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Making Fitness & Health His Grammar For Life – Kamal Nath Thakur’s Health Story

Kamal Nath Thakur

Engaging in physical activity is good. Sports do help us maintain our fitness but that’s not all when it comes to living a healthy, holistic lifestyle. You have to watch what you eat, your sleep timings and manage your stress well, to name a few. Our Player Kamal Nath Thakur was of the opinion that he was healthy until he met his GOQii Coach. Here’s how his Health Story unfolded! 

Joining GOQii & Not Opting For Coaching 

Kamal Nath Thakur is a 52 year old working professional from Ghaziabad. He is a badminton player and considers himself to be a fitness freak. He was introduced to GOQii in 2019 by his 14 year old daughter Kavya, who saw an advertisement in the newspaper. 

Initially when he enrolled, he was of the impression that he knew all about health and fitness, hence, he opted out of personal health coaching and decided he did not need a coach. His decision was also influenced by the fact that he felt it was very difficult for him to follow the habits suggested by a GOQii Coach. 

While he opted out of coaching, he participated in various challenges issued in the GOQii App such as the steps challenge, health quiz and even browsed through Healthy Reads. 

The Health Story Begins For Kamal Nath Thakur 

In April 2021, Kamal Nath Thakur had contracted COVID and was hospitalized for almost a week. He had lost 10kg and began experiencing regular pain in his right leg. During this time, he was contacted by a GOQii Coach for personalized health coaching. Considering his condition, he opted for the service and says that it was one of the best decisions he ever made! 

Initially, he was coached by GOQii Coach Prachi, who guided him regarding his food habits in terms of the timing of his meals, food content and mix and the benefits he would derive from it. He says, “I started feeling a change in my body. It was visible”. 

Since then, he has been extremely particular about his food intake, nutritional value and how and when he should eat, which foods to avoid and so on. Kamal Nath Thakur says, “She was wonderful in explaining everything in detail”. 

After a while, he was assigned Coach Pradnya. He discussed his persistent right leg pain with her. Coach Pradnya suggested some leg stretching and leg strengthening exercises he should follow. Kamal Nath Thakur found these exercises to be extremely helpful. He says, “It was a boon for me in the hour of need. With her guidance in almost all fronts, like healthy food habits, regular suggestive exercises, relating to healthy reads, I had become a completely fit man with working knowledge of how to keep myself healthy”.  

He says that his habits changed tremendously after joining GOQii. Where he would usually complete a target of 3,000-4,000 steps, he now clocks in 15,000 steps daily. Before, he wasn’t particular about his food habits but now he focuses on the time and composition of his meals. He also follows and attends classes on GOQii Play. 

Coach Pradnya has been in touch with him daily and guides him via chat or call. She advises him as per his requirement. He says that it has been a fun change for him. He is a health champion in his organization and has even recommended GOQii to two of his colleagues who are now using the wearable and the app. 

Our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal recently spoke to Kamal Nath Thakur about his experience with GOQii on the latest episode of GOQii Health Stories where we feature players who have benefitted from personalized health coaching. You can view the whole conversation below:

What Does GOQii Coach Pradnya Have To Say About His Change? 

“Kamal was following a healthy lifestyle including healthy, timely meals and daily walking. He was having pain in his right thigh after recovering from COVID. Though it was unusual, we decided to try leg stretching first. I also suggested ginger detox water to reduce the pain naturally. Ginger being anti-inflammatory has pain reducing effects. He felt a lot of relief. 

As he spends a lot of time sitting in the office and the car while traveling, it might have led to stiff muscles. After a few days, we started leg strengthening exercises to strengthen his leg muscles. It helped him cure almost all the leg pain. Now, he is confidently working to improve his immunity further, doing full body exercises and eating healthy meals.’‘

Kamal Nath Thakur and his family are truly a GOQii Family with his wife Sangita, daughter Kavya and son Ketan – all being GOQii Players. From merely being fit to being in the Elite category within a year’s time shows his discipline, consistency and dedication to being fit and healthy! 

Do you relate with this story? Do you want to make a lifestyle change like the way Kamal Nath Thakur did? Then join GOQii’s personalized health coaching and begin writing your Healthy Story today! You can subscribe here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

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Is Apple Cider Vinegar Panacea for All Diseases?

