Mamta Joshi, Author at GOQii

January 4, 2021 By Mamta Joshi 1 Comment

Decluttering And The Joy Of Giving

2020 was a rollercoaster of a year with the pandemic, lockdown, being enclosed within 4 walls and being panic-stricken thanks to COVID-19. The battle with COVID-19 is far from over but there is a little something you can do for your soul and peace of mind in 2021 – that’s decluttering! There are many people who have faced hardships and have lost more than just their jobs. Let’s utilize the first month of 2021 with an exercise that benefits us and the underprivileged people in need as well.

Decluttering Your House

Are you ready to clean your closets? Clean them and take out things you no longer have a use for. You can either choose to discard, donate or give them to people who may have use for them. For such an activity to be successful and not time consuming, reorient your home by category instead of by room – clothes, kitchen utensils, toys, stationary, footwear, accessories, etc. so that it becomes easy for you to reach the right person with the right things. Believe me, we all will face some troubles but amid all that, when we give to the needy, it will make us feel good too!

How Do You Go About Doing This?

If you have things you don’t use anymore, consider giving them away. One of the best ways to decide is to ask yourself when you used the item last. If you are unable to recall or if it’s more than 3 years, you’re better off giving it to someone else who needs it because there’s a good chance you’re not going to use it in the future too.

Even though you don’t want your old things anymore, it’s almost guaranteed that someone else will. There are many people in need of usable items and your donations can help. When you throw away your used items, they have no chance of reaching people who need them the most.

Also, before donating take the condition of the item into consideration as well. Only donate the items that are new, unused, or gently used. This means items which are in a good condition, clean and presentable. Do not donate items that don’t work properly, with missing parts, or are ripped, torn or stained. If you can’t use them in their current state, neither can others.

Benefits of Decluttering

Decluttering teaches us how to let go and create space. Owing less helps save time and feel lighter and self actualized.
It exercises our decision making skills. What to keep and what to get rid of is basically solving a problem. It works our brain and gives us a sense of satisfaction.
Clutter can affect our brain, our ability to focus, our sleep, and our anxiety levels. While decluttering improves concentration, sleep quality, reduces stress and enhances mood.
Decluttering exercise will leave us delighted, our home clean and organized. There’s something deeply satisfying about being in a space that’s free of clutter and where the only thing in use has its place. We feel more relaxed and focused when we find the item we need, easily. So better to get rid of extra things and enjoy the organized, clutter-free, calm and energetic home space .

Once Decluttered, Where Do You Donate?

One can donate to a residence or to any charitable organization involved in such activities.
You can check with your househelp, your local cleaners and watchmen, etc. if they require any of the items you wish to discard.
Involve the entire family in the process, especially the young ones. They will learn decision making, know the noble cause behind and experience the joy of giving.

We hope this article helps you declutter and donate to a good cause. You can also up your Karma on the GOQii App by walking, earning Karma Points and donating it to a charity listed within the GOQii App. Check out the Karma feature now!

#BeTheForce

November 4, 2020 By Mamta Joshi 1 Comment

What Is The Circadian Rhythm Diet & How Does It Help?

Have you heard about the Circadian Rhythm Diet or the 7am to 7pm diet and the recommended dietary habits & restrictions it involves? Surprisingly, there are no dos and don’ts on eating. It’s all about when you should eat. The basic idea of this diet is to reset meal timings to the same one as our ancestors i.e. between sunrise and sunset – basically scheduling meals during daylight hours.

Circadian Rhythm Diet also known as Body Clock Diet is basically a form of time restricted eating plan where we eat in sync with the body’s internal clock which gets regulated by change within the environment, mainly, light and darkness, and are controlled by a small area in the middle of the brain. This can affect metabolism, hunger, sleep, body temperature and other bodily functions.

The hormone cortisol, also known as the “get up and go” hormone is linked with body metabolism and hence weight. It rises and falls during the course of the day. If someone eats when metabolism is at peak, calories consumed would be utilized well and not deposited as fat. On the other hand, food eaten at the wrong time may lead to weight gain.

Circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats every 24 hours and can be divided into 2 phases:

Eating and metabolizing phase: Metabolism is high when cortisol is at its peak and slow when cortisol levels are down. The body releases cortisol naturally twice per day: once in the early morning and later in the evening and at that time, the stomach too is ready with the right amount of hormones and digestive enzymes and even good gut microbes to digest the food. So for health benefits eat with the Sun. In response to daylight, cortisol rises, insulin sensitivity increases and melatonin decreases, making one feel active and energized. Cortisol supports thyroid function and metabolism, and contributes to the energy needed to complete daily tasks.
Resting and healing phase: When the sun sets, the body naturally wants to wind up and prepare for sleep. The sleep inducing hormone melatonin rises up, while cortisol and insulin sensitivity reduces. So food consumed later at night when cortisol levels are decreasing is more likely to be stored as fat.

As soon as one finishes dinner, the body slowly gets slow on metabolism, the body clock resets, going into repair and rejuvenation mode so that damaged cells can be repaired and replaced with healthy new cells and allergy causing chemicals or pathogens cannot attack the body. Thus, late night munching leads to weight gain and it disrupts the body’s natural healing mechanism too.

Highlights Of The Circadian Rhythm Diet

Eat during daylight.
Have breakfast and lunch as the biggest meals of the day, and dinner, the smallest.
Have about 75% of nutrition before 3 pm
Do not eat anything post dinner.

