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About Neha Morche

A post graduate in Nutrition and Dietetics, Neha Morche believes in inculcating good habits, lifestyle modifications and being active. According to her these will always take precedence over medicines like it did in ancient days. As a nutritionist, Neha counsels people for therapeutic diets and helps them understand the benefits of these diets for their physical and psychological well-being. In her previous avatar as a dietician her job was to only make diet plans according to the individuals’ daily routine. In most cases she realised people could never maintain their diet regime. Also, people would seldom acknowledge their weak points or improve habits and implement them in their daily routines. GOQii, in that sense is different as we will work towards changing people’s habits in a positive manner and motivate them to lead a healthy lifestyle. In her free time she loves to listen to music. When she wants to get into her meditative mood she likes to go trekking. She has done treks in the Sahayadri ranges of Maharashtra and Himalayas and aims to do Mount Everest. She says that treating food as a medicine will help us to maintain overall health and help enjoy life to the fullest. Finally, Neha’s fitness regime is to stay positive and respect your body and make life simpler.

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Coconut-The Super Fruit & Its Many Benefits

Coconut uses and benefits

“Why are you eating a coconut? It’s so fattening!” This comment was directed at me once and I couldn’t hold myself back and burst into laughter. But, at the same time, I was not surprised at this question. Most people consider it to be a fatty fruit. If that is the case then all those who include it in their daily food intake should be fat. This should be the case not only in India but in many other countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Philippines where coconut is one of the main ingredients used for cooking.

Coconut can be consumed in various ways – fresh, dry form, coconut water, coconut oil, or coconut milk, etc. Interestingly, each form has its own significance. Coconut does have saturated fats (which is not as harmful as vegetable oil) but, it also has unsaturated fats (like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids), polyphenols, vitamin K, vitamin E and minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc and also dietary fiber.

Why Should It Be An Important Aspect Of Your Diet? 

  1. Coconut oil helps in healthy growth of hair and gives it a shine
  2. It helps control high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis as it has 50 % lauric acid
  3. Thanks to its Vitamin E content, it helps in moisturizing all skin types and it does not have any adverse effect
  4. It increases immunity as it has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties thanks to Lauric acid and Capric acid. These properties also help in digestion and help one find relief from irritable bowel syndrome
  5. It improves the secretion of insulin, hence controls blood sugar levels as well
  6. It is good for the bones as it has Calcium and Magnesium
  7. It helps in healing damaged issues and infections
  8. MCT’s (medium chain triglycerides) present in coconut help reduce appetite

It is not only a fruit that can be eaten but, it also has water which you can drink. Just like the fruit, Coconut water also has many benefits! All we know about Coconut water is that it is a refreshing drink. While that is true, let’s delve a little deep to know more about it and its benefits.

Benefits of Coconut Water 

Besides less sugar, coconut water is packed with sodium, potassium, folic acid, B complex vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron minerals… So many nutrients in just 200ml of water! Drinking Coconut water not provides the aforementioned nutrients but it also helps in many ways to conquer health issues.

  1. It slows down the ageing process and also can be applied on eczema and acne
  2. It is good for digestion as it has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties
  3. It hydrates our body faster than normal water as it has natural electrolytes
  4. It is definitely healthier than fruit juices because it has fewer calories
  5. It has anti-carcinogenic and anti-thrombotic properties to reduce cholesterol levels
  6. It helps in finding relief from UTI and kidney stones as it acts a diuretic

Coconut water has 40-60 calories per 200ml – which is great for your health! More so, there are various uses for coconut oil as well! So what are you waiting for? Add this super fruit to your diet now!

We hope this article helps you! For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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Your Guide To Organic Food

Your Guide To Organic FoodWith fitness and healthy lifestyle taking the world by a storm, Organic Food has become a common phrase associated with this storm. Everyone is talking about buying and consuming organic food over processed food but what exactly constitutes organic food?

Basically, organic food is the usual edible food but is produced, processed and packaged in a different way without using chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, non-organic fertilizers, antibiotics or any artificial hormones which are used otherwise. Organic food meets strict standards and is thus, safe to eat.

Advantages of Organic Food

  • Retains at least 50% more natural nutrients like vitamins and minerals than artificially grown food
  • Not hazardous for health as they contain no chemicals
  • Tastes more natural and delicious as there are no added sweeteners, coloring, flavors and preservatives
  • Organic food protects one from cancer and other diseases
  • Organic agriculture keeps our oceans, lakes, rivers and water supplies clean

Disadvantages of Organic Food

  • It is an expensive proposition
  • Not easily available everywhere
  • Lack in variety
  • Short shelf life because of no added preservatives

What Types of Foods Are Available as Organic?

Most consumers think of fruits and vegetables when they think of organic food but there are many other organic foods which include pastas, sauces, frozen juices, cereals, soups, chocolate, cookies, meat, poultry, dairy and even wine.

Not only the vegetarian food items but even poultry and meat have gone organic. Isn’t that interesting for non-vegetarians? But how does it work? It is because poultry and animals are fed only organic feeds and that puts them in the category of organic non-vegetarian food. Also, the animal and birds are not given any growth hormones for their mass production.

