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Is Blood Donation Really That Important?

blood donationPriyanka struggled to get blood for her father who was undergoing a surgery. The blood bank did not have her father’s blood type. As things got tougher, she tried to get in touch with other blood banks but none of them had it. In fact, she was ready to pay, but the blood banks did not have the blood type! Time was running out. She also started getting in touch with her friends but to no avail. Her friends all refused to donate blood due to their preconceived notions and myths.

Due to the shortage of blood, within a few hours, Priyanka lost her father. While she was inconsolable, what shattered her completely was the fact that in India, a country with such a large population, she could not garner enough blood for him, even though every human possesses it.

Timely, affordable access to screened blood is essential to the provision of safe surgical care. This depends on three key aspects:

  • Adequate volume of blood supply
  • Safe protocols for blood donation and transfusion
  • Appropriate regulation to ensure safe, equitable and sustainable distribution.

Different medical procedures require different components of blood. However, due to the lack of facilities, much of it goes to waste. Many low-income and middle-income countries experience a deficit in these categories, particularly in rural areas. This is coupled with lack of donor awareness and information.

The WHO recommends that the blood requirement of 1% of a country’s population be used as a ballpark estimate of its blood needs. By this measure, India was short of 1.9 million units of blood according to the data presented on March 2018.

One requires blood transfusions in various emergencies like women with complications during childbirth, anemia, accidents, complex medical surgeries, patient with thalassemia, sickle cell disease  or it is also used to make clotting factors for people with hemophilia. Among other issues coupled with low donor rate, the blood banks in India face a crisis of blood almost every year.

Physical Benefits of Blood Donation

1. Lower Risk of Heart Disease:  Blood donation may lower the risk of heart disease and heart attack since it reduces the blood’s viscosity. It also significantly lowers the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, protecting against cardiovascular disease.  Researchers note this is consistent with findings in other studies which found that blood donors had a lower risk of heart disease and heart attack.

According to a study, donating blood regularly may also lower iron stores which may reduce the risk of heart attack. The risk of heart attacks increase when the body stores a lot of iron.

2. Donating blood is an opportunity to get a basic health checkup done for free since the technician checks your:

  • Pulse
  • Blood pressure
  • Body temperature
  • Hemoglobin levels

This is an insight into your health! The blood is also checked for:

  • Hepatitis C
  • HIV
  • West Nile virus
  • Syphilis
  • Trypanosoma cruzi

Psychological Benefits

Donating blood has a feel good factor. It tends to improve one’s emotional well being. Hence, it might have an impact on stress reduction and providing a sense of belonging

Side Effects of Donating Blood

Post donating blood, one might feel

  • Nauseous, lightheaded or dizzy after donating blood. This usually settles in a  few minutes
  • There might be slight bleeding at the site of the pick, or you might develop a bruise. I believe it is all good since it is for a wonderful cause!

However, get in touch with a doctor or your blood center if you:

  • Still feel lightheaded, dizzy, or nauseous after drinking, eating, and resting
  • Develop a raised bump or continue bleeding at the needle site
  • Experience arm pain, numbness, or tingling

Where to Donate Blood

I personally suggest citizens to donate blood at a blood bank or nearby government run tertiary health centers. Otherwise, get in touch with Red Cross centers near your house and donate! Avoid donating at generic blood camps since one is not sure of the storage procedures. But ensure that you do donate!

People’s lives are usually at stake just because of myths people have on donating blood. Priyanka’s friends, even though educated, did not understand the importance of blood donation! Donating blood is giving the gift of life. As a human being, it is the duty of every person to donate blood at least once a year as a service to mankind! The decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.

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Porn Induced Erectile Dysfunction, Is It Real?

erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction is one of those things that affects many couples, and people still don’t talk about it enough. For some it could be a source of embarrassment and confusion, especially because it is associated with aging, illness or hormonal imbalances.

Before getting into this article, remember: a sexual disorder is something that can affect anyone. It is not a ‘failure’ on anyone’s part and it is nothing to be ashamed about! For most people, Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be treated successfully with a combination of methods, both medical and alternative. But what if we told you that there could be a link between your media consumption and erectile dysfunction? More specifically: could porn be harming your sex life?

What Does the Research Say About Erectile Dysfunction?

