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Holiday Health Tips: It’s All In The Chew!

chew your food

It’s precisely between this week and January 1st when people tend to put on most of their weight. There are two reasons for this. The crazy festive season filled with weddings and parties and then Christmas, New Year Eve and the fact that people tend to let loose during this time, with the justification that they will start anew with  ‘healthy new year resolutions’ from January onwards.

  • What if I told, you could enjoy this season and it would not impact your weight?
  • What if I told you that snacking on a cookie or dessert here or there would not impact your weight goals?
  • What if I told you that you could eat rice / Roti / Bread at lunch and dinner, and it would not impact your weight or health?
  • What if you could enjoy this festive season, have loads of fun, eat your favourite foods and still maintain your health and weight?

The human body is a miracle and we are living examples of this miracle. The way our brain and body functions, blood flow, smell, feelings, emotions, the ability to recover from the deadliest of diseases, and the ability of our cells to heal and repair. Every day, trillions of cells in our body work non-stop to fight out germs and bacteria all around us, which if infects us, we could fall very sick and even die. That miracle is called ‘ immunity’.

Our stomach produces sufficient acid to melt down a razor blade. Such is the power of our digestive system. So what’s an ice- cream or a chocolate bar or a cookie going to do when it finds its way into our stomachs? Our body is made to digest the hardest of foods. Red meat is tough to digest but the body will break it down. Vegetarians don’t escape either. Cellulose in vegetables are extremely difficult to break down, but the body breaks it down eventually (this is one reason that vegetarians suffer from more flatulence than non vegetarians).

The body can break down meats and vegetables and that dessert. The secret lies in the ‘chew’.  The reason food tastes so good is because you’re supposed to enjoy it—slow down and savor it, not just get it to your stomach as quickly as possible.

How Does Chewing Thoroughly Help? 

Chewing your food thoroughly is actually the first step in the complex process of digestion, and if you glaze over it, just chewing the minimum amount of times necessary to get the food down your esophagus, you’re actually compromising this process. And that’s the mistake many people make.

We have teeth not just to smile or picture pretty. The primary function of teeth is to tear down and break up food into small bits. Saliva mixes with these small bits, further softening them, and guess what?

Let me get down to some basics!

Why Should You Chew Your Food Thoroughly? 

When you chew, more saliva gets produced and your saliva contains enzymes that break down FATS and CARBS. Yes!!! Digestion starts in the MOUTH! By the time your food reaches your stomach, it’s already processed by enzymes and your stomach has no issues in completing the assimilation/digestion process.

  • You feel light
  • You feel full for a longer period of time.
  • You do away with flatulence, gas, indigestion, burping.
  • You learn to savour and enjoy the taste of your food.
  • Your body absorbs all the goodness of your food (vitamins, minerals) better.
  • You eat exactly how much your body needs, to you maintain or arrive at a healthy weight

Imagine all the times you gobble down your food. You have undigested chunks sitting in your stomach, giving rise to gas, discomfort and chances are that most of your food gets converted to fat.

Chew your food. Enjoy a dessert but eat it slow, savour it and over time, you will learn not to abuse it. The more you chew your food, the cleaner you keep your intestines, stomach and colon because the body can quickly cleanse itself when digestion happens the right way.

Say bye to constipation, fatigue and migraines/headaches.

Try this exercise today:

The next meal, eat it really slow. Take a spoon of food, chew it several times, savour the flavour and taste, and then swallow. Put your spoon down.

Then take the next. You will find yourself getting fuller quickly, and then you should stop eating. This way you save on calories you intake and over time, this will become a habit and you will serve yourself less food. Less food equals less calories, better health, longer life and a healthy weight.

Take 1 serving spoon less at every meal, chew and eat your food. You will find that it is enough and all these save spoons of food which add up to a lot of calories saved. You will lose fat and you will feel healthier

Diseases are caused in most cases by overeating, and we always think how much we eat is enough, but it may not be correct, if you have been eating your meals fast. Chew your food and you will never have to diet. Your meal time is more important that your work, respect it. That’s your personal time between you and your body, where you feed and nourish it to keep you healthy and strong to do your work and live well.

This is a lifestyle change, and if you master it, you can enjoy all the foods you like in moderation.

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11 Unhealthy Habits That Are Destroying Your Health

unhealthy habits

Old habits die hard and that’s true. Habits are stored in our subconscious mind. We keep on carrying out tasks or habits, without even realizing we are doing it. While some habits help us complete day to day activities, there are some which aren’t good for our health, especially the ones which affect our diet. It is crucial to follow habits which have a positive impact on health. It is time to identify unhealthy habits and get rid of them for good health’s sake.

