Coronavirus Archives - Page 8 of 12

April 27, 2021 By Sunita Arora 1 Comment

How To Survive The Heat With A Mask On

With the pandemic gripping the whole world, every small step we take towards prevention is an essential one. Wearing a mask is one such effective way of halting the pandemic. When a healthy person wears a mask, it acts as a wall of defence against the virus that is floating in the air. On the other hand, it’s not very comfortable and gives some people rashes too. In the hot summer weather, due to wearing a mask, moisture gets built up under a mask, which irritates the skin. However, it may be less common for people who are wearing cloth masks compared to healthcare workers wearing less-breathable surgical or N95 masks. Just to help in this extreme weather, I am sharing some ways to survive the heat with a mask on.

Surviving the Heat With a Mask On

Choose the right fabric: Masks are made out of using a lot of different material, so If you want to be comfortable wearing a mask during summer, make sure it’s something that feels soft against your skin. Always go for lighter, soft, breathable cotton material, which can help you to avoid chafing, heat rashes, keep your face cooler and absorb sweat when you wear them.
Try a mask made with Bamboo material: As it absorbs 3 times the amount of water as cotton, ideal for people who sweat often on the face. Secondly, while engaging in physical activity, a face-covering made of bamboo fabric may be a smart choice. Although, they are slightly more costly as compared to cotton masks.
Masking up without makeup: Makeup is very irritating under some kind of covering. It clogs the pores and contributes to acne breakouts and rashes on the face. As per skin experts, a bit of moisturizer is fine (preferably with some SPF), if you plan to go out in the daytime.
Keep a spare mask: On increasingly hot and humid days, pack multiple masks because when you’re outside with the mask on, that mask has a limited lifespan. Changing masks is the better remedy if you feel your mask is getting icky and sticky. Just make sure that you follow all safety guidelines when changing outside, avoid the crowded areas, prefer changing inside and sanitize the hands before swapping your mask.
Time management: It’s better to avoid going out during the hottest parts of the day. Try to stay at home if possible but If you feel it’s necessary to go out for some important errand then stay well hydrated, carry an umbrella to safeguard your face from the heat and direct sunlight, take frequent breaks in the shade.
Check the fit always: Your mask should be somewhat snug on your face but shouldn’t be so tight that it’s uncomfortable or difficult to breathe through. So, use the mask which always has adjustable ties, which would be probably much better as every face shape is different. Adjustable ties have the potential for a more comfortable fit.
Avoid dark colour masks: To avoid overheating in the hot sun, lighter coloured masks are also a better choice. This is because ultraviolet rays from the sun are easily absorbed by materials made using darker colours, which will cause them to heat up faster.
Use clean masks: The best way to prevent germs from lingering between uses is to wash the mask after each use in hot water and dry it on high heat. If needed, masks can also be ironed as an additional way to kill germs.

We hope this article helps you survive this ungodly heatwave with a mask on. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Ensure that you stay safe. Your best bet to beat the pandemic is to follow the WHO guidelines.

For more summer health tips and tricks, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

October 26, 2020 By Neha Goyal Leave a Comment

Should You Avoid Going To The Gym?

With India slowly unlocking, all the public places which were high risk areas are slowly opening. With some ease in restrictions in many parts of the country, local gyms and yoga centers are reopening gradually. Despite this, we can’t overlook the fact that India is still in the top 5 affected countries. This begs the question if it is safe to go to the gym or avoid it completely!

Why Do You Feel Like Going To The Gym?

Physical activity or exercise is a very crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. Everyone who wants to stay healthy understands its importance as well as how hard it is to stay motivated and not miss our daily workout. Gym & fitness classes don’t just provide us personalized instruction to help achieve our fitness goals but they also give a sense of community & support. Considering the current situation, we cannot deny the fact that they are also crowded, where risk of infection is much higher due to a lot of surface area that people commonly come in contact with.

Have You Tried Joining the New Fitness Revolution?

They say where there is a will, there is a way and the same applies to keeping fit as well. People are now turning to fitness apps and workout videos to stay fit. Exercising at home has become the new normal. Besides, studies have shown that it’s better to workout in open and natural spaces than poorly ventilated and crowded places. But, if you’ve been regular at the gym for a few years, you might be missing the discipline and support it provides. It’s natural to feel the urge to hit the gym as soon as it opens.

Things To Consider Before Rushing To The Gym Again

While it’s natural to have an increased urge to go back to your pre-pandemic fitness regime, you still need to ensure that the risk of infection is minimized. So consider these points to stay safe:

Check if the strength of group fitness sessions is low so maintaining distance is possible.
Check if gym staff is sanitizing the equipment often and between the sessions.
Ask if they are checking temperatures of staff & members before entering.
Avoid gyms which do not have enough ventilation, or are located in the basement.
Carry your own sanitizer, towels, mask, water bottle, yoga mats, etc. every time you visit.
Do not share any of the above things with anybody.
Stay home if you are not feeling well.
Avoid going if there is a surge of infections around the locality.

With so many things to consider before going to the gym, what’s your take? Let us know in the comments below!

If you’re still unsure, consider working out at home till things change for the better. Moreover, you can download the GOQii App and workout with our fitness experts online on GOQii Play. If you’re looking for home workouts or more information on fitness and an active lifestyle, check out Healthy Reads.

