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What Are The Best Sources of Calcium

best sources of calciumCalcium, needed for healthy and strong bones and teeth, also helps in alleviating normal blood clotting, supports proper functioning of muscles and nerves. Most calcium is found in the bones of our body. If sufficient calcium is not included in the diet, then the body starts extracting calcium from bones making them weak and brittle and putting one at risk of Osteoporosis. Calcium requirements differ for each age group and gender. The most being required by the 50+ age group people as the body removes old bones faster than it rebuilds new ones. Let’s look into some of the best sources of calcium rich foods, including which will help us meet the daily recommended requirements for the mineral.

Best Sources of Calcium

  1. Milk and Milk Products: like curds, yogurt, buttermilk, paneer (Indian cottage cheese), ghee, are all very good sources of calcium. Including milk and milk products regularly in the diet helps us meet 12-30% of daily calcium requirement with 1 glass of milk helping us meet 12% of daily requirements of calcium. But choosing the right type of milk and milk products helps us reach the goal of maintaining or reducing or increasing weight at the same time.
  2. Leafy Greens: like spinach, kale, rhubarb and amaranth greens all have a good amount of calcium in them and can easily be incorporated in a diet. People following a vegan diet find it very easy to incorporate leafy vegetables and can complete their daily recommended dosage for calcium. People with kidney disease should follow restrictions which include these leafy greens as they also have large amounts of oxalates which are a reason for kidney stones – including good amounts of liquids helps minimize the oxalates effects on the body.
  3. Nuts: like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and dried figs have good amounts of calcium with almonds topping the list with 75 mg of calcium per 30 gms of almonds included. Nuts can be easily incorporated in snacks which are a healthy swap for all the unhealthy cravings in between meals. Incorporating a large quantity of nuts can also cause weight gain as they are very good sources of fats. Ensure that you control the portion size of nuts included. 
  4. Seeds: like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and poppy seeds are rich in calcium and can be easily included in any of the Indian meal preparations which will add to the nutrient content of the dish and makes it more appealing as well. What is more interesting is that a very small quantity of the seeds, around 1-2 tsp in a day, will give you 80-150 gms of calcium.
  5. Vegetables: are rated quite low in terms of calcium but vegetables such as broccoli, sweet potato, lady finger and beans are good sources of calcium, between 70g-160g and are easily available all through the year and can be included in diet as salads, sabji (dry vegetable preparation) or mid meal snacks as well. 
  6. Sea foods: Sea animals like tuna, sardines, salmon provide us many of the micronutrients like potassium, selenium and magnesium along with calcium. These fishes have high levels of calcium as they have edible bones. They are also a good source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. But they also have high amounts of mercury so precaution must be taken to clean the fish well before using it for cooking
  7. Fruits: Though fruits are not very good sources of calcium, fruits like grapefruit, kiwi and orange help us get around 30-50mg of calcium per serving. Including fruits in between meals help in better absorption of nutrients from them.

We hope these best sources of calcium help you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more tips on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Foods To Manage Blood Sugar Naturally

manage blood sugar

By now, we’re all aware that Diabetes is a condition in which the body is unable to control the glucose entering the bloodstream. Along with medicines, food is key to controlling it. As it is a slow progressive disorder, it makes our organs weak and affects their functioning like a slow poison. Hence, it is really important to keep our blood sugar levels under control. Let’s see how we can manage blood sugar naturally with food. 

Foods That Manage Blood Sugar Naturally 

High blood sugar occurs when your body can’t effectively transport sugar from blood into cells. If sugar levels go high, you need to add the following food to your diet. 

1. Eat More Green Leafy Veggies
Leafy green vegetables are extremely nutritious and low in calories. They’re also very low in digestible carbs, so they won’t significantly affect blood sugar levels. Spinach, kale, methi, bathua and other leafy greens are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. People with diabetes have a greater requirement of vit C as it acts as a potent antioxidant and also has anti-inflammatory qualities. Increasing dietary intake of vitamin C-rich foods can help people with diabetes increase their serum vitamin C levels while reducing inflammation and cellular damage. In addition, leafy greens are good sources of the antioxidants – lutein, zeaxanthin. These antioxidants protect your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts, which are common diabetes complications. Leafy green vegetables are rich in nutrients like Vitamin C, as well as antioxidants that protect your heart and eye health. You can add these veggies in all meals in different forms like sabji, soup, salads, in roti , paratha, chutneys etc.

2. Addition of Micronutrients
Chromium is involved in carb and fat metabolism. It also helps control blood sugar levels. Lack of chromium may predispose you to carb intolerance. Chromium rich foods include egg yolks, whole-grain products like millets, coffee, nuts, green beans, broccoli and meat (in moderation).

Magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, whole grains, fish, dark chocolate, bananas, avocados and beans (not matured).

3. Reduce Carb Intake
Reduction in carb intake not more than 100grams per day, avoiding simple carbs like maida products and packet atta as well. Try to get coarse atta which has wheat husk, add isabgol in roti to reduce the spike in sugar levels after meals. Add whole grains like millets, jawar, chana, chia seeds and quinoa to your daily meals.

4. Add a Good Amount of Nuts
All types of nuts contain fiber and are low in net carbs, high in essential oils and protein to regulate sugar levels and provide nutrients.

  • Almonds: 2.6 grams
  • Brazil nuts: 1.4 grams
  • Cashews: 7.7 grams
  • Hazelnuts: 2 grams
  • Macadamia: 1.5 grams
  • Pecans: 1.2 grams
  • Pistachios: 5 grams
  • Walnuts: 2 grams

5. Add Seeds To Your Diet
These are rich in good fats, protein, dietary fibers and have the ability to reduce hunger pangs and craving for sugar. They also provide constant energy supply to diabetics.

  • Flax seeds – 1 to 2tbps per day 
  • Sunflower seeds – 2tbs per day
  • Pumpkin seeds – 2tbps per day
  • Sesame seeds – 1tbps per day
  • Methi seeds – 1 to 2tsp soaked.

Nuts and seeds can be easily added as evening snacks, in salads and to your morning breakfast too.

People with diabetes often experience low blood sugar levels. Certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, some critical illnesses and hormone deficiencies can also cause hypoglycemia without diabetes. To fix this, you can have:

  • A small apple, banana, or orange
  • 15 grapes
  • A few prunes
  • 2 tablespoons of raisins or dates
  • 1/2 cup of juice or regular (not diet) soda
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • Hard candy, jellybeans, or gummy candy check on ingredients before consuming.
  • Glucose tablets or Lemon sharbat with sugar but without salt. 

These are a few foods we need to add to our diet to manage blood sugar naturally – this along with exercise for approx 30 mins a day. For more on managing blood sugar, check out Healthy Reads or consult a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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“All you want to know about knees and Knee injuries and how to fix it”: Dr Anjana Laungani

Dr Anjana Laungani

Dr. Anjana Laungani

In the last decade or so people have taken to extreme sports like Running (Marathons), Ultra Marathons, Trail Running, Cycling and High Altitude Trekking. But, most are not aware of how to take care of their body or that they should go for a full body assessment to check if all is ok before they start on an extreme activity.

They do not realise that over doing these activities does not help the body in the long run. Many do it because their friends are doing it and many do it because they think this is the only way to prove to people that they are fit, not realising that over doing such extreme sports and doing it without enough knowledge can lead to fatal injuries. One of the worst injuries that people develop is knee injuries.

How can one avoid such injuries while training? Let us understand from Dr Anjana Laungani, a renowned physiotherapist from Mumbai who consults celebrities and has her own brand of a clinic – Physio Rehab in Mumbai tell us how people develop knee injuries and what can be done to avoid and treat such injuries.

She explains that the knee is the most common joint in the body that gets injured and one must understand why that happens. It happens because knees are in between the foot, the hip and the back. Knee sorts of gets whacked around because of any problem that might be there in the foot or in the hip or in the back.

“I call the knee the middle child syndrome, you know how in the family we have an elder child, a younger child, and a middle child gets really whacked around by them and bullied. The knee is exactly treated that way,” says Dr. Anjana.

According to her when one looks at knee injury one should also look at the foot, hip and the back. Because these could actually be the cause of the knee problems. When one is participating in extreme sports, you are not just climbing or running or walking only with your knees, the knee works as a team with the foot, the hip, and the back. This is called the Lower quadrant of the body and they have to work in synchrony with each other.

All those with knee injuries should always get themselves assessed entirety looking at how is the foot alignment. For instance, if you are flat footed you will be prone to injuries. If an individual has a hip muscle which is extremely weak especially the gluteus muscle will he develop knee problems, the risk factor is very high if the individual does not have a very good core muscle that gives him the power to run. Then all he would do is jam the weight of his body into his knee. So commonly according to Dr. Anjana only 20% of people have direct knee problems but 80% have knee problems due to other issues.

It is therefore very important to get assessed and looked at by professionals especially a physiotherapist who can do what we call as a lower limb kinetic chain assessment, these evaluations will give you a very good idea on where the problem is coming from. You need to look at foot you need to look at the hip muscles you need to look at the core muscles which could probably give problems to these areas.

