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GOQii Trail Challenge 2018: An Adventure Awaits!

GOQii-Trail-Challenge-logo

Trekking as we all know is a fun activity. Spending multiple hours on the trail, climbing around boulders, rock hopping and ascending hills is a notion that is appealing to all of us. GOQii Trail Challenge 2018 (GTC) bestows upon you an opportunity to turn this notion into reality.

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The scenic beauty of Mandangad, about 4 hours from Mumbai.

The trail challenge is all set to take place in Mandangad, about 4 hours from Mumbai, is scheduled to be held on the 24th of November.  The course involves a 50-kilometer endurance walk, which must be completed within 18 hours, making the venture more exigent. GTC is an endurance walk exclusive for GOQii players. Non-GOQii players can download the app and register in order to participate. Every team should comprise of not more than two players, with each team having the freedom to walk for an NGO they resonate with. GOQii has teamed up with 6 NGO’s in order to put together this event, offering diverse tenets for you to choose from. The minimum amount to be raised by each team is Rs 5000, which excludes the registration fees of Rs 2500 per player.

Why should you choose to walk in GTC 2018?

GOQii has come up with such a property for the first time in its history. Accommodating over two hundred thousand GOQii players, we represent a vast diversity. GTC welcomes it’s player’s from all around the world, making you one of the many ‘citizens of the world’. Exciting stuff right? It’s not over yet.

We also present to you an exciting platform to meet and mingle with like-minded GOQii players. This fairly demanding adventure aims to push you towards a deeper sense of euphoria, which is attained, only when one breaks those physical and mental strictures they are bounded by. Here at GOQii, we focus on your logic as to why not and prove you wrong. Let me take a moment to quote a former U.S president, “The only limit to our realizations of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D Roosevelt.

Breath taking views all along the course.

Breathtaking views all along the course.

For many of you, contemplating on making a difference to your lives, struggle to put a finger on where to begin. By walking this trail, you are supporting a cause, standing up for something you believe in and on the go promoting charities that do extensive groundwork. If you think this isn’t a good start for a new beginning, think again. Apart from the social causes, this event stands for, GTC provides you with a chance to stay healthy and fit in an unorthodox manner. If you are someone who is particular about achieving your goals more time-bound, GOQii Trail Challenge 2018 is definitely the trek for you. Let’s stop with the benefits now, are you really going to miss out on an opportunity to visit this rich reservoir of Bio- Diversity? This experience is surely going to provide you with that zest for life, you were looking for. Think no more. Pack your bags, put on those boots and remember to download the GOQii app.

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Invisible Health Hazards Lurking In Your Kitchen

health hazards in your kitchen

Intro:

Two months ago, we had a suggestion from one of our players on how the pesticide residues in food products can cause harm to our health including diseases like cancer, over a period of time. “From food grains to vegetables to fruits, everything is grown and ripened with the help of chemicals. Even so-called organic foodstuff is not 100% trustworthy. Moreover, organic food is not available everywhere and for every food item, and is very expensive. Having a pesticide-free diet is impossible in today’s India – it’s the bitter truth of current times,” he said. According to him, despite consuming a healthy diet, we have also been unknowingly consuming harmful chemicals with it. This also includes some cooking aids (like non-stick cookware, and cooking techniques like over grilling/ charring of meat in barbeques/ fire). Given that we encounter these hazards on a daily basis, it has become imperative for each one of us to be cautious. We need to be aware of which food and food parts (eg peels) are most likely to be laced with pesticides or harmful chemicals (just an example being mangoes ripened with calcium carbide or apples polished with wax) and how best to remove these. 

GOQii’s content team has come up with 3 blogs around these issues. Today, we publish the first of the blog in this series- ‘Invisible Health Hazards Lurking In Your Kitchen’. 

  Invisible Health Hazards Lurking In Your Kitchen

The kitchen is, in fact, the most sanitary zone in our houses. It is so because the food is prepared in the kitchen and none of us wants to consume food which is prepared under unhygienic conditions. When you read the title, you might think to yourself that it can’t be possible because I always keep my kitchen clean. Unfortunately, the health hazards mentioned in this blog doesn’t revolve around hygiene but focuses on the invisible dangers that lurk in your kitchen, which on a normal day does not meet your eye or cross your mind.

Is your kitchenware poisoning you?

Yes, you read that right. Did you know that certain utensils in your kitchen might be discharging toxic fumes and chemicals into your food? Over a period of time, these substances sediment in your body, posing a great threat to your health.

  1. Non-Stick Pans

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Teflon is also known as PTFE is the name of that special coating on your pan which makes it Non-Sticky. When these pans are overheated or left on the stove for too long, PTFE releases fumes which are toxic, causing symptoms like flu in human beings. The chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA used in the production of PTFE has been condemned by experts for its carcinogenic properties.

