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Healthy Eating: French Beans Khichdi

French Beans Khichdi

If you are on your weight loss journey, you must have heard the advice of keeping your dinner light, low in carbs and high in protein and fiber. But do you feel that this simple tip is actually one of the most difficult to follow? As the entire day goes chasing work, after a tiring day, dinner feels like the only meal we can eat with all the time in the world and actually indulge in. Even if we decide to eat healthy, there are very few meals that support the low carb and high protein idea, especially for vegans. So, I want to share one of my favorite recipes, which is not just good when you are chasing your weight loss goals, but is also diabetes friendly, vegan and gluten-free. Let’s learn how to prepare the delicious French Beans Khichdi! 

What You Will Need 

  • Yellow moong dal – ¼ cup, soaked for 2 hours 
  • French beans – ½ cup, chopped
  • Carrot – ½, grated 
  • Onion – 1 medium sized 
  • Green chilly – ½ tsp, chopped 
  • Ginger – ½ tsp, grated 
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp 
  • Garam masala – ¼ tsp 
  • Ghee – 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp 
  • Lemon juice – ½ tsp 
  • Green coriander – 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Roasted sesame seeds – 1 tsp 
  • Hing – 1 pinch 
  • Salt to taste 

How to Prepare 

  1. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. As the seeds start crackling, add hing powder, onion & sauté for 2 minutes. 
  2. Drain soaked dal and add it to the same pan. Sauté with onion for 2 more minutes. 
  3. Now, add ½ cup water, salt, turmeric powder, green chilly, ginger ,garam masala, beans & carrot. Mix everything & cover the pan. Let it steam cook for around 10 minutes and stir 1-2 times in between.
  4. After 10 minutes, turn the flame off and let it team in the hot pan for another 5 minutes. 
  5. Take the lid off and add lemon juice, fresh coriander and sesame seeds over it. Mix everything together and your French Beans Khichdi is ready! 

Highlights of the French Beans Khichdi Recipe 

  • Being Low in carbs & high in fiber, protein & good fats, it is a good dinner option for people suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, thyroid, PCOD or even high uric acid levels.
  • It is weight loss friendly as it is low in calories but still very filling.
  • It is gluten & lactose free, so people who are allergic to gluten or are lactose intolerant can also enjoy it.

Do give this healthy, delicious and simple French Beans Khichdi recipe a try and let us know your feedback in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Nature’s Gift – Raw Honey & Its Benefits

Raw honey and its benefitsHoney is one of nature’s purest foods and is much more than just a natural sweetener. It’s a “functional food,” which means it’s a natural food with health benefits. Raw honey nutrition is impressive. Raw honey contains 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and 5,000 enzymes. This opaque liquid is not only rich in antioxidants but a plethora of vitamins such as B6, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium.

Health Benefits of Raw Honey

The health benefits of raw honey are not just restricted to weight loss but it can help in prevention and cure of many symptomatic diseases.

  1. Immunity Booster: Raw honey contains bee pollen, which is known to ward off infections, provide natural allergy relief and boost overall immunity. “One study fed 25 subjects about four tablespoons of honey per day for 29 days in addition to their regular diets. When blood samples were taken at the start and end of the study, researchers found a clear, direct link between honey consumption and an increased level of disease-fighting polyphenols in the blood”
  2. Pre and post workout: Raw honey contains natural sugars (80%), water (18%), and minerals, vitamins, pollen and protein (2%). It provides an easily absorbed supply of energy in the form of liver glycogen, making it ideal for energetic morning starts and as a pre and post exercise energy source.
  3. Promotes sleep: Raw honey promotes restorative sleep in two ways. By consuming honey before bedtime, it restocks the liver’s glycogen supply and prevents the brain from triggering a crisis search for fuel, which can wake you up. Secondly, eating raw honey fosters the release of melatonin in the brain by creating a small spike in insulin levels, which stimulates the release of tryptophan in the brain. Tryptophan converts to serotonin which is then converted to melatonin.
  4. Heal Ulcers: Honey reacts with the body’s fluids to make hydrogen peroxide, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria. Honey may reduce the size, pain and odour of problematic skin ulcers.
  5. Diabetes Management: The combination of raw honey and cinnamon can be especially beneficial to healthy diabetes management.
  6. Increases Haemoglobin: One of the most natural ways to increase haemoglobin is by consuming raw honey. The mineral richness of its opaque cells help increase the iron content of the blood, thereby treating anaemia.

