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June 5, 2020 By Madhu Soni Leave a Comment

9 Things To Do Once Lockdown Ends

Slowly and gradually, the lockdown will be lifted in phases in the green zones, but this surely doesn’t mean that the pandemic is over. By now, most of us might be ready with a list of things to do the day this lockdown ceases. Before you jump into action again take a look at the things to keep in mind.

Thing To Keep In Mind Once Lockdown Ends

Sanitization: A simple and effective way to stay away from this life threatening virus is to wash hands thoroughly. Carry a bottle of sanitizer with you while stepping out of the house in case you have touched anything suspicious you can immediately sanitize. So let’s continue with this habit which we have cultivated during this lockdown.
Mask is here to stay: Wearing a mask while going out has to be followed as this can prevent us from coming in contact with respiratory droplets of an asymptomatic COVID positive person. Use of gloves is also recommended in cases of coming in contact with people like going to market places or using the local transport.
Socializing: After almost three months of staying indoors, there will be an immense urge to meet family and friends specially those who were tested positive, but hold on for a few more days as lockdown relaxation doesn’t mean the virus has extinguished. Venture out only for important work. Choose to work from home if possible.
Overindulgence: Restaurants and food joints will gradually be back in business. Online food apps will be functional soon but do not pounce on all that fancy food for obvious reasons. This lockdown has taught us that simple home cooked food can be nutritious as well as delicious!
Don’t Ditch Exercise: Necessity is the mother of all invention! This lockdown taught us some great ways to stay healthy, happy and be occupied. Be it yoga, strength training, walking exercises, fun exercise with kids or even 5k and 10k runs at home have contributed immensely in building up our immunity..
Don’t Overwork: Major section of people have been jobless during this period. Fear of uncertainty and decline in vitamin M [money] encourages people to jump back to work. But draw a clear line between work and overwork. Remember overload can make you more susceptible to this virus and hospitalization can drain all your savings.
Do not Compromise Sleep: Time and again, this vital component of health has been ignored. Good sleep cycle during these two months does make up for all those sleep deprived nights! Sound and deep sleep is a ritual which needs to follow every day.
Don’t Stop Immunity Boosting Food: While we take pride in the fact of strong immunity, let’s not ditch it once the lockdown ceases. Vitamin C rich foods, herbal kada, zinc rich food are the secret of strong immunity. They have to be a part of our daily intake. Once the lockdown has been lifted, it is all the more important to have a stronger immune system
Maintain Bonds: This pandemic has forced us with quantitative family time. Bonding with family members has helped us sail through this rough weather and will continue in the future too. Healthy bonding at home is like a strong backbone which keeps us in the pink of health because being healthy outside begins by being healthy inside.

Most importantly, don’t forget to support local businesses. You can also check out the GOQii Health Store within the app. We hope you will consider these suggestions once lockdown ends and life goes back to the way it was. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on immunity, health, fitness and wellness, check out Healthy Reads within the app or tune in to GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

June 3, 2020 By Dr. Vaidya's 1 Comment

Stressed Out? Natural Ways To Manage Stress During Lockdown

It is normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or angry during an epidemic outbreak. Hearing constant reports about the illness and death caused by the outbreak world over can be hard to take. But even amid the pandemic, it is important to make sure that you take care of your physical and mental health. We must cope with the stress and anxiety that the pandemic brings. Stress and anxiety can trigger ailments such as insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and more. It may also lead to an imbalance of the three doshas; vata, pitta and kapha in the body, depending on an individual’s constitution. Here are some ayurvedic tips that can help you manage stress and anxiety during this time period:

