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Search Results for: acidity

July 7, 2022 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Eat Chocolates Guilt-Free! Here’s Why!

World Chocolate DayThe next time you eat a piece of chocolate, you may not have to feel so guilty about it. Despite its bad reputation for causing weight gain, there are a number of health benefits of chocolate you might not know! Let’s explore them along with some guilt-free pairings.

Health Benefits of Chocolate

  • Antioxidant Rich: Its antioxidant potential have a range of health benefits. The higher the cocoa content, as in dark chocolate, the more benefits there are. Dark chocolate may also contain less fat and sugar, but it is important to check the label.
  • Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure: The bio-active compounds in Dark Chocolate (Cocoa) may improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a small but statistically significant decrease in blood pressure.
  • Protects Skin from Sun: The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin. The flavanols from cocoa can improve blood flow to the skin and protect it from sun damage. So, if you’re planning a beach vacation, consider loading up on dark chocolate in the prior weeks and months.
  • Improves Brain Function: The good news isn’t over yet. Dark chocolate may also improve the function of your brain. Cocoa may also significantly improve cognitive function in elderly people with mental impairment. It may improve verbal fluency and several risk factors for disease, as well.

Despite these health benefits of chocolate, it doesn’t mean you should go all out and consume lots of it every day. It is still loaded with calories. You can have a square or two after dinner and try to really savor them.

If you want the benefits of cocoa without the calories in chocolate, consider making a hot cocoa without any cream or sugar. Choose quality stuff — dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content works just fine.

Guilt-Free Chocolate Pairings 

Chocolate Alone Is Good, but Chocolate With These Foods Is Better.

  1. Flirty Fruity: The darker the chocolate, the more bitter. The more bitter, the more it’s needs to be complimented by something very sweet.  That’s why dark chocolate goes great with ripe strawberries, pears, mangoes, bananas – the sweeter fruit, the better! White chocolate on the other hand is already very rich and sweet.  Pairing white chocolate with fruits that have a higher acidity or more mild flavor, such as tart berries and citrus, or mild melons and passion fruit, compliment this type of chocolate very well! If ever in doubt, milk chocolate is the best middle ground.
  2. The Naughty Nutty: Chocolate enhances the flavor of some nuts better than others. Peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans have very distinct flavor components that go great with dark chocolate! They may be a little overpowering for some milk and most definitely white chocolates. It’s all about the balance.
  3. Let’s Get Cheesy: Rich, buttery, nutty, creamy – terms you can use interchangeably when talking about cheese and chocolate! It doesn’t initially seem like an obvious match, but certain cheeses and chocolates have flavor components that complement each other very well! A cheese that is more acidic and pungent, like a blue cheese or goat cheese, would go better with a darker chocolate that can stand its own among those intense flavors.
  4. Crispy Coffee: A more obvious pairing of chocolate would be with coffee! Both nutty and bold flavors go phenomenally well together, especially when paired correctly! Darker chocolates go with darker and bolder roasts, like an Italian roast. A breakfast blend is sensational with a few pieces of creamy milk chocolate! Lighter roasts, like Costa Coffees pair well with the lightest of “chocolates”—white chocolate!
  5. The Romantic Wine: Chocolate and wine both have very intense flavors! A bite of good chocolate can easily overpower the taste of a light red or white wine—as does a sip of good dry wine to less bold chocolates. The key to successfully pairing wine with chocolate is to match sweetness with sweetness! Pairing milk chocolate (or sweeter dark chocolates) with dessert wines, like a Vintage Port, Madeira, or a sweet sherry, is the easiest way to make a successful pairing. These types of wine bring a natural sweetness to help keep up with the sweetness of the chocolate. And when paired right, chocolate and wine can be extraordinary!

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s celebrate this World Chocolate Day with our near and dear near ones! Found these guilt-free pairings interesting? Do you have some combinations of your own? Let us know in the comments below!

For more on chocolate, check out Healthy Reads or to explore more benefits, ask a certified expert by subscribing for GOQii’s personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

June 15, 2022 By Palak Mittal 3 Comments

5 Wonder Herbs To Help You Battle Diabetes Naturally

battle diabetesDiabetes has been listed as an epidemic and it seems to be on the rise, worldwide. Diabetes is a disorder which alters the blood sugar levels and production of insulin that can cause various complications if left untreated. It can be treated through lifestyle modifications and exercises. We do have few spices and herbs available in nature, along with dietary changes, to help control diabetes. These remedies are not only economic to the pockets but can also help in reducing medicines. There are so many herbs (leafy part of the plant) that have proven boon to regulate blood sugar. Here, I am mentioning the most common and effective herbs to control blood sugar levels effectively.

