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Healthy Eating: Mango Chia Pudding

mango chia puddingSummertime = Mango! Do you agree? If you are getting this lovely summer fruit, the mango chia pudding is a must try! You can eat this guilt-free, it is quite filling and a great option for breakfast or dessert! We will be using the omega 3 rich chia seeds and mango for making this. The mango chia pudding recipe is simple with limited ingredients and is extremely delicious! 

What You Will Need 

  • Chia seeds – 3 tbsp
  • Coconut milk/cow milk – 1 cup
  • Vanilla essence
  • Honey – 1 tsp
  • Ripe Mango – 1 cup chopped
  • Almonds – 4 chopped 
  • Walnuts – 4 chopped

How to Prepare 

  1. In a bowl, add milk and mix the chia seeds with it. Now, add a few drops of vanilla essence and 1 tsp of honey. Mix this well and keep it in the fridge for 3-5 hours or overnight.
  2. Take a glass and layer with soaked chia seeds and add the chopped mango over it. Repeat this process to make another layer.
  3. Sprinkle the chopped nuts and we are done! 

Highlights of the Mango Chia Pudding 

  • Gives you the flavor of seasonal fruit and required fiber.
  • Ideal for either breakfast or mid meal.
  • Gives you the required dose of antioxidants, Vitamin A and C.

Note: You can also use any other fruit like strawberry, banana, etc.

We hope you try this recipe and enjoy it. Avoid the nuts if you’re allergic to them. More so, leave your reviews in the comments below or try this recipe and share a pic in the GOQii Arena and our social media pages tagging us! 

You can find more healthy recipes here or get them directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Promote Weight Loss?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has gained a lot of popularity for its weight loss properties but the real question is, does it really help one lose weight? Before we delve deeper into that, let’s understand what ACV is.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

ACV is acidic in nature due to its main component of acetic acid. It is prepared by the fermentation of crushed apples. It is the acetic acid which has numerous health benefits. Some of these include:

  1. Helps controlling blood sugar levels: Acetic acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar can improve the ability of the liver to utilize sugar more efficiently from the blood.
  2. Decreases insulin levels: If the ratio of insulin and glucagon reduces, it helps in increasing the fat burning process. This is done by acetic acid.
  3. Helps in boosting metabolism: which increases the fat burning process.
  4. It reduces fat storage and suppresses appetite resulting in low intake of food.
  5. Controls blood pressure naturally
  6. Helps in reducing bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol (HDL).
  7. Alleviates the symptoms of PCOS.

What Does Research Say? 

One of the researches done on humans (Japanese) states that Apple Cider Vinegar can really help in reducing weight and body fat.

Researchers gave 1 Tbsp (15ml) of ACV, 2Tbsp (30ml) of a placebo drink daily to 144 obese Japanese adults for 12 weeks, along with their usual diet and exercise routine. After 12 weeks, it was found that those who consumed 15ml of ACV per day reduced 1.2kgs, 0.7% of body fat, 0.5” of the waist and 26% Triglycerides. Those who consumed 30ml of ACV per day reduced 1.7kgs of weight, 0.9% body fat, 0.75” waist and 26% Triglycerides (same as 15ml).

On the other hand, those who were fed the placebo increased 0.4kgs and slight increment in waist circumference too.

So, the bottom line is that 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar per day can lead to weight loss and the reduction in body fat percentage, belly fat, and blood triglycerides.

How Do You Add ACV to Your Routine?

Mix 15-30ml of ACV in a full glass of water. However, it is always advised to break the doses 2-3 times a day preferably, at least 15 mins before a meal. If you can’t drink it due to its pungent taste and smell, then it can be used:

  • As a salad dressing with olive oil
  • For pickling of vegetables

Please Note: Do not consume ACV directly. Always dilute before consuming to avoid burning of the throat and stomach lining due to the strong acid. Also, excessive usage of apple cider vinegar may be harmful due to the acid content. Always consume within the safe limits or else it may lead to the erosion of teeth enamel and loss of potassium.

Before you begin using Apple Cider Vinegar, do consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. Want to try ACV? Get it from the GOQii Health Store here. 

If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below! Get this kind of information and more directly from an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. 

#BeTheForce 

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4 Reasons Why Affirmations Are Not Working For You

Affirmations

Affirmations are statements that firmly declare a positive intention, stated as a truth, so as to make these thoughts a part of your reality. For example, someone who wants to improve their physical health may use affirmations like “I am healthy and well”, “I radiate good health” or “I love feeling fit and strong” or all of them. Generally, affirmations are used repetitively at certain times of the day.

The idea behind using affirmations is to bring about a shift in our thoughts and beliefs. We humans have approximately 60000 thoughts in a single day and more often than not, we are unaware of our thoughts, they just stream through our minds constantly. What we think repeatedly and frequently slowly becomes our beliefs. And beliefs have the power to change reality. Thus, by influencing our thoughts, affirmations have the power to change our beliefs and reality.

How Do Affirmations Work?

In a study, individuals diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight) were asked to walk through a doorway that became increasingly narrower. They found that these individuals started turning their body when the doorway was 40% wider than their shoulders while another set of individuals, without the diagnosis, turned only when the doorway was 25% wider than their shoulders. This pointed to the self-talk of the diagnosed individuals which made them believe that they were physically bigger than they actually were. In another study a group of patients who were due for a surgical procedure of the knee for osteoarthritis were divided into 2 groups. One went through the surgery while the other had a sham surgery i.e they had an incision made on their knee and the procedure was faked so that these patients believed that a surgery had been performed on them. The results were amazing because both the groups recovered equally. This is proof that the human mind has the power to make things happen if it believes in them.

