Parwage Alam, Author at GOQii

A state level Athletic and Pole Vault champion, Parwange Alam encourages and motivates people to be healthy. While pursuing his graduation at the Punjabi University of Patiala, he also doubled up as a coach training students in running. His mission is to help people improve their lifestyle and lead them towards a healthier future with his acquired knowledge in fitness and experience. Apart from a sporting career he is also an artist and likes to express his feelings through painting. Parwage believes that every individual has a sportsman spirit within them and if coached well it can unveil that sportsman in the individual.

December 17, 2017 By Parwage Alam 11 Comments

Myths and Health Benefits of Meditation

Stress can be dangerous. Here is a link to a blog on Stress

http://goqii.com/blog/avoid-stress-lead-a-healthy-and-happy-life/

In this blog, I am going to talk about meditation and its health benefits in detail. Most foreigners are it the Americans or the Europeans aren’t raised to sit and say “Om.” But, today whether it is outside of India or within our country at every nook and corner you can find a yoga and meditation centre. Meditation has gained millions of converts, helping them ease chronic pain, anxiety, stress, improve heart health, boost mood and immunity, and resolve a lot of medical issues even pregnancy problems.

According to doctors, any condition that’s caused or worsened by stress can be alleviated through meditation. Peace is something we all seek for or let’s say satisfaction is something we all long for. Satisfaction could be different for different people. For some satisfaction could mean happiness, for some it could be an achievement. The influence of external factors in our life largely decides our state of mind to be happy, sad or angry.

We often seek for happiness or peace in the outside world. People have their own ways of finding peace or relaxing their mind. Most common practice is going out of town or getting away from our usual routine. It’s very necessary to find peace within us as not everyone can afford to go out of station often. So here is what we can do and also save some money in the process to reach our goal of happiness and peace- MEDITATE.

Meditation you can transform the mind. Meditation doesn’t mean that you have to sit in a particular posture and focus on any single point on the wall or certain point. The definition of meditation is different for different people. If you ask me, meditation is the art of focusing our attention (100%) in one area. We all believe that our mind gets maximum rest while sleeping; however, the fact is that our mind gets to rest and relief while meditating.

Doctors who recommend meditation say that the relaxation response [from meditation] helps decrease metabolism, lowers blood pressure and improves heart rate, breathing, and brain waves. Tension and tightness seep from muscles as the body receives a quiet message to relax.

Articles in medical journals on Meditation indicate there is scientific evidence that shows how meditation works. In people who are meditating, brain scans called MRI have shown an increase in activity in areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Other studies on Buddhist monks have shown that meditation produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involved in attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.

There are some dangerous myths about meditation like:

1. Meditation is a religion: Meditation is not related to any religion. However, meditation brings all religion together.

2. Just relaxation: Meditation is not about just relaxation like sitting on your sofa or lying on your resting chair, meditation helps to produce specific chemical changes in the brain. For example, Transcendental meditation is known to cause the brain to release a soothing hormone known as prolactin.

3. Sit in the lotus posture to meditate: There is a myth that meditating you should always sit in a lotus posture. However, while meditating it is more important to be comfortable and steady. You can sit cross-legged, on a chair, in a sofa – it is fine, but it is mandatory that you have to maintain the same position till you finish meditating.

4. Meditation is for old people: Most of the people believe that meditation is only for people who have reached a certain age or for old people. That is so untrue. Meditation is universal and anyone can do it. It adds value to lives of people of all age groups. A study in the American Journal of Hypertension showed that teenagers who meditated for 15 minutes twice a day for four months were able to lower their blood pressure a few points.10 minutes of meditation in the morning clean your mind, it gives zeal and enthusiasm.

5. Meditation is like hypnotizing yourself: Most of the people believe that Meditation is hypnotising you. But, that’s again false. In hypnotism no one is aware what he or she is going through, however, in meditation, you are always aware of each and every moment.

If you are feeling tense, tired, depressed or anxious or stressed, the one simple word I can suggest or recommend is ‘Meditation’. Five to 10 minutes of meditation will help you relax and get over your stress and restore your calm and inner peace.

