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January 22, 2020 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

India’s Ikigai: Centennials know the secret sauce to Longevity

It is not just about staying physically healthy-it is also about mental, emotional and social health

Mishrilal Jain, 92 years lives in Bareli in a Madhya Pradesh and still sits in their family cloth store. He totally defies age by being active, healthy and social. Every day, he makes it a point to chat with his friends. He walks on his own with a stick and has no medical conditions or lifestyle diseases. A freedom fighter who has even been to jail in 1947, Jain has a very positive outlook towards life. His granddaughter reiterates his secret to longevity is that fact he has been active throughout his life, eats only homecooked food and is happy and content.

Dr Narsingh Gulvady, 90, lives in Navi Mumbai and is a retired MBBS doctor. He says, “do not do anything to live long. I did nothing”. Born in 1929, in then Madras, Dr Gulvady is active and spends a lot of time with his books apart from enjoying his beloved wife’s company who is also 86 years of age. Dr Gulvady attributes his longevity also to people’s love all along that has kept him happy and healthy. He also does not forget to credit his gene pool for longevity. Both he and his wife have led a very active and simple life. He maintains a diary on a daily basis and does not have any medical issues.

The above stories are just two of the examples of the many 90 plus people GOQii interviewed for their longevity study. Aging is a natural process and it is inevitable It is precisely the impermanence of life that renders it so precious. But, how about aging gracefully and disease-free? Is this even possible? Are some of the questions we asked and the answers we found were positive. Yes, it is very possible according to the latest India fit Report 2020 titled –– India’s Ikigai: The Old Know Better but the Young Don’t Care’.

As per the report, the above examples highlighted, the 90 plus years and above people attribute their longevity to simple living, being active, eating home-cooked nutritious food and to being socially active with friends and family. For many their years of living have been happy and content.

The India Fit report 2020 is in its 6^th edition and it is a result of a year-long study of 5 million GOQii users. The report presents a holistic overview on the health and lifestyle of Indians across different parameters such as steps taken, lifestyle diseases (Diabetes, Cardiac and Hypertension), BMI (Body Mass Index), nutrition, water, stress, sleep, gut health and immunity, allergies, smoking and alcohol consumption; all of which are classified according to gender and key cities. This year India Fit report went a step further and decoded the secret to ‘India’s Ikigai-longevity of life’ from 90 years old and above across the country

Most of the centennials also lead a disease-free life while the younger age groups demonstrated a higher risk profile for lifestyle diseases, the study indicates. As per the health risk assessment (HRA) (framework of the study, 62% of people are either high risk or borderline on the Health-Risk Assessment spectrum. Only 38% of people are healthy. Young adults in the 19-30 age group have the unhealthiest habits and demonstrate a high propensity to be afflicted by lifestyle diseases.

The study indicates that people who report being happy and satisfied with their lives are more likely to enjoy a longer life span with good health and fewer long-term limiting health concerns. Bonding with family and friends appears to enhance health, and even increase longevity. At GOQii, our endeavour is to create awareness about preventive health while providing people with a platform to improve their health and fitness and move a step ahead to increase India’s average lifespan to 80 years and above.

ALARMING RISE IN LIFESTYLE DISEASES

The report indicates that Diabetes has increased from 7.1% to 12% this year. The incidence of diabetes is highest among older adults at 23.81% and seniors at 36.82%. As per the report, 13.5% of Indians have Cholesterol issues. High Cholesterol can even occur among people who are underweight, or overweight, thin or fat thus regular monitoring is key in keeping cholesterol in check. Currently, 36% of the people who have high cholesterol have heart issues too while 51.7% of the people who have diabetes have abnormal cholesterol too. This past year Thyroid issues have increased from 6.8 to 10.7 %. The report also suggests that 13.4% of the people in India have high blood pressure.

SOME SURPRISES: Healthiest City is Chandigarh and Mumba slips to rank 15 in the list of healthy cities

The survey deep dives into city-wise parameters and has recorded Chandigarh to be the healthiest city in India while Mumbai slips far down in the list of healthiest cities, ranking 15^th overall. Kolkata is at the lowest end of the spectrum. 18% of people in Kolkata are diabetic followed by Surat and Bhopal. In terms of allergies, Pune ranks lowest on the allergy index having the least amount of people suffering from allergies. Chennai has the worst BMI rank across all cities, Kolkata has the largest aging population in the country and the highest incidence of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and thyroid. About 60% of people in Lucknow fall in the unhealthy bracket which is just 2 % below the country’s average. Ahmedabad ranks 10th in the overall ranking, manages stress better than many other cities. Bhopal has overtaken all other major cities, having the highest percentage of people who consume alcohol.