While the increase of Erectile Dysfunction in younger populations casts pornography as an obvious culprit, there is still no proven link between porn and sexual dysfunction. Porn is everywhere now. It’s free, it’s available, and it caters to every fetish or fantasy imaginable. So when it comes to porn, does the common-sense approach ‘too much of anything is bad’ hold true?
The research is unclear, but what we do know is that porn triggers an instant release of dopamine, also known as our ‘happy hormones’. A quick fix of dopamine! That explains why porn can be so addictive. For many, this addictive nature of porn can direct them to more specific or extreme types of porn to get that desired dopamine hit. As the body gets accustomed to this, a regular sexual experience may no longer feel exciting enough.
But erectile dysfunction is not the only issue. Another common issue that could be related to porn is ejaculation control. Those masturbating to porn tend to do so very quickly to avoid being caught. A hasty ‘quickie’ is quite normalized these days. While this may provide quick release, it also trains our bodies to orgasm very quickly, a habit that carries on into our sex life with other people. In fact, premature ejaculation may be far more connected to porn viewing than erectile dysfunction.

Porn and Arousal

ED is rarely a single-cause issue. Health, disease, age, exercise, habits like smoking and drinking, mental health and body image can all affect arousal and sexual health. For many, porn creates a safe atmosphere for arousal; one without fear of judgement or pressure to perform in front of another person. It makes arousal easier. At the same time, this comfort also makes it easier to ignore underlying issues and turn to porn as the only escape. Porn can also make you crave for newer and newer content. But when there is new content, perfect bodies and extremely specific sexual niches readily available online, regular sex with the same partner pales in comparison. Sex with another person can be complicated and messy, sometimes even intimidating. It requires work, communication, trust and vulnerability in a way that watching porn doesn’t. Porn can become an easy way out, at the expense of working on the issues that really matter.
If this sounds like you and you suspect that watching porn is affecting your sex life negatively, then here are some questions to think over: Do you only feel like there is a problem during partnered sex? Do you find yourself dependent on porn to masturbate and reach orgasm? What sort of porn are you watching, do you get bored of one type of content and move on to the next quickly? By trying to understand which situations make arousal difficult, it can give you clarity on whether your problem is mental, physical, or a combination of both.

You think you may have a problem: Now what? 

If you feel like porn is seriously affecting your sex life, consider speaking to a professional or a sex therapist. Otherwise, on your own, you could try masturbating without porn. Focus on situations outside of porn that have been arousing, invest more in connecting with your partner and visualizing sex as an extension of that connection. Experience the sensation of touch and maybe don’t even focus on orgasming initially. Get to know your body, even outside of a sexual context: what sort of sights, sounds, tastes and feelings do you enjoy? Deepening your connection with your body in everyday life is bound to be rewarding during sex.

While some groups suggest that porn should be given up altogether, the most practical approach is to enjoy porn in moderation or to watch porn that portrays more realistic sex and bodies. Porn-induced erectile dysfunction is still a debated idea. Overall, most experts agree that there is nothing inherently wrong with masturbation or pornography.

Like with everything else, what matters is how these practices fit into your life and how you relate to them. Health and wellness are complicated, diverse spectrums: there is no singular way to have a healthy sex life. So pay attention to your body, your feelings, pleasure and your individual desires and goals, and ask yourself: is porn helping or harming?

We hope this article helps you! For more on sexual wellness, tune in to LIVE sessions by our sexual wellness expert Pallavi Barnwal on GOQii Play. You can also connect with her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pallavibarnwalcoach

#BeTheForce 

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GOQii app launches ‘Contact Tracking’ feature

To help users self-track potential virus carriers to contain the spread of COVID19

Last week in Pune when the couple and their child were tested positive, immediately, the health authorities tried and traced back all those people with whom the couple and child came in contact. Tracing helped them detect two positive cases from Mumbai including the cab driver who drove them from Mumbai airport to Pune. A statement then from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme of the Public Health Department, Maharashtra then said an “aggressive contact tracing activity” is in progress on a war footing after two Dubai returnees from Pune were found positive for coronavirus.

The last time, I remember reading and hearing about contact tracing was during the wild outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa. The early rollout of all measures alongside contact tracing efforts in Liberia was considered to have played a major role in the rapid decline of the country’s cases in September 2014.

In the current scenario, Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. The virus is fast spreading and it is imperative to act quickly, cautiously and focus on prevention given that there is no cure yet. In the wake of coronavirus and the call by PM Modi to caution and not panic, GOQii, as a preventive healthcare platform has launched a first of its kind ‘Contact Tracking’ features, to help users track every movement, activity and also track those who have been in close contact with them and this app feature will effectively help in social distancing as is recommended by the WHO.