Anyone can start meditating with a small practice. It’s really very simple and does not require you to visit therapists or a practitioner of meditation. It also does not require any equipment. You can practice meditation whenever and wherever you are – in office, home, on the bus or train, or waiting at the doctor’s clinic or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

Meditation works as a medicine of mind and body and produces a deep state of relaxation. During meditation, we centralize our attention and get rid of the unwanted stress-causing thoughts. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Some great Benefits of Meditation:

Psychological Benefits: Reduces stress and anxiety, increases creativity and intelligence. Reduces depression, increases learning ability, reasoning and memory power, reduces irritability and moodiness, Feelings of vitality and rejuvenation, increase emotional control, self-esteem, alertness, Improves relationships and also concentration

Physiological Benefits: May help lower blood pressure, Prevents or relives any pain, boosts immune system- with meditation higher levels of antibodies are produced against the flu virus, according to the study in Psychosomatic Medicine, lowers blood cholesterol levels, improves airflow through the respiratory system, especially in those with asthma, Youngers your biological age.

Women can also benefit from meditation. Quoting a study from an article in WebMD, the article says that PMS symptoms subsided by 58% when women meditated. certain other issues such as anxiety, depression, and fatigue can also be reduced by a regular meditation program.

November 22, 2017 By Parwage Alam 8 Comments

How to select your running Shoes?

running shoes1

If you indulge in a kind of fitness, you will realize that almost all kinds of workouts require decent sports shoes. Based on what is your fitness regime? Whether you are a runner, or you play a racket sport, or any other sport, or just train in the gym, depending on the workout or the sport, you have to have appropriate shoes.

The injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness routine. Strenuous outdoor workout or long distance running puts an increased amount of pressure on your feet and therefore wearing the right shoes are important to prevent injury.

The next most common question asked by people is what shoe do I buy? Whether you are a pro, intermediate or beginner in running, shoe shopping can be tricky. The technology is constantly changing and there is continuous research happening on this front due to which new products, foams, and materials are being invented every year. This is creating confusion among runners and they do not know what to believe and what not to believe.

Some common mistakes Runners make while buying Running Shoes.

Wrong foot measure leading to wrong shoe size impacts running.
Confusing volume with the width of the shoes. Should I buy with more cushioning or less? And, end up selecting the wrong one.
Buying one size bigger than your original size and they trying to adjust the size by wearing thicker socks, this hinders running practice.
Following your Runner Friends. If you are a beginner and you have a friend who is a good runner, you always end up buying the same shoes which your Friend is using.
Wrong reviews about shoes. Nowadays people start purchasing shoes online and their online seller can easily manipulate the reviews by giving fake reviews. Which misguide the people who buy their shoes on the basis of Reviews.
Cool dashing Shoes. Sometimes you end up buying the shoes only because it looks cool and enhances your personality.
Discount and Offers – Some stores trying to clear their stocks and run some attractive offers, please avoid such offers as all shoes have their life and these shoes under offer has already spent their life on a shelf.
Buying shoes during the day- Most are unaware of the fact that feet swell during the course of the day. Your feet tend to get bigger at night. Therefore, you need a footwear that fits well—not too tight—during all hours, so always prefer your shoe shopping later in the day.
Trying only one shoe– While buying shoes more often than not, most try out only one shoe. I am not sure if you are aware that both your feet are not the same size. Chances are that one shoe will be fit on your one feet but not the other one. Hence, measure both your feet and then buy a pair of running shoes that fit the bigger foot.
Try shoes with the right socks: We always check the shoes by wearing the dress socks which is provided at the store for trial but let me point out here that dress socks are generally thinner than running socks (that has more cushioning), and this affects the fit of the shoes. Always take your running socks with you when you go to purchase running shoes.

Let me now give you some basic information about shoes and all that you need to keep in mind while shopping for your running shoes.

