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6 Lifestyle Changes For Acne-Free Skin

acne-free skinWe all yearn for clear, glowing, blemish-free skin! There’s no denying that smooth skin has mass appeal. If smooth skin were the protagonist of your story, acne would certainly be the formidable foe!

Acne is basically a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples. It can lead to redness and dull skin. Risk factors include genetics, menstrual cycle, stress, anxiety, humid climate, using oil-based makeup, out of home foods, etc.

Once developed, acne requires a lot of patience to fade away. Hence, you need to be religious towards the efforts.

Make smooth skin a reality with these 5 lifestyle changes which can help you reduce or prevent acne!

No Refined Carbs & Sugar

Bid alcohol, soft drinks, desserts, bread, ice-cream, sugar, maida, etc. a good farewell! As they have a high glycemic index, it can lead to high blood sugar and high insulin levels. This might result in inflammation, which is one of the prime causes of acne. High sugar intake along with acne can lead to dark circles, loose skin, and wrinkles, etc. So go low on sugar.

Drink More Water

Skin cells require water to function properly. According to research, acne is more likely to develop when your system has more toxins. Water helps flush these toxins out. Though water is not a miracle cure but it definitely helps in fighting acne.

Physical Activity

Exercise boosts blood circulation and promotes sweating, which helps the body push impurities out of the pores, reducing acne. Physical activity helps us reduce stress levels, which inturn aids acne prevention. Just make sure you clean up before and after a workout.

Get Quality Sleep

Do you wake up fresh and energetic in the morning? If you don’t get good, restorative sleep, your body might not feel rested. This could start the cortisol surge, which can put you at risk for more acne. Make sleep your priority and give your body the rest it needs and your acne a chance to heal.

Eat Your Colors

Yes! Eat all the colourful fruits and vegetables. They help us improve vitamin levels and antioxidant intake which keeps the skin clear. Eat dark leafy greens, pumpkin, carrots, beetroot, berries, papaya, etc. on a daily basis.

Eat Healthy Fats

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are required to keep your skin healthy. They help prevent skin dryness and help you maintain healthy and hydrated skin. Healthy fats are the building blocks of cell membranes. Hence, add walnuts, fish oil, flax seeds, avocado, sunflower seeds, etc. to your diet.

Some handy tips for good skin:

  • Wash your hands once you wake up before touching the face
  • Use fresh towels and handkerchiefs daily
  • Always remove your makeup completely
  • Clean your phone on a regular basis
  • Do not sleep without washing your face

If you’re looking for more skincare tips, explore Healthy Reads or you can also get expert advice from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to our Personalised Health Coaching services here. Your journey to acne-free, radiant skin begins with the right knowledge and support!

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Are you running the Marathon? Here is your guide to training

marathon-running

Running is fun and enjoyable be it a trail run or a marathon.

You want to do it but are in a dilemma how to go about it?

Are you a beginner?

Never run before or haven’t run in a long time?

Have you signed up because your friends are running?

Have you taken this up as a challenge to test your own endurance or just to improve stamina?

We have just two months to go for the Mumbai Marathon. Most start training a month ago thinking it’s such an easy thing to do. More often than not an individual is of the opinion what’s the big deal about long distance running? It’s just running after all and I can probably do it easily if I have my ear plugs on with music flowing into my ears.

But, before you start on your running regime, one important thing you need to do is to motivate yourself. Building mental strength is key to any endurance sport and marathon is no different. It’s one thing to begin training and another thing to stay motivated every day and continue that training. Staying motivated and developing a proper mind set helps you to enjoy your training thereby enabling you to cross the finish line with a smile on your face. Finishing a marathon is a great accomplishment and you can be one of them.

But, training is challenging and you need to train well without damaging your body is very important. If you start running without taking any precautionary measures, your body is most likely to go through a lot of damage in the future. Motivation is not enough, having the right goals and reasons for running is equally important to be successful.

Learning and following some basics will help you get started. All you have to do is just follow these guidelines.

1. RUNNING

You begin with small strides. How much you run can be gradually increased depending upon your level of physical fitness. Beginners should start with Interval training – wherein you run in high speed for 2-3 minutes followed by 1 min of cool down at less speed. Then repeat the high intensity for 2-3minutes on a slightly higher speed than the previous time. Continue this for about 15-30 minutes. This routine should be practiced 2-3 times a week and then follow it up with a long run once a week. After the run you should also do proper stretching on all the days. Most of you out there who have already been training for a while and are at an Intermediate level of training can start increasing their speed and distance slowly over a period.

2. NUTRITION

Nutrition plays an important role when you decide to run a marathon. The most important nutrient being Carbohydrates which provides the fuel runners need and for glycogen storage (glucose in stored form). Carbohydrates should be about 50-60% of your meal on normal days and 60-70% of your meal a day prior to the long run days (Carbohydrate loading). Protein should be about 10-20% of your regular meal. Add on nutrients can be antioxidants, Vitamin C, E, being one of the best. Apart from antioxidants they have special properties like anti-viral, increases immunity (Vit C), muscle relaxant (Vit E). All these nutrients are necessary for your body as they are your fuel to run (carbohydrates & proteins) and also help your recover well (all of them). Other than this even Electrolytes are necessary to avoid cramps which can be a major issue for a runner. Best electrolyte source can be a sports drink like Enerzal or electrolyte drink; these can be used while running. Post the run bananas are the best form of electrolytes and Carbohydrates. Some runners can even have them on the way if need be.

3. STRENGTH TRAINING

As was said in the beginning most who sign up for a marathon usually just run. But, it is not so. If you have decided to run a marathon then you should also be including strength training as a part of your exercise regime for marathon training. The benefits being that it can prevent injuries and reduce effect of hard surface on the joints and ligaments which otherwise can be painful for some. Also for better performance example – the last sprint in the run to finish your marathon.

