Search Results for: breathing

December 18, 2023 By Soni Thakur 3 Comments

Ways To Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little hormone in the bloodstream and because of their essential role in the body, even small hormonal imbalances can cause side effects throughout the body. While some hormone levels fluctuate throughout your lifetime and may just be a result of natural aging, other changes occur when your endocrine glands get impacted either by external or internal factors.

Importance of Rebalancing Hormones

It is extremely important to balance your hormones as soon as you become aware of the changes that happen to your body. Every other day, I come across a player who has a hormonal issue and it makes me want to pen down the importance of balancing your hormones. Here are some of those points:

The more balanced your hormone levels, the higher you function – physically, mentally and emotionally
A healthy hormone balance boosts your brain health
Balancing your hormones helps you control your appetite, weight and mood
It helps fight harmful bacteria, viruses and promotes an overall clean function

What Changes Will You Observe?

More energy, productivity and a positive outlook towards life
Less cravings for sweets, junk and fatty foods
Clear Skin (no acne and scars)
No hair fall
Increased libido
No muscle cramps or loss of energy
Regular periods
Well balanced metabolism
More easy weight loss
Improved sleep
Lower mood cravings

Ways to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

A portion of protein and Fiber in every meal: Consuming adequate amounts of protein is extremely important for hormones that control appetite and food intake. Protein and fibers will also boost your metabolism, which is important for weight loss – weight being a common issue of hormonal imbalance.
Regular Exercise: Simple walking or indulging in any sort of physical activity can turn out to be magical for you. You can choose any workout regimen like strength training, cardio, zumba, dance or body weight exercises – whichever suits your health goal and schedule.
Healthy Fats: By including healthy fats in your daily diet you can rebalance your hormones naturally. Choose unsaturated fats over saturated and avoid consuming trans-fat. Some healthy fats include vegetable oil, oil from nuts and seeds, avocados and unrefined cold/wood pressed extra virgin olive oil.
Eating foods rich in Omega 3: Fatty acids may help increase insulin sensitivity which can be helpful in weight loss as well as in rebalancing your hormones. Sources of Omega-3 fatty acid foods include fish and other seafood (especially salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines), walnuts, flax and chia seeds, seaweed, kidney beans, cod liver oil, and brussels sprouts.
Manage Stress: It has been found that nearly 55% of the population in India is either dealing with chronic stress or depression which causes serious health issues including hormonal imbalance. So it is important to manage your stress. This can be done by talking to a person you are comfortable with, reading a book, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, walking, practicing gratitude, etc.
Sleep Tight: The regulation and metabolism of several hormones are influenced by interactions between the effects of sleep and the hormones like the growth hormone, cortisol, melatonin, leptin and ghrelin which plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy levels of hormones that control appetite and blood glucose levels. So in order to get the results by implementing the above suggestion, it is important to get adequate sleep as poor sleep has been associated with imbalance of many hormones. Aim at getting 7-8 hours of good quality sleep to balance your hormones naturally.

Your hormones can be your best friend and worst enemy if not taken care of. So for that, eat healthy, stay active, sleep well and engage in healthy behaviors. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on hormone health, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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December 15, 2023 By Mubasheera Chaiwala 2 Comments

Pranayama To Detoxify The Body, Mind And Vital Organs

Pranayama is the yogic practice of breath control. It means the ability to expand our health by controlling the breath. There are various ways and positions to practice yogic breathing.

The combination of pranayama and meditation has positive effects in curing various problems like acidity, stress, anxiety, skin diseases, improved blood circulation, and managing lifestyle disorders such as thyroid, PCOS, controlling blood sugar and blood pressure.

We breathe daily, right? So what is pranayama? Why Pranayama?

Pranayama is slow, deep breathing, in a rhythm. The breathing that we do normally is not in rhythm and is non-harmonic. It is in pranayama that gets our mind and organs in sync. There are various pranayama practices which you can do daily.

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama
This is a famous pranayama practice also known as The Skull Shining Breathing Technique. Kapalbhati has physiological effects on cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama:

It Generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter.
Daily practice helps in adding luster to your face and you get glowing skin
Improves digestion and can help alleviate gastrointestinal problems like acidity, indigestion and flatulence.
Improves the function of kidneys and liver as it provides a gentle massage to the organs.
If practiced daily helps in reducing belly fat.
Kapalbhati helps reduce stress in the eyes, thus reduces dark circles around the eyes.
It triggers your abdominal region, so it’s beneficial for diabetic patients.
It improves the blood circulation problem in whole body parts.

2. Anulom Vilom
Also known as Alternate nostril breathing, it has various benefits for the body internally and externally. Oxygen is pure and required by the body for every single process to take place and therefore, it is vital for us to breath right and Anulom Vilom serves the purpose. It is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities) in our body i.e. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa. All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in harmony.

