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How to fight against the common illnesses with natural remedies!  

home remedies for common illnesses

Common illnesses like cold and cough, fever, headaches can be even more common than we can think!  We have no practical solution for these illnesses other than popping over the counter (OTC) pills to suppress the symptoms and waiting for them to reoccur.

If that one pill doesn’t work, they pop up the second one and after the second one doesn’t work they end up in doctor’s cabin asking for some more medicines. Taking these medicines over and over again is simply abusing our bodies. Side effects of the medicines are no less which gives us a chance to try and change our approach.

Remember how our grandmothers resorted to old traditional home remedies for better health? Those remedies are now being used as a part of naturopathy treatment. Before reaching out to these over the counter pills, let’s try and combine our herbs, spices and right diet to fight these illnesses.

Let’s understand each common illnesses one by one:-

  • Common cold

I am sure each one of us has suffered from common cold and can completely relate to its symptoms. It is perhaps the most common illness in the world. There was a research where data was collated to find out maximum sick leave reason and the data revealed that common cold topped the charts. There is no permanent cure for common cold.

Well, I have seen people taking antibiotics for getting rid of common cold. Antibiotics can do nothing for a common cold. If you are prescribed one then you might as well ask your doctor to give you something else because antibiotics only work against infections caused by bacteria but common cold is caused by a virus.

There is no permanent cure for common cold. There are more than 200 strains of viruses and it is difficult for the body to build up immunity against every strain which is why you see common cold hitting you always!

Symptoms of a common cold:

  • A severe headache
  • A sore throat
  • Fever
  • Congestion
  • Watery eyes
  • A cough
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sneezing

How to prevent the common cold?

(i) Include antioxidant-rich foods in your diet

  • It is important to boost your immunity and Vitamin C can act as an excellent immune-boosting nutrient.
  • Include raw fruits and vegetables which has PRANIC energy in your diet.

(ii) Include Bioflavonoids rich foods in your diet

  • Bioflavonoids were once known as Vitamin P.
  • These compounds help in fighting against the common cold.
  • Lemon, sweet lime, chillies, green pepper, grapes are good sources of bioflavonoids.

Natural remedies to cure a common cold:

(i) Ingredients:

  • Lime juice
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Manuka or organic honey
  • Water

Method:

  • Dilute 2 tbsp of lime juice + Pinch of cayenne pepper + 1 tsp of manuka honey in a ½ cup of warm water.

Dosage:

  • Have it early morning on empty stomach to prevent cold.
  • Take this concoction 3 times a day before breakfast, lunch and dinner if you are suffering from cold.

(ii)  Ingredients:

  • Fresh ginger juice
  • Fresh garlic juice
  • Turmeric powder
  • Elaichi or Cardamom

    Method:

  • Brew 2 tbsp of fresh ginger juice + 1 tbsp of fresh garlic juice + pinch of turmeric powder + 2 elaichi (cardamom) pods in 200 ml of water
  • Boil this decoction and then simmer it for 2 minutes.
  • Strain the water and add 1 tsp of a mishri or khadi shaker, drink this decoction warm

  Dosage :

  • 3 times a day till cold and cough subsides

(2) Fever

In my opinion, fever is the most misunderstood common issue. Everybody has a different definition of fever. Whenever your body temperature crosses 98.6 F, chances of getting fever becomes high. Medically, temperature above 100.4 F is termed as fever.

What causes fever?

It is important for everyone to know what causes fever. Fever is actually a response to your body against foreign invaders.

What are these foreign invaders?

Virus

Bacteria

Fungi

Toxins

Drugs

These foreign invaders are considered to be pyrogens or fever-producing substances. These pyrogens trigger the brain to raise the body temperature so that the body can fight these foreign invaders.

I have seen people popping up pills with a slight rise in body temperature. I have given this explanation above so that people understand that what is this fever and why does it happen? Your immune system is very smart, it will manage things on its own for a while. Taking fever-reducing medicines means that you are interfering with your immune system’s work.

