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Top 4 Causes of Body Aches & Pains

Body aches and pain

Experiencing aches and pains in your body is normal. But when these aches and pains persist for longer periods of time and make it difficult for you to move, you have to start asking a few questions.

What is causing this pain? Should I seek help?

Aches and pains are common for a body that is unhealthy and unfit. By the time the unease of these aches and pains set in, it is too late to do any activity in order to get healthier. Based on the research of our IndiaFit Report, we’ve identified the top 4 causes of body aches and pains.

What Causes Aches and Pain?

  1. Additional Weight Strain: When you’re overweight, the additional pounds place immense strain on your joints and bones. This continued strain causes long term issues in the body which result in body aches and pains.
  2. Lack of Movement: One of the major causes of body aches is a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting in one place for longer periods of time, incorrect or bad posture and lack of exercise, all contribute to body pain.
  3. Incorrect Posture While Exercising: Incorrect form or posture when lifting weights, performing an exercise or not giving your body enough cause strain and further aches and pains.
  4. Vitamin D Deficiency: Vitamin D is essential for bone health. Lack of it can cause body aches. This deficiency may be due to lack of exposure to sunlight, not getting enough Vitamin D from food, not being able to absorb Vitamin D from food, etc.

IndiaFit Report

How Can You Tackle Body Aches and Pains?

The easiest way to deal with this issue is to get enough of Vitamin D. Right from its basic function of increasing calcium absorption to promoting bone health, it can also elevate mood, reduce depression and build immunity.

Some of the other ways to deal with aches include:

  • Losing excess weight
  • Fix Vitamin D3, Magnesium, and Calcium Levels
  • Develop muscles around the bone
  • Invest in rest and recovery after a workout
  • Avoid acidity causing foods

Have we missed out on anything? Do you have any queries? Write them down in the comments below!

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Patience is a Virtue Which Produces Excellence | Santosh Krishnan User Journey

Santosh Krishnan, a type 2 diabetic decided to rise above his excuses to lead by example. Santosh had an HBA1C reading of 8.4 which was alarming for a diabetic. In August 2017, Santosh with the help of a personal coach decided to turn his life around, setting a long-term goal of reversing diabetes which was holding him back from his desired quality of life. Initially his levels were (Fasting: 176, Post Prandial: 204, Weight: 77kgs ) and results didn’t come easy or instantly but with a great level of patience and determination tethered with a supervised diet and exercises, he brought down his levels to ( Fasting: 95, Post Prandial: 139, Weight: 69.8 kgs ). Today, he has an HBA1C reading of 6.8 which is completely normal. When asked, Santosh had much to say about his achievement and he was immensely proud of himself. Presenting his story in his own words.

Santosh Krishnan Before (Left) After (Right)

Santosh Krishnan
Before (Left)                                     After (Right)

“My journey with GOQii started in the month of April 2017. Being a follower of Luke Coutinho on Facebook, I wasn’t new to the world of health and fitness. One day I happened to come across a fitness band called GOQii on my friend’s wrist and immediately ordered one for myself.

Ever since I came on board the GOQii Platform, there has been no turning back. However, it was not a smooth journey. Later, I got to know that Luke was the Master Coach at GOQii. My journey with GOQii has had its ups and downs and I remember at one point I was corresponding directly with Vishal Gondal, the Founder, and CEO of GOQii because things didn’t go my way. I recall the time when I had changed three coaches in a span of four months, ultimately realizing that it was me who needed a makeover on my attitude, but as you will understand, it is easier to blame someone else than take it upon oneself.

My current coach has played a crucial rule in my health. I’m a type 2 diabetic and there was a time when my sugar readings were extremely high. Over the past 6 to 8 months we have made small changes to my lifestyle by introducing new elements like the consumption of ACV, actively keeping a track of all my required activities, which by the way has helped me immensely by giving me an understanding of where I stand and what I should do.

Regular workouts, optimum intake of water, cutting down on junk were the few steps I took combined with my coach’s presence and motivation which was irreplaceable. We know there’s a long way to go and my goal is to totally go off pills. It might be a farfetched goal but with self-belief and my coach’s constant presence, I definitely think it’s possible.”