How To Manage Stress During Lockdown

Eat right and hydrate well: Eat foods that help you relax. Choose foods that help reduce stress. All fresh fruits, lightly cooked, spiced vegetables and whole grains will revive your tired mind and body. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to flush out any disease-causing toxic matter from your system. You can also add some calming teas like peppermint or chamomile to your daily diet. Use this time to get restful sleep of 7-8 hours – this can also drastically reduce stress and anxiety.
Exercise is a good way to de-stress: Yoga is a great way to exercise all parts of your body, while also soothing nerves and balancing the mind. Some of the yoga poses that can be practised are child’s pose, bridge pose, standing forward bend pose, eagle pose, extended triangle pose and extended puppy pose (you can find explanations and demonstrations of each of these poses online). Simple pranayama exercises can also help restore vitality to the energy channels of the body, release tension, and offer support to the mind and the nervous system.
Create a sense of structure and routine in daily life: At the most fundamental level, our physiology is very much adapted to and supported by some sense of regularity. This is precisely why the daily routine is such good medicine for anxiety. The routine itself has a very grounding and stabilizing effect on the system; it creates several familiar and comforting reference points throughout the day. This, in turn, sends an affirmation to the body that all is well and we can be at ease. Adopting a daily routine is also an act of love and self-care. Our routines provide us with opportunities to take care of our health and well-being, despite what else might be going on in our lives. While one is at home, try and keep a routine like one is actually going to the office. Don’t stay in pyjamas all day, eat at the same time and schedule the day with virtual meetings like you would at the office. These seem like inane steps but really help.
Meditation: Meditation, even if practised for as few as 10 minutes each day, can help you control stress, decrease anxiety, improve cardiovascular health, and relax the mind. It consists of the silent repetition of a word, sound, or phrase while sitting quietly with eyes closed and a good posture for 10 to 20 minutes. This should be done in a quiet place to get rid of any distractions. Sitting is preferred to lying down to avoid falling asleep. Relax your muscles and breathe through your nose naturally. During a meditation session, all worries and thoughts should be dismissed by focusing on the word, sound or phrase.
Abhyanga: Abhyanga or self-oil massage utilizes the absorbing properties of the skin to not only nourish but also provide a healing and calming effect on the mind and body. Daily massage with natural oils like sesame, coconut, almond, tea tree, etc pacifies all the doshas to provide relief from fatigue, stress, and promote peaceful sleep.
Avoid unhelpful coping strategies: Habits like drinking alcohol and smoking may not help cope with stress and anxiety. They not only harm you physically but can also increase levels of stress and anxiety and reduce immunity. It is better to avoid such practices.

Staying in touch with near and dear ones can also help reduce anxiety and promote positive thoughts and environment around you. During these difficult times, we must take care of our physical and mental health and take preventative measures like practising personal hygiene and social distancing till the tide passes over. We hope everybody stays safe and healthy! This too shall pass.

We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on managing stress, tune in to our emotional wellness experts on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, manage stress and #BeTheForce

June 2, 2020 By Akanksha Khullar 3 Comments

Effective Tips to Boost Your Immunity

As we prepare to welcome the monsoons, along with the ongoing pandemic, the change in season might affect some of you as you may show symptoms of cold and flu. During this time especially, it becomes important to protect your body against any illness or disease caused by bacteria or viruses. The best way to prevent cold and flu is to boost your immunity!

Types of Immunity

Specific Immunity: Is related to specialized cells located throughout the body like thymus, lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen, lymphoid tissues, etc. which respond to invasions of foreign materials/microorganisms like bacteria, virus, fungi produced by or entering the body.
Non-Specific Immunity: Is related to the physical barriers like skin and mucous membrane. They form the first line of defence against the entry of microorganisms or foreign substances in your body.
Others: These include mobile cells like leukocytes and lymphocytes. They are released in the blood and carried to the site where they are needed when any microorganism invades the tissue.

How To Boost Your Immunity

Each person has a different spectrum of immunity ranging from good to bad. But there are certain things you can do to try to boost your immunity.

Have Nutritionally Adequate Meals: There are supplements in the market claiming that they increase immunity. However, it’s best to do so by consuming foods that boost your immunity. A healthy immune system is dependent upon a healthy eating pattern. Malnourishment leads to low immunity as nutrients like zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamins like A, B6, C and E are needed to maintain an optimum immune system. Some foods that boost immunity are Vitamin C rich foods like oranges, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, lemon, etc, along with broccoli, ginger, garlic, turmeric, green tea, etc.
Boost Gut Health: Gut health is directly related to our immunity. The healthier the gut, the healthier the immune system. Adding prebiotics and probiotics like yogurt/buttermilk/curd, garlic, onion, apple, bananas, oats, flaxseeds, wheat bran, apple cider vinegar, Kombucha, Isapgol, etc. to your diet as they boost gut health, which in turn boosts your immune system. As they have good bacteria, they prevent digestion issues as well. For healthy digestion, make sure you avoid too spicy and junk foods, avoid long gaps between meals, hydrate yourself well, be on the move throughout the day, have a light dinner and keep stress away. Also have lots of fibre in the form of raw fruits and salads, oats, nuts, etc.
Get Active: Exercising regularly for at least 20-30 minutes helps to bring in a healthier you by improving bones, muscle and joint strength. It prevents various metabolic disorders like diabetes, cardiac issues, etc. It also increases blood circulation which allows the proper functioning of T cells – which is a type of white blood cell that guards the body against infections to work efficiently and prevent us from getting any kind of viral infection or disease. A regular workout schedule even reduces stress which is a major contributor for low immunity.
Curb Alcohol & Smoking: Alcohol and smoking are scavengers of our immune system. Try to limit the intake of the same to avoid cold or flu as they affect the liver and lungs respectively which helps in detoxification. They lead to medical problems like cardiac issues and blood pressure, which if uncontrolled, leads to cardiac attack. Smoking leads to respiratory tract infections like tuberculosis and bronchitis and alcohol also leads to fatty liver and in severe cases, leads to liver cirrhosis. Drinking and smoking also leads to cancer.
Get Sufficient Sleep: Make sure that you get at least 6-8 hours of sleep everyday as enough sleep helps our bodies recover from everyday stress, both physical and mental. If you feel that your sleep is disturbed, try to be active throughout the day, avoid caffeine or alcohol before sleeping, keep the bedroom cool and keep the electronics away before sleeping and do some deep breathing or unwind yourself.
Reduce Stress Levels: Stress is directly linked to our immune system as it secretes cortisol which interferes with the functioning of T-cells. To keep your stress in check, practice yoga, meditation, socialize on the internet and practice positive thinking or deep breathing in your regular routine.
Maintain Good Hygiene: Wash your hands for 20 seconds under running water frequently in a day with soap or use a hand sanitizer with alcohol to disinfect yourself from germs frequently. After entering the house, make sure to immediately wash hands with soap to avoid infection. Wear a mask as instructed by WHO if you’re stepping out. Also, make sure to wash raw fruits and vegetables before consuming them.