Usually, fever reduces in a day or two. If it doesn’t then please visit your healthcare practitioner before popping any pills. Fever can be a symptom of any disease.

Staying with fever is not a good idea, I understand. But, taking medicine for the same is a very bad idea. Try these natural remedies to reduce your fever, it will not interfere with your immune system and will give you some relief as well.

Ingredients:

  • Dill seeds (Suva seeds)
  • Peppercorns (Kali Mirch )
  • Kalonji
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Water

 Method:

  • Boil 1 tbsp of roasted dill seeds + 1 tsp of peppercorns powder + 1 tsp of Kalonji in 150 ml of water for about 6 mins. Let it stay warm for about 15 mins.
  • Strain this mixture and add a pinch of cinnamon powder
  • Drink this mixture warm
  • Repeat it till the body temperature reduces.

(3) A headache

This topic can be an article in itself. Discussing headache is a huge thing but to cut it short headaches have numerous causes and headaches are divided into 3 categories:

  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Other

Primary headaches include a migraine, stress, cold and cough induced headaches. Secondary headaches include headaches caused by structural problems in the body especially head and neck.

Here are some natural remedies to manage a headache:

  • Eat 5 black raisins + 1 tsp of sesame seeds twice a day. Keep chewing it and then drink lukewarm water
  • 1 glass of fresh tomato juice once a day
  • Soak your feet in Epsom salt and relax for a while. A headache will be drastically reduced.

Hope these tips help you in dealing with common illnesses!

Note: If your symptoms do not get better then please see your healthcare practitioner.

Opt for natural remedies to combat common illnesses, embracing the wisdom of traditional healing. From immune-boosting foods to age-old home remedies, prioritize your well-being the holistic way. Empower your health with these simple yet effective solutions. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Strength Training for Runners: A Comprehensive Guide

Strength training

Dear marathoners/runners, I am sure this blog is going to catch your attention! Do read the article, and I would be happy to answer your questions!

Well, not just runners though! Whether you are a runner or cyclist or if you plan any endurance sport, strength training becomes very important. Everybody wants to be good at the sport they play, so this article will help give you some insights about various topics with regard to strength training.

 In this blog, I shall take you through four main aspects namely

  • What is an endurance sport?
  • Why is strength training and its importance for an endurance sport?
  • If strength training is important, how much is too much or how much is ideal?
  • Which exercises should be included in strength training protocol?

All I knew was running is endurance. I knew of more examples but what exactly is endurance I couldn’t really get through. It’s over time that I learnt what endurance training means. Endurance training uses your aerobic system as opposed to your anaerobic system.

Aerobic system:- Body uses oxygen to produces energy

Anaerobic system:- Body does not use oxygen to produce energy

So why is strength training important for any endurance sport?

I come across runners who say, “I run 5k, 10k and 21k which takes a lot of energy, why should I put exact PRESSURE on my body?”

Here are 3 benefits of doing strength training from runners’ perspective!

  • Your pace will improve, you can run faster!

Your speed matters a lot when it comes to any marathons! What determines your speed?

  • Stride length
  • Stride Frequency

If you are a runner, it is important for you to know that stride length means how long is your step and stride frequency relates to how many steps you take per minute/second.

So the technical formula here is,

 Speed= Stride length x Stride frequency.

But, what does this have to do with strength training? Well, to improve your speed/pace you have to take longer strides and of course faster strides

How to take longer strides?

  • Forcing your legs to the ground.

How to put more force?

  • For this, your legs should be strong.

How to make your legs stronger?

  • By doing strength training.

 So, this shows that strength training is required to help runners run faster!

(2)  With Strength training, your endurance will get better!

“How can strength training make endurance better? Endurance training will make endurance better right?” Well, the answer is that strength training and endurance training both are required and helps in increasing the endurance but the mechanism used is different.

Let me take you through some technicalities but in a way, you will understand. Are you aware of maximal aerobic capacity? Maximal aerobic capacity means the maximum rate of inhaling oxygen by your body during any exercise. Maximal aerobic capacity is also called as VO2max.