Apple Cider VinegarApple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is gaining popularity these days as a wonder cure for diabetes, weight loss, heart disease and much more. The question however is – Is there science behind these claims or is it a classic case of excellent marketing? Vinegar has been used as a medical therapy for thousands of years. Recorded vinegar history starts around 5000 BC when the Babylonians were using the fruit of the date palm to make wine and vinegar. Vinegar residues have been found in ancient Egyptian urns traced to 3000 BC. As well, recorded vinegar history in China starts from texts that date back to 1200 BC.

During biblical times, vinegar was used to flavor foods, as an energizing drink, and as a medicine, and it is mentioned in both the old and new testaments. In ancient Greece, around 400 BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a variety of ills, including coughs and colds.

Scientific evidence adds to age old wisdom by inferring vinegar’s significant role in key biochemical metabolic pathways –

  1. Reduction in Postprandial Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: When taken with or just before meals, Apple Cider Vinegar inhibits enzymes necessary for the digestion of starches and other complex carbohydrates, thus preventing them from being broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. Vinegar also slows gastric emptying, so it delays the uptake of glucose and other nutrients. (Yusoff et al, Nutrients 2015, 7(8), 7012-7026 )
  2. Like Metformin, Stimulates AMPK: Vinegar stimulates an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is a key player in glucose and fat metabolism, insulin signalling, and energy balance. AMPK increases fat oxidation, improves glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity, and lowers gluconeogenesis, or glucose production in the liver. This is similar to how common diabetic drug Metformin works (Zhou et al, Role of AMP-activated protein kinase in mechanism of metformin action. J Clin Invest. 2001 Oct 15; 108(8): 1167–1174).
  3. Nitric Oxide Mediated Protection Against Heart Diseases: Vinegar-induced AMPK activation boosts Nitric Oxide (NO) release in the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.NO relaxes the arteries, protects against an atherosclerosis-the usual cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. (Sakakibara et al, BiosciBiotechnolBiochem. 2010;74(5):1055-61).
  4. Blood Pressure Regulation: Animal studies demonstrated vinegar decreases blood pressure by down‑regulating AT1R expression via the AMPK/PGC‑1α/PPARγ pathway (Na Lixin et al, Eur j Nutr, April 2016, Volume 55, Issue 3, pp 1245–1253).
  5. Protection Against Cancer: Vinegar is also a dietary source of polyphenols, compounds synthesised by plants to defend against oxidative stress. Ingestion of polyphenols in humans enhances in vivo antioxidant protection and reduces cancer risk.
  6. Reduces Belly Fat: Researches demonstrated vinegar (pomegranate) consumption resulted in marked reduction in visceral fat as confirmed by CT scan(Park et al, Journal of functional foods, Volume 8, May 2014, 274-281).

While the evidence behind Apple Cider Vinegar and other vinegar seem promising, there are a few things to keep in mind. Always take your vinegar diluted (1 tablespoon in 180 ml water). Undiluted shots have been known to wear away tooth enamel and damage the esophagus. Also, too much apple cider vinegar may lower potassium levels in the body. If you are on medications, discuss with your doctor before starting vinegar supplementation.

Lastly, and most importantly – Making vinegar a daily habit won’t cancel out the effects of unhealthy eating. Think of it as one piece of your wellness puzzle, and not a panacea.

We hope this article helps you. For more articles like this, you can check our Healthy Reads or reach out to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Benefits Of Drinking Lukewarm Lemon Water Every Morning

lukewarm lemon waterMost of us start our mornings with a fresh, hot cup of coffee or tea to warm our bodies after getting out of bed. Some of us may drink water but they prefer cold water. We all have it wrong! Choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down. Drinking lukewarm lemon water regularly, especially in the morning, heals our body, provides digestive power and reduces metabolic waste which might have built up in our immune system.

The consumption of warm water increases the tightening of the intestines, which optimizes elimination. Unlike hot water, processed cold water is devoid of many essential minerals and that could become very unfavorable to the digestive tract when consuming a meal.

Adding lemon to lukewarm water provides many health benefits of lemons. The major benefits of lemons include their strong antibacterial, anti-viral, and immune-boosting powers; and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene that promote immunity and fight infection.

How to do drink it : Once you wake up in the morning, get fresh and take a glass of lukewarm water, squeeze one lemon into one glass of water (approx. 200ml) and drink it before eating anything. Do not add salt or sugar. For taste you have an option of adding honey to it.

