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“I needed to be health conscious and not be on the sidelines of life”

Before & After-Natarjan

He works in the marketing department of a News Media organization and claims he has had a near sedentary lifestyle with spurts of fitness on and off. He weighed 88 kgs and was on the verge of being classified as overweight and also bordering on being diabetic. That’s when he realized he needed to be health conscious and not be on the sidelines of life….Here is Natarajan Viswanathan’s story in his own words.

I never had a fitness regime in my life. I would once in a while feel that I think I need to lose weight and I would spring into action following an exercise regime. I would remain focused, taking my resolution to lose weight seriously but soon lose interest and again go back to being laid back. I took up a gym membership for 3 years but barely hit the gym religiously, hardly making any difference to my weight or the fitness factor. Friends and family made fun of me for not being able to hold on to any fitness regime.

In December 2014, I went for a full body check-up. All the tests were normal but, I was told by the doctor that I was bordering on diabetes. I have a family history of diabetes. What the doctor said then scared me and that is when I got serious about reducing my weight and getting fit.

One evening we had a college reunion and there I got introduced to GOQii by a friend of mine. He explained how it works and what it can do for me. This discussion got me interested. But, he did have a word of caution when he said that just wearing it will not reduce your weight but one needs to make efforts to get active and reduce weight. Things just don’t happen.

Before: 

Pre-Diabetic:

  • Doctor advised reducing weight.
  • Had lost 14 kgs weight earlier but now weight had plateaued with no loss despite efforts.
  • Wants to walk 6 km per day

My journey with GOQii started in April 2015 and got Komilla Pareekh as my coach. They say that every journey needs motivation and direction. The band provided the much-needed motivation and the coach gave me the right direction. Many a time you want to do it but you either do not know how to go about it or you are plain lazy. I chose Komilla as my coach because she is a nutritionist and for my journey to a fitter life, I knew I should eat well and right.

When I got on to GOQii my health goal was to become fitter and reduce my weight. I wanted to fit into a pair of jeans I had got out of for a long long time.

I worked towards it along with my coach and am I glad to say that I have achieved my health goals. I have reduced considerably from 88 kgs I am down to 74 kgs.

My pre-diabetic condition is under control and I run 10 km now four days a week and my bigger goal is to run the Marathon in 2017.   

After:

  • Improved nutrition by focusing on high fibre, high protein and small frequent meals.
  • Introduced millets in the diet. Cut down fruits at night, added a salad to meals.
  • Worked on knees and back exercises.
  • Morning walks After Surpassed 6km goal. Starting jogging now. Weight loss and inch loss.

The good news is that I got into the pair of jeans that I wanted to get into for a long time.

Personally, how do I feel now? I feel fantastic. I have become more presentable. I never had confidence or communication issues but, I will not deny that now after having made these changes to life, my first impression in business meetings is good.

All these changes in me have also been noticed by my near and dear ones. I have been a great influencer to people around me and also got 4 others to register on GOQii.  I will certainly continue with GOQii and be motivated to be healthy and active.Another super initiative is the Karma point initiative. You can earn points and donate them to a cause you believe in. It gets you connected to your social quotient. So I have donated 4000 points to the education cause and for the Chennai floods. Great initiative. Keep it going.

What does Coach Komilla have to say about Natarajan?

When Natarajan joined GOQii, he had plateaued on his weight, despite having lost 14 kgs in past due to his will and determination. Being a borderline diabetic, he was advised by his doctor to lose a couple of more kgs to avoid medication. Also, he was nurturing a dream of walking 6 km in a single stance and to participate in a Marathon. The journey was not easy, but surelya challenging one full of hurdles- knee pain, back pain, time constraint, sweet craving, Mumbai rains …..but, he never lost the focus. Today, he runs not walks 10 km in a single stance and has lost weight and inches to settle on his healthy weight. The biggest strength of our relationshipand working was mutual trust and belief. Natarajan truthfully discussed all the challenges faced by him in working towards our goals and kept firm belief in his coach. That is the secret of our success!

 

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Stay Healthy and Save Money

budget-health

Today’s Union Budget presented by Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley provides for new health protection scheme that will provide health cover up to Rs One lakh per family. And for senior citizens an additional top-up package up to Rs 30,000 will be provided. This is good but, how about staying healthy and reducing health costs once for all.