4 Ways To Spot Artificial Honey

Raw honey is a crude form of honey immediately taken out of the cells of the honeycombs within a bee hive. This form of honey is quite pure. It commonly contains bee pollen and propolis which are both two very positive health additions. But, how do you spot pure, organic or raw honey from artificial or adulterated honey? Here are 4 ways you can do that –

  1. The Thumb Test: Put a drop of the honey on your thumb. If it spreads around right away or spills, it’s not pure. If it stays intact, it’s pure.
  2. The Water Test: Fill a glass of water and add one tablespoon of honey in the water. Pure honey will lump and settle at the bottom of the glass. Adulterated and artificial honey will start dissolving in water.
  3. The Shelf Life Test: Pure honey will crystallise over time. Artificial or adulterated honey will remain looking like syrup, no matter how long it is stored.
  4. Light a Fire: Dip the tip of a matchstick in “honey”, and then strike it to light. Natural honey will light the match easily and the flame will burn off the honey. Artificial or adulterated honey will not light because of the moisture it contains.

Honey available off the shelf is the pasteurised form which may not be entirely pure. Artificial honey is a food with many shortcomings, representing a solution of inverted sugar syrup, that comes from refined sugar, which often has other ingredients added.

Such a synthetic preparation can be achieved in domestic conditions, but it is not healthy. Artificial honey contains a physical mixture of glucose and fructose focused elements that have separated from the previous combination of sugar. Hence, your best bet is to procure honey directly from the beekeepers.

We hope this article helps you pick the best form of honey! For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or get this information directly from an expert by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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The Magic of Indian Masala Chai

masala chaiThe word Chai actually means tea in English and Russian. In India, it is also known as Masala Chai. More appropriately, it means spice blend. Tea has become a daily part of Indian life. It is now a key element of our culture which has spread throughout the world. Masala Chai is an everyday drink in most parts of India. It is common for Indians to delight themselves with 2 cups of it per day.

In almost every street corner and even office spaces, you will find a Chai Wallah (tea vendors) who prepares this traditional beverage. They prepare this rich Masala Chai over an open fire in small stands and stalls and serve it in clay tea cups called Kullarhs.

Well, you can prepare it yourself! This may be the right tea for you, to give you the strength and energy during the day and to take you on an amazing ride through the world of Indian tea. Let’s prepare it together! Have a look at our Masala Chai benefits, recipe and get your ingredients ready.

