Search Results for: kidney

August 12, 2024 By Vandana Juneja 3 Comments

Natural Bodybuilding vs Steroid Bodybuilding

This topic is one of the most discussed in the bodybuilding community and is very controversial too. Both natural bodybuilding and steroid bodybuilding have been practiced since long and each group feels that their method of body building is “right”. Before coming to a conclusion, let’s first understand the difference between the two and then decide which one is better.

Natural Bodybuilding

Naturally bodybuilders do not use any sort of synthetic steroids or other drugs in order to build more muscle mass or get leaner. They entirely rely on lifting heavy weights, consuming a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest.
Natural bodybuilders may not be able to put on as much muscle mass as steroid users but they build muscles that are long lasting and sustainable.
Besides building muscles that last, they have a better overall health and faster metabolism.
It reduces blood pressure, increases bone density and keeps cholesterol levels under control. It improves your metabolism, reduces your fat percentage and is a great stress buster.

Steroid Bodybuilding

These builders use Anabolic-androgenic steroids. These drugs are a synthetic form of testosterone (the male hormone), are injected into the body for quick benefits but are illegal in most competitions.
Steroids may give you the pump to train at a higher level than you could possibly do naturally. Your recovery rate would be faster, you would be able to train for longer and build more muscle mass but all of this comes with several side effects and are potentially dangerous, in the long run!
Some of the serious side-effects of taking steroids for bodybuilding include:
- Hormonal Imbalances – Suppressed Testosterone Production
- Infertility, low libido, testicular atrophy, Gynecomastia (breast tissue growth in a man)
- Accelerated Hair loss
- Skin issues – Acne/Oily Skin
- Increased heart rate
- Increased LDL Cholesterol, Hypertension, Increased risk of Stroke/Heart attack
- Liver Toxicity
- Kidney Damage, Fluid retention
- Mental Health Issues, Insomnia, Mood Swings
- Increased risk of premature DEATH.

Which is Better?

After reading the potential side effects of steroids, I’m sure you understand why going the natural way is the better choice! If you are looking to improve your appearance and increase overall health without any negative side effects, then you should stick to natural bodybuilding.

The best way to stay healthy and maintain a muscular body for long is finding ways to increase the natural testosterone production rather than counting on steroids that have dangerous health risks and eventually lose your muscles. If you are willing to train hard, have a proper plan, you will surely achieve your goal without any artificial/synthetic drug support. So, just set your goal and go after it!

To learn more about the natural ways to increase testosterone levels and bodybuilding, check out Healthy Reads or consult a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

August 5, 2024 By Palak Mittal Leave a Comment

8 Incredible Health Benefits Of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)

Surya Namaskar literally means Salutations to the Sun. It is a combination of 12 yoga asanas, where the body, mind, and soul are brought into complete synchrony. They are done in sets, some do 12, some 15, while some 30, depending on their endurance. Scientifically too, there are multiple benefits of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar). Let’s explore them in detail!

The Benefits of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)

Stretching and flexibility: The 12 asanas which are part of the Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) ensure that every part of the body is exercised. The flexibility that comes with it needs to be experienced to be believed. This is extremely beneficial for the bones, joints, and ligaments of the entire body and spine.
Improves internal organ functioning: The various stretches increase blood flow to the organs and improve their functioning. The result is a better functioning digestive system and kidneys, which help in better absorption of nutrients from food and thorough elimination of metabolic waste. Detox happens naturally, with the release of trapped gasses and improved enzyme secretion.
Weight loss: One of the best-proven ways to lose weight is to do Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) on a daily basis. It is a perfect workout involving the complete body and is great for losing weight around the belly. It also is proven to improve the thyroid gland functioning, which plays a significant role in metabolism.
Bone health: Traditionally, it is done during the early morning hours, at sunrise, which ensures the body gets the required amount of Vitamin D. This is essential for good bone health.
Stress buster: Stress release happens in multiple ways. Deep focused breathing is one of them. While performing the asanas, control over breathing is very essential and so, stress control is ensured. Various muscles and bones get tense with stress, and thorough stretching helps relieve the stress buildup. The mind is also calm during the workout, and so stress relief is further enhanced.
Relief from insomnia: People who are not able to sleep should perform Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) on a regular basis. Both stress relief and the perfect workout ensure good sleep.
Helpful in menstrual cycles: Women who have cramps during their menstrual cycles have shown very good improvement with the inclusion of this exercise. It is also shown to benefit people with irregular menstruation thanks to the improved blood circulation. Pregnant women performing Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) are more likely to have a normal delivery.
Glowing Skin: With the release of toxins and stress, glowing skin is a natural affair!

We hope these 8 benefits of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) urge you to make it a part of your daily routine. For more on how yoga can help you lead a healthy and fulfilling life, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

June 26, 2024 By Trupti Hingad 10 Comments

Urine Colour – Can be a good indicator of health

In my previous blog, I discussed how your poop describes your health status. In this blog, I shall tell you how your pee says a lot about your health.

In a day, we all visit the bathroom many times to pee, but seldom does it cross our mind to check our pee colour before we flush it out of sight.

Urine, or pee, is the body’s way of expelling waste products in a liquid form, mainly composed of water, salt, and chemicals called urea and uric acid.

The kidney creates urine by flushing out toxins and other bad substances from the blood. Various factors such as medications, food, and illness can affect urine colour or odour.When there is a malfunction, the urine may contain clues to the problem. The colour of the urine can be a helpful indicator.