Lifestyle plays an important role in heart ailments but, perhaps many have not taken this to heart. Getting angioplasties and stents that cost thousands of rupees do not prolong life or prevent heart attacks in stable patients. Similarly, lowering blood sugar with drugs does not fully prevent the economic and human costs of diabetes (including heart attacks, strokes, amputations, impotence, kidney failure, and blindness), but lowering blood sugar with diet and lifestyle prevents all of these human and economic costs.

Bringing about lifestyle changes is easier said than done. Simple lifestyle changes like walking or cycling instead of driving, climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator, eating nutritious food or making dietary changes, exercising on a daily basis and incorporating some behavior modification technique can have a big impact on you and your pocket for the better. And rather than buy a pricey gym membership to get in shape, there are ways to work out on the cheap or choose a fitness tracker with a coach to guide you.

Her are 6 healthy habits that can keep you fit.

  • Portion Control and Mindful Eating: Watching how much you eat is one of the best ways to maintain your weight. Have smaller portions of food instead of filling your plate in one go and have 5 small meals a day that is healthy and nutritious. This will help you manage your weight, keep your cool, maintain your focus and avoid cravings.
  • Exercise Daily: The best way to start your day is with some good physical activity. We all know the importance of physical activity, but still only a less percentage of the population in the world follow the same. Exercise has been found to decrease your chances of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is also related to higher success in your career. If you don’t care about your body, every other aspect of your life will suffer. Take care of your body. It is the only place you live.
  • Have Enough Water: Staying well hydrated is one of our body’s basic needs. Water is needed to enable the body to keep eliminating the toxins generated, to produce digestive enzymes, maintain healthy skin, hair, organs and to help your body absorb essential vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. Water also regulates the body temperature, cooling one down by evaporating through the skin. Drinking at least 3 litres of water a day is a must.
  • Get A Healthy 7+ Hours of Sleep: Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result. The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.
  • Think Positive and have a sense of Gratitude: Being positive and thinking positive builds a healthier immune system and boosts overall health. Body believes what you think so think positive. Gratitude is good for our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. Showing gratitude also keeps one happy. Gratitude also blocks toxic and negative emotions and
  • Avoid Stress: The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Here are few things you can do to avoid stress. Namely meditate, deep breathing, be alert, relax, laugh out loud, listen to music, and chase your hobbies.

So let’s stay healthy and save money and rather use that money for things we love to do.

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My Love for ‘Ghee’ and its 14 benefits

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Whenever I close my eyes and recollect my childhood or pregnancy happiness’ I feel that amazing smell of Ghee, the pure, unadulterated, smooth and delicious ghee or better known as Clarified butter largely made out of Cow’s milk.

I still remember my childhood days when my mom used to fry Luchis also called Poories–Indian fried Wheat bread in ghee and I simply relished it the divine smell of ghee. And I equally relish Indian sweets made in pure claified butter. Even our lentils used to be tempered with ghee, rotis with ghee spread on them, ghee with steaming hot rice, ghee to top the veggies, ghee ke laddoos……. the list is never ending.

I grew up having loads of clarified butter, but it’s only when I did my Masters in Food & nutrition that I got a clearer view on ghee or clarified butter and my love for it.

Being a Nutritionist & a mom of two young kids, I have always been posed with the question how is it that I give my kids food with so much ghee? Well the fact is that Ghee is safe to have and that it has several nutritional benefits

Before we come to the benefits let’s look at some facts and what science says

FACTS

Ayurveda says

Among the four kinds of fat namely Gritha (ghee), Taila (oil), Vasa (fat), Majja (bone marrow) Ayurveda considers GHEE as the best among these. According to Ayurveda, ghee made from cow’s milk promotes memory, intellect and digestion. It also promotes healing of wounds, keeps the skin lustrous and maintains immunity.

Science says 

Modern science has discovered that ghee is rich in antioxidants. The fats in ghee aid absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals from other foods, strengthening the immune system. Ghee is also rich in butyric acid, a fatty acid with anti-viral properties, which is believed to prevent cancers and tumours.

