GOQii

Blog

By 2 Comments

6 Ways To Keep Your Kids From Falling Sick During Monsoon

keep kids from falling sick

You can’t deny the fact that children love the monsoon. The sheer joy of getting drenched or playing a game of football on a mucky field is an out of the world experience for them. Whereas for parents, it brings in a little worry. How can you keep your kids from falling sick during monsoons?

During this season, you can often find an increased rush at a pediatrician’s clinic and pharmacies while attendance at school slowly drops. Many new parents aren’t aware that with a few disciplinary measures and conscious effort, we can keep our kids from falling sick and enjoy the monsoon to the fullest.

Tips To Keep Kids From Falling Sick During Monsoon

Here are a few simple yet effective measures and home remedies to help you keep your kids from falling sick.

1. Keep Them Hydrated

Frequent intake of water is needed to flush the toxins accumulated in the body out. Ensure that your kids are drinking clean, filtered water. Contaminated water is the most common reason for monsoon infections. Keep their sippers and water bottles ready with boiled or filtered water well within their reach. If the weather is cold, encourage them to drink lukewarm water as cold water can cause mucosal spam in the respiratory muscles which can make it prone to various respiratory disorders like throat infections, cold, cough, etc.

2. Appropriate Clothing and Footwear

Plan their outfits according to the weather. For instance, during humid days, make them wear loose cotton clothes. This will help their skin breathe without obstructing sweat glands. On cold, rainy days, warm clothing is a must. For a rainy outing, apart from an umbrella and a raincoat, don’t forget to make them wear knee or calf-length gumboots which can prevent their feet from catching infections from collected rainwater on the road or the park.

3. Keep Your House Free of Mosquitoes

Along with netting your windows and doors, ensure that you avoid any kind of water logging or storage in and around your house. This includes swimming pools, flowerpots, coolers, etc. Accumulated water is the most common breeding ground for mosquitoes. This can help your kid steer clear of dengue and malaria which are common during monsoons.

4. Nutritious, Well-Balanced Meals and Healthy Snacks

Restrict the intake of street food as much as possible. Not just street food but also ordering from restaurants as rampant incorporation of infected vegetables or infected water are very high during this season. These are primary sources of illnesses during monsoon. Give your kids fresh home-cooked food and nutritious monsoon snacks such as steamy masala corn, roasted groundnuts, sandwiches, etc. You can also opt for healthy snacking options designed specifically for kids from the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App.

5. Maintain Personal Hygiene

Regular baths, cutting nails, keeping yourself as well as the kids dry and cleaning/washing the hands before eating are basics. Apart from that, keep the house clean and sanitized at all times. These small measures go a long way in keeping monsoon bacteria and viruses away!

6. Boost Immunity With Superfoods

Include Vitamin C rich food daily in your kid’s routine. Squeeze a lemon in their curries or snacks. Give them steamed/stir-fried sprouted pulses as snacks. Make their meals and snacks vibrant i.e. colourful veggies such as cucumber, carrot, tomatoes and seasonal fruits for antioxidant power! Antioxidants in these will help destroy harmful toxins accumulated in the body. More colour in food means higher detoxification rate and a stronger defense against infections.

Instead of getting attracted towards commercial probiotics, look for the richest probiotic in your kitchen. Give them curd along with meals. Blend it to make Lassi or a smoothie with fruits. Don’t forget to incorporate Turmeric Milk before bed-time as Turmeric is an effective anti-inflammatory agent and an immunity booster.

Ginger, a naturally potent antibiotic and antiviral, is very effective in fighting the infections of the gut such as Typhoid. Give it mixed with honey or boiled in water with Tulsi (Holy Basil) and mint leaves. Asafoetida (Hing) is also very effective in strengthening gut health and treating different gastrointestinal infections. Add it to Pulses (Dal), curries or while cooking vegetables.

We hope these tips to keep your kids from falling sick this monsoon were helpful! Do you have special remedies you use to help your kids recover or stay healthy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

To help your child get healthier and monitor their vitals on the go, you can opt for the GOQii Smart Vital Junior. It helps you track their vitals, step count, sleep patterns, etc. and you also get a personal coach who can monitor these activities and suggest changes. Explore all the features of the Smart Vital Junior here.

