Archives for June 2021

June 21, 2021 By Madhu Soni Leave a Comment

Working From Home? 5 Simple Stretches You Must Do!

With more of us working from home now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s bound to be excessive hours where we’re seated and glued to work, chasing tight deadlines. Long sitting hours can have detrimental repercussions on our health like stiffness in the back, shoulder, knees, ankles and low circulation leading to low metabolism as well to name a few. While the work from home routine is here to stay for a while, these aches and pains can be avoided or resolved through simple stretching. It’s like an antidote to combat the ill effects of continuous sitting. So if your chair has held you hostage long enough, here are 5 simple stretches you can do to keep yourself healthy.

5 Simple Stretches To Do While Working From Home

1. Chest Opener
How this helps: Extended sitting time can weaken the spine and cause dropping shoulders. This reduces upper back and neck stiffness.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder distance apart, firmly hold a towel or scarf with both hands behind your back. Slowly raise your arms up as far as you can and stretch your shoulders while doing this.

2. Downward Dog Pose
How this helps: This stretch provides relief from back ache and strengthens the arms and legs. It energizes the body and helps to reduce fatigue.
How to do it: Stand tall with both hands up in the air, bend down to touch the palms on the floor without bending the knees. The hands should be shoulder distance apart. The feet should be flat on the ground and gaze at your navel.

3. Back Bend Stretch
How this helps: This helps with better posture and supports the back muscles.
How to do it : Stand tall with feet shoulder distance apart and clasp your hands above your head and stretch back. For greater level of stretch, you can place your palms on the wall while stretching backwards and look up at the ceiling.

4. Glute Bridge
How this helps: This reduces lower back pain, provides a good stretch to the hamstring and activates the glutes.
How to do it: Lie on the mat on your back, legs folded at 90 degrees and feet firmly placed on the floor. Now lift your hips from the floor till your lower back is above ground. Hold on and gently come down.

5. Reclining Back Bend
How this helps: It stretches the shoulders, chest and abdomen. It also strengthens the spine and soothes the sciatica nerve.
How to do it: Lie down on your stomach, with palms placed firmly on the ground next to your chest. Lift your upper body till the navel and look at the ceiling.

That’s it! That’s all you need to do. You can try these 5 simple stretches while taking a break from work. You can do these anywhere! We hope this article helps you and you try these stretches. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! If you feel like sharing these stretches, take a video, upload it on your social media channels and tag us!

For more on fitness and home workouts, check out Healthy Reads or join our fitness experts on GOQii Play or get your pass for a LIVE GOQii PRO workout class – all within the GOQii App.

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June 19, 2021 By Sudrita Choudhury 11 Comments

Recovering From An Infection? Try This Recovery Diet Routine

The rainy season is here and along with it, so are the seasonal viral infections. To top it off, we’re also amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovering from illness is a long and arduous journey. Along with medication, you also need to focus on a well balanced, nutritious diet for healthy recovery. According to the National Health Service (NHS) those recovering from COVID-19 need more proteins, vitamins and minerals to speed up the recovery process and rebuild their immunity. Keeping this in mind, here’s a recovery diet routine you can follow.

COVID-19 Recovery Diet Routine

Take Adequate Rest: Taking rest after the infection is very essential for your recovery. Good sleep of 7-8 hours improves the recovery rate. Try to avoid going back to your old routine just after recovery as stress or work anxiety might lead to weakness again
Eat Small Frequent Meals: Small quantities of food at intervals of 2-3 hours will permit adequate nutrition without overtaxing the digestive system. As the gut microbe gets affected, one needs to eat easily digestible foods so that the stomach can easily absorb nutrients and provide energy as well
Protein: It is the foremost concern as wear and tear of muscle, catabolism occurs at the time of infection. So an adequate amount of protein is needed. According to the Confederation of Medical Associations, Asia and Oceania about 75 grams is needed for the first few weeks. Good quality of protein builds up the immunity, it helps in muscle recovery as well for respiratory muscle strengthening. Include lentils, legumes, milk and milk products, soy, nuts, seeds, meat, chicken, fish and eggs in your diet
Probiotics: There is a change in healthy gut bacteria because of the treatment with antibiotics, which can lead to inflammation and loss of taste. Probiotics will enhance digestion and help in restoring immunity. Include curd, yogurt, kefir, kombucha or sauerkraut to your meals
Fluids: This is very essential as it will flush out toxins from the body. During fever, we are in a catabolism state, which leads to dehydration. Try to drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day. One can include other fluids like coconut water as it may help replace electrolytes that the body loses, lemon water which is rich in potassium, herbal concoction and fresh juices. Avoid packaged juices, caffeine and fizzy drinks. For cardiac and kidney patients, the volume of fluid and sodium, along with other electrolytes may have to be restricted.
Foods high in Vitamin C: Vitamin C boosts our immune system. Most of the vitamin C rich foods are rich in flavonoids. According to The National Institutes of Health flavonoids might help in recovery of the upper respiratory tract infections. Include foods such as lemons, berries, grape, broccoli, raw, dark leafy greens, oranges, capsicum, Guava and amla daily
Omega 3 fatty acids: Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids present an anti-inflammatory effect that also helps in recovery after viral infections, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as this reduces inflammation. Sources of Omega 3 fatty acids include Salmon, cod liver oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds. Other green leafy vegetables and beans also contain small amounts.
Garlic: It has been used for centuries for medical ailment. Studies have shown garlic enhances immunity and reduces the severity of the symptoms of viral infections. Garlic can be crushed, sliced, chewed as it produces allicin which has immunity boosting properties

However, recovery also depends on the rate of infection as well. Take adequate bed rest with home cooked food and avoid alcohol, smoking, hard and processed foods which might lower the immunity system and delay recovery.

