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Lifestyle Diseases On The Rise In India | IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023

Lifestyle diseases on the rise

Lifestyle diseases are chronic health conditions that are caused by the way people live their lives. These illnesses develop over time and are largely caused due to leading an unhealthy lifestyle which consists of a poor diet, lack of exercise, etc. ​​Diabetes, High Cholesterol , High Blood Pressure and Thyroid disorders  are the four most common lifestyle problems among people in 2022 according to the IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023.

The World Health Organization estimates that these lifestyle diseases are responsible for 80% of all deaths worldwide. They are the leading cause of death in the developed world, and the numbers are increasing. Poor lifestyle choices are the main reason for these lifestyle illnesses which in turn result in the majority of these deaths. 

High Blood Pressure Is Still A Major Lifestyle Concern 

The report indicates that high blood pressure is still a cause for concern as it is still the most common ailment, which affects 24% of those polled.  This might be attributed to factors such as unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity and stress. Additionally, there is a lack of awareness regarding the risk factors associated with high blood pressure and the importance of regular monitoring. 

High Cholesterol is in second place affecting 18% of the population. This might be due to poor eating habits, lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking, consuming alcohol or family history. 

Diabetes is the third most common disease, affecting 17% of the population. Diabetes can be caused by excess weight, inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, junk food consumption, lack of sleep or a family history of the disease. When compared to its rivals, Thyroid disorders have a lower proportion of 7%. Iodine deficiency or any autoimmune illness might cause this sickness.

Lifestyle Diseases On The Rise 

The GOQii IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023 indicates that Lifestyle Illnesses over the last 3 years are consistently on the rise. The percentage of people with high blood pressure has increased from 23% in 2020 to 24% in 2022. High Blood Pressure still tops the chart.

Lifestyle diseases on the rise

High Cholesterol is another silent killer which has seen an increase. People with high cholesterol have increased from 16% in 2020 to 18% in 2022. People with Diabetes have increased from 15% in 2020 to 17% in 2022. The report indicates that 7% of people are suffering from Thyroid-related issues, out of which women are more affected by it than men. This has not changed over the years. 

To know more about how Lifestyle Diseases are impacting different age groups and cities within India, download the IndiaFit Report 2022 – 2023 for a detailed breakdown here.

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Achal Agarwal Loses 37kg, Reverses Lifestyle Diseases & Gets Healthier With GOQii

Achal AgarwalWhen we think of weight loss, the first thing that comes to mind is to eat less and exercise. Theoretically, this is the right way to go about it. But, this is not as easy as it sounds. It requires a great level of determination and willpower. However, once the decision to succeed is made, you will achieve your goal. Roadblocks in fitness and health can come in many ways – excuses, laziness, busy etc. Today, we bring to you one such story of determination and will power from our player Achal Agarwal.   

Life Before GOQii 

Achal Agarwal, 42, based in Noida, handles operations for a large German MNC in India as its COO. Before joining GOQii, he was overweight, weighing around 121 kg. Due to being overweight, he had developed medical conditions such as Diabetes, High Lipids (Cholesterol), Stomach Problems (Acidity, constipation) and Fatty liver. His waist was 44 inches. 

“I had all sorts of issues. I was totally ignoring my health. I was doing nothing. Stress levels were high and I needed my drink daily,” says Achal. After having severe palpitations and the scare of COVID-19, he decided that he had to take care of his own health. 

Joining GOQii & Making A Lifestyle Change 

After he bought the GOQii Balance, a smart weight scale, he found a coupon code and downloaded the GOQii App. When he explored the app, he found various health services. He came across the personalized coaching service, and took it up. 

He says that the Coach’s knowledge helped him bring about necessary changes in his diet and exercise. He says that, “The Coach has been very motivating and she has been there all along trying to find out if I am doing well. GOQii has been very helpful and I think a health coach is more than enough for one to follow and get better.”