#BeTheForce

By 1 Comment

5 Foods You Should Avoid Eating During Monsoons

5 Foods You Shouldn't Eat During Monsoons

There are many foods out there that seem like an ideal fit for monsoons! Samosas, Pakodas, a hot cup of tea or roasted corn on the cob can all seem a little too tempting when it rains. While there are many foods you should eat during the rainy season, there are some you should definitely avoid at all costs.

Top 5 Foods You Should Avoid Eating During Monsoons

  1. Fried Foods: Munching on hot fried foods while binge watching you favorite show to the sound of rain outside might seem like a good idea but is it? Be it Pakodas, Puris, Fryums or Fritters, deep fried foods need to be avoided at all costs in this weather. The reason being that these foods take longer for digestions, to break down and thereby, they make a person extremely sluggish – something you don’t want this season. Try this recipe instead!
  2. Green Leafy Vegetables: If you’re wondering why something considered healthy like green leafy vegetables are on this list, you’re in for a surprise! Although rich in dietary fiber, magnesium, zinc and iron, etc., green leafy vegetables are a breeding ground for bacteria that thrive in humid weather. These bacteria can cause various illnesses and diseases. If you must eat leafy vegetables, cleaning, seeping it in salt water, washing it and cooking it will ensure that it is good for eating.
  3. Seafood: This is more from the ecological perspective than causing illnesses. The rainy season marks the beginning of the breeding season for fishes. Hence, it is better to avoid them during this time of the year to ensure that their population remains stable.
  4. Street Food: Apart from causing discomfort to the stomach on any given day, street food such as the famed pani puri, dahi puri, sev and bhel puri need to be strictly avoided. This is because the water that is used may be contaminated with bacteria/bacterial spores that thrive during this season causing more stomach infections than usual! If you must eat chaat, try this healthy recipe for sev puri!
  5. Milk: Raw/ unpasteurized milk can be a home for E.Coli, a bacterium that causes many food borne illnesses. It is better to have it boiled to prevent any bacterial growth.

To ensure you’re at the best of your health, these are the top 5 foods you should avoid eating during monsoons! Was this article helpful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Find more monsoon health tips here or speak to an expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

By 4 Comments

Useful Tips To Boost Immunity During Monsoon

boost immunity during monsoonWe all welcome the monsoon every year to find relief from the scorching summer heat. Rains are beautiful and can quickly elevate your mood. Since monsoon weather is damp and humid, it is the perfect environment for microbes to grow and flourish. Thanks to this, people with low immunity are prone to suffer and fall sick frequently during this season. The weather can ruin your immune system and a good immune system is needed during the rainy season. There are a number of ways to build immunity and one of those ways is by eating healthy food! So, let’s look at some useful tips to boost immunity during monsoon! 

Tips To Boost Immunity During Monsoon 

Here’s how you can improve immunity during monsoon by eating the right kind of food to support your immune system. 

  • Switch to herbal teas: Herbal teas such as Tulsi and ginger tea are your best friends to boost immunity during monsoon. Drinking tea will keep you warm and safe from cold and flu while boosting your immunity. Add a few drops of honey for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties instead of sugar.
  • Stay hydrated: Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated, as due to colder climate, the water intake is considerably reduced, which is bad for the body. It is the best source to flush out toxins from your body and doesn’t have calories and sugar. Make sure water should be potable to keep waterborne diseases like Jaundice and Diarrhea at bay.
  • Have protein rich food: Protein, a major macronutrient, increases immunity, wound healing and muscle building. Food like dal, pulses, curd, eggs, chicken, paneer, soy, tofu are rich in protein.
  • Have a low salt diet: High blood pressure may weaken the immune system. So, it is always better to have a low salt diet as it prevents high blood pressure and water retention. Fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber can also lead to water retention. 
  • Prefer curd or yogurt over milk: Curd and yogurt are fermented food, rich in probiotics and the good bacteria present in it can help increase immunity and fight infection and can help your digestive system function well.
  • Include spices: Include more immunity boosting Indian spices in your food like turmeric, fenugreek, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, ginger and curry leaves. They help in digestion and flush out sinus from the body and improve Immunity. Warm water with honey, ginger and black pepper can be a miraculous cure to avoid cold, cough and flu.
  • Improve sunshine vitamin level: Vitamin D or the sunshine vitamin, is an essential micronutrient which can help boost your immune system. It can modulate the innate and adaptive immune response. A deficiency of Vitamin D can make you more prone to common infections. Improve your Vitamin D levels by exposing yourself to morning sunshine and consuming egg, cheese, mushroom and fortified cereals.
  • Eat healthy fats: Include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to your diet. These healthy fats boost your body’s immune response to pathogens as well. These fats are anti-inflammatory and good for your heart too. Nuts, seeds, fish, soy milk, almonds, avocados, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds are prime examples of healthy fats.
  • Eat fruits: Fruits help to build immunity, give energy and are loaded with nutrients such as Vitamin A, C and fiber. Apple, Guava, Banana, Orange, Amla, Papaya, Pomegranate, etc. are the best additions to your diet. Vitamin C helps in iron absorption too.
  • Incorporate vegetables: All vegetables, including green leafy vegetables like cabbage and spinach are good sources of immunity boosting Vitamins A, C, and E as well as folate, antioxidants, and fiber.
  • Limit simple sugar: Most people are aware that eating sugar has negative consequences on their health, leading to things like obesity and diabetes. However, most of them are unaware that it has an effect on the immune system as well. It lowers the ability of white blood cells to fight and destroy bacteria.
  • Avoid outside food: Foods like sandwiches, pani puris, samosas, etc. may seem tempting during monsoons but they may contain bacteria that might cause indigestion. Avoid pre-cut or raw foods/fruits as they could contain germs which may lead to food poisoning and lower your immunity.