Some amazing Benefits of the Indian Masala Chai

  1. Improves Digestion: The spices used in Masala Chai help in regulating the digestive system. It also helps in keeping your gut healthy. A spice like Ginger aids digestion by improving circulation and delivering oxygen to organs so they can perform optimally.
  2. Supports the Immune System: It is known to strengthen the immune system and keeps common infection at bay. It helps provide relief when infected with common cold and cough.
  3. Improves Heart Health: Cinnamon, one of the main ingredients in Masala Chai, helps lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Drinking Masala Chai can prevent cardiovascular disease when consumed regularly over long periods of time.
  4. Relieves Aches and Pains: The spices found in Masala Chai can alleviate common aches and pains. These health benefits derive from the anti-inflammatory properties of many of the ingredients in it, specifically ginger and clove.
  5. Reduces Nausea: Spices like Ginger and Cardamom are well known for their ability to reduce nausea and seasickness. Masala Chai soothes an upset stomach and alleviates stomach pain associated with nausea.
  6. Boosts Energy: It is a wonderful experience having a hot cup of ‘Masala Chai’ after a hard day’s work. Caffeine is a natural stimulant in Masala Chai which boosts energy and gives you the kick which you need to start your day.
  7. Boosts Metabolism: Tea is known as a heat generating food in Ayurveda. It helps speed up metabolism. Ingredients like ginger, clove, black pepper and cardamom helpincreaset loss and increases the metabolism of the body in a short period.
  8. Contributes to Reduce Sugar Levels: Ingredients used in Masala Chai such as clove, cinnamon, and cardamom helps in preventing diabetes by increasing the insulin sensitivity of the body and lowering one’s blood sugar levels.
  9. Relieves PMS: It can be your best friend to fight the symptoms of PMS the natural way. Ingredients like ginger, clove, and cardamom work as natural painkillers when you are experiencing period pains. It calms your nerves, keeps you in a good mood and relaxes your muscles.

Authentic Masala Chai Recipe (Serves 2 cups)

Masala Chai ingredients

Ingredients

  • Water: 1 cup
  • Milk: 1 cup (organic whole milk, almond milk, oat milk)
  • Black tea/ loose leaf: 1 ½ teaspoon
  • Jaggery Powder: 2-3 teaspoons (more or less) or maple syrup, honey, brown sugar
  • Clove: 2-3
  • Cardamom: 2
  • Cinnamon: ½ stick
  • Peppercorns: 3-4 (optional)
  • Ginger: 2 slices or crushed
  • Star Anise: 1 (optional)

How to prepare

  • Lightly crush cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, star anise, and peppercorn and add in boiling water
  • Add black tea/leaf and boil it for 2-3 minutes
  • Add sugar and milk
  • Bring it to simmer twice or more
  • Turn off the heat and strain it into your favorite mug
  • Your Masala Chai is ready!

A common myth is that green tea has more health benefit than black tea.  This is simply not true. It is because all tea (Black, Green, and White) comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, they offer the same benefits. The spices which we have used in our Masala Chai are well known in Ayurveda for many health benefits.

  • Ginger is anti-inflammatory and improves digestion, prevents and manages stomach ulcers, protects against symptoms of cold and flu, and stimulates blood circulation. It also reduces blood cholesterol by improving liver function
  • Cinnamon has Anti-fungal, Anti-bacterial properties. It helps in lowering LDL cholesterol and has a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes
  • Cardamom is considered as a kidney cleanser. It is known to enhance appetite, improve digestion and provide relief from acidity in the stomach. It is also considered beneficial to the urinary tract system
  • Cloves are well-known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. They’re also known to heal ailments of the digestive system and promote good digestion as well as metabolism
  • Black Pepper is a powerful anti-oxidant. It improves digestion and promotes intestinal health. It is an effective remedy for respiratory conditions including colds, coughs, and flu
  • Star Anise aids digestion, alleviates cramps and reduces nausea. It also helps in preventing constipation, supports good sleep, promotes bone and skin health.

So, add the ingredients mentioned above in your regular tea to make it a complete Indian Masala chai. Do share your experience in the comments below!

For more on tea, check out Healthy Reads. You can get more valuable insights on the food you consume directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Yogesh Shah Manages Multiple Illnesses & Gets Healthy With GOQii

Yogesh Shah

Often, managing just one condition can be an insurmountable task. Imagine working your whole life, while your physical, mental and emotional health just spiral downward, while the number of pills you take keep increasing. Our Player Yogesh Shah was in such a predicament where he was dealing with multiple illnesses but managed to overcome them with help from his GOQii Coach Deepali Sharma. Here’s how Yogesh Shah wrote his own Health Story. 

Dealing With Multiple Illnesses 

Based in Ahmedabad’s Mani Nagar, Yogesh Shah is a 63 year old retired Government Employee. He said that he had a hectic schedule. “There were times when I would work from 7am to 11pm, never even having the sun’s rays hitting my body for years,” he said. 