Unhealthy Habits You Need to Stop 

  1. Skipping Breakfast: For some people, skipping breakfast is an easy way to cut calories. However, if you skip breakfast, you’ll probably overeat during lunch. Secondly, in the morning, our metabolic rate is high. To maintain it, we need to give enough fuel to our body in the form of breakfast. So you should not skip your morning meal at any cost.
  2. Emotional Eating: If you are stressed or if you’ve had a bad day, call a friend, listen to music, write in a journal or try going for a walk. These options are better than binge-eating junk food due to emotional reasons.
  3. Including Unhealthy Drinks: At some point, we all reach out for a soft drink after a meal. It has somehow become a norm. Sweetened/Aerated drinks increase your daily calorie intake and cause other health issues. Instead, drink lemon water, coconut water or buttermilk. In fact, you can make your own healthy energy drinks!
  4. Eating Out Frequently: Avoid the habit to grab something unhealthy when going out for a long day. Take healthier shortcuts! Eat a vegetable sandwich, protein salads, whole grain crackers & veggies with humus. You can even carry fresh fruits.
  5. Munching While Watching TV or During Long Drives: Try to avoid unnecessary munching while watching your favorite program or when you are on a long drive or a road trip.  Instead of having processed foods like chips, cookies, etc. you can have a handful of nuts, air popcorn, seed trail-mix and unsalted peanuts.
  6. Lack of Sleep: Sleep works as nutrition for the brain. Our body needs 8-9 hours of sleep every night. Less than 8 hour of sleep triggers a cortisol spike and hampers our metabolism and contributes to weight gain. Shut your computer, mobile, and TV at least an hour before sleeping.
  7. Long Gap Between Meals: There shouldn’t be a huge time gap between meals. When you are on a weight loss journey, you shouldn’t just be careful about the food you eat but the time you eat as well! Many studies show that, if you are not eating at the right time, you might not be able to achieve your weight loss goals. The ideal gap between breakfast – Lunch & lunch –dinner should not exceed 4 hours.
  8. Eating Late at Night: You should not eat dinner very late as it promotes weight gain. Your last meal or your dinner should always be 3 hours before bedtime.
  9. Consuming Extra Salt: Eating a lot of salt can cause an increase in water weight and fat in your body. If you eat too much salt, extra water gets stored in your body which can raise your blood pressure.  Higher blood pressure leads to heart attacks, strokes and kidney diseases. Avoid sauces, pickles, sprinkling extra on salad & curd in your meals.
  10. Eating Heavy Meals Close to Bedtime: Avoid eating heavy meals close to bedtime, it can cause acidity, severe heartburn and make difficult to fall asleep.  Also avoid tea, coffee, and chocolate in the evening because caffeine can stay in our system for 5-6 hrs and suppress the sleep hormone.
  11. Putting Calorie Restrictions: Eating more calories than your body needs will lead to weight gain. Whereas, eating lesser calories than your body needs will lead to weight loss. However, restricting calories too much may slow down metabolism, can cause fatigue, nutrient deficiencies and lower immunity too.

These 11 unhealthy habits can contribute to weight gain, affect metabolism and can be extremely detrimental to your health. Avoid them and adopt a healthier lifestyle. For tips on how to improve your health, do watch our expert coaches live on GOQii Play within the GOQii App or reach out to your personal coach via subscription.

We hope this article has helped you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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8 Home Remedies For Dry Cough

remedies for dry coughWith the increasing pollution levels, exposure to chemicals, or the unpleasant viral & flu, we wouldn’t be particularly surprised if you were looking for home remedies for dry cough. A dry cough is a nonproductive cough that doesn’t produce phlegm or mucus.

Dry cough is generally caused by viral infections and allergies. It is very necessary to consult a doctor to find the underlying cause of cough. Along with prescribed medications and treatment, you can also try a couple of home remedies to find relief.

1. Turmeric Milk

Turmeric Milk or Haldi ka Doodh, as it is popularly known in India, is one of the oldest and most trusted home remedies for dry cough. Turmeric is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, which helps in treating infections. Also known as Golden Milk in the west, it is easy to prepare and highly effective. Drink a cup before going to bed to see the best results!

2. Honey Tea

Honey is an important ingredient for many different home remedies. It is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties that help ease the throat. You can use honey in various ways, like adding a teaspoon in warm milk or water. You can also just have a spoonful before going to bed.