Apart from the above food tips, you also require adequate, good quality sleep. Keeping your mind stress-free also helps. Don’t forget to exercise regularly as it boosts your immune system by regenerating your immune cells. 

Underactive and poor immunity can make the body more prone to a host of gastrointestinal problems and monsoon related ailments. Under the current circumstances as well, keeping your immunity level high could be the only way to cherish good health while enjoying the rains.

If these tips to build your immunity during monsoon helped, let us know in the comments below! Find more tips on staying healthy during the monsoon here.

You can also get these tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

By 2 Comments

4 Ways to Naturally Heal Common Cold and Flu

4 Ways to Natural Heal Common Colds and FluIt’s that time of the year again when the ‘change in weather’ hits us all! Immunity levels suddenly drop, paving the way for cold, cough, flu, and body aches, which hamper our daily activities, work and physical well-being. What exactly is cold? Can you naturally heal common cold and flu? Let’s find out!

What is Common Cold?

You get a cold when a tiny living thing called a virus gets into your body. There are a hundred different types of viruses that can get you sick. Once a cold virus gets inside you, your immune system – the body’s defense against germs, launches a counter-attack. Your body’s response to the virus is what brings on the classic symptoms such as cough or a stuffed nose. The common cold is a viral, infectious disease that infects the upper respiratory system. It is also known as Acute Viral Rhinopharyngitis and Acute Coryza.

The viruses that cause common cold are contagious. You can contract them when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, or shakes your hand. It can be spread by air droplets from coughs and sneezes and by touching infected surfaces. There are over 200 sub-types of viruses that can cause a cold with the Rhinovirus being the most common. Although colds occur more commonly during monsoon and winter, they can develop any time of the year. After a couple of weeks, at the most, your immune system fights off the illness and you should stop having symptoms.

Because there are more than 200 viruses that cause common cold, the human body can never build resistance to all of them. This is why colds are so common and often return. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), adults get 2–3 colds per year, and children may have up to 12 per year.

How Can You Naturally Heal Common Cold and Flu? 

The symptoms of common cold are the body’s reaction to the cold virus. It triggers the release of chemicals, making the blood vessels leak, causing the mucous glands to work harder. So what’s the solution? With no long-term solution to this issue, the only way is to either avoid it or treat it! Here are 4 ways to naturally heal common cold and flu.

1. Steam Therapy

Steam therapy is absolutely natural.  Our bodies are made up of 50-60% water and steam is just droplets of water.  Quite simply put, you are renewing one of your body’s natural biochemical elements.

Steam therapy or steam inhalation, is the method of introducing warm, moist air into the lungs via the nose and throat. The prime benefit of breathing in moist, warm steam is that it may help ease the feeling of irritation and swollen blood vessels in the nasal passages. The moisture may also help thin the mucus in your sinuses, which allows them to empty more easily. This can return your breathing to normal.