What did his GOQii Coach have to say? 

Santosh’s GOQii Coach was very enthusiastic to talk about her client and was very proud of his achievements. Here is what she had to say: “Santosh’s goal was to reverse diabetes and become healthy again. After my initial call with him, I understood that he’s focused and knows what he wants for himself. We began with basic exercises gradually including cardio and body exercises to the regime. We worked on a schedule per his convenience, I also advised him about the importance of frequent meals, pre-workout and post work out meals, water etc, which he followed religiously. It was a pleasure to see his data on the dashboard, which motivated me to concentrate more on his progress”.

“He seems to have taken charge of his health and his recent reports show that his sugar levels have come down drastically. He lost around three kgs and reduced a few inches on the waist as well. Santosh is super happy with his progress and so am I. It feels great to be a part of his amazing journey,” she adds.

Santosh has left no space for self-doubt in his endeavours and has been patient, constantly pushing his limits to further improve his glittering morale and a healthier lifestyle.

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Going Beyond The Challenge | Ravishankar User Journey

Ravi Shankar transformationWhat would life be without challenges? Challenges can either make us or break us and quite honestly, without a challenge, we would never grow. When life throws what seems like an insurmountable challenge at you, what do you do? Faced with a similar hurdle, Ravishankar Balasubramanian, 43, from Coimbatore decided to take control of his life, challenged himself and took a huge leap towards a healthier lifestyle.

The Challenge

Like most of us, Ravishankar led an active life throughout his school and college days. He used to play Volleyball but as time passed, he fell into a sedentary lifestyle due to work and other commitments. He was at an alarming 118kg. Deep down he knew he couldn’t live like this.

After consulting a doctor, he got to know that he had excess bad fats and needed medication to reduce it. This is when Ravishankar told his doctor that he doesn’t want to rely on medication. He challenged the doctor that he would lose weight naturally in 2 months. And so, his journey began!

Defying the Odds

Ravishankar immediately took to walking. He believed that with an obese body, one cannot perform many exercises. His initial goal became to lose the extra kilos. Through walking alone, he was able to shed 15kg. He knew this wasn’t enough and had to lose more weight. This is when he decided to get some help.

Enter GOQii

Around October 2018, Ravishankar began looking for a fitness tracker to measure his daily steps and activities. Initially, he was confused between the Mi Band and GOQii. Considering the pros and cons of both, he settled on GOQii because of the personalized live coaching feature. He hasn’t regretted his choice since!

Healthy Habits and Transformation

After taking stock of his goals, his GOQii Coach suggested that he continue walking and jogging. His GOQii Coach also introduced him to a few exercises he could practice. In addition, she asked him to start with pre and post workout meals. Initially, Ravishankar was unaware of its importance but decided to trust his coach. Now, it is a regular part of his day.

His coach guided him on his eating habits. He was strictly asked to avoid junk food and go for good proteins. She explained in detail as to why he should follow these habits. This motivated him to be consistent with them.

His sleeping habits improved a lot after inputs from his coach. He started drinking buttermilk with dinner and hot milk before bed. When Ravishankar traveled abroad for work, his coach was sure to follow up regularly by asking him to send pictures of his plate to know what and how much he was eating. She also ensured that he followed the habits she had set for him.

His GOQii Coach suggested workouts to improve his running style and to recover from injuries. Now, he runs a minimum of 30km a day. He does this by running 2.5 hours in the morning and at night after work, he goes for a walk, followed by jogging and running. He plans to run a marathon next year and is training vigorously to achieve this goal.

Inspiration and Active Sunday Champion

Today, Ravishankar Balasubramanian weighs around 80kg and is motivating people around him to do the same! He is an Active Sunday Champion and heads the sessions in Coimbatore. He guides his participants and is a continuous source of inspiration for them.

India Steps Challenge

Within two weeks of the challenge starting, Ravishankar had already referred 100 members and increased his daily cap to 36,000 steps. Without losing a beat, he began walking and clocking in 36k steps and more on a daily basis. He is one of the first few individuals to claim the OnePlus 6T as a reward in the India Steps Challenge.