 2. Plastic Food Containers

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Despite the recent ban of plastic in some parts of the country, Plastic still plays an important role in most people’s everyday life. From wrappers to containers, plastic is all over. Plastic contains chemicals like Bisphenol A and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) that can infiltrate your food. When you carry hot edibles in these plastic containers or microwave your food in them, the heat accelerates the emission of these chemicals, serving you a toxic delicacy.

3. Plastic Cutting Boards

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While, the debate over what kind of cutting boards are the safest to use continues, plastic definitely should not be your choice. After all the slicing and dicing carried out on your cutting board, you might notice little cuts and nicks across the surface like a soldier’s battle scars. Those cuts and fissures are the breeding grounds of many a dangerous bacteria, mainly E.Coli and Salmonella. Ever wondered where those fractions of plastic from the crevices disappeared? Think no more, they were in the food you chopped and later on consumed.

Is your cooking technique making the food toxic?

That might probably be the truth. In today’s world where there’s not enough time for anything, fast cooking has definitely claimed a spot for itself. Here’s how your technique maybe poisoning your food:

  1. Charring Food

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This process not only takes away almost every nutrient present in your food but also adds toxins to fill the gaps. One should always try to grill your food lightly to avoid charring. Grilling should only be done to an extent where the outsides of the foods are barely brown in texture and the insides are grilled to a minimum.

  1. Deep Frying

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Fried food is undeniably delicious but it is important to know that deep frying the food makes it bathe in oxidized fats, denatured proteins, and glycated sugars. The high temperature involved in deep frying creates toxic compounds which lead to cancer. Think twice before pouncing on to those French Fries next time.

  1. Frequent Microwaving

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In today’s fast-paced life that we all lead, Microwave could be considered as a boon. But, did you know that the food loses most of the nutrients after it’s put into the microwave? It is advised to stay use them only when it’s very necessary and not as a matter of convenience on a daily basis. It is also advised to stay away from the microwave while it is working as the device emits electromagnetic radiations which over time can have very adverse effects on human health. Long-term exposure might considerably increase your chances of developing illnesses like cancer.

 

 

 

 

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Green Banana flour: 9 Reasons to switch to this Super food today

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Green banana flour is slowly but steadily joining the superfoods wagon in India due to its numerous health benefits. It is made by drying unripe green bananas and grinding them to a fine powder.

It has a mild nutty taste and is very similar to wheat flour, thus making it an ideal replacement in gluten-free recipes. Since it has a high starch content it allows you to use less flour than required in your everyday recipes. So whenever it is used as an alternative to wheat flour, the quantity of banana flour to be used should be 30% less than the quantity of wheat flour mentioned in the recipe.

One of the primary reasons for the numerous benefits of green banana is the presence of resistant starch in it. Most starches are broken down by enzymes in our small intestine into sugar, which is then absorbed into the blood. However resistant starch is a type of starch that isn’t fully broken down. Instead, it gets fermented in the large intestine and produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).  SCFA are known to provide a host of benefits such as inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria, promoting colon health, increasing nutrient circulation etc.

Resistant starch is only present in raw green banana. The ripe yellow ones have undergone the natural process of hydrolysis wherein their starch has gotten converted into sugar thus making them sweet to taste.

Some of the benefits of Green Banana flour are:

  1. Heart health: It is an excellent source of potassium which helps to control the electrical activity of the heart. It also helps lower cholesterol and aids nerve and muscle activity.
  2. Diabetic friendly: Since the young bananas are picked before they ripen, their sugar content never fully develops. Hence they are lower in natural sugars.
  3. Ideal for weight watchers: The resistant starch in green bananas slows the release of food through the gut. This slows the insulin response and prevents that sugar spike and consequent sugar crash. Thus, ensuring that we feel fuller for a longer period of time and avoid binging on unhealthy snacks in between meals.
  4. Aids in digestion: The high content of prebiotic fibre in banana flour helps to support the good bacteria present in the gut, bowel, and colon. This, in turn, promotes a healthy digestion and bowel movement.
  5. Inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria: RS II, (Resistant Starch subtype II) present in green banana flour, breaks down into short chain fatty acids & raises the pH level of the large intestine which creates adverse conditions for pathogenic bacteria while favouring the growth of beneficial bacteria.
  6. Increases absorption of minerals– especially calcium which can aid in preventing Osteoporosis.
  7. Promotes colon health: Resistant starch increases faecal bulking which promotes colon health and also acts as a re-hydrating agent for those suffering from diarrhoea
  8. High in essential minerals and vitamins including zinc, vitamin E, magnesium, and manganese
  9. Gluten Free: Ideal for those suffering from gluten intolerance especially since it behaves very similar to wheat flour and serves as an ideal replacement in wheat containing recipes.

