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Hidden dangers of sugary drinks

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Sugar… as sweet as this word sounds one needs that much more careful. Behind all that shine there is a deep dark secret.

Sugar is an empty calorie. Empty calories are foods that provide high amounts of energy with very little or zero nutritional value.            Sugar that does not get broken down by the body will be converted to fat. Sugar makes you very hungry and gives rise to what is known as ‘hunger craving’. In this case, you may not be physically hungry, but your body demands more food or more sugar to bring your blood sugar levels back into balance.

Sodium benzoate, which is derived from benzoic acid, has been used for years by the carbonated drinks industry to prevent moulds from developing in soft drinks. The ingredient has been a subject of concern for cancer because when mixed with Vitamin C, it turns into a carcinogenic substance called benzene. An international news report once said that the Cola drinks lead to the formation of stones in the kidney which can gradually damage the kidneys. The acid and radical mineral imbalances in dark-coloured sodas affect the kidneys. The phosphoric acid in the drinks’ absorbs calcium from bones and is eliminated through the passage of urine. This slowly forms stones in the kidney. 

The phosphorus acid content takes away calcium from the bones thus leading to bone loss. Well, this is not enough!! There is more to learn about SUGAR.

It makes your body acidic which is a house for the pathogens to breed in.

  • Phosphoric acid present in drinks damages the enamel of the tooth and drains calcium from bones.
  • It has aspartate, an artificial sweetener which makes us feel hungry and craves for food, which leads to weight gain.
  • It gives empty calories and no nutrients.
  • Contains lead acetate damages kidney and nerves.
  • Soft drinks contain sugar which means less oxygen to your cells.
  • Increases risks of heart diseases
  • Risk of diabetes as it can cause insulin resistance.

Sugary drinks do not make you feel full and are strongly linked to weight gain. Large amounts of sugar are turned into fat in the liver. Sugar also increases belly fat as it contains no essential nutrients… Sugary drinks are highly addictive because of its delicious yet devilish taste.

It leads to high risk of cancer, damage dental health and increased risk of gout.

The next time you take a can in your hand to consume it, try and think what its taste and bubbles can do to your body.

 

 

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Being Active on a Sunday

 active sunday on the beach

Active Sunday on a beach 

Sunday’s are generally considered the day to laze around. But, did you know that it is actually the first day of the week and not the last day. Yes! You heard me right Sundays are the first day of the week. Hence, being active on the first day of the week keeps you going for the rest of the week.

GOQii introduced the concept of ‘Active Sunday’ 3 years ago. In Active Sunday, GOQii players are invited for a one-hour active work out session in the outdoor with the expert trainers and coaches of GOQii. This movement is not only for the players but it is seeing active participation from GOQii employees and the CEO Vishal Gondal himself being present and exercising with all. The movement caught on and we had many users who resonated with this thought process. This prompted us to get some of our regular attendees to take charge and start their own Active Sunday chapters in their vicinity.

Swarup Chougule, a regular at Active Sunday for the last 2 years says, “Active Sunday is the most fruitful way of engaging yourself on a Sunday. The nice chill in the air and gentle sunlight sets the mood for a good training routine. We meet many like-minded people and the group keeps motivating each other to stay healthy. The concept fits perfectly into the idea of a ‘Healthy Community Life’”.

Sundays have never been better Swarup training with Goqii at Active Sunday

Sundays have never been better Swarup training with Goqii at Active Sunday

Similarly, Anitha Rao, an active GOQii player in her 50s can give youngsters a run for their money. She is more active and energetic than most half her age. While in Mumbai Anitha, used to look forward to Active Sunday session where she could meet likely minded people. “This is much needed. Most people are too stressed out and at times lonely and shy too. They just need a bit of push and motivation to get out of their comfort zone. Also, each one is unique and one can learn from one and other. Anitha has been leading active Sunday’s in Bengaluru and is our first woman GOQii Champion.

