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October 2, 2023 By Shilpa Govindan 1 Comment

Cue to happiness

Happiness is a very subjective matter and differs from person to person and ultimately all our efforts and desires lead us to one underlying fact of attaining happiness in life. Don’t we all live to be happy?

Many thought processes exist within us. These ‘thoughts’ create our belief systems, these beliefs urge us to have ‘emotions’, these emotions seep into our ‘energy body’ or the ‘aura’ and then finally settle down in our ‘physical body’ or ‘physical world’.

To elaborate, the brain sends out electromagnetic waves to the body for any action or reaction and basic functions of the body, including breathing, heartbeat, hormone secretion etc. are controlled by the mind whether we are awake, asleep or in a state of trance.

So, if the Mind can do all this, it would be natural for us to assume that the mind is also capable of restricting the blood flow, heart rate and movement. It can even restrict the functioning of the digestive and liver thereby decreasing metabolism and adding weight, causing BP, Cholesterol etc. At the end of the day, we may call this Disease and one of the most important factors of its cause is dependent largely on our thought process or rather how we think.

Disease originates from our mind-activity and it has been researched subjectively that worry affects your spleen, fear affects the kidney, and grief targets your heart and so on. The impact of our thinking mind has a resultant effect on our physical body, good and bad.

Therefore, when it comes to healing yourself, you have to also sort it out at the thought level and soon you will realize that it will have a positive and long-lasting effect on your physical body. The same goes with your physical world and surrounding. It is the inner workings that have the most result.

All this energy and thought process also reflects our real-life circumstances. You may have experienced that if you feel upset one morning, there is a chance that your entire day would be bad. Repeated negative thinking, once ingrained into the mind can create repeated negative experiences outside control. The good news is that it is not permanent and can be changed!

Here’s why and how,

Happiness in itself is a HABIT- a conditioning or association the Mind has received from a very early age through REPETITIVE thinking. All habits are created through repetition. So, learning to be thankful and having gratitude for simple things, even the very oxygen we breathe, is essential, so as to understand how not react to troubled situations but instead respond with ease, peace and compassion.

With our awareness and understanding and wisdom to respond positively to a situation, we find that the issues in life that used to upset us miraculously feel minuscule and sometimes even disintegrate. Our energy body changes in frequency and vibration thereby attracting more positive opportunities and experiences to us.

How we cultivate this habit of happiness, can vary widely, we can choose to;

1) Meditate regularly teaching the body and mind to regularly let go of stress and create an environment of peace and calm

2) Use a hobby as a trigger for happiness

3) Use a technique called ‘Affirmations’; where we use a statement that is completely opposite to our current limiting belief, and repeat the sentence as many times with feeling. It is to pass a command from the conscious mind to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind has the ability, to accept anything as true, to do whatever it takes to turn it into reality, creating a new neuro-pathways in the brain. For eg; Limiting belief – It’s hard to lose weight. New belief you want to cultivate – Losing weight is easy for me

4) Express gratitude or keep a journal of thankfulness

5) Not to identify with suffering, loss, or illness as being who you are. Being kind to yourself and others is a skill and developed with practice and mindfulness, which leads to happiness.

Lastly and most importantly, is to keep consistent because we are all human. Emotions and experiences are a part of growth and learning and wisdom of a wonderful life, meanwhile, we can always train our minds to ‘let go’ of things that affect us adversely.

Learn Happiness!

We hope this article helps you become your health detective. If you found this information valuable, share your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more articles to help you manage stress here. For further guidance on managing stress and lifestyle, speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

September 16, 2023 By Shehnaz Shaikh 3 Comments

Do Children Need Exercise and Nutritional Care?

Exercise/Physical activity is important for everyone, but more so for children and adolescents as it plays a key role in the development of their personality. Hence, it has increasingly become important to encourage a healthy lifestyle among them. Having said this how much children need to exercise depends on age.

Why Is Exercise Important For Children & Adolescents?