Your VO2max is made up of 2 components: Central and peripheral

Central component= Heart

Peripheral component= Muscle

  VO2max = Q x (a – Vo2 difference)

Here is the complete breakup

Q is the Cardiac output

The cardiac output means how much blood your heart is able to pump per minute. This covers your central component

(a – Vo2 difference) where a is arteries and v is veins and this means that the difference between the oxygen in your arteries and veins.

Smaller the difference, more the endurance!

In simple words, it is the ability of your body to extract the oxygen from the blood. This covers your peripheral component

The reason why I have discussed this in depth is, because endurance training works on the central component which is the heart but the peripheral component which are the muscles is ignored. To get the maximum endurance it is important for your peripheral component to be strong and strength training here helps. High repetitions (reps) helps in pumping your peripheral component.

Hence, to improve your endurance you should do strength training.

(3) Strength training helps reduce injury risks!

Runners, I am sure you can relate to this! More kms to run, more risk of injuries! When I say injuries here I am talking about overuse injuries.

What is overuse injuries?

  • Your muscles, tendons and bones have a restriction to work.
  • When you cross that restriction, you tend to injure your muscles, tendons and bones.
  • Then post injury either you take a break from your routine or you do some other exercises.

Once the injury is done, we cannot do much about it but as the old adage goes – ‘Prevention is better than cure! Strength training helps in increasing the tolerance of your tissues to work which reduces the risk of overuse injuries and helps you train better

If strength training is important, how much is too much or how much is ideal?

There are 3 main points here which everyone should understand. Strength training of runners completely depends upon,

  • Distance
  • The phase of training (current phases and upcoming phases)
  • Goal

 (1) Distance

  • Greater the distance to be covered, shorter is the strength training requirement.
  • For e.g., if you are running for 5k you need to do more strength training then someone who runs a 21k.
  • Goal strength training of a runner and the adaptability of the stress is completely different from all the other sports/events
  • A 5K runner needs about 65% of endurance training and 35% of strength training and for a runner who is planning to run 21k needs about 80% of endurance training and 20% of strength training.

Just because the proportion of strength training is less, it does not mean that we can skip it. As discussed above, strength training is equally important too.

(2) Phase of training (current phases and upcoming phases)

  • Training phase depends on your competition date
  • For example, your endurance training is lesser when your competition is about 3 months away which is the perfect time to concentrate on strength training.
  • Closer the competition, higher is the endurance training.

For example,

When competition is far away then do 2-4 sets 2-3 times per week

When competition is near then do 1-2 sets 1-2 times per week

Variations in between are always accepted.

(3) Goal

Every runner has a period where there are no marathons. This is called as “off-season”. You might be running very little so this gives you a chance to recover the lost muscle during the endurance period.

Most people are of the notion that strength training is only done to gain muscle mass or get those big biceps, chest and arms but that’s not true. I have mentioned above that strength training for everyone depends upon the goal they want to achieve.

Runners might be thinking that strength training will make them gain weight which will make it difficult for them to run but that’s not true at all. Protocol for runners’ strength training only depends upon their goal and not a generic plan which is followed.

When I talk about a goal for runners, during their off-season phase strength training can be done 3-4 times per week. Whenever the competition period comes near, strength training can be done 1-2 times per week and strength training will only be used to minimize muscle loss.

During endurance training, muscle loss is bound to happen but when you strength train the muscle loss will be reduced. The focus of adding strength training is, to only slow down the process of muscle loss or maintain muscle during the competition phase.

How does this muscle loss happen?

As I mentioned, your body has limited capacity to adapt to things. Either it can be endurance training or strength training. For an endurance athlete, adapting to endurance training is more important than strength training but a blend of both of these is important. Cardio and strength training are 2 opposite goals. While in cardio you burn muscles, strength training helps in building muscles. More endurance means more muscle loss, strength training helps in maintaining those muscles

Finally, which exercises should be included in strength training protocol?