Dr. Anjana says it is best when people approach physiotherapist when they do not have an injury and consult for how to avoid injuries rather than go for treatment after getting themselves injured.

Physio rehab is one such clinic where one does not have to go only when in pain. She and her team work with those who wish to improve their fitness so that they can undertake physical challenges like treks, pilgrimages, adventure holidays, overseas travel etc.

Ranveer Singh with Dr Anjana Laungani at PhysioRehab: Dr Anjana first worked with Ranveer Singh when he had suffered a back injury during the shoot of ‘Lootera’. Thereafter PhysioRehab once again came to his help when he shattered his right shoulder while doing a stunt for ‘Bajirao Mastani’. PhysioRehab helped him come back to fitness and perform all his action shots for the film.

Ranveer Singh with Dr Anjana Laungani at PhysioRehab: Dr Anjana first worked with Ranveer Singh when he had suffered a back injury during the shoot of ‘Lootera’. Thereafter PhysioRehab once again came to his help when he shattered his right shoulder while doing a stunt for ‘Bajirao Mastani’. PhysioRehab helped him come back to fitness and perform all his action shots for the film.

Dr. Anjana has practiced for over 25 years and put together this clinic as a vision to be able to provide quality, scientific physiotherapy services to the community which she thinks was lacking when she started. “I feel that physiotherapy needs to be approached in a more scientific manner, there has to be proper assessment, proper diagnosis and most importantly patient education. I think the patient first needs to understand what is it that is going on with them and actually give them a sense of responsibility,” she concludes.

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Gopalkala Recipe – A Perfect Evening Snack

Gopalkala RecipeWe always learn a lot from our traditions. It’s not only stories, but also practical implementations that we can do in our day to day life. There’s so much to learn from mythology and history alike. For instance, we have grown up listening to stories of Lord Krishna. We all know that Lord Krishna was brought up in Gokul, where there was plenty of milk & milk products. He was considered notorious for stealing milk, butter, and curd in his childhood. In one of the folklores, it’s mentioned that Lord Krishna used to gather all the food stuff brought by his fellows and mix it up. This gave birth to the dish – Gopalkala (Dahikala) which has different foods mixed up with curd.

We celebrate Janmashtami –Lord Krishna’s birthday, the way Lord Krishna celebrated it; With all the goodies that he liked, prepared at home. Gopalkala or Dahikala is made and given in offering to him on this occasion and then served to the rest of the people.

On the occasion of Janmashtami, let’s look at a Gopalkala Recipe. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t involve cooking. At the same time, it’s nutritious & healthy. One can have it as an evening snack, mid meal or even as a pre-workout meal! You can even give this dish to your kids in their school tiffin box as well.

What You Will Need

  • Thick Poha or rice flakes – 1 bowl
  • Fresh curd – 1 bowl
  • Chopped Cucumber- ½ bowl
  • Groundnuts – ¼ bowl
  • Roasted chick pea – ¼ bowl
  • Pomegranate – ¼ bowl
  • Grated coconut/ Coconut pieces – ¼ bowl
  • Grated ginger – 1 tsp
  • Chopped Green Chillies – 1-2 tsp
  • Chopped coriander – 1-2 tsp
  • Sugar – 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste

How To Prepare

  1. Wash the rice flakes in a sieve and keep it aside for 5 mins. Let it get soaked
  2. In 1 big bowl, beat the curd with sugar, salt, ginger, green chillies & coconut pieces
  3. Add rice flakes in this bowl. Let it soak for another 5 mins
  4. Add cucumber, groundnuts, roasted chick pea and pomegranate seeds
  5. Mix well & top it with coriander

Nutritional Value

It’s a healthy filling snack, nutritionally well balanced.

  • Poha or rice flakes contribute to the carbohydrate content
  • Curd, groundnuts and roasted chick pea make up for the protein content
  • Curd is an excellent probiotic that is extremely good for gut health and digestion
  • While the Gopalkala recipe doesn’t require oil or ghee, it has healthy fats from groundnut (MUFA) & coconut.
  • It completes your salads & fruits quota too through cucumber & pomegranate. So don’t worry about the fiber, vitamins and antioxidants!

Worried about Poha being a rice product and its GI (Glycemic Index)? Please don’t! The protein, fats and fiber in it will bring down the GI. So what are you waiting for? Don’t just eat it as an offering to God but include it in your daily meals.

We hope you do try this Gopalkala recipe at home and share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Alternatively, you can also take pics of your preparation and share it with us on the GOQii Arena or our Instagram page, tagging GOQii.

For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Wish you all a happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami! 

#BeTheForce

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]