Exercise for children is important for both their physical and mental well-being. By staying physically active, children and adolescents can reduce the risk of stress, depression and other mental health issues. Physical activity can also help teenagers maintain a positive body image because physical activity is beneficial to the human body.

How Does Exercise Benefit Children?

It improves immunity
Helps in building better focus
It helps in strengthening the lungs and the cardiovascular system
Keeps the children in a happy mood due to the release of feel-good hormones called endorphins
Helps in maintaining good brain health and also helps in enhancing memory
Decreases the risk of developing certain diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure in later years
Helps in maintaining a healthy weight
Exercise can help children of all ages and can prevent weak bones (osteoporosis) in later years by strengthening bones and joints
Helps in performing well in sports

How Long Should Children Exercise For?

Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Children and adolescents are often active in short bursts of time rather than for sustained periods of time, and these short bursts can add up to meet physical activity needs. Physical activities for children and adolescents should be developmentally-appropriate, fun, and offer variety.

Having a balanced exercise routine is good. let’s take a look at

The three parts of a balanced exercise routine are Aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility training.

Aerobic exercises

Aerobic exercises increase the heart rate and breathing rate. When you give your heart and lungs this kind of workout regularly, they get stronger. Aerobic exercises should be fun and easy exercises for children that they will love to engage in. Some of the aerobic exercises that your children will enjoy include Swimming, Skating, Cycling, Jogging, Dancing, Skipping, Football, etc. Some team sports that provide a great aerobic workout are basketball, hockey, rowing, cricket and badminton.

Strength Training

Go for exercises that strengthen bones and muscles. Experts recommend that children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17, should get at least one hour of moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise every day. Strength-training activities that build muscle should also be part of a 60-minute exercise routine on at least three days of the week.

Young people ages 13 to 17 should do a variety of moderate to vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes each day. Along with aerobic exercises like running, jogging, fast walking, circuit training, one should also include sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats.

Some of the Exercises Include:

Lunges: Children can improve their balance and strengthen their legs with some lunges
Squats: are the best for building quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and they help to strengthen your child’s lower back as well
Push-ups: can also be done on the knees or on the feet, according to the child’s ability. Don’t worry if they don’t have the form right initially

Encourage your child to Warm up before exercise and cool down after exercise to prevent muscle soreness and injury.

Warm up before exercise: Warming up before exercise prevents injury by softening the muscles and making them supple. Some warm-up exercises you can do are:

Slow jogging or walking
Stretching all the muscles they’re going to use (hold each and stretch for 8 to 10 seconds, but never until it hurts)

Cool down after exercise: Cooling down after high-intensity exercise is important for relaxing and softening the muscles. Cool down or ballistic stretch begins to lower the heart rate, improves flexibility and will speed up recovery from a workout.

Some Cool Down Examples Include:

Hamstring Stretch: The stretch helps Hamstring muscles that are on the back of the thigh 2
Side Lunge: This stretch works the inner thighs
Calf Stretch: This stretch feels good after running or walking.
Butterfly Stretch: Children are usually quite adept to the butterfly stretch and it relaxes them well after a good physical activity.

Nutrition is Equally Important When You Exercise

While exercise is very important, nutrition is equally important for children and adolescents to lead an active and healthy life.

Children who eat healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks will get the nutrients needed to perform well in sports. Kids and teens who play a sport that can involve 1½ to 2 hours or more of activity in a day, in particular, may need to consume more balanced nutrition to keep up with increased energy and fluid demands.

We trust that this article on exercise and nutrition for children assists you in making informed decisions about your child’s health. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on Kid’s Health check out Healthy reads. To get expert advice, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

September 6, 2023 By Mubasheera Chaiwala 2 Comments

Benefits of Practicing Morning Yoga at Home!

Picture this: you’re starting your day with a sense of inner calm, strength, and clarity, all thanks to the practice of morning yoga at home. Before we unravel the numerous benefits that come with this enriching practice, let’s first take a moment to delve into the heart of yoga and what it signifies.

What Do You Understand About Yoga?

