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October 31, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

The New Age Health Horror of Diabesity

When someone says “horror”, what do you imagine? Definitely nothing pleasant but something extremely scary, right? Do you picture ghosts and demons? If your perception of horror is limited to only supernatural occurrences, you might want to take a big step back. While supernatural entities are subjective, health issues are very much real and their stats are horrifying to say the least.

Recently, we came across a study titled ‘Finding a Policy Solution to India’s Diabetes Epidemic‘ by Karen Siegel, K. M Venkat Narayan and Sanjay Kinra. The study indicated that ‘In India, 35 million people have diabetes—a number expected to more than double by 2025, disproportionately affecting working-age people’. That means over 70 million people. Isn’t that scary?

Diabesity, which is a combination of Diabetes and Obesity, is even worse! Can you picture it? Obesity is a key risk factor for diabetes. India has the world’s largest number of people with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG), which are the precursors for diabetes. Obesity and IGT are mostly found in younger populations.

Major Causes Leading to Diabesity

Globalization: facilitates access to various pre-packaged and processed foods. In fact, there is minimal physical activity as we have one touch access to almost everything! Surely, we are growing economically but at the cost of our health.
Nutrition Transition: There is a major shift observed in the meal patterns of Indians today. People are turning more towards western foods, foods that are pre-packaged, ready to eat foods, high in calories, sugar, aerated drinks, hydrogenated fats over the simple traditional food which are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other essential nutrients.
Higher Percentage of Abdominal Fat: Abdominal obesity is the key factor of insulin resistance and development of diabetes.
Malnutrition During Pregnancy: Because of the co-existence of underweight and overweight, children are often born underweight and adapted to a low-nutrition environment. Low-birth weight infants are more susceptible than those of normal birth weight to obesity and diabetes, especially when raised in an Obesogenic environment.
Lifestyle: Most people today lead sedentary lifestyles devoid of much movement. Even at work we’re glued to our desks and laptops. This accounts to minimal physical activity. At the same time, the stress factor is the maximum with respect to targets/goals associated with work, family and social circles.

How To Keep It At Bay

Keeping Diabesity at bay actually involves 3 very simple and basic lifestyle modifications:

Make Healthy Food Choices: Choose whole grains and its products over refined ones. Incorporate more fruits and veggies daily. Opt for products less in sugars, fats and high in fiber. Make a habit of reading nutritional labels before buying a product. Do not forget “MODERATION IS THE KEY”.
Exercise: Make it a point to exercise on a regular basis. Exercising will not only keep you active but also help reduce insulin resistance, improve cardio vascular strength, tone your muscles, and increase Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Exercising releases endorphins which is a feel good hormone that will also help you relieve stress(both physical and mental).
Stress Management: Managing time and stress is essential to stop the release of the stress hormone Cortisol which makes you crave for foods that are high in carbs. All that you eat when stressed is stored in the body as fats, especially in the belly. Meditating regularly before going to bed, deep breathing during stressful moments, indulging in your hobbies, exercising, completing your work on time, etc. will help curb stress levels. It is not a single factor that would work but both.

If you want to learn about effective ways to manage obesity and diabetes, or want effective exercises to combat both, tune into GOQii Play and get live coaching from renowned experts you can even interact with.

We hope this article on Diabesity alarms you enough to make necessary lifestyle modifications before its too late! Stay healthy and #BeTheForce!

September 13, 2019 By Richa Sanghvi Leave a Comment

3 Must-Try Mini Meals For Good Health!

“Don’t ask why healthy food is expensive! Ask why junk food is so cheap!” It is that junk food which creates junk in our mind and body. We might have grown up eating all the fried and junk food we could but do we really want to continue with the same? I am sure the answer is no!

So, here are a few recipes and their benefits, which are a healthier version of junk food and much tastier too.

1. Fruity Appam

Ingredients for the batter:

Rava/ Semolina – ½ cup
Powdered sugar – 1 tbsp
Curd – ½ cup
Milk – ½ cup
Baking powder 1/4th tsp
Elaichi/ Cardamom
Banana – 1 no.
Salt to taste

Ingredients for the stuffing:

Kiwi – 1 no
Sugar – 2 or 2.5 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1/4th tsp

Method for the batter:

In one bowl, mix all the above ingredients listed for batter, except banana.
Smash banana in another bowl and add it to the above mixture.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

Method for the stuffing:

Add kiwi, sugar, lemon juice in a pan and cook till the sugar melts and the kiwi is cooked.
Add cinnamon powder to the mixture and mix well. Remove it in a bowl.
Add the water from the above mixture in the batter and mix the batter well.

Method for Combining the Two

Heat and grease the appam pan with oil.
Add a layer of batter, followed by stuffing, and then covered by another layer of batter.
Cook appam on both sides until golden brown.
Serve hot.

Note: You can use any other seasonal fruit apart from kiwi.

