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Why You Need To Consume More Water During Winter

consume more water during winterWinter can be a dreadful experience if you don’t have the resistance to withstand cold. While searching for things to keep us warm from the outside and within, consuming water is quite low on our winter checklist. But there are many reasons why you need to consume more water during winter – one of them being that we get more dehydrated during winter.

Why Do We Feel More Dehydrated During Winter? 

It’s a fact that we get more dehydrated in winter when compared to summer. This is because when the surrounding temperature drops, we cling to the heater or cover ourselves with layers of clothing to keep us warm. This artificial heat causes dehydration.

Though we do not sweat during this season, water vapor is still lost from our body through our breath. Winter can even accelerate dehydration because of the lifesaving mechanism that’s functional in our body which constricts our blood vessels in cold weather, in turn conserving heat and maintaining body temperature.

Shrinking blood vessels increase blood pressure, making our kidneys produce more urine which means less blood to fill in the veins and arteries and frequent visits to the loo, hence, increasing the risk of dehydration. Dehydration causes muscle fatigue, cramps, loss of coordination and even a stroke. A dehydrated body is easily prone to flu and winter cold.

Basically, during winters we refrain from having enough water. With the days being short, it makes us exercise less and our food intake grows. When our body is well hydrated, its efficiency to break down fat for energy increases so that we have better control of our appetite.

The other concern is that of water retention due to the body not being well hydrated during winter. This takes place when our body starts feeling the scarcity of water and it starts holding back water leading to water retention.

How do I know if I am dehydrated? – Thirst is our body’s way of saying “I am on the verge of dehydration”. You can even be watchful of how clear or light colored your urine is. If it is dark, hydrate immediately.

How Do I Consume More Water During Winter?

  1. Drink Warm Water: 90% of the excuses that we give for not having water in winter is that it makes us feel cold. The best solution here is to drink lukewarm water, which would not only soothe your throat but will also replenish your water stores while boosting your metabolism
  2. Balance Tea and Coffee With Water: Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics (they cause us to lose more water through urine), so try to have a glass of water before having your evening tea/coffee. Have another glass after a few mins of after having your tea/coffee This way, we can replenish our body’s water store.
  3. Include Water Based Food In Your Menu: Vegetables and fruits are naturally rich in water, which also provide vital minerals and vitamins. Soups are the best way to go! Try this Chilli Bean Soup to keep you warm: https://goqii.com/blog/chilli-bean-soup/
  4. Drink Water Throughout Your Exercise: Make it a point to have water before, during and after your exercise. Due to the cold climate, there are very fewer chances of sweating too much or feeling too thirsty, mind it your body needs it!
  5. Make Water Interesting: Many find drinking plain water very boring. If you are one of them, then you can add natural flavors to water (not free calories though) by adding some fruits or herbs which give the water some mild taste and make it delicious to sip on.

In conclusion, I would say be it summer, monsoon or winter, our body remains same through the year. So keep sipping and always stay hydrated! If you have difficulty keeping track of your water intake, you can log and track your daily water intake via the GOQii App as well as set reminders to drink water.

We hope this article helps you consume more water. For more on staying healthy during winter, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Why Do We Feel Hungrier During Winter?

hungrier during winter

It’s normal to find a nice thick blanket, cozy up to a pillow and snack away on something warm to quell those hunger pangs that don’t seem to end during winter. This is often complemented with sudden weight gain and you’re left wondering where that excess weight came from. Well, there are several reasons for feeling hungrier during winter and we’re about to explore them.

Reasons for Feeling Hungrier During Winter

  1. High metabolism: During winter, our metabolism is quite high as the body tries to keep itself warm due to those teeth sputtering chill. The body produces more heat in order to combat the chill outside which is known as thermogenesis. To carry out this function, it requires extra calories which get burnt during the process, hence need extra food.
  2. Food Produces Heat: In cold weather, our body needs more calories to keep itself warm with the help of some involuntary activities like shivering. Hence, the body craves more food. When these extra calories start burning, it makes the body warm. Here, we need to remember not to satisfy the cravings with high sugar or high-fat foods as they raise blood sugar levels causing weight gain.
  3. Winter Comes With Multiple Choices: It’s the best time of the year for multiple reasons. One of those being food! Vegetables and fruits flood the markets. Plus, a lot of winter recipes are prepared with rich ingredients which induce weight gain. One can’t help but indulge in sweets this season brings. Not feeling hungry is definitely not an option
  4. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): As the days are shorter, we generally prefer staying indoors which can lead to Vitamin D deficiency and also lower levels of serotonin (happy hormone which generates because of exposure to daylight). These deficiencies typically causes Seasonal Emotional Disturbance or Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD : a sort of depression related to the shorter days of winter, which affects many of us. It is seen that individuals stricken from SAD crave more carbohydrates, as these facilitate the body’s use of tryptophan (amino acid) which can be converted into serotonin to spike up lower levels in the blood.
  5. Lazy Mornings: It becomes really difficult to get out of your cozy bed during winter mornings to go out for a walk, workout or even work. People prefer lying comfortably in bed, watching a TV show while binging on snacks endlessly. This increase in snacking and lack of physical activity make us gain extra kilos.