3. Masala Chai

Masala Chai or Spiced Tea is one of the easily available home remedies for dry cough especially in Indian house setups. Apart from soothing the irritation in the throat, the antioxidant quality of cardamom and cloves also help release the toxic and cough-triggering effects of pollution and dust particles. Just add black pepper, cinnamon powder, cardamom and cloves while preparing tea and sip while hot!

4. Ginger

Ginger eases a dry or asthmatic cough, as it has anti-inflammatory properties. It also relieves nausea and pain. Prepare a soothing ginger tea by adding 20–40g of fresh ginger slices to a cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for a few minutes before sipping. Add honey or lemon juice to improve the taste and further soothe a cough.

5. Lukewarm Salt-Water Gargle

Gargling is the most common home remedy for dry cough. For relief from dry cough, try gargling with lukewarm salt-water. This soothes the throat by adding moisture to it. Add half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of lukewarm water till it dissolves completely. Let the mixture sit at the back of the throat for a few seconds before spitting it out. Gargle with salt-water three times a day until the cough improves.

6. Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus oil has natural healing energy which makes it helpful in relieving dry coughs. Use eucalyptus oil to decongest your throat. This oil not only promotes vitality but also helps in treating the infection. Add eucalyptus oil to a cotton cloth piece and keep it near your nose and mouth. The other way to inhale this is to add 2-3 drops to hot water and inhale the steam.

7. Bromelain

Bromelain is an enzyme that comes from pineapples. Bromelain has anti-inflammatory properties and may also have mucolytic properties. This means that it can break down mucus and remove it from the body. Drink pineapple juice daily to reduce mucus in the throat and suppress coughing.

8. Warm liquids to Find Relief from Dry Cough

Staying hydrated is important when you’re down with dry cough. Warm liquids reduce the symptoms of a sore throat and cough and thus, provide immediate relief from dry cough.

Hot beverages that may be helpful include:

  • Clear broths
  • Herbal teas
  • Decaffeinated black tea
  • Warm water

If you haven’t noticed any improvement in your dry cough even after 7 days, it is necessary that you consult your doctor. Home remedies for dry cough can be an added measure but not a permanent solution for a persistent cough.

We hope these home remedies for dry cough help you find relief! Is there a personal home remedy that works for you? Share it with us in the comments below!

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5 Things to Avoid After a Meal

avoid after a meal

You’re already familiar with the kind of myths floating around on nutrition ever since we started busting them with the GOQii India Health Quiz. Some of these myths include things we should do and should avoid after a meal. When it finally comes down to facts, whats the right way to go?

We have briefly listed down a few habits you should avoid after a meal. You might know some of them but you might not be familiar with the reasoning.

What Should You Avoid After a Meal?

  1. Smoking: is the most important habit that people should avoid after a meal. Smoking 1 cigarette after eating food is equivalent to the ill-effects of smoking 10 cigarettes. The chances of cancer are more in such cases. This is primarily because the body’s absorption rate increases after eating, which means that the harmful effects of tobacco (nicotine) are amplified as well. You could be risking damage to your intestines, heart, lungs and other internal organs.
  2. Fruits: It is advised that you should not eat fruits along with your meal and immediately after it as well. Fruits that are eaten after a meal cannot be digested easily in the intestine which causes air bloating in the stomach. Fruits are best absorbed when consumed as a meal in itself. You can have them either before or after a meal with a gap of at least 2–3 hours.
  3. Tea: Whenever you eat a heavy meal, keep yourself away from tea for a while. Tea leaves contains acids in it. When this acid enters the digestive system along with food, it makes the process of digestion (particularly proteins) process slow and difficult by hardening them.
  4. Bathing: Whenever we bathe, the blood-flow towards extremities increases and this is how you feel fresh after a bath. But, after eating, blood-flow towards the digestive system should be high, and not the extremities, so as to maintain the normal digestive system. That is why people are advised not to take a bath immediately after eating.
  5. Sleep: There always has to be gap of 1-2 hours between your meals and the time you sleep. Sleeping immediately after eating will result in improper digestion as efficiency of the digestive system decreases. Also, sleeping immediately may lead to gastric problems and infection in the intestines. Habitually sleeping immediately after eating will also increase the chances of obesity.

We hope these facts help you make better choices, bust myths with reasoning and eat healthy. Have you ever been told to avoid something before or after a meal? Let us know in the comments below!

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