Due to something called negativity bias (the tendency to focus on potential threats and difficulties) we humans tend to focus on negative aspects of our day to day life. When affirmations are used correctly, they can slowly replace the negative thoughts and help our mind to focus on not just what’s going well but seed the image of a reality that fits with our hopes and wishes.

Affirmation can slowly become a subconscious part of our thinking and belief system and the changes we wish to make in our lives will happen effortlessly. This sounds really simple and effective. Then why doesn’t it work as effectively for some?

Reasons Why They Fail Sometimes, And What To Do About It

Here are 4 reasons why their efficacy may be low for some:

  1. Contradicting practice – Many people may repeat the affirmations verbally or in writing once a day but say things and behave in ways that contradict these affirmations. For example, someone who wants to get a great job may be using affirmations like “I see myself in my dream job” for 10 minutes in the morning but for the rest of the day may be saying things like “It is tough times and jobs are not easy to come by” or “With my qualifications I don’t know if I can get a job I want.” Pay attention to your day today thoughts and words and use them in ways that match with the affirmations.
  2. Not focusing emotionally – A very important factor for the affirmations to work is that one should focus on experiencing the feelings that come with the affirmative thought. We may be parroting the words without truly focusing and thus failing to generate the emotion. Positive emotion is the fuel that will push your desires to reality.
  3. Using future tense – The affirmations have to be in present tense. If you use an affirmation like “I will be healthy and fit” your subconscious mind will always see it as something that is supposed to happen in the future, a future that never arrives. Affirmations in present tense allow you to not only picturize the possibility but also help you in experiencing the feelings that would accompany the accomplishment.
  4. Framing affirmations negatively – Many of us find it easier to talk about what we don’t like or don’t want in our lives and this may lead to people using affirmations the same way. However, our mind thinks in images and finds it difficult to process negative words, so replace an affirmation like “I don’t feel angry all the time” with “I feel calm and at peace”.

Affirmations have the power to change your habitual thinking and alter your beliefs for the better. Come up with affirmations for 2-3 areas of your life where you want to see changes. As you continue to use these affirmations correctly and consistently, your mind will come up with ways to make them come true and attract the exact opportunities required to fulfill your dreams.

We hope you enjoyed this article. For more by our emotional wellness expert Divya Thampi, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to her sessions on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce 

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Tips to Prevent Injuries at Work

prevent minor injuries at workIn the current scenario, we spend most of our time sitting in front of our desktops or laptops. Our job profiles demand that we spend 8-10 hours a day in front of our systems. This causes many problems such as neck, back, elbow, knee and wrist pain. One of the most common reasons for these kinds of aches and pain is the “Ergonomics” which most of us are not aware of.

It is very important to take care of this, as it leads to undue stress on the muscles and joints leading to injuries and pain. Ergonomics is basically the work environment or workstation where we work. This includes the designing of the chair, table, its height, and the work environment like ventilation, lighting, etc.

What Can Be Done To Avoid Injuries at Work?  

  • Height of the laptop should be at eye level so that you don’t have to slouch when operating your system. When operating a desktop, make sure you sit straight without putting any undue pressure on the muscles and joints due to incorrect posture.
  • The seat should have a proper neck and back support according to the curve of the spine. If not available on the office chair, you can opt for some neck and back supports which can be attached to your chairs. If it is not supported, the stress on the muscles would lead to injuries, therefore, decreasing work efficiency.
  • The chair should have armrest so your arms can be supported properly. Arms and elbows should be fully supported while typing on a laptop or desktop to avoid undue pressure on the joints. In short, they should be parallel to the armrest.
  • Height of the table should be such that your arms are parallel to it and no pressure is there on the shoulders. If the elbows would be higher or lower than the table they would create a stress on the wrist and shoulder muscles too.
  • Try taking breaks between work. After every half an hour, try to stretch your muscles. Simple repetition of 2 or 3 times for each muscle and joint would also help. Stretches can be simple and for all the joints.
  • Use a Bluetooth or hands-free when using your phone for long calls. Cradling the phone while working can lead to undue stress and cause injuries.
  • Make sure that your feet are supported on the footrest when you are sitting. They should also be stretched during the break. If you can walk around for 5 minutes every hour, that would be great for your muscles as well as your mind.
  • Keep yourself hydrated as dehydrated muscles and cartilage get injured more easily.
  • Ensure the room where you are working has good lighting and ventilation. As good light and fresh air are a must for a fresh mind and good health.

Home Treatment For Injuries at Work

  • Apply an ice pack on the injuries to reduce inflammation
  • Use supports and rectify the posture to prevent further damage
  • Take rest for one or two days so that the injury settles down
  • Consult a doctor if the pain is very severe so that if any medication is needed, it can be prescribed
  • Focus on strengthening exercises to make your muscles strong
  • Stretch regularly so that flexibility is maintained and further injury can be avoided

Try to follow the tips mentioned above and see the difference in your health. Stay active and keep going! If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below.

If you need help with stretches or exercise, book a live, interactive GOQii PRO class with an expert through the GOQii App now!

#BeTheForce

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