Benefits of Anulom Vilom Pranayama

It can provide some relief from mental health problems like Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Tension, etc.
Improves the working of the lungs, beneficial for most respiratory problems like (Bronchitis, Asthma), etc.
Best breathing technique for boosting your memory – makes your brain sharper, increases concentration and gathers focus.
Improves your immune system, so it can cure general issues like cough & cold.
Alternate nostril breathing is an ideal breathing technique for maintaining your heart healthy.

3. Sheetali Pranayama
The meaning of the word “Sheetali” is cooling down. This pranayama practice is a process to cool your body down. It gives the feeling of coldness by decreasing the body temperature, thereby having a positive impact on our nervous system and endocrine glands. Extremely helpful during the summer season.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama

It is useful in managing disorders related to tongue, mouth and throat.
It is very beneficial in treating diseases of the spleen.
Helpful in fever by cooling the system down.
Controls and manages high blood pressure.
It purifies the blood.
Improves sleep quality and is best for fighting Insomnia.
It calms the mind, as it is an effective stress buster. Once our mind is calm, we can easily deal with negative emotions like anger and anxiety.
Effective in hyperacidity. Excellent for people who have GERD and face issues with acidity and indigestion.

There is another breathing practice similar to Sheetali, known as Sheetkari pranayama.

Both are similar, the only difference is the way of breathing. In Sheetali, we breathe in by folding the tongue and breathe out from the nose. In Sheetkari, we inhale through the teeth and exhale from the nose.

Benefits of Sheetkari Pranayama

Effective against dental problems like bad breath, bleeding gums and pyorrhea.
Balances body temperature.
Calms the mind, reduces emotional excitation and mental tension.
Can help you manage depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

As a yoga instructor, I get these questions a lot of time: What is the best time to do pranayama? Generally, morning is the best time for a breathing exercise as it helps us activate our organs. Plus, on an empty stomach, we achieve optimum benefits. To know why morning yoga is beneficial, you can have a look at my previous article: https://goqii.com/blog/benefits-of-practicing-morning-yoga-at-home.

We hope this article helps you! For more on yoga, check out Healthy Reads. You can also get tips and learn more about yoga and pranayama from experts by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here:

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November 16, 2023 By Poornima Seth 1 Comment

The Miraculous Health Benefits Of Horse Gram

Horse gram, also known as Kulthi Dal, is neither unique nor ordinary. It is lesser-known and most still don’t recognize this precious ingredient. Its medicinal effects are enormous. It doesn’t play an important role in any cuisine but it can make any cuisine healthier and might enhance the nutritional value once it is fully adopted by any regional cuisine.

Medicinal Uses of Horse Gram

Anti Hyperglycemic: Horse gram seed possesses antihyperglycemic properties which control the glucose level in the blood. It lessens the absorption of carbohydrates and has copious amounts of soluble fiber.
Hemolytic Activity: The seeds make anti-inflammatory drugs that efficiently neutralize indirect hemolytic activity.
Diuretic activity: Kulthi Dal increases the flow of urine. It creates pressure on the deposited stone and thanks to this pressure, the stone comes down and gets removed through urination. One of the studies published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India in 2010 compared the effect of Kultha and potassium citrate on 47 patients with renal stones. It has been concluded that Kultha is often used to reduce the recurrence of calcium oxalate stone and had better results than the utilization of conventional potassium citrate.
Treats Jaundice: Horse gram water is being used in Andhra Pradesh for the treatment of Jaundice.
Relieves Cough and Cold: When consumed as soup, it helps relieve congestion by liquifying mucus and opens up the nasal tracts, allowing the mucus membranes to melt-up. Thus, horse gram water has been found effective in relieving cough and cold. This helps with easy breathing since the specified nutrients are boosting the metabolism of the body and immunity as well.
Helps Weight Loss: Consuming this miraculous gram helps reduce body weight. Also, if we add powdered horse gram with sour buttermilk and apply it to the fat deposited area, it helps to cut back the fat.
Treats Leucorrhea: Kulth is also used as a treatment for leucorrhoea (discharge from the vagina) and menstrual disorders in the hilly regions. According to Ayurveda, if we soak a handful of these overnight in a bowl of water, and boil it the subsequent day and use this water for consumption thrice daily, it will help treat the symptoms of leucorrhea. Being rich in iron, proteins, and calcium, is really good for kids too.
Treats Piles: Piles happen when the veins in the rectum swell up and get inflamed, causing a lot of pain. Despite rushing to the pharmacy for medication and treatment, experts recommend the utilization of horse gram. Soak a cup of these overnight and consume the water the next day. Eat the gram steamed as a salad as well. The roughage in it, together with the fibre, helps treat piles effectively.
Rich source of various natural bioactive substances: such as phytic acid, fibre and phenolic acid, etc. These bioactive substances have immense potential for curing different types of diseases such as cold, streptococcal sore throat, fever, urinary stones, asthma, bronchitis and leucoderma, etc.
Skin Rashes and Boils: Horse gram can also be used as a topical pack to treat rashes, boils, and disorders of the skin to some extent. This is because it is antimicrobial and antibacterial, and has plenty of antioxidants in it in conjunction with minerals to nourish, replicate the healthy lipid layers of the skin and more.