 Tips to Avoid Eating More  

  • Whenever you crave for food, try choosing some healthy options like salads, soups, sautéed veggies combined with proteins as these are high in fibre and gives a feeling of fullness.
  • Go out during the day to expose your body to the sun for some vitamin D and to boost your serotonin levels.
  • Perform your regular exercises as it helps in boosting your mood and avoids indulgence in unnecessary snacking.
  • Go out with friends or play with a pet if you are stressed. Don’t look at food as an alternative coping mechanism. 

The bottom line is – eat mindfully and enjoy winters! We hope this article helps you make healthier choices. For more winter tips, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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7 Simple Winter Skincare Tips For Dull and Dry Skin

winter skincare tips

With the temperatures dipping, dry winter air zaps the moisture from your skin and leaves it dry and flaky. But it doesn’t mean you have to live with dull and dry skin all through winter. A few effective winter skincare tips and a proper skincare routine can facilitate your skincare game on point even in the chilly months. Let’s discuss some very useful skin care tips to keep your skin healthy and happy in winter.

7 Simple Winter Skincare Tips 

  1. Cover Up: Winter brings along dry and itchy skin that can be annoying to deal with it but you can prevent them from stripping away your skin’s natural oils. Always wear gloves and cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or the collar of your jacket, especially if it’s  windy. You can apply Vaseline or lip balm and sunscreen of SPF – 15 to lessen direct contact between the cold air and your skin (especially your lips) as the sun’s harmful UV rays can still cause damage in winters. 
  2. Watch your Diet: Your skin texture depends not only on external treatments but also on your food intake. A proper nutritious intake helps in rejuvenating the skin from within. Sometimes, when the skin is incredibly dry, it can also be helped by whole grains, pulses, brown rice, oatmeal and sprouts. Foods containing omega 3 fatty acids like chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, fish oil and flaxseed oil help increase blood flow to the skin, thus making it smooth and supple.
  3. Make Hydration Easy: You’ve probably been told to drink plenty of water during winter, so don’t forget the ‘drinking 8 glasses of water’ rule that applies to winter as well. 
  4. High Water Content Foods: Vit. C rich fruits like guava, papaya, Amla, oranges, lemon juice, green tea, avocado and green veggies such as spinach, beetroot or carrot, broccoli soups and stews made with broth, can also help keep your body and skin from getting too dry by synthesising collagen. Collagen is the protein that holds the skin cells together, thus promoting the generation of clear skin and a fresh complexion.
  5. Moisturize & Apply Natural Butters: Moisturizing is one the pretty basic winter skincare tips. Take it a step further by selecting moisturizers or natural butters like Shea, primrose, kokum, coconut oil or ghee, and almond butter. These can be applied to the skin after showering. Treating dry lips can also be done using a few common home ingredients like aloe vera gel and honey or Vaseline.
  6. Practice Abhyanga: Abhyanga is an important aspect of Ayurveda, a treatment that involves self-massaging the skin with oil. You can use cold-pressed oils like olive oil, sesame seed oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, almond oil and castor oil, etc. that offers a great healing treatment for dry skin, bringing comfort and balance to the entire body.
  7. Avoid Hot Baths: Always use lukewarm water instead of hot water while bathing to revive natural oil from the skin. You can also use mild soaps, bath oils or a good home-cleanser just like the top of the milk cream blended with a few teaspoons of gram flour (Besan) and a pinch of turmeric powder rather than a harsh soap which can dry out the skin. 

These are some simple Winter Skincare tips to help you keep your skin moist, supple and healthy all season long. Include the easy changes above to your everyday routine to be able to feel your best! 

We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. To read more on how to stay healthy during winters, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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5 Winter Drinks and Beverage To Keep You Warm

winter drinks

During this nice chilly winter weather, there’s nothing more warming than a hot bowl of soup or a nice healthy drink. So why not take that warm feeling to the next level with some healthy winter drinks and beverages? 