Recent research has also detected presence of linoleic acid in ghee. Linoleic acid retards the growth of some cancers and protects us from heart disease. This acid is often lacking in a vegetarian diet.

According to B S Raheja, the ex-director of All India Institute of Diabetes, the present epidemics of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers is due to not including ghee in our diets.

Benefits of Ghee

  • Ghee is a source of beta carotene and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Beta carotene and vitamin E are vital antioxidants. Vitamin A is naturally present in ghee, which is lacking in other edible oils.
  • Ghee has no milk solids, lactose or sugars. These get separated out when the butter is made into ghee, so it’s good for lactose intolerant people too
  • Organic ghee has no additives, preservatives, oxidized cholesterol or trans-fatty acids that clog arteries.
  • Ghee is highly stable and does not go rancid even at room temperature.
  • Clarified butter has a very high smoke point than butter but lesser than oil—it does not burn at high cooking temperatures. So it’s always better to cook in ghee than butter as butter burns very easily
  • Ghee is primarily saturated fat. One tablespoon of ghee provides 14g of saturated fat, 28mg of cholesterol and roughly 120 calories.
  • Ghee is useful for both external and internal use. Because ghee helps to increase immunity, that subtle essence of tissue that is responsible for life, radiant health, vigour, longevity and overall well being.
  • Slows down ageing process by adding a minimum of ghee to your food everyday.
  • It also removes toxins from body & mind.
  • Ghee is beneficial in promoting growth and development in children. It also improves memory and concentration power.
  • Ghee has its healing properties. If used directly on cuts, wounds or burns, it has powerful healing action. It can be used to cure gangerine . ulcers etc.
  • Pure ghee has anti-oxidant properties which promotes healthy metabolism and aids weight loss(when used in a moderation)
  • Intake of Ghee reduces the cholesterol both in the serum & intestine by triggering an increased secretion of biliary lipids.
  • Ghee is good for nerves & brains. It helps control eye pressure and is beneficial to glaucoma patients.

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Mother Earth’s miraculous produce-Wood Apple

woodapple

Bael fruit also known as wood apple, elephant fruit, Monkey fruit, curd fruit or limonia acidissima is yet another miraculous produce by our mother earth.

This fruit is native to India, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Pakistan, Java and South East Asia. It is called as Elephant fruit because it is elephant’s favourite fruit. It tastes sour, sweet and bitter. The fruits grow between the months of October and March.

The reason I call it miraculous fruit is because it is the most sacred fruit. Ayurveda refers to the fruit of the bael as the fruit of nectar (amrutphal). It is believed that all the diseases can be cured using bael. It has its significance in spiritual (leaves offered to Lord Shiva) and Ritual purposes too.

Almost all the parts of the tree like roots, leaves, seeds, the branches are utilized for medicinal purposes. I have some memories of this fruits as a child,’ Every time I saw this fruit I would ask my mom to buy it for me, because it tastes very sbenefits our at times she would deny.’ Little did we both know about the benefits this fruit has in curing day to day ailments and it is the best home remedy for almost all ailments? It is meant for all can cure all age groups ranging from children to geriatrics.

What are the benefits of eating this fruit (Roots, leaves, stem)

Diabetes

  • Juice from the leaves of this tree helps in managing the blood sugar level as well as urination among diabetic person.

Hypertension

  • Bael leaf juice (boil dried bael leaves in water) helps in managing the hypertension.

Appetite enhancer

  • It enhances the appetite if bael leaves powder is taken continuous for some days.

Indigestion and Constipation

  • Wood apple cures the problem of indigestion and constipation if it is consumed daily (not more than a cup) with jaggery for 2-3 months.

Removes toxins

  • Bael when consumed with black pepper and salt regularly will help in removing toxins from the body. This cleanses the colon.

Prevents breast cancer in women

  • Bael is anti-proliferative and inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Regularizes Progesterone hormone

  • Eating Bael fruit helps the secretion of progesterone hormone.

Increases breast milk production

It is very beneficial for lactating mother as this helps increase the milk production when combined with dry Giner and Jaggery.

Apart from these many other benefits have been noted. It helps in keeping the skin and hair healthy. It is anti-inflammatory, cures acidity and respiratory disease. The benefits are endless.

What are you waiting for, just grab this green coloured magic and see it work on you.

 

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