I have been with athletes for a year now where I have seen that maximum of my athletes don’t train their legs or they avoid doing them. They often tell me that running in itself is a good exercise for legs so why should we add additional training?

Well, most of the runners have them but that’s not true. Runners have good endurance in their legs but that doesn’t mean that they are strong.

We have covered a lot of endurance and strength training. Now let me come to exercises that are important. Runners you don’t need to do lots of exercises but few major ones are important.

Focus on these lower body exercises first-

  • Level 1 Squats
  • Level 2 Lunges
  • Level 3 can be with deadlifts

Just as lower body exercises are a must, upper body exercises are also a must and should not be ignored. Well, your upper body counter-balances your lower body.

I am not sure if anybody has noticed but when you move your right leg ahead, your left arm goes ahead. If your upper body is not having enough strength then it can reduce the lower body force to coordinate with your upper body. Your lower body is definitely stronger than your upper body but if the imbalance increases, the performance of runners can be affected.

Focus on these upper body exercises first,

  • Level 1 pushups
  • Level 2 pull-ups
  • Head press

We hope this comprehensive guide empowers you to enhance your running performance through effective strength training. Share your thoughts or ask your questions in the comments below. For personalised guidance, speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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All that a women needs to know about – MENOPAUSE!

Menopause simply means marking the end of a female’s reproductive period. This is something women experience as they age. It does not occur overnight! It is a gradual process.

This gradual process is usually known as Perimenopausal phase which is a completely different transition for every woman. It is a very challenging phase for every woman, a woman might get irritated, and mood swings are the most common thing! Emotional breakdowns also occur. Earlier, the ideal age for menopause was around 45-50 years but, if a woman has attained early puberty, menopause occurs early too!

  • Menopause comes with many complications and the most common complication is osteoporosis and heart disease.
  • The bone mineral density gradually goes down during menopausal transition which may result in osteoporosis however, these symptoms vary in different women.
  • Hot flashes occur very frequently.
  • The entire menopause is divided into 3 phases which are Perimenopause, Menopause and Post Menopause.
  • Out of these 3 phases, Perimenopause phase which can also be called as “time around menopause” lasts for the maximum time which involves all symptoms.
  • Menopause and post menopause phase lasts for a shorter period.
  • Apart from hot flashes and mood swings, women in menopausal stage also face excess stress, tiredness, fatigue and sometimes vaginal itchiness and drying.
  • The main sign of menopause is irregular vaginal bleeding.
  • Menopause is a part of every woman’s life and it is not a disease which can be treated. However, menopause can be managed and tackled if handled properly.
  • Nutrition and physical exercise plays a key role in managing the menopausal symptoms

FOODS which help managing Menopausal Symptoms:-

(1) Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet

(2) Eat more beans

(3) Eat more of good fats and Omega 3 rich foods such as avocado, fish-Salmon, walnuts flaxseeds etc rather than saturated fatty acids.

(4) Consume good beverages; avoid consuming carbonated beverages and caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic which puts load on kidneys to remove more amount of water than required which results in dehydration. Focus more on herbal teas which helps in relieving hot flashes.

(5) Balance your meals: – heavy breakfast, moderate lunch and light dinner should always

(6) Consume more of calcium containing foods as this mineral is very important for women after the age of 30. Adequate amount of calcium in diet decreases the risk of osteoporosis. Some of the natural foods high in Calcium are dairy products, ragi, sesame seeds etc

(7) Say no to high fat and high sugar foods!

(8) Add functional foods to your diet such as flaxseeds which is a super food! Raw Flaxseed should be ground and 1 tsp should be had and drink a glass of water over it.

(9) Exercise! It is a key to life a healthy life! 30 minutes of walk also acts as a stress buster!

Ladies out there at this stage of your life take care of yourself.