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Anitha’s Active Sunday ranges from walking, running, swimming, yoga and trekking 

Research indicates that exercising is good for health. As per ACSM (American College of Sports and Medicine) guidelines, a person must involve himself in physical activities at least 3 days a week. The benefits are divided into three categories Physical, mental and social benefits. Exercise helps to strengthen the heart and the cardiovascular system. It improves blood circulation, as a result, it lowers the risk of heart attack and strokes.

For the regular like Swarup and Anitha, it is their self-motivation to remain healthy and fit that drives them to be active even on a Sunday. Anitha has been championing the cause of Active Sunday in Bengaluru and has already conducted two active Sundays with GOQii players there.

The early start on Sunday morning creates ample time to connect better with the family and the community at large. The benefits of Active Sunday are many. “It is not just a workout session, but a complete package with deep interaction with people aspiring for a quality life,” says Swarup.

Being active on the first day of the week brightens and cheers you up. Everyone attending the Active Sunday is pumped up and raring to go for the rest of the day/week. “The other advantage is that it is a great way to meet like-minded people with similar or some varied interests, there is an exchange of ideas and you can learn from one another and expand your horizon,” says Anitha.

Bhavik shah

         Bhavik from Pune loves cycling as an activity on a Sunday  

Bhavik Shah, an active player of GOQii from Pune who is a runner and a cyclist thinks that active Sunday is a great kick-start to an otherwise lazy Sunday. He adds,”There are many reasons why I like being active on a Sunday as well, one of the primary reason being ‘Self Love via Self Care’. Apart from the obvious benefits, most people are already aware, exercise has been touted as a cure for just about anything that ails you. Frequent colds? Exercise. Poor digestion? Exercise. Feel depressed? Exercise”. Bhavik has taken the lead to conduct active Sunday workout session in his vicinity.

Lastly, the other big draw of Active Sunday is the picturesque locations where it is conducted. Sometimes it is a large park, sometimes on a beach and sometimes on the promenade along the sea. With a lot of positive energy all around, the benefits of working out in such locations multiply exponentially and more people are likely to join the regime. “There is a lot of physical and emotional contentment when we conduct an Active Sunday and encourage others to be active,” concluded Swarup.

Give their enthusiasm to help others and motivate others to get active on a Sunday, Swarup and Anitha have been inducted as GOQii champions to take this positive movement of forward in their respective cities of Mumbai and Bengaluru.

So if you have not been a part of Active Sunday, now is your chance to join the movement in the city of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.

 

 

 

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Games4Good for Mental Fitness

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‘Memory Games’, seems to be the most sought after by GOQii players on ‘Games4Good’, the games platform that helps GOQii users, to connect, play, score and motivate each other.

Playing games on the mobile and other handheld devices has never got better. It has become part of daily routine for people of all ages. While, the ‘Brain Games’ or Memory games as we call it is designed to optimize cognitive functions and improve mental fitness, it is also designed to help individuals have fun both scoring and winning over each other.

These games while being fun also help individuals to break the monotony, concentrate and keeps the individual motivated.

What are Brain Games?

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Brain, one of the most important body part helps us to do many functionalities in our daily routine and helps to maintain our health. Living a healthy lifestyle is enough for us to improve our brain health. There are various ways to keep our brain healthy, some of these are staying hydrated, eating mindfully to keep body and brain fit, sleeping well, meditating to increase our brain power, self-confidence, controls emotions, reduces stress and relaxes the mind, following a hobby helps to keep the brain active and lastly play games to avoid boredom and improve the cognitive skills.

With age most humans tend to struggle with learning, thinking and being attentive. These are caused largely due to weak cognitive skills. Playing games allows you to improve your cognitive skills through intense but fun mental exercises, it helps to pay attention, concentrate, learn, reads, remember and think.

The rule of practice works with a human brain too. The more you practice the game, the better you get at it. When you do certain activity multiple times your brain gets bored as well and does not feel the challenge anymore. The reason for this is because you start mastering the skills. When this happens, you need to start increasing the difficulty levels of the game and keeps yourself challenged. In games scoring is a component of fun, feel motivated and tracking your own progress.