Benefits: This recipe is specially listed for kids as they generally do not like fruits. It is an easy way of at least including 2-3 fruits in their diet. Fruits are a storehouse of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which help in their overall growth and development. They also strengthen the immune system to fight against any illness. Apart from fruits, this is a traditional recipe with a healthy twist enjoyed by all!

2. Cheesy Vegetable Cutlet

What better to find a healthy and nutritious way to eat the most relished dish! Roll up your sleeves as you are going to read a very tasty and easy recipe.

What you will need:

Oil – 1 tsp
Butter – 1 tsp
Chopped onion – ¼ cup
Chopped garlic – ¼ tsp
Chopped beans – 1 ½ tbsp
Grated carrot – 1 ½ tbsp
Boiled & grated corn – 1 ½ tbsp
Boiled & Mashed potatoes – 1 cup
Grated cheese – 1 no
Salt to taste
Coriander – 1 tbsp
Bread crumbs – 1 tbsp (keep extra for rolling)
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp

How to Prepare:

Sauté onion and garlic in a pan.
Add beans, grated carrot and salt. Let it cook.
To the mixture, add corn and potatoes. Mix well.
Switch off the gas and add grated cheese, salt, coriander, red chilly and bread crumbs.
Mix well and let the mixture cool down.
Roll the mixture into small balls or if you have different shape molds, then cut using them.
Roll/ spread the balls over the bread crumbs until it is fully covered with it.
Take a pan and shallow fry the cutlets using oil until they are golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot, with ketchup or green chutney.

Note: If you wish to add any more vegetables to the above mixture you can feel free to do so. Using rava/ oats in place of breadcrumbs to roll the cutlets is also welcome.

Benefits: This recipe is a very easy and effective way to include vegetables in your kid’s meals. It is very common to see kids remove vegetables from their plate. Try this one and I’m sure your kids will relish eating it. Apart from vegetables, cheese is a special ingredient added to the above mixture, as kids and adults love the taste of it. Other than that, cheese is a good source of protein and calcium.

3. Pizza with a Twist

Ingredients for the dough:

Wheat flour – 1 cup
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Water – 1 cup
Dry yeast – ½ tsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tsp

For pesto sauce:

Fresh basil (tulsi) – 200 gm
Garlic – 3 cloves
Olive oil – 3 tsp
Salt – to taste
Water
Veggies: Onion; Green, Yellow and Red bell pepper; Jalapenos, Paneer; Cheese; Olives; Oregano; Chilli flakes.

Method for preparing the dough:

Heat some water in a sauce pan and add sugar and dry yeast.
Cook till it dissolves and let it cool.
In a bowl, take wheat flour, salt, oil and baking soda. Mix them.
Add yeast water and knead the dough.
Add some oil in the end and let it ferment for 2-3 hours.

After 2 hours:

Prepare the pizza base from the dough. Knead it with corn flour and give it shape by using your hands.
Make holes in pizza base with a fork.
Bake the base in a pre-heated oven at 260 degree Celsius for 4-5 minutes.

Method for pesto sauce:

In a mixture jar add basil, garlic, olive oil and salt.
Now add some water and prepare pesto sauce.

Method for Assembling:

After the pizza base is ready, apply pesto sauce over the base and add all the vegetables on it.
Now sprinkle cottage cheese, very little cheese, oregano and chilli flakes over the pizza.
Place the pizza in a pan, close it with a lid and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
Take the pizza on a serving plate and serve it hot.

Note: Making the dough is optional, you can even purchase a whole wheat pizza base. It is easily available in the market.

Benefits: Everyone likes pizza but the ones available in the market are unhealthy. Few benefits of this healthy pizza include the use of cottage cheese over normal cheese. Cottage cheese provides protein. More so, the pizza is a nutritious combination of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals as it has veggies, dairy products and cereals.

We hope you enjoy eating these healthy mini meals as much as you’ll enjoy making them! How do you make your food healthy? Do you have a healthy twist to a traditional recipe? Let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

August 28, 2019 By Pradnya Shinde Leave a Comment

Should You Go Grain-Free?

In the past few years, imperical evidence emerged, coaxing us to stay away from all the foods we enjoyed so much in order to live a strong, healthy and disease-free life. Now, along with sugar, fats and diary, you even have grains joining the list of dietary outcasts. How did this happen? Is it necessary? Let’s find out if you should go grain-free!

What is Grain-Free?

Have you ever thought about skipping rice, chapati or your favorite rotis for losing weight quickly? Ever skipped all grains which includes wheat and its products, corn, rice, jowar, ragi, and bajra? That is called going grain-free. It is when you eliminate all grains from your diet.

If you have followed a specific diet like Keto or Paleo, you know that they involve skipping grains. Another reason people avoid grains is the discomfort in digesting them. The specific known culprit is Wheat! But there is hardly any reason enough that suggests grains are unhealthy or promote weight gain.

Are There Any Benefits of Going Grain-Free?