The GOQii India Fit Report has been administered across 16 cities in the country and data has been collected from a cross-section of 5 million GOQii app users. The study evaluates the health of users basis the Health Risk Assessment that take and also the data recorded on a daily basis that is tracked by users on the App. HRA considers factors such as current body statistics, medical parameters, current nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep, alcohol, smoking, current illness, lifestyle diseases, immunity levels, symptoms or health indicators. The data that is tracked by the users on a daily basis is their steps clocked, food logs, sleep, water intake and their vital parameters. This edition of the report has focused on doing in-depth interviews with India’s oldest citizens. Over 100 respondents across the length and breadth of India, between 90 and 100 plus years of age were an integral part of the study.

Download the full report from www.indiafit.org

For more topics on the health benefits of foods, check out our Healthy Reads section within the GOQii App or simply tune in to GOQii Play for LIVE sessions by experts.

#LevelUp your winter and #BeTheForce

January 2, 2020 By Dr. Naina Sudarshan 4 Comments

Why You Should Eat Oranges During Winter!

As winter hits the city, we find a lot of fruit carts loaded with Oranges. The best part about oranges during winter is that they are quite nutritious and healthier for the body. You might think that during winter, the body craves warm, spicy food but there are many reasons to not ignore this tasty citrus fruit.

5 Reasons to Eat Oranges During Winter

1. Boost Immunity

Winter has a notorious reputation of causing common cold, congestion and recurrent ear infections. Oranges are rich in Phytonutrients, Vitamin C and antioxidants which boost our immunity. This way, they help prevent common cold, congestion and related ailments.

2. Good for Skin and Hair

Oranges provide about 120 per cent of daily Vitamin C value that is required by the body. Vitamin C in Oranges helps the body to produce collagen that is required to maintain healthy skin and hair. Apart from this, Vitamin A in oranges keeps the hair moisturized by increasing sebum secretion. If you want radiant skin, smooth hair, and delayed ageing, eat an orange every day. Antioxidants in oranges prevent skin damage caused by free radicals. Orange peel can be used as a face mask which is excellent for preventing and fighting acne on the face.

3. Protects Heart Health

Oranges are high in fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium and Vitamin C, which are known to improve heart health. Oranges improve iron absorption in the body and Vitamin B6 supports the production of haemoglobin. Hence, if you have iron deficiency, it’s good to intake oranges along with Iron supplements. Magnesium present in Oranges keeps the cholesterol in check.

4. Enhances Digestion

Oranges are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers which support gut health. Soluble fibers help feed the healthy bacteria in our gut. But make sure you eat the white fibers in Oranges along with the pulp to get this benefit. Insoluble fibers draw the water into the gut to make the stool soft and easier to pass. So, oranges can prevent constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to some extent.

5. Easy Go-To-Snack

There can’t be a better fruit snack than an orange! We don’t need to cut them and they are easy to peel. Oranges are nearly fat-free and sodium-free with as low as 60 calories and can make a good mid-morning or afternoon snack at work or at home. As they are rich in fibers, they can keep you full for a longer time. So Oranges can make a great weight-loss snack as well.

Interesting Fact:

Did you know Orange peel taken internally has double the health benefits than the actual fruit part? Orange peels contain flavonoids which can protect the heart, are good for digestion, and help to prevent allergies. They are good for boosting immunity, reduce bad breath and good for skin. Save the Orange peels, boil them in water and it can be made into a chutney grinding the peels with coconut, tamarind, jaggery, red chili and salt. It tastes the best and is healthy too!

Don’t forget to snack on Oranges in winter to stay healthy! We hope this blog helps you. Want to know about more fruits? Tune in to our expert nutritionists on GOQii Play. Subscribe now and #BeTheForce.

December 21, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

“If I Can Do It, So Can You!” – Namrata Shukla User Journey!

If anyone out here has struggled with excess weight, then being teased about it must have been an everyday occurrence. While most people consider it harmless to pass remarks, it can be really harmful to the mental wellbeing of the person these taunts are directed at. It can completely shatter their confidence and self-esteem. Our GOQii Player Namrata Shukla experienced the same when she was growing up.

Life before GOQii

Based out of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Namrata Shukla is 33 and works as a project manager with Orange Business Services. As a child, she was overweight, mainly because it ran in her family and it was also due to poor eating habits. Due to her experience as a child, her confidence and self-esteem were low!

She had been trying to lose weight for what seemed like forever. She used to go for walks but struggled with consistency. Her sweet tooth also seemed impossible to control. Her water intake was low, she used to skip meals or eat very late whenever she was tied up with work. All this added to a list of problems and she couldn’t find a way to solve them.

Enter GOQii

Namrata Shukla was unable to find motivation or inspiration to climb up the ladder of good health no matter where she looked. Eventually, it was her cousin, who was also a GOQii Player and benefited greatly from it, introduced her to our ecosystem.

On her cousin’s advice, she joined GOQii on September 2017 and since then, there has been no looking back! Her GOQii Coach asked her to start with 20 minute walks for 6 days a week. She was also asked to increase her water intake to 2l and cut down on sugar. Instead of sugar in her tea, she switched to jaggery.

The following month, she started with Tabata workouts on alternate days of the week and alternate days of walking. She began eating one fruit a day and included salads – something she used to hate earlier but has to include at least a few days a week.