Cognitive or Brain games helps you to stay focused and remember the information while doing multiple things. It tends to improve short-term memory, recall information stored in the past, improves logic & reasoning. These games increase your problem-solving ability, decision making and strategy development. It also enhances and improves hand-eye coordination. To hang on to information while in the process of using it, to think in visual images, perform tasks quickly and accurately.

So, if you haven’t tried the games on GOQii Games4Good-now is the time to challenge your brain with games to train Memory, Focus, Problem Solving, Mental agility and all other cognitive skills.

 

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You can indulge when you are expecting!

Sex-During-Pregnancy

Isn’t it is exciting to create something wonderful which is a part of you and your partner! Yes, I am talking about a baby here!. However, the 9 months are full of challenges for the mother and the father, physical intimacy being a major concern. In this article, I am trying to address the common concerns of sex during pregnancy, its benefits and when to abstain!

The roller coaster hormonal ride, change in the taste buds, fatigue, weakness and mood swings are just a few reasons which put women off their sex drive especially in the first trimester. Many women might also experience an increase in libido during pregnancy! Check, which side of the coin does your loved one fall on and indulge!

If you are an expectant mother, you will notice an increased blood flow to the pelvic area and engorgement of the genitals. It might be accompanied by sore and tender breasts which results in a heightened sensation. You might enjoy it or be put off. Communicate with your loved one and let him know.

Boys and girls, pregnancy is also the time for you to bond. So if you are up for it, go for it! As far as your baby is concerned, be rest assured he/she is safe in amniotic sac and the strong muscles of the uterus. The mucus plug at the cervix prevents infections from entering the womb. Your baby, on the other hand, does not care what you do and neither does it know. In fact, you might experience some happy kicks once you are done!

Hitting the big ‘O’ during pregnancy is safe if you have a normal & low-risk pregnancy and cannot start labour or cause a miscarriage. Mild uterine contractions post an orgasm (or during nipple stimulation and the prostaglandins in semen) are harmless. Even if your climax is particularly intense these contractions aren’t harmful — they’re not a sign of labour. So let loose, enjoy the pleasure you deserve!

However, ensure your partner is tested for infections before indulging! Because you’re better off safe than sorry (with or without a baby on the way).

When is it off limits!

  1. As a woman, when your body says “no”, please listen to it!. Respect yourself and your decision.
  2. Your practitioner might declare your pregnancy as high risk depending on your tests and restrict sex
  • If you’re experiencing signs of preterm labour or, if you have such a history
  • If you’ve been diagnosed with incompetent cervix or placenta previa
  • If you’re experiencing vaginal bleeding or if you have a history of miscarriages

If you are restricted from being intimate, communicate with your partner to find ways to address the intimacy you’re both cravings. Focus on hand holding, cuddling, the old-fashioned making out… Your woman will love you for the support you give her during this time!

Ayurveda insists on listening to one’s body. Apart from this, sexual activity should be limited during the first trimester and post the 7th month since it is a delicate time. Also, at all times one should avoid compression of the abdomen.

While making love is beneficial, it is also beneficial during pregnancy if your practitioner has not advised otherwise.

1. Making love restores the functioning of the body with the release of certain hormones and ensures proper circulation. This means the fetus receives an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients when in the womb that aids growth and development.

2. If you are making love regularly during pregnancy, it can help keep your pelvic floor muscles toned and strong to help you deal with the arduous phase of labour. Don’t give your exercise a miss though!

3. Making love increases the level of IgA antibodies in the body that boost immunity during pregnancy.

4. It leads to release of endorphins in the body that makes both the mother and the baby happier by reducing levels of stress. Sex also increases production of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for attachment and love.

5. Better sex, better bonding and a surge in endorphins help an expectant mother to sleep better, fight fatigue and other nagging symptoms of pregnancy.

6. It helps keep pre-eclampsia at bay because man’s sperm has a special protein called HLA-G that helps regulate body s immune system and lowers blood pressure levels in a woman during pregnancy.

While you can try any position during your pregnancy, here are a few positions you might find comfortable instead of the common missionary.

position 1

 

position 2

 

position 3

 

position 4

 

position 5

So guys and girls, keep the myths at bay enjoy this special period with your special one!

 

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