The changes brought about by Achal Agarwal’s coach included: 

  • Basic walk to complete 6k steps a day (later he began completing 15k steps daily) 
  • Increased water intake and cutting down on tea intake 
  • Avoid maida and processed foods 
  • Having multigrain roti 
  • Increasing fruit, vegetable and protein intake 
  • Stopping sugar and alcohol completely 
  • Practicing Pranayama to reduce stress 

Achal says that his best stress buster now is walking – he loves it! He even conducts his meetings at work on walks, completing 20k steps on a daily basis. He further adds that, “The journey has not been easy but it’s been fun.” He further adds that his coach has been extremely understanding and has worked out everything around his schedule. He used to do stringent workouts and the coach introduced pre and post workout meals and that helped. His GOQii Coach has been regularly advising him on dietary changes. What Achal likes the best about coaching is that it is non-intrusive.

Thanks to all the lifestyle modifications suggested by his GOQii Coach, in the last 10 months, he lost close to 37kg. His Current weight is 83.2kg and his waist size has reduced by 7 inches. His HbA1c reduced from 7.9% to 5.1%. His Cholesterol levels lowered as well as his fasting sugar. 

Achal Agarwal has now become a health mentor to a lot of his colleagues. He has been sharing tips with his employees and co-workers and many of whom have managed to get on a healthier path. A fine example of this can be seen in Sushma Mishra who has been able to lose 8kg in the last couple of months. She says, “I never expected I could also get healthy, do exercises and lose weight. But, with the small tips that Achal Sir gave, I followed them and it’s helping me. He is such an inspiration and a role model to all of us”.  He has also been recommending people to download the GOQii app and use it.

To know more about his journey, check out this session of GOQii Health Talks where he spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal about his changes, challenges and more! 

What Does His Coach Have To Say About Achal Aggarwal?

Achal Agarwal is one such player who is very disciplined, dedicated, and maintains consistency with any habits that were suggested by me. He was always very sincere from the beginning and never missed his daily workout and healthy diet. The player came on board in Nov 2020 with medical conditions like Diabetes, High Lipids (Cholesterol), uric acid, high CRP levels, stomach problems (Acidity, constipation) and Fatty liver.

We slowly introduced small changes as mentioned above. In the last 10 months Achal’s progress has been tremendous! Apart from weight loss and his vitals returning to normal, Achal says that his complete change of mindset towards health and fitness have been amazing! 

Does Achal Agarwal’s story inspire you? Do you want to make a change? Subscribe for GOQii’s Personalized coaching now and speak to a certified GOQii Coach: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

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Is Apple Cider Vinegar Panacea for All Diseases?

Apple Cider VinegarApple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is gaining popularity these days as a wonder cure for diabetes, weight loss, heart disease and much more. The question however is – Is there science behind these claims or is it a classic case of excellent marketing? Vinegar has been used as a medical therapy for thousands of years. Recorded vinegar history starts around 5000 BC when the Babylonians were using the fruit of the date palm to make wine and vinegar. Vinegar residues have been found in ancient Egyptian urns traced to 3000 BC. As well, recorded vinegar history in China starts from texts that date back to 1200 BC.

During biblical times, vinegar was used to flavor foods, as an energizing drink, and as a medicine, and it is mentioned in both the old and new testaments. In ancient Greece, around 400 BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a variety of ills, including coughs and colds.

Scientific evidence adds to age old wisdom by inferring vinegar’s significant role in key biochemical metabolic pathways –

  1. Reduction in Postprandial Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: When taken with or just before meals, Apple Cider Vinegar inhibits enzymes necessary for the digestion of starches and other complex carbohydrates, thus preventing them from being broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. Vinegar also slows gastric emptying, so it delays the uptake of glucose and other nutrients. (Yusoff et al, Nutrients 2015, 7(8), 7012-7026 )
  2. Like Metformin, Stimulates AMPK: Vinegar stimulates an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is a key player in glucose and fat metabolism, insulin signalling, and energy balance. AMPK increases fat oxidation, improves glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity, and lowers gluconeogenesis, or glucose production in the liver. This is similar to how common diabetic drug Metformin works (Zhou et al, Role of AMP-activated protein kinase in mechanism of metformin action. J Clin Invest. 2001 Oct 15; 108(8): 1167–1174).
  3. Nitric Oxide Mediated Protection Against Heart Diseases: Vinegar-induced AMPK activation boosts Nitric Oxide (NO) release in the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.NO relaxes the arteries, protects against an atherosclerosis-the usual cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. (Sakakibara et al, BiosciBiotechnolBiochem. 2010;74(5):1055-61).
  4. Blood Pressure Regulation: Animal studies demonstrated vinegar decreases blood pressure by down‑regulating AT1R expression via the AMPK/PGC‑1α/PPARγ pathway (Na Lixin et al, Eur j Nutr, April 2016, Volume 55, Issue 3, pp 1245–1253).
  5. Protection Against Cancer: Vinegar is also a dietary source of polyphenols, compounds synthesised by plants to defend against oxidative stress. Ingestion of polyphenols in humans enhances in vivo antioxidant protection and reduces cancer risk.
  6. Reduces Belly Fat: Researches demonstrated vinegar (pomegranate) consumption resulted in marked reduction in visceral fat as confirmed by CT scan(Park et al, Journal of functional foods, Volume 8, May 2014, 274-281).