Ravishankar’s journey to weight loss and his determination to dive further into health and fitness is a source of inspiration for us all. From something as simple as walking, he has transformed his life for the better. Now, he has a dedicated team that walks, runs and exercises with him. Through walking alone, he has started a collective movement!

He believes that if he can do it, so can you!

What Did Ravishankar’s GOQii Coach Have to Say About Him?

“In his health journey to reduce weight and belly fat, we decided to stick to a routine of structured workout cardio, strength training and lifestyle modification with a focus on  balanced food, sound sleep and managing stress in a positive way.

When he approached me with the willingness to participate in the India Steps Challenge, I was was very happy to see his excitement and zest towards it. We formulated a pattern where he could train, take part in the challenge and at the same time stay injury and stress free too.

With a constant monitoring of his workout, nutrition and sleeping pattern, today, he has achieved his target and a healthier lifestyle at the same time. I wish him a very happy and healthy life forever.”

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Stay Active, Stay Covered, Stay Stress Free | World Health Day

stay active stay covered stay healthyOne of the key points mentioned during GOQii’s annual event in December last year was that our current healthcare systems focus more on ‘sick care’ rather than preventive healthcare. Measures taken to ensure good health are often reactive as compared to proactive. The problem with this approach is that any precautions we take concerning health won’t be in place until it is too late.

We couldn’t stress more on why this mindset of ‘sick care’ is unyielding as opposed to leading a healthy lifestyle from the start. But as the case with most diseases and unpredictability of unfavorable circumstances, you can never be too prepared. With high healthcare costs and the trust in the healthcare systems decreasing, health insurance is certainly the need of the hour.

Universal Health Coverage

Everybody everywhere is entitled to health coverage that does not harm or put their finances at risk. Based on the WHO constitution of 1948, which declared health a fundamental human right and on the Health for All agenda set by the Alma Ata declaration in 1978, this year’s WHO theme for World Health Day is Universal Health Coverage. It is to ensure better health and protection for the poorest of the poor.

India and Universal Health Coverage

In India, approximately 62% deaths among men and 52% among women, occur due to non-communicable diseases. Due to the low utilization of the public health system, lack of effective management, awareness, and fragmentation of the healthcare services, families are forced to incur high expenditures leading to impoverishment and poverty on account of medical and hospitalization expenses. (source: https://www.pmjay.gov.in)

In an attempt to fulfill the vision of Health for All and Universal Health Coverage, the government conceived Ayushman Bharat, an initiative led by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ayushman Bharat encompasses two complementary schemes, Health and Wellness Centers and National Health Protection Scheme. The Protection Scheme is envisaged to provide financial risk protection of Rs 5 lakh per family, per year to poor and vulnerable families arising out of primary and tertiary care hospitalization.

How GOQii Can Help

GOQii has always believed in enabling individuals to move from a reactive healthcare pattern to a more proactive one. The only way to achieve this is by rewarding good health. By using the data we collect, insurance companies lessen or alter the premiums paid for the life/health insurance they offer to their users, thereby cutting the cost for healthier users and altering the same for higher risk users. This helps the insurance companies and insurance holders make an informed choice of dealing with their health risks.

Through our partnership with Max Bupa, we offer a holistic health insurance offering called –‘Max Bupa GoActive’ to fulfil our customers’ daily health needs. GoActive is a digitally enabled health insurance plan that has been designed to give customers a 360-degree coverage including in-patient hospitalization and on-the-go access to OPD, diagnostics, personalized health coaching, second medical opinion, behavioral counseling and much more. The plan offers up to 20 per cent premium discount on achieving predetermined health scores and also offers benefits such as renewal discount of up to 20 per cent post achieving their health goals. We have also partnered with Swiss Re to provide underwriting assistance to Max Bupa wherein Swiss Re uses GOQii’s data to create relevant products and also build expertise to create risk assessment models for future.

In simple terms, get healthier, improve your health score and pay less premiums on your insurance cover.

To ensure good health and wellness, GOQii has organized a World Health Day Super Sale on the GOQii Health Store. Get amazing discounts on healthy products curated by our experts by using your GOQii Cash. Download the app now to avail its many benefits for free: www.goqii.com/app

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