Winter is a season of abundance – abundance of holidays, festivals, love and gratitude. This abundance is extended with the availability of a variety of fresh produce and a high metabolic rate that keeps making us feel hungry. A perfect opportunity to replenish your body stores of some crucial nutrients that you might need throughout the year. This makes it even more imperative for one to opt for healthy options and make the most of it.

While hydration and drinking water or fluids is considered to be a summer thing, it is equally important to keep yourself hydrated in the winters! Winters are dry and windy, and it takes more of your body to keep your skin moist and supple. Moreover, infection rates are higher during these times and hence, it is crucial to keep up your immunity game strong. Water is a simple tool for hydration and flushing out the infectious agents from the body. However, warm fluids give an added comfort, soothing the throat, warming your insides and a very filling effect on the stomach.

5 Winter Drinks and Beverages To Keep You Warm 

1. Soup
With bountiful fresh produce, seasonal vegetables and liberty of spices and herbs, it is the most convenient time of the year to cook soups and relish a hot bowl. Gourd soups with pumpkin, bottle gourd and tomatoes; The CBT soup with carrot, beetroot and tomatoes; Dal and tomato soup that has the goodness of moong dal proteins; Lemon coriander soup; Spinach soup; Broccoli almond soup.; Mushroom soup are just a few examples from the wide array of choices for this season, as all of these vegetables are easily available during this time. It has the benefits of vitamin A from the gourds, Vitamin C from lemons, and they both help build immunity. Quercetin from tomatoes and anthocyanins from beets enhance heart health. While spinach and broccoli have the goodness of calcium and vitamin K essential in bone health. Season soups with ginger, garlic and herbs like pepper, basil and oregano; some whole spices like bay leaf, star anise. Drizzle the bowl of soup with good fat like olive oil or sesame oil and you are good for a slurpy meal. Keeps you full for long, helps in weight loss and easy on the gut. Avoid packaged and ready to eat/cook soups, they contain very little natural ingredients and are very high in sodium which causes more damage to the body than benefiting it.

2. Spiced Turmeric Lattè
Our traditional Haldi doodh got glorified recently and became the turmeric lattè, which is simply hot milk with turmeric and a dash of cinnamon and pepper powder. It is the best remedy to find relief from sore throats and respiratory diseases. Turmeric invariably has the benefits of curcumin on heart, kidneys, helps control diabetes and wards off infections. For a subtle sweetness, one can add some honey or dates pureè. Sprinkle some dry rose petals and sliced nuts over it.

3. Hot Lemon Gingeràle
Hot water infused with lemon and ginger extract and slightly sweetened with honey gives the hot comfort of the lemon ginger water, soothes the throat and has a relaxing effect on the brain. Ginger has a compound called gingerol and the antioxidants as well as vitamin C from the lemon gives your immunity a boost. A pinch of cinnamon can enhance its flavour.

4. Black or Green Tea (variant: Kashmiri kahwa)
Black or green tea with a slice of lemon can be the most comforting thing ever. Black or green tea are a great source of antioxidants of the catechin family and lemons are rich in vitamin C and limonin, all involved in maintaining the metabolic rate and good blood circulation. The heaven on earth Kashmir is also home to some of the best culinary magics, and one of them is the Kahwa. Kashmiri Kahwa is Kashmiri green tea, boiled with saffron, cardamom and almonds. This drink has the ability to warm you up in the coldest of the winters, like those of Kashmir. 

5. Kaadha
It is an age-old method of curing or preventing winter diseases with a kaadha. Kaadha is a term in Ayurvedic medicine that stands for a concoction or extract of medicinal plants and herbs. Our Indian culture is blessed with a number of spices and other food additives that are not just food but have medicinal benefits too. Indigenous adjuncts and methods of cooking are appreciated worldwide. One can create a simple and beneficial kaadha at home with the following ingredients that can be easily found in any Indian household: 

  • 5-6 tulsi leaves
  • 2-3 mint leaves
  • A small piece of dalchini (cinnamon)
  • 2-3 laung (cloves)
  • 1 elaichi (cardamom)
  • 2-3 kalimiri (black pepper pearls)
  • 1 teaspoon of sauf (fennel seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon of jeera (cumin seeds) 
  • Small piece of ginger
  • Half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of honey

Boil all the whole spices in 1 litre of water and let it reduce to half a litre. Then slightly cool down this water, strain it and squeeze half a lemon over it, then add the honey. Sip this water throughout the day for at least 3 times a week. It will keep away common cold, sore throat, maintains your digestive health, eliminates flatus (gas) or bloating, and helps you lose weight by speeding up metabolism.

We hope these easily available winter drinks and beverages help you have a healthy winter! For more tips on staying healthy during winter, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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