While the evidence behind Apple Cider Vinegar and other vinegar seem promising, there are a few things to keep in mind. Always take your vinegar diluted (1 tablespoon in 180 ml water). Undiluted shots have been known to wear away tooth enamel and damage the esophagus. Also, too much apple cider vinegar may lower potassium levels in the body. If you are on medications, discuss with your doctor before starting vinegar supplementation.

Lastly, and most importantly – Making vinegar a daily habit won’t cancel out the effects of unhealthy eating. Think of it as one piece of your wellness puzzle, and not a panacea.

We hope this article helps you. For more articles like this, you can check our Healthy Reads or reach out to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Fatty Liver Disease: What To Eat & What To Avoid

fatty liver disease

Our bodies have a tendency to store extra calories in terms of fat in each and every area to utilise it later for energy, or as a cushion for organs and insulation. The liver being the largest organ in the body, is partially made up of fat. However, if too much fat accumulates around the liver, it leads to Fatty Liver Disease. 

Fatty liver disease is mainly associated with the excess usage of alcohol and is termed as Alcoholic Fatty Liver. However, those who do not drink alcohol at all, can also develop this condition over time and is known as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver. Excess fat around the liver damages it and makes it difficult for the liver to remove toxins and produce bile for the digestive system. 

The major plan of treatment for Fatty Liver Disease is dietary modifications and regular exercises. If the grade is too high, then one may need to see a doctor. For initial stages, the situation can be reversed completely with a few lifestyle modifications. 

What Causes Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)? 

  • Obesity: Overeating can cause weight gain which produces a load on the digestive system and the body forces the storage of extra calories in terms of fat, leading to NAFLD.
  • Pre-Diabetes: People with Insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance tend to store more fat in the liver as compared to non diabetics.
  • Over consumption of carbs and simple sugars: is linked with NAFLD as our body utilizes only what is required and rest is going to be stored as fat.
  • Poor Gut Health and genetics are also seen as linked with NAFLD.

Since it is a lifestyle disorder, modifying lifestyle with the right diet helps in controlling, maintaining and reversing both Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

The diet should include:  

  • Lots of fruits and vegetables
  • Reduced processed and packaged food with high salt and sugar
  • High fibre foods and less carbs
  • Whole grains like oats, quinoa, barley and millets
  • Nuts and seeds especially walnuts and flaxseeds as they are high in Omega 3  
  • Vitamin E from Sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, olive oil or canola oil
  • Avocados as they are a good source of fat and fiber 
  • Legumes

What Should You Avoid? 

If you’re suffering from this disease, here is a list of foods you should avoid completely. 

  •  Alcohol: As it is completely oxidised by the liver, there is no enzyme present in the body that can digest alcohol.
  • Added or simple sugars like candy, cookies, sodas, and fruit juices. It increases sugar level which increases fat build up.
  • Fried & oily foods due to excess calories and fat.
  • Too much salt makes the body hold on to excess water and can be a reason to gain weight.
  • Simple processed carbs like white bread, rice, and pasta, as they lack fibre and increase blood sugar.
  • Red meat like Beef and mutton are high in saturated fat.

Other Lifestyle Modifications 

  • Shed the extra weight
  • Control sugar levels well
  • Include Cardio and strength training consisting of 30 mins for 5 days a week 
  • Lower down cholesterol especially triglycerides.

We hope these tips help you manage Fatty Liver Disease with ease. Before you begin with any of the foods listed above, do consult your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. Do let us know your thoughts and queries in the comments below! To learn more about AFLD and NAFLD, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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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 […]