Here is the image of basic Shoe anatomy:

running shoe image 1

running shoe

running shoe-image 2

running shoe 2

Running Shoes are divided into 3 parts:

Outsole
Midsole
Insole
Upper

Outsole: A rubber outsole is where the bottom of a shoe is made of rubber. The outsole is the part of the shoe that comes in contact with the ground. It’s made of carbon rubber, blown rubber or a combination of the two. It provides durability and traction. The outsole can have many designs, flex grooves, and a split heel

running shoe image 3
2. Midsole:

running shoe image 4

The midsole comprises the cushioning material, mostly a closed cell foam called EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Polyurethane may also be used. Proprietary cushioning devices like encapsulated air or gel can be inserted into the midsole foam. Posts are areas of firmer, harder to compress EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Plates stiffen the forefoot area of the shoe. Shank stiffens the shoe under the arch and the middle area of the shoe.

Insole: It’s a removable insert that the foot sits on in the shoe

running shoe image 5

Upper: This is the material that encases the foot. It’s made from a soft, breathable material. The upper determines how the shoe fits and it has all the fancy looks and design.

The Upper comprises several parts :

➢Vamp and quarter panel

➢Toe box

➢Laces, Tongue, Eyelets, Eyestay, Overlays

➢Heel counter and Heel tab

running shoe image 6

shoe diagram image 6

While Selecting a Running Shoe you have to focus on the following aspects:

Road vs Trail vs Track: Road shoes should be more flexible and lightweight than the trail shoes which are sturdier and heavier. Track shoes are designed for traction and speed for various track surfaces.
Women’s shoes tend to be lighter with a softer midsole.
Foot Strike Pattern: How the foot initially contacts the ground – forefoot, midfoot or heel determines the area and level of cushioning that the runner may require.
Speed Work: Performance shoes for speed work are built lighter, narrower and lower to the ground than most running shoes. They tend to wear out faster than normal running shoes.
Injuries and Common Foot Problems: Injuries must be medically evaluated for shoe/orthotic prescription. Common foot problems like black toe, bunions, corns & calluses, ingrown toenails, etc. may find solutions in properly fitting shoes.
The degree of Pronation:

➢ Normal Pronation: It is the inward roll of the foot (about 15%) on landing

➢ Overpronation: It is the excessive inward roll of the foot (over 15%) on landing

➢ Under pronation: It is the insufficient inward roll of the foot

(less than 15%) upon landing.

running shoe image 7

Shoes are broadly classified as neutral, motion-control and

Stability/ support on the basis of the degree of pronation.

Tips for Fitting a Shoe:

Measure the size of the foot at the store as sizes differ between brands.
Shoes must be tried on both the feet
Feet swell after exercise or a run so it’s better to try on shoes when the feet are swollen.
Try the shoe with socks and orthotics that will be used.
The toe box should be roomy and shoes comfortable from the start.
Walk or preferably run on a firm surface with the shoes.

Finally, I would like to finish with the great lines of Hal Higdon – Finish: Even if you run slower than expected time, you succeed in any Marathon when you finish.

So keep running !!

September 25, 2017 By Parwage Alam 9 Comments

Avoid Stress: Lead a healthy and happy life!

Do you forever feel your shoulders are burdened with too many responsibilities? Do you feel endless demands towing at you from all directions? Do you feel your life is spinning out of control? It’s easy to feel stressed. But, regardless of your circumstances, only you can bring about a balance from within you and not form your surroundings?

Given the fast-paced lifestyle that all of us lead, we get hassled and irritated by the most inconsequential incidents that automatically lead the stress levels to go up. Come to think of it, there is no dearth for reasons for our stress levels to go up. But, does anyone really know how harmful stress is to our health?

Before understanding how harmful it is let’s first understand what is stress?

Stress is a normal part of life. It’s related to many events that happen to you and around you — and many things that you do yourself — put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. It is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and overwhelmed. And, stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

High levels of stress can cause biological imbalances in our body. Cortisol Hormone is the hormone that puts the body under stress. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands when an individual is under stress and affects one’s health in a negative manner. The most crucial effect is of one’s immune system and weight.