As you navigate through the various phases of menopause, may this article serve as a valuable guide to support your well-being. For more insightful articles on Women’s Health, explore here. If you seek further information or personalised guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our certified experts. Subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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How much strength training you should do?

strength training

In my previous article, I mentioned about how much cardio you should do? In that article, I have mentioned about 3 components of exercise: –

Cardio

Strength training

Flexibility

So, after writing about cardio exercises and how much one should be doing it, the next logical question which comes to the mind is how much strength training you should do?

When we talk about cardio, it becomes a bit easy to answer the question HOW MUCH? Because we can measure it in time but when we apply this question to strength training it becomes a bit tricky.

When people exercise, not everyone does it in the same way. Some people who exercise for 25 minutes are actually working out more than someone who does it for an hour.

When someone tells me that they exercise for 1.5 hours in the gym, my next question to them is – how can you do that?

So, this 1.5 hours includes 30 minutes of the workout, 15 minutes of phone checking session, 10 minutes of MIRROR SELFIES, 10 minutes of water break and some talks here and there.

This isn’t 1.5 hours of gym.

So, if I answer the question saying you can do strength training for 1 hour that won’t be fair.

When we talk about strength training in sports science,

How much? Means total volume per session.

How is this total volume per session calculated?

Number of sets x Number of repetitions x Weight in pounds

For example: –

Number of sets = 3

Number of repetitions= 10

Weight (60kg) = 132 pounds

Let’s put these values in the formula mentioned above: –

3x10x132 = 3960 pounds (1796 kg)

This means that the answer for how much strength training you should do?

Is 1796 kg for that particular workout?

I know, this was extremely technical for you and I don’t even want you to understand that because except the trainer, nobody actually even thinks about it.

So, my whole point is, do not quantify exercises in the terms HOW MUCH. The answer could be as tricky as the example mentioned above!

You should always focus on the following points when you talk about strength training exercises.

(1) What is your goal?

  • Same way as the cardio works, strength training to depends upon your goal. For a person who has to make a record in activities which needs strength will have a different goal as compared to a one who has to run a marathon.

Please note: – Everybody requires all the 3 components of the exercise as mentioned in my previous article and also mentioned in the first paragraph. All the components have to be modified based on the GOAL of the individual.

I don’t want my readers to get bored with these scientific basics so I have tried to put some generic numbers depending upon different goals but it may vary from person to person.

GOAL How many times a week? How many exercises? How many sets? How many reps?
Endurance athlete in sports season  Once 10-12 1-2 3-5
Endurance athlete not in sports season Twice 4-10 2-4 5-15
Fat loss Thrice 3-8 3-7 6-20
Muscle gain 4-5 times 4-8 3-10 3-12
Bone-strengthening 3-4 times 3-7 3-8 5-12
Strength training 3-12 times (2 times a day might also be needed) 2-6 3-10 1-5

 

(2) What is your level?

  • You are a beginner if you have never done any strength training exercises.
  • You are a beginner if you are resuming your strength training exercises after a gap of 6-7 months.
  • You are a beginner if you are doing exercises regularly but yet not reached your desired results (which also means that you are not working out properly)
  • You can do advanced strength training exercises only after 6 months of proper form.

(3) What is your intensity?

  • Higher intensity, less frequency helps you a lot if you are planning to lose weight.
  • Higher intensity strength training exercises less frequently can give you better results than lower intensity strength training exercises every day.

(4) What is your body’s response?

  • This is perhaps the most important part when you exercise. It all depends upon your body’s response. It depends on your age, metabolism.
  • For someone who is exactly same like you, working out like you will have different results as compared to you.
  • All you should do is continue on the right path, trust your body and everything will fall into place.

I always tell,

“Workout for fitness and good health, weight loss will come as a gift to you”

I will soon be out with different strength training exercises for different levels

If you found these insights on strength training valuable and have more questions or thoughts to share, feel free to drop a comment below! For a deeper dive into optimising your fitness journey, explore further articles on Healthy Reads. For personalised guidance on optimizing your health, consider subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

Your path to strength and fitness is unique – let’s make it extraordinary!

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