Swati Savla, Author at GOQii

February 4, 2021 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

5 Healthy Winter Vegetables For A Healthier You!

The chilly winters are here. This season brings us the most colorful fruits and vegetables in the market. All of them are rich in a variety of nutrients and flavors. The major reason for increasing our intake of this fresh produce is to build our immunity against the flu and cold viruses as well as stock our body with enough nutrients to last a few months post winter as well! Here’s my list of the 5 must have healthy winter vegetables!

Must Have Healthy Winter Vegetables

1. Mustard Greens
The famous ‘sarson ka saag’ is our go-to-immunity winter dish. Ever thought why? This low calorie, high fiber leafy green is also an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, folic acid and minerals like calcium, carotenes, manganese, copper, magnesium, protein, potassium, and iron. This wide variety of Vitamins and Minerals perform many essential functions like blood clotting which makes it heart healthy, improving bone health and thus, reducing the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis. It also improves eyesight. The folic acid content is at par with levels needed for a healthy pregnancy and menopause. Last but not the least, the high fiber aids good bowel movements, easing hemorrhoids and constipation. Some other leafy greens like spinach and methi are also at their best in this season.

2. Carrots
This crunchy powerfood, especially the red variety available during winter, contains a good amount of vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin A, B2, B3, C, D, E and K. We all know about it’s benefits for a good eyesight and healthy skin because of it’s beta carotene. Little do we know that it contains high amounts of Lycopene, an antioxidant which helps prevent cancer, diabetes and heart diseases. Eating raw carrots or drinking carrot juice can help regularise blood flow, provide relief from pain and make you feel less fatigued during menstruation days owing to the carotene and iron content – making it a must have healthy winter vegetable.

3. White Radish
Do you enjoy relishing hot Mooli ke Parathe in winter? Then you’re definitely benefitting from the vitamins A, B6, C & E and minerals like potassium, phosphorus and zinc present in White Radish. This entire range of Vitamins and minerals gives our whole body an immunity boost. It has shown to have anti-congestive properties, which clear mucus from the throat and respiratory tract due to the common cold and cough in this season. The combination of phosphorus and zinc, helps get rid of dryness, acne and rashes on the skin and the high water content of radish keeps you well hydrated. Don’t forget to use the green leaves of this root vegetable to perk up the health benefits!

4. Beetroot
This vibrant and colorful veggie contains essential nutrients like folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Plus, they’re one of the most delicious, healthy winter vegetables out there! The red color which indicates the high iron content which helps in improving the total blood count and the Vit.C boosts immunity and improves our WBC’s.

Very importantly, Betaine present in beets can protect the liver from inflammation and damage caused by toxins and chronic alcohol consumption. It helps break down fatty acids in the liver and may help in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. To add to it, they’re completely safe for consumption by diabetics as well! Puzzled? Well, yes. The Glycemic Index of beets is of medium range (61) but the glycemic load they provide is only 5. Which means although they release blood sugar levels slightly fast after consumption, the total carbs present in them are comparatively very low.

5. Sweet Potato
Winter comes and you get to see hand carts on the streets filled with this excellent and inexpensive food item. These orange-hued delights are loaded with twice the fiber when compared to other types of potatoes. B6 content in it reduces homocysteine which has been linked to heart attacks. Vit.C and antioxidants protect us from flu viruses and common colds. They also aid in the formation of blood cells. Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of Magnesium, essential for blood pressure regulation and nerve relaxation which in turn helps reduce stress. Plus, since they’re fairly low on the glycemic index, they’re beneficial for diabetics and also great for filling up without getting weighed down.

We hope these healthy winter vegetables help you level up your health and build immunity during this season! For more on nutrition and winter, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce

January 27, 2021 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

Nutrition Guidelines For Seniors During Winter

Maintaining immunity during winter is imperative, especially for seniors. It’s quite crucial to take care of their nutritional needs as they face the greatest risk of cold and flu viruses and issues like joint pain, hypothermia (which may also lead to stroke or heart attack), dry skin, aggravation of asthmatic attacks or respiratory problems. With this pandemic, seasonal challenges are all the more exacerbated. So, let’s look at some nutrition guidelines for seniors during winter!

Nutrition Guidelines For Seniors

Some daily dietary nourishment tips that can help seniors tackle common winter problems include:

Omega 3 fatty acids: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and avocado are some excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial in reducing inflammation especially in arthritis, curbing heart disease and they also play a role in cognitive development in elderly.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables like all the leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, root vegetables like beetroot, carrots and sweet potatoes. All of these are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber which help easing the bowels.
Winters mean less exposure to the sun which may be a reason for Vit.D deficiency and impaired calcium absorption which affects bone health further. Hence, Vit.D fortified cereals, egg yolk, milk and milk products need to be a part of the diet regularly.
The cold climate leads to less water intake due to the urge to urinate frequently which can act as a hindrance to our elders to maintain optimal fluid intake. Inclusion of warm soups, decaffeinated beverages, warm milk, vegetable juices, citrus fruits and gourd vegetables help them in maintaining the hydration status. A well hydrated body aids good digestion, helps in transport of nutrients and also improves the performance of joints and muscles.
Habituate elders to have 5-6 small but frequent meals. It is essential for improving metabolism, regulating insulin levels and improving calorie intake in older individuals who face a diminished appetite.

Apart from good nutrition, maintaining some basic physical activity within the vicinity of the house is equally important to reduce joint pains and muscle stiffness by improving blood flow to all parts of the body and aiding better digestion and good metabolism.