5 Herbs To Battle Diabetes 

  1. Oregano: due to it’s high content of glycosides, flavonoids and polyphenols, oregano helps in lowering blood sugar levels. It helps in increasing the level of insulin in the body too. In dry form, oregano can be added to salads, soups or other dishes. Fresh herbs can be added to boiling water, let it steep for 5 mins, strain and drink as tea in the morning. You can also chew 5-6 oregano leaves regularly.
  2. Curry leaves: are the aromatic leaves and widely used in culinary preparations. It helps in decreasing blood sugar levels and also promotes carbohydrate metabolism. They can be chewed every day on an empty stomach or can be used while preparing food. 
  3. Giloy: is an Ayurvedic, magical plant that can not only help in controlling blood sugar levels and other symptoms of diabetes but is potent enough to alleviate many issues arising from your head to toe. Giloy also gives a boost to immunity. Powered with Antioxidants, it protects  the body from any damage caused by free radicals. To consume it, take 1 tsp of Giloy powder or ½ an inch of fresh crushed Giloy stem, mix or soak it in a cup of water overnight. Drink it on an empty stomach the next morning. You can also boil ½ inch of Giloy stem in a cup of water till it reduces in half and drink it hot, twice a day.
  4. Sadabahar: is a common plant found in India. Its flowers are the main component to help reduce blood sugar levels. Sadabahar flowers can be boiled in water for a few minutes. You can strain and drink it in the morning as tea. 3-4 leaves can be chewed daily on an empty stomach as well. 
  5. Peppermint: contains natural antioxidants which are helpful in fighting diabetes, heart disease, aging and cancer. It also adds great flavor and aroma to teas. Peppermint is available both in fresh and dried leaves or tea bags in the market but it is better to go for fresh leaves. The leaves can be added to tea for good flavor and your daily dose of antioxidants. Alternatively you can add them to salads or chew 4-5 leaves on an empty stomach. Please Note: People with GERD or people prone to acidity should avoid it as it relaxes the muscle that closes the stomach from oesophagus causing acid reflux.

We hope this article helps you battle diabetes. Before you switch to using any of these wonder herbs to battle diabetes, please ensure that you check with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian in case of any allergies or other medical conditions. For more on Diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

For further guidance and motivation by certified experts, join the GOQii Diabetes Care program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), reduce HbA1c levels and let you win gold! You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare.

#BeTheForce

May 28, 2022 By GOQii 1 Comment

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. 

#BeTheForce 

May 21, 2022 By Arooshi Garg 3 Comments

Choose The Right Cup! Different Teas And Their Benefits

Teas and their benefitsTea is considered to be the 2nd most popular drink after water. An article in National Geography dated April 2014, reiterates this statement. According to the article, the world’s top beverage is not Coffee or Beer, its Tea. And a perfect start to the day is with a good cup of Tea.

But What Does Research Say? 

Various studies have been done emphasizing the health benefits associated with consumption of tea. A paper titled –Tea and Health: Studies in Humans authored by Naghma Khan and Hasan Mukhtar with affiliation to Helfaer Professor of Cancer Research, Director and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, says that drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times and modern medical research is providing a scientific basis for this belief. The evidence supporting the health benefits of tea drinking grows stronger with each new study that is published in the scientific literature.

In their paper, the authors say, “Tea plant Camellia sinensis has been cultivated for thousands of years and its leaves have been used for medicinal purposes. Tea is used as a popular beverage worldwide and its ingredients are now finding medicinal benefits”.

“Encouraging data showing cancer-preventive effects of green tea from cell culture, animal, and human studies have emerged. Evidence is accumulating that black tea may have similar beneficial effects. Tea consumption has also been shown to be useful for the prevention of many debilitating human diseases that include maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health,” they add.

With tea becoming the latest super-drink among health enthusiasts all over the world, trying various options and experiencing its health benefits, it’s time for us to magnify our knowledge for the same! It’s no wonder that Green tea, Black tea, and Chamomile tea, to name a few, have gained acceptance among many as a health drink. And, why not? They are helping us in numerous ways!

If you are not aware, some of the new entrants into the tea world are Dandelion tea, Ginseng, Peppermint, Cranberry, Liquorice, Thyme, and Raspberry Leaf tea, among many others.