What is it? Is it a form of exercise? Is it meditation? For me, yoga is a way of life. I believe the whole idea behind it is total discipline. It is physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual development. It helps you balance health from a physical, mental and emotional standpoint.

Benefits of Morning Yoga

You can practice yoga in the morning and night as well, although, morning yoga is the best as it cleanses your mind and body. It energizes all day and keeps you disciplined. Let’s explore the benefits of morning yoga!

Yoga improves flexibility and posture but it’s much more effective in the morning. The fresh air helps us relax our body and make it more flexible.
We have more energy in the morning and morning yoga enhances it to last all day. Which means more intensity and focus!
Setting up a morning practice is beneficial as it creates a ritual – it sets the tone for the day. By practicing morning yoga, there are no distractions or tasks that will get in the way – so no excuses for cancelling your session in the morning.
That fresh morning air helps you deliver more oxygen to the body, breathe better and cleanses your system naturally.
It also helps your digestive system as metabolism rate is higher in the morning. It increases digestion and keeps all indigestion problems at bay.
Morning yoga boosts your brainpower and makes your brain more active to study or work.
It enhances happiness and positivity as it boosts mental clarity and relaxes you. The release of endorphins that early in the morning make your body a more physically comfortable place to live in.
Disease-fighting white blood cells in the body are able to do their best when our blood flow and lymphatic system have efficient circulation. By moving in a way that feels good first thing in the morning, we essentially ‘wake up’ all the body’s systems, which enhances the flow of circulation and gives the immune system an immediate boost. Gentle inversions like Viparita Karani, Cow Pose and Child Pose are especially effective for stimulating the immune system.
As a parent, taking time out for your own well being is difficult. Getting up early and practicing morning yoga puts your health first. Only if you are healthy, can you take care of others. A morning yoga practice is a way to know you’ve done something for yourself that day
Apart from all of the above, morning yoga regulates your sleep rhythm, balances your hormones and helps you build a healthy and consistent routine.

Asanas You Can Practice

Try these yoga poses daily in the morning to increase blood circulation, enhance and stimulate the immune system, improve body function and strengthen your cells, tissues, glands and organs! Also, these poses will help you beat stress, anxiety and depression.

Suryanamaskar – for over all body workout
Jivah Bandh – manages and relieves stress
Simha Mudra – decreases stress and prepares you to face the day by increasing your willpower.
Sheetali Pranayama – is a process which can cool the body down and give a feeling of calmness.
Bhramari Pranayama – is one of the great breathing exercises to release the mind of disturbance, anxiety or frustration and get rid of anger.
Om Recitation – excellent breathing exercises for meditation. Brings stability of mind and improves memory power
Shavasana – removes nervousness, adds a sense of presence. Very important to start our day peacefully.
Tratak Drishti – to increase concentration.
Anulom Vilom Pranayama – is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas in our body. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in balance. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa are known as the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities). All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. The way to do that is to practice Anulom Vilom Pranayama regularly. It is the simplest and best way for this.
Kapalbhati Pranayama – generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter. It adds luster and beauty to your face and helps your skin glow!

If yoga is practiced regularly in the morning, it will help you face the day with balance and a practical approach. Ensure that you do not eat at least 2-3 hours before you begin your practice. So try morning yoga and do share your feedback and changes with us in the comments below!

To learn more about Pranayama, read this article: https://goqii.com/blog/pranayama/.

To begin practicing yoga subscribe for LIVE interactive sessions with our Yoga experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce

September 4, 2023 By Ashwinkumar Rahate 1 Comment

Benefits of Physical Activities

In my previous blog, I explained the difference between health and fitness. This blog will detail the importance of physical activities and the role it plays in maintaining a good lifestyle.

As per ACSM (American College of Sports and Medicine) guidelines, a person must be involved in some sort of physical activity at least 3 days a week. The benefits of physical activities are divided into three categories i.e. Physical, Mental and Social benefits.