 

** Banana flour is available in our GOQii Store 

 

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11 Top Testosterone boosting foods for men

testostorone rich foods

Have you been working out hard in the gym with no results? Have you wondered what could be the reason? We are all aware that workout does a lot of good to our body. A regular workout does everything from increasing your odds of living longer to supporting your memory function and for men, a good workout can also boost your testosterone.

While testosterone is the primary sex hormone in men, it is also responsible for everything from muscle development to hair growth to mood regulation to sex drive. So yeah, it’s pretty important when it comes to your health and well-being.

But, at times despite the work out the testosterone levels could be low and hence the desired results from the workout is not visible. But, there is nothing to worry. One can increase their testosterone levels naturally by eating the right foods.

Here is a list of testosterone boosting foods

  1. Brazil Nuts: This tree nut is an excellent natural source of the mineral selenium and a great testosterone booster. The high selenium content is mainly responsible for Brazil nuts positive benefit on T levels. Brazil nuts also have a good ratio of fats. These nuts contain zinc, amino acid Arginine and fatty acids which are needed to make hormone testosterone. Arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, important for vasodilatation and known to increasing testicular blood flow for better hormone production. Brazil nuts are packed with the most bio-active form of Arginine. Just have 3-6nuts per day and boost your T levels.
  2. Beans: Are rich source of fibre, protein and zinc. Beans pack a bigger shot of zinc than any other member of the veg family. Add it to a food that’s high in protein and fibre\ and low in fat, and you have a winning combo. You can opt for baked beans, lima beans, navy beans, and kidney beans –All are good choices.
  3. Eggs: Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol, and as such, food containing cholesterol is a good source of building blocks for testosterone. Start your day with three or four eggs or egg whites cooked in olive oil coconut oil. You can also opt for boiled eggs too.
  4. Cruciferous Veggies: Elevated oestrogens levels lead to fat accumulation and can interfere with muscle growth. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage may help a man’s body excrete excess oestrogens and increase the amount of testosterone available to cells. Indole-3-carbinol, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, may increase the excretion of estradiol (one oestrogen hormone) thus increasing the testosterone production. Since these veggies are rich in fibre..it also helps you to keep full and thus helps in fat loss too.

5 Garlic: Garlic is an active ingredient, allicin, enhances testosterone levels and inhibits cortisol, a hormone that competes with testosterone by limiting its actions and breaking down muscle tissue. Season some foods with garlic, but eating crushed garlic cloves provides the most direct benefit.

6 Oyster: Oyster is loaded with Protein, magnesium, lots of zinc. Along with increasing physical endurance, oysters pack more zinc than almost any other food source. Just six oysters give you almost seven times the recommended daily allowance of zinc, and zinc plays a key role in muscle growth and testosterone levels.
Eat a serving of oysters once a week — raw or cooked but not fried.

  1. Pumpkin seeds: They are good source of zinc -a mineral that plays a role in thousands of different enzymatic reactions in the body, including those involved in testosterone production. Sprinkle more testosterone-boosting pumpkin seeds into your diet by adding them to oatmeal, yogurt, and salads, and even add them into your protein shakes.
  2. Coconut: Coconut can not only help your diet taste like a tropical meal, it can also keep your T-score at healthy levels. That’s because the giant nut is a source of saturated fat, which plays a role in testosterone production. A healthy person can take up to 8-10 percent of their calories from saturated fat to help keep testosterone at its peak without any major concern over increasing your risk of heart issues.

9 Wheat Bran: Who would have thought that brown wheat bran could help peak up your T-levels? But the fibre-rich bran of the wheat kernel is an excellent source of the mineral magnesium.  One study found that magnesium was more effective at boosting testosterone if paired with high-intensity exercise. Add wheat bran to your flour or oatmeal, pancake batter, and protein shakes.

10 Pomegranate: This beautiful red fruit has been used medicinally for centuries. With high levels of antioxidants, vitamins A, C, E and iron, researchers have found one glass of pomegranate juice/one fruit a day can increase testosterone levels between 16 percent and 30 percent, can improve mood and increase libido too.

11. Whey protein- or ricotta cheese: This is high in protein and low in fat.-This not only fix your protein dose but also helps in increasing testosterone production restricting body’s production of cortisol hormone. So Have it as post workout meal or grab as mid snack.

So, stack these foods if you haven’t already and enhance your workout and overall physical health!

 

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