This article will assist you in choosing the right type of tea for the health benefits that you are looking for.

How Tea Can You Help You

1. For your digestive system: Jasmine, Peppermint, Chamomile, Dandelion and Cranberry tea are the most effective teas that can provide relief to your stomach and liver. A number of restaurants serve Jasmine tea as an appetizer before meals. That’s because of Jasmine tea aids in digestion and helps produce saliva which contains digestive enzymes.

Chamomile tea eases and relaxes the digestive system and peristaltic muscles. It also helps to reduce menstrual cramps. A paper titled Chamomile: An herbal medicine of the past with bright future reiterates the above statements. It says, “Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids”. The study also says that Chamomile tea is one of the world’s most popular herbal teas and about a million cups are consumed every day.

Peppermint and dandelion tea can help reduce bloating after a heavy meal and also increase the secretion of digestive enzymes. Another study titled: A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea, suggests that Peppermint tea, brewed from the plant leaves, and the essential oil of peppermint are used in traditional medicines.

2. For cold, cough and flu: Ginger, Thyme, and white blossom tea have essential oils which help the body fight against viruses and infections. A concoction of ginger tea with honey is an age-old Indian alternate medicine for treating common cold and cough. The anti-inflammatory compounds gingerols and shogaol in ginger root help relieve a sore throat quickly, and they also kill cold-causing viruses.

3. To relieve aches and pains: Green tea, Chamomile, Red bush and Rooibos Tea. Nothing can be better than Green tea to cure body aches, pain, and swelling! These teas have huge amounts of antioxidants and minerals that give them the magical pain relieving properties.

Green tea also helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes when a soaked and cooled tea bag is used as an eye pad to soothe the eyes and area around it. Many of the beneficial effects of green tea are related to its catechin, particularly (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, content. “There are human studies on using green tea catechins to treat metabolic syndromes, such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors,” the study adds.

4. For healthy and radiant skin: Calendula, White tea, Green tea and Liquorice tea help clean the skin at the cellular level by removing toxins. These teas play a major role in activating the lymphatic system and detoxifying the liver. Their extracts can prevent pigmentation, eczema, and pimples.

A study –Green Tea and Skin concludes that the outcome of the several experimental studies suggests that green tea possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic potential, which can be exploited against a variety of skin disorders. Although more clinical studies are needed, supplementation of skin care products with green tea may have a profound impact on various skin disorders in the years to come

5. For reducing stress and lack of sleep/insomnia: Chamomile, Passion-fruit, Lemongrass and Mint tea promote placidity and coolness into the body, reducing stress and promoting calmness.

Chamomile tea is made with dried flowers of the chamomile plant and it can help fight insomnia. Fruit teas are packed with vitamin-C and antioxidants, making them a fresh and fruity option for the tea lovers.

Lemongrass tea is stimulating and helps the body recover from tiredness and discomfort. Lemon balm and mint teas are ideal for winters as these protect from cold and also help in improving concentration. Mint when added to any ice tea can be another refreshing option.

6. To refresh and energize you: Green, White, Oolong, Calendula, Roasted Dandelion, Natal, Lemon balm and Liquorice root teas are best for maintaining health and fitness due to the brimming amounts of antioxidants present in them. These herbal mixes are effective in the detoxifying body as they act as natural diuretics which help in removing toxins from kidneys.

Lemon balm and Liquorice tea is ideal for nervous system and maintains a regular flow of energy through the body. Green tea promotes weight loss – which can be attributed to the thermogenic effect of the antioxidants and caffeine present in it.

7. To prevent and treat nausea and vomiting: Apart from being refreshing, Peppermint, Ginger, and Raspberry teas provide other benefits too.

To begin with, peppermint is Anti-emetic (prevents vomiting) and also promotes the formation of bile in the gall bladder for better digestion of fat. Many people find the taste of this tea to be very strong, but one can adjust the strength by dilution according to the taste.

Ginger tea is a venerable solution for cold, cough and sickness in India. Hot ginger tea can be made either pure or with a ginger and herb mix. Raspberry leaf tea is a boon for pregnant women to overcome morning sickness as it is said to be a tonic for the uterus.

Based on your needs, you can pick and choose which teas and their benefits you’d want to explore! Hope this article helps you. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more articles like this, check out Healthy Reads. To know more about teas and other concoctions that can help you, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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