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Archives for January 2023

January 27, 2023 By Unnati Chheda 2 Comments

Are Cruciferous Vegetables Bad For Thyroid?

cruciferous vegetables

Vegetables have always been considered healthy and they can be consumed by everyone. As vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals , antioxidants, fiber and the best part is they are low in calories as well, we assume that we can eat liberal amounts of this food group. But , have we ever thought that any of these vegetables can interfere or play around with our hormones as well? Yes, they do! Let’s talk about Cruciferous vegetables and how it impacts thyroid function. 

What Is Thyroid & How Does It Affect Our Health?

Thyroid hormones carry out a large number of functions in our body, like maintaining body temperature, regulating other body organs like the brain, heart and muscles as well as body metabolism which in turn regulates our body weight. The most common disorders related to  the thyroid gland are hypothyroidism and  hyperthyroidism.

  • Hypothyroidism: is a condition in which the thyroid gland is unable to produce a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones. One of the reasons for hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency. Iodine is required for synthesis of thyroid hormones, thus its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. Lack of thyroid hormones leads to weight gain, feeling lethargic, constipation, hair loss, impaired memory and sensitivity to cold.
  • Hyperthyroidism: is a condition in which there is increased production and release of thyroid hormones. Excess of thyroid hormones leads to weight loss, restlessness, irritability, hair fall, muscle weakness and intolerance to heat.

How Do Cruciferous Vegetables Affect Thyroid? 

Cruciferous, also known as Brassica vegetables, come from the plant family known as Cruciferae or Brassicaceae. Most commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables include  broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnips, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, radish, watercress, rutabagas, spinach and lettuce. These nutrient packed vegetables are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C,  vitamin K and they are also good sources of antioxidants and fiber. These vegetables are beneficial for weight loss, fighting cancers and reducing inflammation. But, when we talk about thyroid, it has a negative role to play with respect to hypothyroidism.

Goitrogens are naturally occurring chemicals found in cruciferous vegetables when consumed in raw form. They are healthy and vitamin rich. But, if you have a thyroid condition, you should be aware of it. Goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables interfere with thyroid function by reducing the body’s ability to use iodine. As discussed earlier, our body needs iodine for production of thyroid hormones, hence, iodine deficiency can lead to hypothyroidism. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables increases the symptoms of hypothyroidism and people suffering from this condition should  avoid consuming cruciferous vegetables.

But, in the case of hyperthyroidism, they have a positive role to play by inhibiting the production of thyroid hormone and keeping it in check. So people suffering from hyperthyroidism can consume cruciferous vegetables without restrictions.

You Can Still Enjoy Them With Small Adjustments 

Or we can say we can minimise the negative effects of cruciferous vegetables and even people suffering from hypothyroidism can consume them in moderation. Just follow these simple tips:

  • Cooking cruciferous vegetables, instead of consuming them raw, helps in reducing the levels  of goitrogens. Cooking methods like steaming, blanching and fermenting can be used.
  • Increasing iodine intake by adding iodine-rich sources like seafood, eggs, dairy products and iodized salt (less than half a teaspoon of iodized salt can fulfil our daily iodine requirement).
  • Increasing selenium intake as selenium helps in removing free radicals generated in the thyroid gland, preventing any damage to the thyroid gland. Some of the selenium-rich sources include brazil nuts, fish, meat, sunflower seeds, tofu, baked beans, portobello mushrooms, whole grain pasta and cheese.

Please Note: Even after having cooked goitrogens in the diet, if it gets difficult to balance your thyroid condition, you may have to cut out cruciferous vegetables from your diet. It is  better to consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian to make sure your diet is well balanced. Apart from avoiding cruciferous vegetables, maintaining an active lifestyle, a protein and fiber rich diet will help us boost metabolism and shed  down extra weight gained due to hypothyroidism.

We hope this article was informative and helps you. To know more about how to manage thyroid issues with lifestyle changes, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

January 26, 2023 By Trupti Hingad 3 Comments

7 Tips To Help You Drink Water The Right Way

7 tips to help you drink water the right way Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate should be the slogan. But, the question often asked is, are you drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day? Not having sufficient water has many side effects but, it is also important to be mindful of the way and how we drink water. Water is chemical energy which means it is a universal solvent. Water exists in the body as plasma, cytoplasm, serum, saliva, nasal secretion, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and sweat.