One of the very important habits that she changed was the time she took to complete her meals. Earlier, she would gulp her food down and finish it within 5 minutes. Now, she chews her food well and takes at least 10-15mins to finish her meals. She avoids skipping meals and is as consistent as possible with meal timings.

Her coach also introduced her to intermittent fasting which helped her reduce her weight tremendously!

Embracing Changes

Her weight used to be 72kg but she succeeded in bringing down her weight to 57kg by the end of 2018. This gave a tremendous boost to her self-esteem since she was able to carry most of the outfits which she couldn’t fit into before. She was greatly appreciated by family members, friends and colleagues who applauded her transformation and helped her feel more positive about herself.

What Does Namrata Shukla Think About Her Transformation and GOQii?

Namrata says it pains her to see her neighbours go for junk food just to save themselves the trouble of cooking a healthy meal, which she feels is not very difficult. She says people don’t want to look in the direction of health and fitness. Though she indulges her sweet tooth every once in a while, she is aware of what constitutes healthy food, healthy eating habits as well as a healthy lifestyle – things she had not given much thought to earlier.

Losing weight has given her a sense of achievement which was missing from her life before. Her message to people who are struggling with weight issues, unable to stick to health goals or commit themselves is, “If I can do it, so can you!”

Her boost in confidence and positivity is something she attributes to GOQii. Now, she is able to feel good when she looks at herself in the mirror. She wanted someone to push her and that’s where GOQii came in.

She says that her GOQii Coach has been proactive and motivated her a lot. Her Coach always brought her back on track when she lost focus, keeping her head in the game. Namrata Shukla is thankful to her Coach for bringing all the positive changes in her!

We know for sure that Namrata Shukla will continue on this path of good health and will Level Up further in the year 2020! Do you plan to do the same? Do you have an inspiring story to share? Send it here!

#BeTheForce

November 23, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

How Mr. Nageswaran Won Rs. 5 Lakh in the India Health Quiz

In a world plagued by fake health news and articles spread via the internet, the India Health Quiz launched by GOQii sought to educate the masses with the correct information in a quiz format which tested their knowledge. The idea was to bust myths and fake health news by getting the correct information from experts via GOQii Play and use that knowledge to play the quiz. Players could accumulate points and exchange them for prizes such as GOQii Trackers, Bags, Cell phones and a grand prize of Rs. 5 lakh which was bagged by Mr. Nageswaran!

With so much of competition, difficult questions and obstacles, how did Mr. Nageswaran manage to claim the grand prize? Let’s find out!

What Motivated Mr. Nageswaran?

Being a GOQii Player for about 3 years, Mr. Nageswaran has been quite active on the GOQii App. When the India Health Quiz was announced, he got curious! He knew he wanted to participate. Furthermore, he wanted to increase his awareness about various things related to fitness and nutrition. This was the right platform for him to do that!

Vying For 1st Place!

If you’re wondering, “Did he have a strategy?” He didn’t plan anything. He just went out and played the quizzes with the aim of getting as many correct answers as possible in a collective effort with his wife. His initial thought was that he just wanted to play and see how far he can reach.

As the days progressed, he used to go back to previous quizzes and sharpen his knowledge. He found that some of the past questions had some relevance to the current ones. Towards the end, he knew almost all the answers without even looking at the options.

One of the boons he had by his side was that he never ran out of keys. How? Mr. Nageswaran is a regular at the GOQii Health Store. He says that most of his groceries come from the GOQii Health Store. In fact, he purchased some product or the other every day. This helped him accumulate keys and use them to participate in the IHQ.

As for lives, he had only managed to invite 50 friends. He had retained this number till the last 10 days of IHQ. Towards the end, he referred more people and got his count up to 90. As a matter of fact, he did not need too many lives at later stages as he knew the answers to most questions. He was left with as many as 2000 lives!

Overcoming Obstacles and Glitches

At the start of IHQ, Mr. Nageswaran face a few technical glitches which reduced as the quiz progressed. He particularly points out that the technical team were always eager to help him with any issue he faced. Despite having faced glitches, he is of the opinion that an online quiz of such magnitude is bound to have glitches. Apart from this, he feels the questions were quite simple except a few technical ones which were very hard to figure out.

His Thoughts on the India Health Quiz

Mr. Nageswaran says it was a commendable effort on the part of GOQii to think of a unique and interesting way to impart knowledge to its users. He feels some of the concepts about health and nutrition might have gotten etched in the minds of users who played these quizzes regularly. For instance, he would have never known the food sources of various vitamins and minerals if it weren’t for the quiz.

He feels what started as a casual thing, later on became an addiction. He and his wife used to even participate in the quiz while working and trying their best not to miss any quiz. He feels it was definitely a success story for GOQii and a great learning experience for him.

All we can say now is Congratulations to Mr. Nageswaran and a big thank you to everyone who participated! Keep your eyes peeled for the next challenge!