This app will help especially in cases of a positive detection, where users can immediately backtrack every movement and individuals that one has come in contact with, in the last few days. This will ensure prevention, quick detection of virus carriers and thus curtail the spread of the virus. 

But, before we understand why such an app feature could be important for individuals and public health workers and institutions, it is important to understand What is Contact Tracing and why is it important during an outbreak is important?

Several international research and also the WHO describes that Contact tracing is an important strategy in epidemiology and refers to the identification and diagnosis of those individuals who have come in contact with an infected person. It ultimately aims to reduce the time span required to detect and treat a case of infectious disease and hence significantly minimizes the risk of transmission to the subsequent susceptible individuals. In-fact, contact tracing continues to remain an important measure, as it aids the epidemiologist in containing the infection.

Contact tracing is closely linked with case detection and investigation processes so that subsequent symptomatic patients can be effectively managed.

Contact tracing can feel like drudgery, but in an outbreak, it’s vital to public health. During this current COVID-19 outbreak, contact tracing will help make possible early diagnosis and getting care to people who need it. The information it uncovers also helps public health authorities contain epidemics.

Given this scenario, GOQii felt ‘self-tracking’ is also essential and should be followed to track one’s daily routine. Thus, it has specially updated the app to help users self-track, to the level of keeping a tab on every person one must have come in contact with, like cab sharing apps like Uber, Lyft, Ola, E-commerce and food delivery services like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy and Zomato. One can record the person’s name, contact number as well as photographs of course with their permission. 

COVID19 Tracking related App Features 

  1. Track Body Temperature, Weight, Heart Rate, Blood Sugar and other vitals. 
  2. Symptoms like Cough, Cold, Difficulty in breathing etc 
  3. Food and activity log with location
  4. Log contacts – time spent with people at various occasions
  5. Uber, Lyft, Ola rides with driver details
  6. Food delivery and other delivery services, name and phone number of delivery persons

You can download the app from Android Store and iOS Store 

 GOQii app follows the privacy policy. The data logged by the user is private to the user. The privacy settings in the app let the users decide whether they want to share their logs publicly, with just their friends or keep them visible only to themselves. 

 GOQii’s Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal believes that the GOQii COVID-19 related App features will help with contact tracing and remote quarantine management. We are hoping that we could play a major role in helping people take all precautions as well as help the government and health authorities, to be able to contain COVID19. We hope our combined efforts will rapidly lead to a better epidemiological understanding of COVID-19. Our goal is to improve the outcomes of the global community—as more people become infected”. “GOQii will do all within its ambit to implement caution as a clarion call by the PM. PM Modi’s efforts are being praised worldwide “as India is ahead of the curve to contain the virus,” Gondal added.

Healthcare authorities and professionals can leverage GOQii’s cutting-edge wearable, artificial intelligence & coaching ecosystem to accelerate COVID-19 surveillance and interventions. GOQii is supportive and open to helping all Government bodies in a step towards prevention and adequate health management. 

Apart from tracking daily activity, GOQii app will also enable users to track symptoms related to coronavirus and distinguishing symptoms including headache, cough, cold, flu and difficulty in breathing etc. Keeping your immunity intact is important in such a crisis situation. Users can have free access for 3 months to GOQii Play live for workouts and access to updates from experts while working out in the confines of your home to avoid social contact.

 

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India’s Ikigai: Centennials know the secret sauce to Longevity

It is not just about staying physically healthy-it is also about mental, emotional and social health

Mishrilal Jain, 92 years lives in Bareli in a Madhya Pradesh and still sits in their family cloth store. He totally defies age by being active, healthy and social. Every day, he makes it a point to chat with his friends. He walks on his own with a stick and has no medical conditions or lifestyle diseases. A freedom fighter who has even been to jail in 1947, Jain has a very positive outlook towards life. His granddaughter reiterates his secret to longevity is that fact he has been active throughout his life, eats only homecooked food and is happy and content.

Dr Narsingh Gulvady, 90, lives in Navi Mumbai and is a retired MBBS doctor. He says, “do not do anything to live long. I did nothing”. Born in 1929, in then Madras, Dr Gulvady is active and spends a lot of time with his books apart from enjoying his beloved wife’s company who is also 86 years of age. Dr Gulvady attributes his longevity also to people’s love all along that has kept him happy and healthy. He also does not forget to credit his gene pool for longevity. Both he and his wife have led a very active and simple life. He maintains a diary on a daily basis and does not have any medical issues.  