How To Drink Water The Right Way 

Considering how essential water is to human life, here are some handy yet important tips to drink water.

  1. It is always better to sit down and drink water rather than standing: When you stand and drink water you upset the balance of fluids in the body and this may lead to more accumulation of fluids in the joints. When you sit and drink, your muscles and nervous system is relaxed and you absorb it nicely. Also, kidney pace of filtration is good when you sit and drink water
  2. Avoid consuming a large volume of water at once: When you gulp too much amount of water at one go, air is blocked from going into our lungs which can lead to heart and lung issues.
  3. Avoid chilled water; drink room temperature or warm water: Ice chilled water disturbs the ongoing process of digestion and puts off the fire. Cold water decreases the blood supply to various organs of the body further leading to constipation. Drinking tepid water can help in proper digestion and metabolism that promotes weight loss, relieves bloating and pain. Warm water helps to keep the fire in the stomach going, leading to good digestion and this also helps control cholesterol levels, keeping the arteries clean.
  4. Keep a tab on indicators your body gives when you are thirsty: When you are dehydrated, the colour of urine changes to dark yellow, whereas clear urine is a sign of a hydrated body. Dry lips and tongue are indicators of dehydrated body. If you observe these signs, hydrate immediately!
  5. Start your day with a glass of water: Drinking water in the morning helps in flushing all the toxins in the body and clean your intestines. It helps to ward off many diseases as well.
  6. It is good to use water stored in silver or copper vessels: As water stored in these vessels has the ability to balance all three doshas in the body and it does this by positively charging the water. Copper has numerous antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties that help boost the immune system of the body. It also has anti-cancer properties. Water in the silver vessel has the power to remove free radicals from the body and gives a cooling effect in the intestines and smoothens the process of digestion.
  7. Drinking water is not just to quench thirst. We have to remind ourselves that drinking water is a habit of replenishing and recovery process. It helps to replenish the essential salts and minerals lost when we sweat. It hydrates our muscles and tissues for proper usage. It maintains the fluid balance of our body that controls acidity levels.

We hope these tips help you drink water the right way! For more tips like this, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

January 25, 2023 By GOQii 3 Comments

How to Burn Fat With Exercise

burning fat with exerciseDon’t be fooled by the so-called fat-burning zone. This is a misguided notion that working at a lower intensity is better for fat burning than working at a higher effort level (say, for example, walking instead of running). The harder you exercise, the more calories you will burn and it is this that really counts when it comes to losing fat.

Choosing the Right Fat Loss Exercise

There is no such thing as the ‘ultimate’ calorie-burning activity. Energy burned is dependent not just on the activity itself but on how much effort you put in, how skilled you are at it, how long you do it for, and how often. So choose a fat burn exercise that you are going to do regularly and consistently. That means an activity that you actually enjoy (unless you want your workouts to involve untold misery and boredom) and one that is practical and accessible.

Exercise Larger Muscles For Greater Calorie Burn

Serious fat-burning activity uses the large muscle groups of the body. This includes the thighs and bottom, chest and back. It has been seen that greater the overall recruitment of muscles, the higher the calorie expenditure. In your gym workouts, you are much better off using the rower than one of those arm-cranking machines for maximum calorie burn.

Sustainable Exercise Development

To fire up the calorie furnace, fat-burning activity has to be sustainable for a reasonable period. While skipping is a great exercise, it’s not of much use if you do it only for three minutes. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20-60 minutes per session, three to five times per week. It doesn’t have to be a continuous effort.

Maximize Calorie Burn With Interval Training

Interval training, in which you mix hard efforts with bouts of recovery, is one of the best ways of maximizing calorie expenditure. It improves aerobic fitness and uses limited time. To get the most out of an interval session, ensure that you work outside your comfort zone on the efforts and ease right off during the recoveries. Try a 2:2 rest/work ratio to start with.