Ideally, the colour of urine should be pale yellow, indicating you are well hydrated. The pale yellow colour is due to a pigment produced by the body called – UROCHROME and UROBILIN.

Let’s understand how the colour of the urine describes your health. There are three main causes for abnormal urine colour

Food that you eat
Drugs or Medication that you take
Health Issues

What does the colour of Urine Indicate?

Transparent: If the pee colour is completely clear, its sign of over hydration. Sometimes excess hydration may lead to dilution of salts in the body.

Brown colour: Shades of brown in your urine may indicate dehydration. It can also signal liver disease, where bile salts that should be processed and eliminated through stool end up in the urine.

Note: If you eat a lot of aloe, fava beans, or rhubarb, these foods can also turn your urine brown.

Red colour: Foods like beets and blackberries can cause red urine. If the red color persists, it could be a sign of blood in the urine, which may be due to kidney disease, urinary tract infections (UTI), or cancers. In such cases, consult a doctor immediately.

Blue or Green colour: Consumption of asparagus can lead to green urine. Certain medications, genetic diseases, and UTIs can also cause blue or green urine.

Orange: An orange color may be due to medications such as high-dose vitamin B2, the UTI drug phenazopyridine, or the antibiotic isoniazid.

Dark yellow: Dark yellow urine indicates significant dehydration. It can also be linked to high intake of B vitamins, especially B12, resulting in this dramatic hue change.

Cloudy or milky: Cloudy or milky urine most often indicates the presence of white blood cells, suggesting an infection.

Bubbles/frothy urine: Excessive bubbles or frothing that occurs every time you urinate can indicate an excess of protein in your urine.

Does your urine smell?

Pee doesn’t usually have a strong smell. However, some foods, especially asparagus, contain a smelly sulfur compound that can change the odor. Vitamin B-6 supplements can also affect the smell. When you’re dehydrated and your pee gets very concentrated, it can smell strongly of ammonia. A strong ammonia smell may indicate a UTI, and a sweet smell could be a sign of excess sugar and diabetes.

How often should you urinate?

It varies for everyone, but normally people need to empty their bladder up to 8 times a day. If you suddenly need to pee more often than usual, it could be a sign of a health problem such as a UTI, diabetes, an enlarged prostate in men, vaginitis in women, or interstitial cystitis.

Urine is something that most of us must take a look and prevent any conditions by prevailing. By understanding what your urine color indicates, you can take steps to maintain your health and seek medical advice when necessary.

Keep yourself well hydrated and stay healthy!!

We hope this article helps you. Understanding the color and characteristics of your urine can provide valuable insights into your health. By paying attention to these signs, you can take proactive steps to maintain your well-being. Keep yourself well-hydrated and consult a healthcare professional if you notice any unusual changes in your urine or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

June 7, 2024 By Neha Morche 3 Comments

Hypertension: Cause for all heart issues

Heart is one of the most important organs of our body, and keeping it healthy is important. Heart connects the entire body through its vital functions.

What does the heart exactly do? Why is it related to blood pressure?

This small fist like structure works hard to maintain blood flow to our body day and night. Fundamentally, it takes all the impure blood from the body, makes it pure with lots of Oxygen (fresh air), and sends it back. While doing this, it also contracts and relaxes (medically termed it as systolic and diastolic, respectively) in between a single beat. In normal course, if the person is healthy this happens smoothly without much pressure on it. Normal blood pressure levels should be 120/80 mm/hg.

Blood pressure is the culprit to heart issues. It’s natural to increase our blood pressure due to certain unpleasant situations, but if the blood pressure stays elevated for longer periods, then it turns into hypertension.

Causes for increased blood pressure:

Stress
Smoking
Alcohol
Obesity
Less water intake
High salt intake
Intake of more processed or bakery food.
Junk food or less fibrous food Intake
Less activity
Less sleep
Kidney disorders
Heredity
High fat food intake

All of these lead to plaque formation in the tiny blood vessels, due to which heart has to put more pressure than usual for a smooth blood flow. When it goes beyond the heart’s limit (it has muscles, after all) it stops pumping blood (which carries water, nutrients, and oxygen) thus it results in heart attack.

The good news is that one can avoid high blood pressure and avert heart attacks by just taking care of our daily meals, activities, water, sleep, stress etc. in short keeping a check on our lifestyle.

We need to improve all micro habits which set into our routine. Once you set yourself a routine, it’s difficult to break it.

Salt is the crucial factor that can lead to high blood pressure. Salt is a combination of sodium and chloride. Daily requirement of sodium is 1500mg to 2300mg, which means we can include approximately 1 teaspoon of salt. Sodium is also found in baking soda, monosodium glutamate (MSG), various seasonings, additives, condiments, meat, fish, poultry, dairy foods, eggs, smoked meats, olives, and pickled foods. High sodium directly contributes to high blood pressure.

Here are some heart friendly food options I have listed down for you

Antioxidants (green tea, red wine)

Fiber and Vitamin K (green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, whole pulses)

Whole Fruits

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats (Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, tuna, avocado)

Ample amount of water intake.

Doing regular breathing exercises help us increase our Oxygen uptake.

Yoga, meditation or giving time to your hobbies keeps stress at bay.

Staying active through the entire day or indulging in any type of activity or game you enjoy can keep stress levels under check.

Maintaining heart health starts with managing your blood pressure. By making mindful choices in your diet, staying active, managing stress, and staying hydrated, you can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension and heart disease. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. For more health tips and personalised guidance,speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. Take control of your heart health today!

#BeTheForce