If you will be heading out to the gym, then #KeepAWatch on your health with the GOQii Smart Vital that comes with 18 exercise modes to help you get the most out of your workout. It also helps you track your body temperature, blood oxygen (SpO2), heart rate and blood pressure – all of which can help you detect infections at an early stage.

Stay safe and #BeTheForce

June 5, 2020 By Madhu Soni Leave a Comment

9 Things To Do Once Lockdown Ends

Slowly and gradually, the lockdown will be lifted in phases in the green zones, but this surely doesn’t mean that the pandemic is over. By now, most of us might be ready with a list of things to do the day this lockdown ceases. Before you jump into action again take a look at the things to keep in mind.

Thing To Keep In Mind Once Lockdown Ends

Sanitization: A simple and effective way to stay away from this life threatening virus is to wash hands thoroughly. Carry a bottle of sanitizer with you while stepping out of the house in case you have touched anything suspicious you can immediately sanitize. So let’s continue with this habit which we have cultivated during this lockdown.
Mask is here to stay: Wearing a mask while going out has to be followed as this can prevent us from coming in contact with respiratory droplets of an asymptomatic COVID positive person. Use of gloves is also recommended in cases of coming in contact with people like going to market places or using the local transport.
Socializing: After almost three months of staying indoors, there will be an immense urge to meet family and friends specially those who were tested positive, but hold on for a few more days as lockdown relaxation doesn’t mean the virus has extinguished. Venture out only for important work. Choose to work from home if possible.
Overindulgence: Restaurants and food joints will gradually be back in business. Online food apps will be functional soon but do not pounce on all that fancy food for obvious reasons. This lockdown has taught us that simple home cooked food can be nutritious as well as delicious!
Don’t Ditch Exercise: Necessity is the mother of all invention! This lockdown taught us some great ways to stay healthy, happy and be occupied. Be it yoga, strength training, walking exercises, fun exercise with kids or even 5k and 10k runs at home have contributed immensely in building up our immunity..
Don’t Overwork: Major section of people have been jobless during this period. Fear of uncertainty and decline in vitamin M [money] encourages people to jump back to work. But draw a clear line between work and overwork. Remember overload can make you more susceptible to this virus and hospitalization can drain all your savings.
Do not Compromise Sleep: Time and again, this vital component of health has been ignored. Good sleep cycle during these two months does make up for all those sleep deprived nights! Sound and deep sleep is a ritual which needs to follow every day.
Don’t Stop Immunity Boosting Food: While we take pride in the fact of strong immunity, let’s not ditch it once the lockdown ceases. Vitamin C rich foods, herbal kada, zinc rich food are the secret of strong immunity. They have to be a part of our daily intake. Once the lockdown has been lifted, it is all the more important to have a stronger immune system
Maintain Bonds: This pandemic has forced us with quantitative family time. Bonding with family members has helped us sail through this rough weather and will continue in the future too. Healthy bonding at home is like a strong backbone which keeps us in the pink of health because being healthy outside begins by being healthy inside.

Most importantly, don’t forget to support local businesses. You can also check out the GOQii Health Store within the app. We hope you will consider these suggestions once lockdown ends and life goes back to the way it was. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on immunity, health, fitness and wellness, check out Healthy Reads within the app or tune in to GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

May 19, 2020 By Soni Thakur 8 Comments

Tips To Stay Hydrated During Lockdown

Water is a super nutrient, easily available and the cheapest metabolic booster. Despite all its perks, it is the most neglected. Our body contains up to 60% of water, the heart and brain are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water and you think having just a few glasses of water is enough to hydrate cells and for optimal functioning of these vital organs of our body? It is not. But before we get to how you can stay hydrated during lockdown, let’s look at the dehydration checklist.

Dehydration Checklist

Persistent headache
Dry skin and lips
Decreased/Increased thirst
Muscle cramps
Urine is dark yellow in colour

As there are limited resources available due to lockdown, we are blessed to get an adequate supply of water. Take advantage of this and rehydrate yourself now.

Top 5 Ways to Stay Hydrated During Lockdown

Keep a water bottle handy: Always ensure to keep a reusable water bottle by your side at home, on your work desk or while performing any physical activity at home to replenish lost water.
Intensify its taste: If normal water doesn’t work for you, you can add a twist of lemon, pinch of black salt, mint, chat masala and sip it. You can also add fruits or fennel seeds to your water and leave them overnight.
Eat your water: Yes! You can eat your water by consuming foods with high water content like watermelon, cucumber, cabbage, oranges, spinach, strawberries, pineapple etc.
Track your water intake: Set reminders for every one hour to encourage you to drink water. You can also log your water intake and set reminders via the GOQii app.
Drink more of homemade fresh vegetable/fruit juice and soups. This will also add more nutritional benefits along with ensuring optimum water intake.

Benefits of Staying Hydrated

Water regulates our body’s temperature.
Water acts as natural appetite suppressant so it should be a go to drink for weight watchers.
When the body’s cells are dehydrated, the pituitary gland secretes vasopressin, a chemical that causes constriction of the blood vessels which increases blood pressure. So, drinking enough water can maintain and prevent us from hypertension.
Water acts as a lubricant and cushions our joints and spinal cord.
It removes toxins from our body and boosts energy. So grab a glass of water instead of sugar added juice after an exhausting schedule or day to boost energy levels.
Prevents constipation, reduces risk of cancer along with preventing kidney damage.

We hope this article convinces you to watch your water intake and stay hydrated during lockdown! For more lockdown tips, tune in to experts on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, stay hydrated and #BeTheForce