Exercise well. Other than that your core also needs strengthening as it maintains your stability, posture and balance, all of which is necessary to run faster and again avoid injuries. You can opt for strength training for about 2-3/wk. possibly under someone’s guidance.

4. HYDRATION

Hydration is another very important aspect in marathon training. If your body cells are dehydrated, they will not work well for you and will not give you the required energy to run. Therefore, having water regularly before, during and after the run is necessary. A day prior the event the way you do carbohydrate loading, do water loading too, so have double the amount of water than usual. Have water about 20-30 minutes prior to the run, during the run you can just keep sipping on water every 15-20 mins depending upon individual requirement. After the run, hydrate yourself well again. If need be you can even opt for sports drinks for long runs, as that will provide your body hydration as well as energy too.

5. RECOVERY

It is important to recover well as your body’s tissues and cells should be ready for the next day’s work (office and exercise). Thus, one should always keep a gap of a day or so in between your running days may be alternating it with strengthening. One rest day in a week is also necessary where in no exercise of any sorts is done on that day. Nutrition matters a great deal in recovery, as discussed above. But, do not indulge on the rest day. Keep it moderate.

6 .PROPER GEAR

Last, but not the least. Appropriate gear is an important aspect for running a marathon. Shoes are one of the most important gears. You should go in for the right running shoe which fits well. People with flat feet should go in for insoles. Your next important gear should be your clothing. Anything that is very loose and baggy style should be avoided as it can slow you down or come in between while running (loose track pants). It can even cause rashes on body at times. Sweating can also make thick clothing heavier. One should opt for light clothing for running, like a dri-fit T and shorts or tights.

Anyone can follow these guidelines and run a marathon. But, everybody should consult a medical practitioner for any health issue or previous injuries if you have or had one. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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How to Heal a Leaky Gut

heal a leaky gut

In the previous article, we addressed the symptoms and causes of a Leaky Gut. If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms, here’s what you can do to heal your gut!

Ways to Heal a Leaky Gut

One of the best ways to heal a Leaky Gut is to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet with optimum nutrition. The process includes:

  • Remove: Excluding the toxic and inflammatory foods as it causes the gut to become leaky and adding good and healthy nutrients that will result in healing the gut. Remove products which affect the environment of the gut negatively.
  • Replace: For appropriate digestion and absorption, including important healthy nutrients for proper break-down and absorption of the nutrients i.e. digestive enzymes, HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) and bile acids.
  • Reinoculate: It is quite difficult to restore the important bacteria to improve the good gut bacteria.
  • Repair: It is important to provide essential nutrients for the gut to be restored. To revive the lining of the gut wall it is important to consume L-Glutamine supplement.

Necessary Dietary Modifications

Listed below are a few ways in which you can heal a leaky gut, improve gut health as well as good gut bacteria.

  • Reduce the Intake of Refined Carbohydrates: Harmful Bacteria grow more when there is an excess intake of sugar and can harm the gut barrier function. Avoid unhealthy, processed, junk and fried foods.
  • Include Probiotic Supplements: This helps improve the beneficial gut bacteria. Probiotics include curd, buttermilk, and probiotic supplements.
  • Eat Fermented Foods: Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, saukerkraut, kefir and kombucha, help improve gut bacteria.
  • Include Plenty of High Fiber Foods: This includes fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains that feed the beneficial bacteria.
  • Reduce the intake of alcohol and Quit Smoking
  • Avoid or reduce stress

Common Questions Asked

How long does it take to heal a Leaky Gut?
To get an idea about this question, we need to go down to the cellular level. 300 square meters is the surface area of the gut. The enterocytes are the lining cells of the gut that keep reviving/restoring in a gut which is normal and healthy.  A new lining of the gut is seen every two to three weeks. For those individuals who do not have any medical disease or conditions, studies prove that that gut-healing might take around 2-12 weeks (higher range may-be for those who have other medical conditions).

In another study by Harvard published in the Medical Journal Nature, states that those who are keen on healing their gut majorly have an underlying cause as an issue will take a longer time to heal by making it more complex and slow i.e. like a journey.

In-case whenever you decide to change your time in terms of diet and lifestyle, that restores the gut functioning, skin gets clearer, energy increases, bloating reduces, loss of weight, betterment in the conditions like eczema, asthma, allergies, migraine, depression, eagerness/anxiety, auto-immune disease and much more. This again varies depending on several factors/causes.

How do I know my Gut is repaired?
There are a few signs which indicate that the gut is fully repaired. Firstly, you’d want to check whether your gut has healed completely or not. This can be analysed via the symptoms that you experience. Below are a few points which should help you analyse:

  • Digestive Issues, food sensitivity vanish/fade away along with skin issues
  • Auto-immunity lab markers improve, returning to optimal self (quality of life improves)
  • Your energy and stamina return
  • Improved mood
  • You came back to proper weight.

You can also check it through a spectrum, with one side being no inflammation & healthy balanced gut with no symptoms and other end being leaky gut with several symptoms.

Even if the gut is repaired, it could have its draw-backs where you need to work to get back to normal health. Be calm and firm on following your gut-healthy protocol. It will not only help you get your health back on track but it will improve your quality of life as well!

We hope this article helps you make the necessary changes and heal. Do share it and leave your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more articles like this on Gut Health here. If you want expert advice or further guidance on improving digestive or gut health, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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The Miraculous Health Benefits Of Horse Gram

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

  1. 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.
  2. Hemolytic Activity: The seeds make anti-inflammatory drugs that efficiently neutralize indirect hemolytic activity.
  3. 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.
  4. Treats Jaundice: Horse gram water is being used in Andhra Pradesh for the treatment of Jaundice.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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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