The immediate benefit of going grain-free is that you will notice some weight loss and reduction in bloating. 80% of dry matter of grains is carbohydrates. Reduced intake of excess carbohydrates helps in reducing weight quickly as it also reduces water retention. Hence, skipping grains makes you feel light. It works for short-term weight loss.

However, if you want to go for long-term weight loss, skipping grains might not be such a great idea as it may lead to nutritional deficiency. Whole grains are a major source of Vitamin B in our diet. Restricting it for a long time may lead to deficiency and cause problems. Going grain-free is not for every person. You can get the same benefits by skipping sugar and processed foods. For long term weight loss, go for grains!

What to Watch Out For!

If you are insistent on going grain-free, then plan your diet in such a way that you can cope with the vitamin loss. For instasnce, include green vegetables in your diet. You can go grain-free for a specific period but avoid going long term. Remember that eating whole grains is good for your heart and it reduces the risk of cancer as well.

If you are skipping grains due to digestive discomfort, then take the IgA anti-gliadin antibodies test to see if you have gluten sensitivity followed by endoscopy to check for celiac disease.

Gluten is a protein present in wheat and it will cause you discomfort if you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. If you have either of these conditions, avoid wheat, rye and barley. You can safely eat other grains.

To sum it up, you can enjoy eating rice, idli and parathas in moderation. Avoid refined cereal!

We hope this article helps you come to a conclusion on whether you should go grain-free or not! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

August 12, 2019 By Anu Acharya 1 Comment

Nutrigenomics and You!

There are many people who feel that they are not able to achieve their health goals in spite of a conscientious diet and fitness routine. Even regular health checks do not seem to help. Is there any method to identify and bridge the gap? Nutrigenomics is the science that looks at the interaction between our diet and lifestyle habits and how they affect our DNA in terms of regulating genes responsible for metabolism, development, and overall wellness.

Why is it Important to Understand Nutrigenomics?

Common dietary elements can act on our DNA, either directly or indirectly, to alter gene expression or structure. For example, dietary fat/carbohydrate intake affects genetic activity, metabolism rates, adiposity and thereby, a likelihood of weight gain (obesity).
Sometimes, for some of us, diet can be a serious risk factor for many diseases. For example, carriers of MTHFR gene variants may have lower enzyme activity and hence a higher risk for developing folate deficiency. In such instances, a reduced intake of Vitamin B6-containing foods may trigger clinical manifestation — screening can help implement dietary changes to manage health better.
The impact of diet on the balance between healthy and diseased states depends on our DNA. For example, variation in the SOD2 gene can alter the the antioxidant activity and increase the risk for excessive oxidative damage. Individuals who carry such variants need to ensure richer portions of antioxidants in their diet. Exercise routines can be planned with adequate rest between heavy workouts for repair/recovery.
Some diet-regulated genes (and their common variants) can affect the onset, incidence, progression, and/or severity of chronic diseases.
Chronic diseases can be prevented, mitigated, or addressed through dietary intervention based on the knowledge of nutritional requirement, nutritional status, and genotype. For example, certain gene variants can increase the likelihood of developing gluten intolerance. Genetic screening can help identify such risk factors for dietary intervention if required. This can have a positive impact on health, overall wellness, as well as athletic performance.

What Can You Learn From Nutrigenomics?

Your power to absorb vital nutrients required for a healthy body and mind
The impact of nutrients on various organs and pathways
Nutritional factors that can protect your genome from damage
Impact of genes on your lifestyle, diet, fitness, habits, etc.

When Is The Best Time To Get A Test?

The answer is NOW! Nutrigenomics are once-in-a-lifetime tests that are noninvasive. From newborns to nonagenarians, anyone can take this test. Whether you are starting your wellness journey or a veteran health and fitness expert, these tests can help you get to know yourself better.

How Can You Use It To Improve Quality Of Life?

Nutrigenomics can be the game-changer that empowers you on your wellness journey or enables you to achieve your fitness goals. Here’s how it works:

Genetic tests are available online — you order one and receive the sample collection kit, along with a health history questionnaire.
Once you send the sample, your DNA is extracted and analyzed for several key markers associated with diet, fitness, well-being, disease risk, and more.
The genetic counselor correlates genetic findings with health history to offer personalized nutrition, fitness, and wellness advice.
Your nutritionists and personal trainers can also be part of the genetic counseling session in order to design diet plans and fitness routines that work for you.

Sharing her views on the importance of Nutrigenomics, Pooja Ramachandran, India’s pioneering genetic counselor says, “The need for personalizing nutrition was seen soon after the conclusion of the Human Genome Project and the ensuing impact of personalized medicine. Nutrigenomics is poised to be a powerful tool for nutritionists, dietitians, doctors as well as any healthcare professional in using nutrition therapy for the treatment of disease. More importantly, Nutrigenomics may facilitate the prevention of diet-related diseases, and help design individualized nutritional strategies based on anticipated adverse or beneficial impacts of specific food or nutrients for a particular individual.”