Ways to Use Steam Therapy

  • Traditional: Boil a few cups of water, then pour the steaming water into a large bowl.  Place gently on a firm flat surface such as a kitchen table. Put a towel over your head to form a ‘tent’. Lean over with your face 15-20cm from the steam and inhale. Eucalyptus Oil, Lavender Oil and Holy Basil Leaves can be added for extra benefit.
  • Shower: Run a hot shower and inhale the steam – you can even use few drops of essential oils to help refresh and revitalize.
  • Personal Inhalers: An easy and portable way to enjoy steam therapy on the go. A great idea for the office or holidays, inhalers are also popular with public speakers, actors and singers to help open up the airways before a performance.

2. Gargle

Gargling several times a day with warm salt water can reduce swelling in the throat and loosen mucus. This helps in flushing out irritants or bacteria. Salt water creates a high-salt barrier and pulls out a lot of fluids from the tissues in the throat area. This helps in washing the virus out. The salt functions as a magnet for water. It’s good for symptomatic relief.

It’s best to use pure water because tap water often includes chlorine. One can also add Turmeric juice or powder to have an antiseptic effect. One can gargle every 4 hours if the cough/cold is troublesome.

3. Maintain Hydration Levels

Drinking plenty of fluids is one of the most important things you can do when you have a cold or flu. Because cold and flu symptoms like runny noses and sweating, which often accompanies fever, increase the amount of water your body loses. Dehydration might occur if your fluid intake is not increased to compensate.

Keeping your body hydrated also helps loosen mucus in your nose and relieve congestion. Staying hydrated ensures that the body can function properly and can defend itself more effectively against the cold or flu.

When you have a cold or flu, drink a minimum of 2 liters of fluid each day. Drink water or other healthy fluids whenever you are thirsty. Use your thirst as a guide to when and how much you should drink. If you are caring for a child who is over one year, ensure they drink a minimum of 90–120ml of fluid per hour. Babies under one year require at least 30–60ml fluid per hour. Pregnant women should increase their fluid intake to up to 2.50L per day.

Try these herbal concoctions:

  • Herbal Tea: In a glass of boiling water, add a pinch of cinnamon, a few holy basil leaves, crushed ginger and a few crushed black peppercorns. Add honey and drink while hot.
  • Carom  Seeds Infused Water: Boil Carom Seeds in water. Strain and add Jaggery powder. This helps in relieving cough and congestion.
  • Garlic Concoction: Combine 2-4 cloves, chopped garlic and 3-4 slices of fresh ginger with 1 cup of water. Cover and let it steep for at least 20 minutes. Add honey and lemon to taste. Drink it while it is lukewarm.
  • Licorice Tea: Boil a 1/2inch piece of licorice + 1/2 tsp grated ginger and 1/2 spoon of cinnamon in 1 cup water for 10 mins. Strain and drink.
  • Raw Turmeric Drink: Boil a 1 inch piece of raw Turmeric or a 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder for 5 minutes. Add ginger juice/honey and consume.
  • Green Tea and Chamomile Tea
  • Soups: Vegetable soup/chicken soup/clear soup/chicken broth, lemon coriander soup, garlic spinach soup, tomato fennel soup or veg broth – all work well. A hot bowl of soup helps break up the congestion associated with both common cold and flu. The salt in the soup and its warmth can soothe a sore throat.

4. Rest

Rest is the best treatment! When you have a cold or flu, doctors recommend plenty of bed rest. When you limit mobility/take rest, your body has more resources to fight off your illness. Your body temperature goes up if you remain very active. Flu and cold organisms replicate at a faster rate when the body gets hotter. Also, if you head to the office when you are sick, the stress of work can make it hard for your body to attack the illness.

Do not over-exert yourself. You can do light intensity workout if you have the energy, your symptoms are mild such as just a runny nose, or if you have been fever free for more than 48 hours.

  • Avoid Exercise: When you have fever, body aches, cough, vomiting, diarrhea or chronic health concerns such as asthma /heart diseases.
  • Best Exercises: Walking, yoga or a light jog. All these stimulate you to take deep breaths and can help open up clogged passages.
  • Worst Exercises: Endurance runs, machines at gym and weight lifting.

We hope this information helps you naturally heal common cold and flu symptoms! Find more home remedies and articles on staying healthy during monsoon here. You can also get these tips, and more, directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalized Health Coaching here.

Have a personal remedy of your own? Share it with us in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]