Best Recipes

Kulthi Water: It is a lengthy process but truly natural without any side effects. Soak 25 grams in 250 ml of water overnight and in the morning, strain the water and drink this water on an empty stomach. Later, add the same amount of water in the same soaked horse gram and drink it for lunch. Continuing this process for 6 months will help break kidney stones. Later on, you’ll make thin dal of this soaked horse gram and can be consumed along with rice or roti.
Kulthi soup: Take 200 grams of kulthi dal with 2 liters of water and boil it on a slow flame for around 4-5 hours. When it’s reduced to half, consume it for lunchtime. Try having this soup alone at that time. Within a week or two, it will start working.

That’s a lot of nutritional and health benefits, don’t you think? Go get your horse grams now! We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more on nutrition and food, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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October 5, 2023 By Urvashi Sareen 12 Comments

Acidity – Its Symptoms and Prevention

Acidity is one of the most common problems that most individuals face. This is largely due to wrong eating habits and sometimes even stress. Bad eating, stress in a way is all connected. One leads to another and that, in turn, leads to unhealthy living and problems such as acidity.

But, to find a solution to the problem it is first important to understand what is Acidity?

Acidity is a term used for a set of symptoms caused by excess production of acid by the gastric glands of the stomach. The stomach normally secretes hydrochloric acid which is required for the breakdown and digestion of food that we eat. Acidity causes symptoms like dyspepsia, heartburn gastric inflammation, and ulcers in the stomach.

Now, there are some factors which cause acidity such as eating habits, fad diets, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, irregularity in eating pattern, consumption of oily and spicy foods. Apart from these certain medicines are too responsible for the cause of acidity.

Some of the symptoms which can be felt as a result of acidity can be:

Burning session in the stomach
Burning session in the throat
Restlessness
Belching
Nausea
Sour taste
Indigestion
Constipation

As correctly said, “Prevention is better than cure”

So let us look at some of the parameters to prevent acidity.

Don’t consume spicy food or fried foods too often.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. One should be taking at least 2 servings of fruits and 3-4 servings of vegetables. Green leafy vegetables would be a really good choice to go for.
Eat small, regular meals. Try to reduce the gap between meals to not more than 3 hours.
Consume your last meal at least a few hours before sleeping.
Chew tulsi leaves, cloves, saunf (Aniseed), etc.
Avoid medications like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and steroids
Reduce stress. Deep breathing, going for a walk and being in nature are some of the activities which can help in reducing stress.

However, if you are already suffering from acidity, I am discussing below some of the home remedies of acidity which really work. So before you start with antacids for the treatment, do try these home remedies and you may get rid of the problem.

Basil leaves: Eat basil leaves thoroughly at first sign of acidity. Can also boil 4-5 leaves in a cup of water for 15 minutes.
Cinnamon: Add half spoon of cinnamon powder in a cup of water, boil for few minutes and drink this 2-3 times a day.
Buttermilk:

Grind half to one teaspoon of methi (fenugreek) seeds with little water to make a paste. Mix it in a glass of buttermilk and have it.
Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of buttermilk and keep it for 5 minutes before drinking.
Mix a pinch of black pepper in a glass of buttermilk.
Mix a tablespoon of coriander leaf juice in a glass of buttermilk.

Apple Cider vinegar:

Mix 1-2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in half a cup of water and drink.
Mix 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon of organic honey and drink before eating a spicy meal.

Cloves: Chew 2-3 cloves thoroughly
Jaggery: Jaggery is high in potassium. After each meal, take a small piece.
Ginger:

Can take 2-3 teaspoon of ginger juice in a day for combating acidity.
Can boil ginger in water and drink the water twice a day.

Cumin seeds:

Crush roasted cumin seeds and stir in a glass of water. Drink after each meal.
Boil seeds in water, strain and drink.
Mix 1 teaspoon of coriander seed powder, a teaspoon of cumin seed powder and a teaspoon of fennel seed powder and some sugar in half cup of water and drink empty stomach.

Aniseed: Soak a teaspoon of aniseed in a cup of boiled water overnight. In the morning, strain the water add a teaspoon of organic honey and sip it at least 3 times during the day.
Cold milk: After a meal, drink a glass of cold milk, not iced milk.
Lemon and ginger juice 15 minutes post meal, zaps acidity quickly.

If eating right and proper preventive measures are adhered to, Acidity can be averted.

We trust that this article has provided you with valuable insights into understanding and preventing acidity-related issues. Have you discovered effective home remedies or preventive measures for acidity? Feel free to share your experiences and insights in the comments section below. For more tips on maintaining digestive health and overall well-being, check our Healthy Reads. If you’re seeking personalised guidance and support from certified experts, don’t hesitate to subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

Start your journey towards better digestive health and a happier life today!

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Acidity – Its Symptoms and Prevention

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