Benefits Of This Diet

Helps maximize weight loss efforts
Reduces the risk of obesity
Improves digestive health
Improves metabolism
Improves sleep, mood and energy levels
Reduces inflammation in the body
Lowers the risk of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Promotes longevity

Those who schedule their meals between 12 hours (7 am to 7 pm) might have a much better circadian rhythm and health unlike those who delay dinner and eat within 15-16 hours (7am to 11pm or more). After 12-16 hours of fasting when we have the next meal i.e. breakfast – the body gets enough time to heal/repair as required. Don’t eat anything post dinner as the body enters the healing and rejuvenation mode. Compounds that encourage the inflammatory response rise at night. This is likely because the body is better at fighting infections while it is at rest, and energy can be poured into the effort, rather than into other functions like metabolism.

Even if the food choice & calorie consumed is the same, those who eat during daylight have better health than those who delay. Food at the wrong time can disturb the internal clock and break the metabolic balance in our body, and that can push us towards disease. Biological rhythms are meant to protect us. Disturbing this rhythm can lead to weight gain, hormonal issues, mental health issues, metabolic diseases like type -2 diabetes and heart problems.

So do give this Circadian Rhythm Diet a go and let us know what you feel in the comments below! We hope this article helps you. For more informative articles such as this, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

August 19, 2020 By Mamta Joshi 4 Comments

A Complete Guide To The Benefits Of Oil Pulling

Immunity has become a common discussion during these pandemic-stricken times. No doubt that good immunity is the key to a healthy and disease-free body. The Ministry of Ayush has listed some immunity boosting measures for self care during the pandemic and oil pulling is one such Ayurvedic procedure.

What Is Oil Pulling?

It is an ancient Ayurvedic practice known as Kalava but not many are familiar with it. It is known to improve immunity and prevent more than thirty systemic diseases when practiced regularly. The oral cavity harbors billions of microorganisms, some of these contribute to the development of systemic diseases. In oil pulling, edible oil is swished around the mouth, continuously for 20 minutes like a mouthwash. Ayurveda believes that the tongue is connected to every organ of the body. Microbes and toxins build up in the mouth and swishing oil in the mouth for a prolonged amount of time draws out impurities from the mouth. Oil acts as a cleanser before these microbes get a chance to re-circulate and spread.

How To Do It?

It is quite simple, no side effects and involves a few steps with just 1 ingredient.

Take 1 tbsp of coconut oil.
Swish it around in the mouth, between teeth, all over the gums, tongue, towards the cheek for 20 minutes.
Spit out the oil and rinse your mouth well with water.

Caution: Oil may thicken and clog your drain so spit it in the dustbin. Children shouldn’t do it as there are chances they’ll swallow the oil.

Initially you may find it difficult to swish oil for long, so just start with 5 minutes and gradually build it up to 15–20 minutes. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is proven to be anti-inflammatory and can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, virus and fungi. Early morning is the best time to practice, even before drinking water. During sleep, the body detoxifies and the tongue gets coated with a white film which is full of toxins and microbes.

Benefits Of Oil Pulling On Oral Health

Oil pulling is beneficial for oral hygiene as it reduces a number of harmful bacteria in the mouth. It is helpful for conditions like:

Bad breath
Bleeding gums
Plaque
Cavities
Oral candidiasis
Gingivitis
Reduces tooth pain
Reduces problems like dry mouth, sore throat and chapped lips
Gives whiter teeth, pink lips and gums.

Benefits To The Skin

When you oil pull, you constantly exercise your facial muscles which encourages blood flow to your face. Oil Pulling can:

Reduce wrinkles, fine lines, dry face and other signs of aging
Improve skin elasticity
Reduce double chin
Define your jawline

Apart from the above, it can call help with:

Improving gut health, metabolism, digestion and immunity
Detoxifying the mouth and body
Improving energy levels and sleep
Balancing hormones
Reducing acne, eczema, psoriasis and other skin problems
Alleviating headaches and migraine
Providing relief from stiff joints and allergies

We hope you try this ancient Ayurvedic method of detoxifying your mouth and body. Do share your experience with us. For more articles on health and wellness, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

July 25, 2020 By Mamta Joshi 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: Chickpea Soya Cutlets

With some parts of the country still in lockdown, it’s difficult to get fresh veggies and groceries. So, let’s look at a simple recipe with minimum ingredients which are available in our kitchen. This protein-rich Chickpea Soya Cutlets are easy to prepare and are apt as a snack or a main meal as well.

What You Will Need

Chickpeas (kabuli chana), boiled and drained- ½ cup
Soya granules – ½ cup
Finely chopped mint leaves – 1 tbsp (approx)
Green chilli – 2
Ginger – 1 inch
Red chilli powder -¾ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking – 2-3 tsp

How To Prepare

Soak the soya granules in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and squeeze out all water and keep aside.
Blend the chickpeas, soya granules, mint, ginger and green chilli together to make a coarse mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt to the paste and mix well.
Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape it into round, flat cutlets.
Cook them on a non-stick pan using a little oil till both sides are golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney.

Highlights of the Chickpea Soya Cutlets

Provides great satiety as it is high in protein and fiber.
It is gluten-free and a great option for vegans
Recipe is high in Iron and folic acid as well which is required for formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin.
Other finely cut veggies of your choice can be added as per availability.

Do try this delicious, lip-smacking Chickpea Soya Cutlet recipe and leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more healthy recipes check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

Stay home. Stay safe. Eat healthy and #BeTheForce