Carry the Exercise Load

Activities that are weight bearing, such as walking and running, use more calories than those in which your weight is supported (such as swimming or cycling), simply because you have to shift your own body weight against gravity.

Running on Empty?

You may have heard that exercising on an empty stomach in the morning burns more fat. It is true that the body has to rely on fat stored if you don’t break the overnight fast. Then again, the lack of a ready energy supply may mean that you don’t work out for as long, or as hard, as you may have otherwise.

Go For The After Burn

One of the best things about exercising is that the fat-burning benefits continue long after you’ve got out of the shower. This ‘after burn’ (increased calorie expenditure) is far greater following exercise at 75% of maximum heart rate, or higher – another reason to eschew those low-intensity workouts!

Increase Exercise Intensity

If you want to keep seeing results in your fat-burning program, you must keep increasing the intensity. This isn’t the same as increasing your effort, because as you get fitter, your body will be able to cope with increasing demands. If you rest on your laurels, the benefits will begin to tail off.

Keep Moving to Burn Fat

Maximize your daily fat burning by moving! Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that leaner people tend to stand and move more than overweight people in normal, daily life. Their ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’ (NEAT) was as much as 350 calories higher each day. So don’t just sit there, wiggle your toes, shake a leg, get up regularly and move your body!

Running (calories per hour at 8-minute mile pace) 720-913

Swimming (calories per hour for continuous laps) 630-730

Uphill walking at a 10% gradient (calories per hour ) 590-694

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below! For more on weight loss, click here.

To get the right guidance on how to lose weight and sustain it in a healthy way, check out our Transform Program. It gives you personalized, balanced advice from certified health and wellness experts as well as analytics and insights that will help you stay motivated and achieve the best results! You can read more about it here: https://store.goqii.com/transform-weight-program

#BeTheForce

January 24, 2023 By Sunita Arora 1 Comment

Kanji: The Miracle Drink to Level Up Your Winter!

kanjiKanji is a popular north Indian drink. We can call it an ‘Indian Kombucha’ as well. This drink is traditionally consumed to aid digestion. It keeps the gut healthy during winter. This probiotic drink is the result of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast with salty, zingy taste. It may take a week for Kanji to be fermented as per one’s taste but you can store it in a glass jar for a month easily.

Why Do You Need This Drink During Winter?

  • This drink has fiber content which smoothens bowel movements. The growth of healthy bacteria helps to promote healthy bowel movement. 
  • Kanji tones the blood detoxifies the liver and aids digestion.
  • It is packed with a variety of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, few vitamins B as well.
  • Due to the powerhouse of Antioxidants, it helps provide protection from cancer and prevents eczema in children.
  • Low-calorie count makes this a perfectly healthy drink which aids weight loss.
  • Good for maintaining hydration levels and replenish lost nutrients in case of dehydration or diarrhoea.
  • Old remedy to prevent water loss in case of vomiting, also speeds up the recovery. It gives energy if one feels weak or dizzy.
  • It prevents certain infections after surgery and reduces systemic allergy too.

Recipe to Prepare Kanji  

What You Will Need:

  • Black Carrots (Kali Gajar) – 250 gm
  • Filtered Water – 8 cups
  • Black salt – 2 tsp (or as per taste)
  • Asafoetida (Hing) – ½ tsp
  • Mustard Seeds (Powdered) – 3 tsp
  • Red chili powder – ½ tsp (optional)

How to Prepare:

  1. Peel the carrots, wash them and cut them in small pieces about your finger size.
  2. Boil the water and add the carrots into it, boil it for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame and let it cool.
  3. Add black salt, mustard seeds powder, hing, and chili powder to the mixture and transfer it in a clean glass jar and close it with lid.
  4. Keep this jar out in the sun for 4-5 days so that the Kanji gets fermented. Don’t keep the jar under the sun after fermentation.
  5. After 5 days, if it tastes sour then your Magic drink is ready for consumption.
  6. Stir and enjoy it with your breakfast or your mid-meal.

It’s easy to prepare. In fact, I just finished making a batch for myself! We hope you like this amazing and nutritious drink. Do share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

For more healthy winter recipes and to learn about nutritious foods and drinks, check out Healthy Reads or connect with a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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