Stress also leads to excessive mood swings which can be categorized as Worry, Tension, Tiredness, Fright, Happiness, Depression, Anxiety and Anger all of which takes a toll on one’s health.

When stress overpowers, the body is flooded with chemicals that prepare to “fight or flight.” The Stress responses could be lifesaving at the time of emergency situation where our body needs to act quickly; it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stress of everyday life. Relaxation or meditation puts a break on this heightened state of readiness and brings your body and mind back into a calmer state.

Stress management can be a powerful tool for wellness and healthy living. Here are a few tips to de-stress yourself

1. Meditation

2. Deep Breathing

3. Be Alert

4. Relaxation

5. Laugh Out Loud

6. Listening to soft music

7. Strolling in the park

8. Chasing your hobbies

Apart from above options, try keeping a diary over a few weeks and list the time, places, and people that aggravate your stress levels. Once you are aware of your typical or regular stressors, you can always work on avoiding those.

Follow these options and life will automatically turn beautiful!

July 7, 2017 By Parwage Alam 9 Comments

Educating players to read Nutritional Labels

How many of us really read nutrition labels when we buy a food product?

Today, the market is full of fancy branded food products with fancier food labels that are very confusing and tricky to understand. To add to that, our busy schedule seldom allows us enough time to read, ponder and interpret the labels and figure what it means and how to use the products.

But, as people are getting more health conscious they have started checking out nutrition labels. Having said that, the food companies are no less and have gotten smarter than the consumers and have started choosing different ways to entice the consumers into buying products by making them believe that they are choosing healthy food. But, in reality, the consumers are just buying the same unhealthy food with fancy and attractive packaging.

Let me give you an example to explain the above better- It’s no secret that Bollywood and Cricket is a religion in this country. These stars are worshipped like a god. Probably one of the reasons why companies bring on board film stars and sports stars to endorse brands.

Stars endorse anything from perishable products like food and beverages to non-perishable items such as hair oils, cars and mobiles. The advantage of getting a film star or a sporting star on board is that they will prompt the consumers to buy the product. Anything recommended by our favourite star whether or not it’s required or beneficial to you, a consumer will buy the product only because it has been endorsed by the Star.

Take for instance beverages. Most of the Bollywood and Sports stars endorse them. The product is largely seeing sales thanks to these stars fan following.

Consumers here seldom have the habit of reading labels on food products whether be it for its expiry date or to understand its nutritious value. Therefore, the understanding of whether an aerated beverage is good for health or no is out of the question.

In reality, if one checks the label on the bottle, a half- litre aerated beverage bottle contains approximately 64gms of Sugar, which does no good for one’s health. Some adverse effects of Sugar include the rise in triglycerides, reduction in HDL (good cholesterol), suppressing your immune system, causing hyperactivity, anxiety, inability to concentrate and crankiness, especially in children.

Given the above example, you would realise how important it is for us to read the nutrition label on each product. As per my knowledge and the studies undertaken by me, here are a few tips I can safely recommend for packaged food and beverages.

Understanding food labels can help you make wise choices―if you know what to look for. Here’s a rundown of the most important elements.

# Do not get fooled by fancy packaging. Always check the facts on the Nutrition label and ingredient list

# Always check the first ingredient in the greatest amount (by weight) in a food product. So if the first ingredient is SUGAR, you can easily conclude if the product is good or bad for you.

# Always avoid products that contain artificial flavours, partially hydrogenated oil, Trans Fat, Salts, High Fructose Corn Syrup.

# Try to choose food with the less Ingredient list because long ingredient list may hide things that your body doesn’t need. In general, foods with shorter lists tend to be closer to nature (more wholesome with more natural ingredients).

# Among the grain products try to get the product which has at least 2 grammes of fibre per serving. Beware of “whole grain imposters”. Choose whole grains and fewer refined grains.

While the above might come across as being very restrictive ideally, it is not so. You do not have to give up on the food you like; all you need to do is make the right choices. Today, there are a number of options available in the market. Therefore, you need to take care and read the nutrition label carefully and select the right option, which is good for your health.