1. Physical Benefits of Exercising

Keep Away From Hypokinetic Medical Conditions
This is one of the major benefits for a person who is involved in physical activities. Hypokinetic Condition arises from the complications of leading a sedentary lifestyle. This condition includes Cardiovascular Diseases, Obesity, Lower Back Pain Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Hypertension, etc.
Increases Basal Metabolic Rate
If you are regularly involved in some kind of a physical activity, it increases your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR refers to the minimum amount of energy in the form of calories that our body requires to complete its normal functions such as breathing, breaking down foods, heart and brain functioning
Joint Mobility & Flexibility
Regular physical activity improves your joint mobility and flexibility
Boost the Immune System
Regular and frequent exercising helps boost the immune system. Exercises flush out bacteria from the system and lungs. This, in turn, helps us avoid the chances of catching a cold, flu, or other viral infections. Exercise temporarily increases the body temperature which in turn may prevent bacterial growth
Improve Bone Density
Bone density refers to the amount of mineral matter per square centimeters of the bones. Physical activities improve bone density. If bone density improves, there is less chances of osteoporosis and fractures
Better Body Composition
Body Composition is used to describe the percentage of fats, muscles, bones and the water in the body. If we say better body composition, it means more muscles and less fats, good bone weight and desired water level
Anti-Aging Agent
Proper and regular physical activities targeting the basic components of fitness will result in a stronger heart, good bone density and increase in muscles. As a result, it will work as an anti-aging agent. As your body functions effectively well, your life expectancy increases
Increases HDL Levels
Regular cardio exercises increase HDL levels. This is because cardio training helps supply oxygenated blood to the working muscle and that makes the heart stronger and helps in smooth blood flow
Low Risk of Heart Attack & Stroke
Exercise helps strengthen the heart and the cardiovascular system. It improves blood circulation and lowers the risk of heart attack and strokes

2. Mental Benefits of Physical Activity

Release Endorphins
It’s no surprise that physical activities help us improve our mood. This is primarily because of the release of chemicals known as endorphins. They not only create a feeling of happiness but sometimes, even euphoria
It’s a Great Stress Buster!
Any physical activity is a great stress buster. It not only reduces physical stress but mental stress as well!
Remedy for Insomnia
Regular involvement in an exercise is a medication alternative to improve sleep. It is a known remedy for chronic insomnia
Improves Memory and Brain Power
Proper physical activities help sharpen memory and build the ability to learn new things. Being active everyday rapidly increases your brainpower!
Exercise Boosts Confidence
Your body changes when you are active. Once you begin noticing the changes, you become more positive, productive and confident in yourself. It’s safe to say that exercise can boost your confidence!
Control or Elimination of Bad Addictions or Habits
When we exercise regularly, our brain releases dopamine which is critically important in rewards and motivation. We experience happiness when Dopamine is released. Unfortunately, the same chemical is released while consuming alcohol, drugs, while having sex and also while eating junk food. It is easier to quit bad habits if you get your dopamine fix for the day while working out!

3. Social Benefits of Physical Activity

Improves Social Relationships
A person who works out experiences good emotional health, is confident and this in turn improves his/her social relationships
Develop New Contacts
Participating in sports or group fitness activities helps you meet new people. This opens an avenue of opportunities from friendships to business and you get to meet and surround yourself with like-minded individuals
Increase Productivity and Efficiency
We have already established that being active helps your increase your brain function. It helps you stay alert and focused at work which results in efficiency and you’re naturally more productive! Physical activities help you think and act smartly!
Reduce the Generation Gap
As an active participant in a fitness group, a sports activity or even if you’re prepping/participating in a marathon, you enter a world where you meet people from all walks of life. You will meet like-minded people from different backgrounds and different age groups. You will begin to realize that age really doesn’t matter when you’re fit!

The most important aspect of being physically active is that you save a lot of money on medications and in some cases even a surgery. Given all the benefits, isn’t it better to spend time and money on exercise? Don’t forget that being healthy and active is an investment in life itself! For more on exercise and fitness, check out Healthy Reads or subscribe for LIVE interactive sessions with our experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App.