Leave a Comment

Pranayama To Detoxify The Body, Mind And Vital Organs

Pranayama is the yogic practice of breath control. It means the ability to expand our health by controlling the breath. There are various ways and positions to practice yogic breathing.

The combination of pranayama and meditation has positive effects in curing various problems like acidity, stress, anxiety, skin diseases, improved blood circulation, and managing lifestyle disorders such as thyroid, PCOS, controlling blood sugar and blood pressure.

We breathe daily, right? So what is pranayama? Why Pranayama?

Pranayama is slow, deep breathing, in a rhythm. The breathing that we do normally is not in rhythm and is non-harmonic. It is in pranayama that gets our mind and organs in sync. There are various pranayama practices which you can do daily.

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama
This is a famous pranayama practice also known as The Skull Shining Breathing Technique. Kapalbhati has physiological effects on cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama:

It Generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter.
Daily practice helps in adding luster to your face and you get glowing skin
Improves digestion and can help alleviate gastrointestinal problems like acidity, indigestion and flatulence.
Improves the function of kidneys and liver as it provides a gentle massage to the organs.
If practiced daily helps in reducing belly fat.
Kapalbhati helps reduce stress in the eyes, thus reduces dark circles around the eyes.
It triggers your abdominal region, so it’s beneficial for diabetic patients.
It improves the blood circulation problem in whole body parts.

2. Anulom Vilom
Also known as Alternate nostril breathing, it has various benefits for the body internally and externally. Oxygen is pure and required by the body for every single process to take place and therefore, it is vital for us to breath right and Anulom Vilom serves the purpose. It is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities) in our body i.e. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa. All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in harmony.

Benefits of Anulom vilom Pranayama

It can provide some relief from mental health problems like Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Tension, etc.
Improves the working of the lungs, beneficial for most respiratory problems like (Bronchitis, Asthma), etc.
Best breathing technique for boosting your memory – makes your brain sharper, increases concentration and gathers focus.
Improves your immune system, so it can cure general issues like cough & cold.
Alternate nostril breathing is an ideal breathing technique for maintaining your heart healthy.

3. Sheetali Pranayama
The meaning of the word “Sheetali” is cooling down. This pranayama practice is a process to cool your body down. It gives the feeling of coldness by decreasing the body temperature, thereby having a positive impact on our nervous system and endocrine glands. Extremely helpful during the summer season.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama

It is useful in managing disorders related to tongue, mouth and throat.
It is very beneficial in treating diseases of the spleen.
Helpful in fever by cooling the system down.
Controls and manages high blood pressure.
It purifies the blood.
Improves sleep quality and is best for fighting Insomnia.
It calms the mind, as it is an effective stress buster. Once our mind is calm, we can easily deal with negative emotions like anger and anxiety.
Effective in hyperacidity. Excellent for people who have GERD and face issues with acidity and indigestion.

There is another breathing practice similar to Sheetali, known as Sheetkari pranayama.

Both are similar, the only difference is the way of breathing. In Sheetali, we breathe in by folding the tongue and breathe out from the nose. In Sheetkari, we inhale through the teeth and exhale from the nose.

Benefits of Sheetkari Pranayama

Effective against dental problems like bad breath, bleeding gums and pyorrhea.
Balances body temperature.
Calms the mind, reduces emotional excitation and mental tension.
Can help you manage depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

As a yoga instructor, I get these questions a lot of time: What is the best time to do pranayama? Generally, morning is the best time for a breathing exercise as it helps us activate our organs. Plus, on an empty stomach, we achieve optimum benefits. To know why morning yoga is beneficial, you can have a look at my previous article: https://goqii.com/blog/benefits-of-practicing-morning-yoga-at-home.

We hope this article helps you! For more on yoga, check out Healthy Reads or practice these techniques with our experts on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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