Erratic work hours led to bad eating habits, disturbed sleep and high levels of acidity as he consumed a lot of tea. Yogesh Shah told us that this was his routine for 36 years of his work life. While he was extremely dedicated and diligent towards his work, it took a toll on his health. He suffered from multiple issues which included weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, disturbed lipid profile, chronic stress, bipolar disorder, gastric trouble, anxiety (8-10 attacks a month), palpitations and cervical pain due to a surgery he had 4 years back. 

Till 2021, he used to pop 18 tablets daily. Around Dec 2020, he was consuming 26 tablets which included medication for COVID. Despite the issues, he was positive and did not let his conditions damper his way of life.

“I realized I was not doing the right things and that this was taking a toll on my health but, I did not do anything about it,” says Yogesh Shah. The health issues started around 1992 and aggravated in 10 years. His family was worried and felt helpless about not knowing what they could do to help him.

Making A Positive Shift 

He wanted to get better, reduce weight and control his illnesses but was not sure how to go about it. Then, just before retirement, he got to know about GOQii from two young women in his office. They motivated him to go for it. Yogesh Shah purchased GOQII from Amazon in Oct 2021. Initially, he found it difficult to decipher and understand GOQii but, slowly and steadily he was able to understand how the platform works.  

He followed all the instructions given to him by his Coach Deepali Sharma. She introduced small changes which had a big impact. Over the course of time, he has been able to improve his health and control his illnesses. He says, “Initially I could not understand my coach but then slowly, I started understanding. Some of the changes she brought about made quite a difference.”  

His daily routine begins with praying, then gardening in his little kitchen garden. He follows this up with morning meditation for which he follows Coach Rounak Gajjar on GOQii Play. He also follows Coach Sheetal Tewari and Coack Bhumika Unniyal for yoga, meditation and pranayama. 

Currently, he walks about 15km on most days whereas before, he would feel breathless even after 1km. On the International Day of Yoga on June 21, he walked 21km. He says that he now wants to participate in the GOQii Trail Challenge 2022. 

“Coach Deepali has given me a lot of habits and I follow them religiously. Hence, I have been able to make a change!” he says.

What Are The Results Of Yogesh Shah’s Efforts? 

“Nothing will work unless you do. You need to work hard to achieve your goal. This is something which my Player Yogesh Shah has proven with flying colours,” says Coach Deepali Sharma. “Initially, he had multiple issues like weight gain, uncontrolled sugar levels, disturbed lipid profile, chronic stress, bipolar disorder, gastric trouble, anxiety and palpitations.

He used to feel tired after a kilometer walk and now, he is on 21km, which is equivalent to a half marathon. His HbA1c came down from 8% to 6% with almost controlled Fasting blood sugar. Episodes of anxiety dropped drastically from 10-12 episodes to almost nil now. Symptoms like shivering, headache, restlessness are completely out of our book, which were quite prominent before,” she says.

“It’s not stress that kills us but it is our reaction to it and Mr. Yogesh was outstanding in cultivating that positivity with intrinsic motivation. Stress was affecting his sleep a lot. With hard work and determination, he is now out of his anxiety medicines. We worked on setting a sleep-wake cycle as well and relaxation exercises also helped us a lot. I have seen an incredible improvement in his sleep from 2-3 hrs to an average of 5-6 hrs as of now. He is a person with a clear vision and that’s the reason we lost good weight. He is 71.25kg (latest) which was  82 kg when we started. This was achieved by keeping post sunset meals light, adding healthy snacks and carb control,” says Coach Deepali Sharma. 

As of now, Yogesh Shah’s medication has been reduced to 13 pills. You can view Yogesh’s entire journey as he speaks to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal on an episode of GOQii Health Stories.

Do you suffer from similar conditions? Did this story inspire you to make a lifestyle change? Then reach out to a GOQii Coach and subscribe for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce  

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