Good immunity is the pillar of a healthy body and very important for providing longevity to life. Try the above tips and boost your immunity to live a long and healthy life. For more tips on immunity, check out Healthy Reads or view LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay home, stay safe, boost your immunity and #BeTheForce

May 30, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Small Changes Lead To Big Results – Charanjit Dangotra User Journey

Stomach and digestion issues are not something you want on your side and if you’ve already had your run in with them, you know how they can hamper a good day. One of our GOQii Players Charanjit Dangotra faced a similar issue but with help from his GOQii Coach, he was able to turn his condition around and make a positive lifestyle change! Want to know how he battled Gastritis and won?

Life Before Joining GOQii

Like every working professional in Mumbai, the 33 year old Charanjit Dangotra led a very erratic lifestyle which revolved around long traveling hours and work. Untimely eating habits, no physical activity and a general lack of concern for health took their toll. 3 years back, he was diagnosed with Gastritis and has been on medication for the same.

Due to his long commuting hours, Charanjit Dangotra couldn’t find time for any physical activity and his available time was spent on television or his phone. When things couldn’t get any worse, his doctor advised him to take up the GOQii program in June 2019. He got a free 3 month subscription and from there on, there was no looking back.

Making the Shift to a Healthier Lifestyle

Once he was aboard the GOQii platform, he was assigned a GOQii Coach who spoke to him to understand his medical condition. The first thing addressed by his GOQii Coach was regularizing his meal timings. Now, he eats all his meals on time no matter where he is. He finished his dinner by 9 PM and sleeps by 11:30 PM on most days.

He manages to go to the gym 6 days a week where he performs cardio along with weight training as advised by his Coach. He has also begun introducing salads and fruits to his diet on a daily basis.

As a result of the minute lifestyle changes he made, he saw positive changes.

Although he still continues with his medication, the frequency of stomach pain has reduced. He feels more energetic nowadays and can give more time to things he couldn’t before. He has also reduced his weight from 69kg to 60kg.

What Does Charanjit Dangotra Think About His GOQii Coach?

He happily attributes all his improvements in health to his GOQii Coach. He says that it is due to her constant motivation, prompt responses and close monitoring of his habits that helped him make the shift. If he was unable to follow any habit for one particular day, his Coach would suggest alternatives. This gave him the flexibility he needed to manage his health while traveling.

“I trust her completely and reach out to her for anything and everything. I have even begun doing yoga once a week – an activity I was never inclined to. That’s how much she has influenced me!” He said.

What Does His GOQii Coach Have to Say About Him?

“Charanjit was a bit curious about what he can consume without causing any more stomach pain but was determined to improve his medical ailment (Gastritis – burning sensation and pain on right side of stomach) when he came on board. I was impressed by his sincerity to achieve his goal. We started with incorporating some physical activity in his routine. Along with that, we also worked on his nutrition. Since he was determined and followed habits regularly, we started seeing results such as reduction is stomach pain.

Slowly, we began working on his sleep and stress too. In between, he got a fissure problem, which after making a bit of modification in his water and nutrition we were able to improve to a 100%. Currently, he is not suffering from it and isn’t taking any medication for it either.

After constantly working on his goal and achieving good results, his doctor has also advised him to start incorporating foods which he was not allowed to eat before. Seeing his progress motivates me too and I’m sure that soon enough, we will be able to achieve his goal!”

After seeing all these wonderful results and changes, Charanjit has renewed his subscription to a whole year! What’s stopping you? Subscribe to GOQii now and witness the power of a healthy lifestyle. To read more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.