We hope these recovery diet recommendations help you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on COVID-19 recovery, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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June 16, 2021 By Soni Thakur 1 Comment

These Mushrooms Can Help You Boost Your Immune System!

As a kid, I used to wonder why we eat these umbrella shaped things. It is for a frog to hide themselves when it rains (something I saw on a cartoon show). One day, out of curiosity, I asked my mom the same question to which she replied, “Frogs stay in the water only, so they don’t need to hide themselves when it rains. So, it’s left for us to eat!” Obviously, she was not aware of its nutritional benefits at that time. As a nutritionist, now I understand the numerous health benefits that Mushrooms offer along with it’s property to boost immunity.

When we have an infection or disease, our immune system regulates to battle the infection and it works without any break. Hence, it is crucial to boost it on a daily basis so that it does not get exhausted and thankfully, Mushrooms can help this cause. While all edible Mushrooms provide you with essential nutrients, below are some that are nutrient dense and packed with Antioxidants, Beta Glucan, certain Vitamins and minerals that makes them a heart healthy choice to boost your immunity.

Types Of Mushrooms & Their Benefits

Shiitake Mushrooms: These are one of the popular ones as they are a rich source of Fiber, Vitamin B and are low in Calories. They are native to Japan. However in India, it can be found in an Indian Super market too and have been in the limelight for their immunity boosting properties.
Oyster Mushrooms: They’re one of the biggest edible Mushrooms. It gets its name due to having a similar appearance as an oyster. They are an excellent source of essential Vitamins and Minerals including Niacin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and Thiamine. Along with boosting immune function, it also lowers cholesterol and boosts heart health.
Enoki Mushrooms: are also known as ‘Golden Needle Mushrooms’. They are widely available in the Indian supermarket. The healthy Amino acids present in them serves to improve the immune system and is also used as a remedy for hypertension, high cholesterol and liver disease in Asian culture.
Reishi Mushrooms: They support the immune system because they may support the body’s natural response to occasional stress by supporting the endocrine system.
Chaga Mushrooms: help in the formation of Cytokines protein that regulate the immune system. They also stimulate WBC’s (White blood cells) which are essential for fighting harmful bacteria or viruses.

All these varieties are like unsung heroes. So now that you know how they help, include them in your diet along with other food sources to boost your immunity! They are quite versatile and can be added to your soup, sauteed with other vegetables, sandwiches and you can pickle them too – the possibilities are endless!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more on foods that boost immunity, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to nutrition classes by experts on GOQii Play.

To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Eat healthy & #BeTheForce

June 15, 2021 By Dr. Naina Sudarshan Leave a Comment

How Long After Getting Infected Can You Get The COVID Vaccine?

It has been a daunting journey for over fourteen months where many have lost their family and friends due to the pandemic. Going through the COVID-19 journey has been a rancorous experience to many, especially during the second wave. Now, there’s hope for survival with the coming of the COVID vaccine.

How Does Vaccination Help?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases, before they come into contact with them. It uses our body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes our immune system stronger. So basically, vaccines do the same action as when we are exposed and are infected with the disease causing organism. But here, the symptoms may be very mild as they will be injecting the weakened version of disease causing organism or a part of the same organism, so our immune system gets trained on how to respond if the actual disease causing organism invades us.

Whenever our body is infected with any of these microorganisms, our body fights against it. Our immune system remembers the specific virus or bacteria by producing its antibodies so that we can fight against it without getting symptoms for the next time when we are exposed to same type of virus or bacteria. But some of these antibodies may not last long enough to protect us from getting infected again in the future. Though a lot of research has been conducted on COVID-19, as far as we know, the antibodies of COVID-19 in our body may not last long. So, getting a vaccine is recommended, regardless of whether you were infected with COVID-19 or not.

Can You Get The COVID Vaccine If You Were Infected?

As the COVID vaccines have rolled out, people who were not infected are getting them but people who have already been infected might have questions related to the COVID vaccine such as – Can I get the vaccine? If yes, how long do I need to wait to get the vaccine after being infected with COVID-19? How long will I not get infected again if I don’t take the vaccine? Let’s look at the official recommendations.

As per the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in India, based on the current situation of the pandemic, guidelines have been given on how long you need to defer the COVID-19 vaccine after getting infected with it.

Someone who had tested positive for COVID-19 should wait for 3 months to get their COVID Vaccine after recovery.
If you have received the 1st dose of the COVID Vaccine and then got infected before completing the 2nd dose of vaccination, you also need to wait for 3 months to get your 2nd dose after recovering from the infection.
People who got infected with the virus and were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma need to defer getting vaccinated for 3 months after getting discharged from the hospital.

These guidelines are accepted by the Ministry Of Health and Family Affairs, India. Please note that the earlier recommendation to get the vaccine post COVID-19 infection was just four weeks before. So, the above recommendations are the latest updates recommended by NEGVAC, accepted by the Ministry of Health in India, which applies to all States and Union Territories. However, if you, or anyone in your family or friends who had COVID-19 positive with severe complications and comorbidities, or have undergone any major surgeries during this period or after the 1st dose of the vaccine, it is advised to talk to the doctor who treated you before taking the COVID Vaccine, keeping your safety in mind.

After getting the vaccine, remember not to stop the protocols of wearing a clean mask, sanitizing and washing the hands often, social distancing, avoiding crowded places, having healthy food, regular exercise, good quality sleep and managing stress. Don’t forget, just getting a vaccine cannot guarantee that we will not get infected in the future. All these precautions can save us from being the victims of the next wave.

Hope this article helps you! To read more on COVID-19 and managing its symptoms, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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Stay home, stay safe and #BeTheForce

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