We hope these nutrition guidelines for seniors during winter helps you take care of the elderly in your family and around you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy living for senior citizens, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by our experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

November 16, 2020 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

Cardio For Weight Loss: High Intensity vs Low Intensity

We are well aware that Cardio is the best form of exercise to achieve any kind of weight or fat loss. But to understand the intensity required to achieve this, is still a little unclear. While researching, I kept coming back to the same question, what’s better – high-intensity or low-intensity training? There’s just way too much information trying to sway readers without considering their individual goals and needs.

Don’t worry! We’ve put together a few things you should know about in this article. It will give you a better idea of what low-intensity and high-intensity cardio training mean and will also help you decide which one you should go for!

Low Intensity Cardio

This workout encompasses consistent movements anywhere between 30-60 mins. It includes walking, cycling, swimming, light jogging, etc. The intensity is approx 40-60% of your maximum heart rate (your maximum heart rate = 220 – your age).

Benefits:

Consistent movements help maintain a steady heart rate (one can talk while doing any of these exercises)
You use more oxygen in these kind of exercises (hence fat is used as energy source)
Helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by promoting good blood circulation
Reduces hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels) in people with diabetes
Builds muscular endurance

Disadvantages:

Due to the principle of adaptation, the body quickly adapts to become more aerobically efficient. So only doing low intensity training can eventually become counterproductive to your goals, especially if one of your goals is long-term fat loss or when you hit a plateau.
To keep up with the body’s quick aerobic adaptation process, a person would need to continually run for longer and longer distances and durations just to burn the same amount of calories they did when they first started.

High Intensity Workouts

These workouts include quick, intense exercise bouts and short rest periods. Ranging from 4-30 minutes max. These types of workouts include a combination of sprints, burpees, squats, jumping jacks, pushups and an endless variety of other drills using only body weight or sometimes equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells. The intensity varies from 70-90% of maximum heart rate with 60-65% max heart rate in rest periods.

Benefits:

No equipment or gym needed as it can be done anywhere (great for frequent travelers)
Helps build muscle mass
Time efficient: energy is burned more quickly and even after exercise
Anaerobic exercise, since there is no time for oxygen consumption, the body burns more carbs
Because of the oxygen debt created, the body consumes extra oxygen post workout (EPOC- excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and hence, continues burning fat post workout as well. So it has the dual benefit of carb and fat burning.

Disadvantages:

The body requires a day or two post HIIT for recovery, so this form of workout cannot be done daily.
It is physically intense! They are also harsh on your joints due to the high impact forces created in exercises like Burpees or Squat Jumps. So, if you’re just starting your fitness journey or have weak joints, HIIT cardio may not be the best place to start.

Which One Should You Choose?

It depends on you, your current level of fitness, your preferences and goals. Low-intensity is a great place to start if you have not worked out for a long time or are recovering from an injury. But if you already have experience and want to switch things up, lose some weight quickly or finally achieve your goal of going faster or further, give intervals a try. Don’t forget to be mindful of your body. Take breaks when you need to, don’t overtrain. Your body needs to rest, heal and progress!

We hope this article on cardio for weight loss helps you achieve your goals! To learn more, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

Stay active and #BeTheForce

September 15, 2020 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

Top 5 Foods To Help You Fight Allergies Naturally

Allergies can be best explained as an exaggerated response of our immune system. The trigger point could be anything as harmless as particles of dust, pollens, some foods or even cosmetic products which cause symptoms like sneezing, itchy throat, itchiness/rashes on skin or redness of the eyes, etc.

With the onset of an allergic reaction, we typically resort to taking a corticosteroid (anti-inflammatory) or an Antihistamine (the chemical causing the inflammation), but these anti-allergy medicines have some long term down-side effects. So why not think about including certain specific foods which will help us build immunity and manage these allergy symptoms as well?

5 Foods To Help You Fight Allergies

Star Anise: Among spices, it contains the highest amount of Vit. C and E which are strong antioxidants, essential for reducing inflammation and improving immunity.Polyphenols present in Star anise possess anti inflammatory properties. They work as a natural decongestant. Flavonoids like Quercetin and Shikimic acid in this spice help in increasing immune cells. Thus, adding 1-2 star anise in a cup of hot tea or bowl of soup will kick out your allergy symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat or congestion. These reasons also contribute to the importance of Star Anise as a part of many medications to treat flu and infections as well.
Pineapple: This seasonal fruit is a powerhouse of many Vitamins and minerals mainly Vitamin C, manganese and an enzyme called Bromelain. Bromelain has anti-inflammatory properties, which is beneficial to people with asthma or other allergic airway diseases. It’s also effective in alleviation of swelling and congestion associated with chronic Sinusitis. Manganese plays an important role in enzymatic reactions which help break down Histamine, thus controlling immune responses.
Red Onions: have the highest Quercetin levels among all fruits and vegetables even when compared to white onions, which are relatively lower in value. Quercetin is a natural bioflavonoid which stabilizes mast cells (specialized immune cells) to keep them from releasing histamine. It helps in suppression of inflammatory mediators in allergies, asthma, sinusitis and bronchitis.
Almonds: They are rich sources of Magnesium. Magnesium works as a Bronchodilator, as it has a calming effect on the bronchial tubes, which gives allergy relief. It also helps control levels of histamine in the blood. Almonds also contain Vit. E which have antioxidant properties, thus reducing inflammation. Albeit, avoid almonds if you are allergic to nuts.
Probiotics: Allergies are the result of an imbalance in the immune system. Probiotics modify the intestinal flora in the gut, support the immune system and can alter the natural course of an allergy. This is an umbrella of foods ranging from curd/yoghurt, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sauerkraut to Kefir. Include any one of them in your regular meals for optimum effects.

We hope this article helps you fight allergies naturally with food. Before trying any of these, do consult with your doctor. For more topics on combating allergies, check out LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. Subscribe now!

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