A Few More Benefits Of Drinking Lukewarm Lemon Water

  • Helps in digestion: Lemon juice flushes out unwanted materials and toxins from the body. It’s atomic composition is similar to saliva and the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices. It encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid that is required for digestion. Lemon Juice helps to relieve symptoms of indigestion such as belching and bloating.
  • Cleans your system: It helps flush out unwanted materials from our body as it increases the rate of urination. It also aids detoxification as the citric acid present in lemon helps enzymes function and stimulate the liver.
  • Clear Skin: The vitamin C component, as well as other antioxidants, help decrease wrinkles and blemishes and it they also help combat free radical damage. Vitamin C is vital for healthy glowing skin as its alkaline nature kills some types of bacteria known to cause acne. It can actually be applied directly to scars or age spots to help reduce their appearance.

Hence, having a glass of lukewarm lemon water provides multiple benefits to our body. Hope this article helps you make it a part of your routine! For more on Healthy Living, check out Healthy Reads or ask an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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GOQii Raises $50 Million In Series C Funding

GOQii Funding

GOQii Management Team Post Pandemic

GOQii raises $50 million Series C Funding from Sumeru Ventures, Modality and others for expansion across insurance, digital therapeutics and international markets

  • Funding raised across equity preference share, notes & debt
  • Funding to grow the insurance and digital therapeutics vertical in India
  • Funding to also expand in international markets

GOQii Inc announced its Series C funding round of $50 million led by Sumeru Ventures. GOQii is a smart tech-enabled healthcare platform that brings together the entire preventive healthcare ecosystem to its users. GOQii’s offerings include fitness trackers, app, coaching, a health store, insurance and many others. GOQii strongly believes that preventive healthcare is the only viable, long-term, mass-market solution, not only in India but around the world.

The company has raised funding across equity, preference shares, notes and debt. The equity round was led by Sumeru Ventures. Sumeru Ventures is a global fund with a focus on next generation technology areas.

Modality (Digality), an award winning provider of primary health care and community services across the UK, also participated. Other investors included 9 Unicorns, Venture Catalysts, funds advised by MegaDelta, Mitsui, The Times Group, Ascendo, Akbar Khan and Sanjay Narang. The venture debt funding was led by Blacksoil Capital and Trifecta Capital.

GOQii’s existing investors include Mitsui, funds advised by MegaDelta, DSG Consumer Partners, Galaxy Digital, Denlow Investment Trust, Edelweiss, Cheetah Mobile, GWC, Mr. Ratan Tata, Mr. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Mr. Pravin Gandhi, Mr. Amit Singhal.

Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO, said “We are delighted to onboard Sumeru Ventures and all other investors. GOQii has been a pioneer in the connected health ecosystem in India. We are strong believers in the positive impact preventive healthcare technology can create in the lives of millions of people in India and globally. This funding round would help GOQii not only strengthen its current offerings but also expand in insurance, digital therapeutics and international markets, where the foundation has already been built by us over the years.”

Saumen Chakraborty, Managing Director at Sumeru Venture, commented on the transaction “We are delighted to invest in GOQii and join this shared journey of positive impact making. Health is a fundamental need which can not be met with the traditional curative infrastructure alone. GOQii has been a significant contributor to the preventive healthcare ecosystem in India. We are confident that this funding round would help GOQii scale it to further heights.”

GOQii recently also made senior level additions to its team. Last year it hired Rohit Pareek, a senior investment banker, as CFO and Head Corporate Development. Rohit has previously worked with Jefferies, JM Financial and The Times Group.

GOQii has been at the forefront of creating awareness about preventive healthcare in India. GOQii has been the first official partner of the Fit India Movement. GOQii’s solutions have benefited millions of customers to manage as well as avoid chronic health conditions by inculcating healthy lifestyle changes.

GOQii would use the funding to grow the insurance and digital therapeutics vertical in India. The solutions would be first of its kind offerings taking the benefits of digital health to a large section of the population. The insurance product would reward users for healthy behaviour by way of a health insurance. GOQii is also targeting several therapeutic areas across diabetes, women’s health, radiology, etc. through its digital therapeutics offerings.

GOQii is also set to launch its international offerings focusing on various solutions around preventive healthcare.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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