Tips to Buy Organic Food

  • Look for the label or logo that has approved the production of the food as “organic”
  • Remain informed about the organization that is an authorized seller of organic food
  • Pay attention on the expiry date. As no preservatives are added to the food, their natural shelf life is less

People may mistake Natural Food as Organic Food as it has not reached many areas in the world due to support from the government, proper authentication, etc. So there is a difference between Natural Food and Organic Food

What is the Difference Between “Organic” and “Natural”?

“Natural” is often misrepresented in product labeling as “healthy” but “natural” only means that the product has undergone minimal processing, no certification or inspection system. Also, “natural” does not necessarily relate to growing methods or the use of preservatives.

As we all know, eating unhealthy creates health issues whereas eating healthy and organic not only helps you get healthier and live better but most importantly, it develops the good habit of eating right.

Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below. For more on eating healthy and nutrition, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

#BeTheForce

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These Harmful Ingredients in Aerated Drinks Can Destroy Your System!

aerated drinksI was with friends recently and during our conversation I realized that my friends had erratic eating habits and moreover, they were all addicted to aerated drinks or what is commonly called as ‘Soft Drinks’. While they were not bothered about what an aerated drink could possibly do to their health, most of them were under the impression that it’s good for health or rather nothing can happen if they consumed aerated drinks. When I realised this, I told them how soft drinks aren’t good for health. And that was it… in the next few minutes I was flooded with questions like why one should not have aerated drinks? What does it contain?

I explained to them that soft drinks are carbonated drinks made of water, sugar or artificial sweeteners, flavors etc. Technically, carbon dioxide is dissolved into water at low temperatures under high pressures and carbonation machines are used to make it fizzy. Also, phosphoric acid, lead acetate, methyl benzene, potassium solvent, sodium benzoate are all present and if you read the label on the bottles you will find all these names.

Reasons Why Aerated Drinks Are Bad For You 

  1. Phosphoric acid present in aerated drinks damage bones and the enamel of teeth
  2. Lead acetate damages kidneys and nerves
  3. They contains aspartame (an artificial low-calorie sweetener) that makes you feel hungry and crave food. That may lead to loads of calories and ultimately unhealthy weight gain
  4. Some people who are addicted to soft drinks are deprived of nutrients and that could lead to malnutrition
  5. Aerated drinks have zero nutrients so no nutritive value
  6. They dehydrates the body
  7. According to research, an aerated drink has Ph of 3.4 (that’s acidic) but is acceptable to human system as its below Ph 7. Albeit, it can create hyper-acidity
  8. If consumed along with meals, the nutrients in the food will not be absorbed.

If you are addicted to aerated drinks, you need to know that they have an effect on oral hygiene. If you need to have a soft drink then use a straw to reduce direct contact with teeth. Secondly, rinse your mouth with water after consuming a soft drink.

Are “Diet” Drinks Better Than The Normal Ones? 

There is nothing good about aerated drinks and particularly “Diet” drinks which are misrepresented to be a healthier option. The only difference between a diet drink and a normal one is that to make it sweet they don’t add sugar but use artificial sweeteners. They’re both still carbonated and still dehydrate the body. To add to it, artificial sweeteners are chemicals which may have harmful consequences if consumed in excess.

Instead of going for aerated drinks, you can try healthy options such as a coconut water, lime water, buttermilk or fresh fruit juices. We hope this article helps you make an informed decision and choose the right option the next time you’re tempted to grab a can or a bottle of your favorite soft drink.

It’s time to #LevelUp your health! What do you think will be a good alternative for you instead of a soft drink? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! Want to know more interesting facts? Ask your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more articles to help you live healthy, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce 

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All about Wheat Grass and its benefits

wheatgrass

In the ancient days in India plants were used as a medicine to cure health issues. Later allopathy was invented and it made life simpler. During my days of college, I came across this magical grass called ‘Wheatgrass’ and it’s amazing benefits to our health.

Wheat grass itself cannot be eaten as it is hard to digest. Interestingly, it can be grown indoors and outdoors by putting wheat seeds in water and then harvesting the leaves; which also occupies less space. It is available in various forms such as juice outside parks, powders and in capsule form. But, the ideal way to have it is in the fresh juice form to get enough nutrients. Wheatgrass is used as a concentrated source of nutrients in powder and capsules.

Wheatgrass is a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium, and has negligible amount of proteins.

Wheatgrass is generally considered safe. A word of caution as it may cause nausea, headaches, swelling to your throat due to the bacteria present in it (due to contamination) as it is grown in soil or water.

 Benefits :

  1. It is rich in chlorophyll (similar to haemoglobin) and iron which increases blood cell count.
  2. Lowers blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways.
  3. Wheat grass juice has alkaline minerals which reduces acidity also gastrointestinal tract problems.
  4. It detoxifies liver and the bloodstream.
  5. It has powerful ability to fight against tumours.
  6. If applied externally on the skin which eliminate itching immediately.
  7. It prevents hair from greying.
  8. It helps in stabilising blood sugar levels.
  9. Drinking wheat grass juice will help in clearing sinuses by breaking up the mucus.
  10. It helps in increasing immunity.

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