The above stories are just two of the examples of the many 90 plus people GOQii interviewed for their longevity study. Aging is a natural process and it is inevitable It is precisely the impermanence of life that renders it so precious. But, how about aging gracefully and disease-free? Is this even possible? Are some of the questions we asked and the answers we found were positive. Yes, it is very possible according to the latest India fit Report 2020 titled –– India’s Ikigai: The Old Know Better but the Young Don’t Care’.

As per the report, the above examples highlighted, the 90 plus years and above people attribute their longevity to simple living, being active, eating home-cooked nutritious food and to being socially active with friends and family. For many their years of living have been happy and content.

The India Fit report 2020 is in its 6th edition and it is a result of a year-long study of 5 million GOQii users. The report presents a holistic overview on the health and lifestyle of Indians across different parameters such as steps taken, lifestyle diseases (Diabetes, Cardiac and Hypertension), BMI (Body Mass Index), nutrition, water, stress, sleep, gut health and immunity, allergies, smoking and alcohol consumption; all of which are classified according to gender and key cities. This year India Fit report went a step further and decoded the secret to ‘India’s Ikigai-longevity of life’ from 90 years old and above across the country

Most of the centennials also lead a disease-free life while the younger age groups demonstrated a higher risk profile for lifestyle diseases, the study indicates. As per the health risk assessment (HRA) (framework of the study, 62% of people are either high risk or borderline on the Health-Risk Assessment spectrum. Only 38% of people are healthy. Young adults in the 19-30 age group have the unhealthiest habits and demonstrate a high propensity to be afflicted by lifestyle diseases.

The study indicates that people who report being happy and satisfied with their lives are more likely to enjoy a longer life span with good health and fewer long-term limiting health concerns. Bonding with family and friends appears to enhance health, and even increase longevity. At GOQii, our endeavour is to create awareness about preventive health while providing people with a platform to improve their health and fitness and move a step ahead to increase India’s average lifespan to 80 years and above.

 ALARMING RISE IN LIFESTYLE DISEASES

The report indicates that Diabetes has increased from 7.1% to 12% this year. The incidence of diabetes is highest among older adults at 23.81% and seniors at 36.82%. As per the report, 13.5% of Indians have Cholesterol issues. High Cholesterol can even occur among people who are underweight, or overweight, thin or fat thus regular monitoring is key in keeping cholesterol in check. Currently, 36% of the people who have high cholesterol have heart issues too while 51.7% of the people who have diabetes have abnormal cholesterol too. This past year Thyroid issues have increased from 6.8 to 10.7 %. The report also suggests that 13.4% of the people in India have high blood pressure.

SOME SURPRISES: Healthiest City is Chandigarh and Mumba slips to rank 15 in the list of healthy cities

The survey deep dives into city-wise parameters and has recorded Chandigarh to be the healthiest city in India while Mumbai slips far down in the list of healthiest cities, ranking 15th overall. Kolkata is at the lowest end of the spectrum. 18% of people in Kolkata are diabetic followed by Surat and Bhopal. In terms of allergies, Pune ranks lowest on the allergy index having the least amount of people suffering from allergies. Chennai has the worst BMI rank across all cities, Kolkata has the largest aging population in the country and the highest incidence of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and thyroid. About 60% of people in Lucknow fall in the unhealthy bracket which is just 2 % below the country’s average. Ahmedabad ranks 10th in the overall ranking, manages stress better than many other cities. Bhopal has overtaken all other major cities, having the highest percentage of people who consume alcohol.

The GOQii India Fit Report has been administered across 16 cities in the country and data has been collected from a cross-section of 5 million GOQii app users. The study evaluates the health of users basis the Health Risk Assessment that take and also the data recorded on a daily basis that is tracked by users on the App. HRA considers factors such as current body statistics, medical parameters, current nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep, alcohol, smoking, current illness, lifestyle diseases, immunity levels, symptoms or health indicators. The data that is tracked by the users on a daily basis is their steps clocked, food logs, sleep, water intake and their vital parameters. This edition of the report has focused on doing in-depth interviews with India’s oldest citizens. Over 100 respondents across the length and breadth of India, between 90 and 100 plus years of age were an integral part of the study.

Download the full report from www.indiafit.org

For more topics on the health benefits of foods, check out our Healthy Reads section within the GOQii App or simply tune in to GOQii Play for LIVE sessions by experts. 

#LevelUp your winter and #BeTheForce 

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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