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Healthy Eating: Hydrating Summer Bowl

hydrating summer bowlDuring summer, our bodies crave for some chilled drink or ice cream due to the immense heat. But the fact that anything available outside is loaded with refined sugar and unhealthy fats, it might not be the best option as you need to keep your immunity up and stay cautious about your health. But we understand your craving and hence, here’s a healthier alternative – your very own hydrating summer bowl which will help you beat the heat and you can enjoy it guilt-free! 

What You Will Need 

  • Sabja Seeds – 1 tsp 
  • Fresh Hibiscus flower – 1  
  • Diced mango cubes – one small bowl 
  • Pomegranate – 1 small bowl 
  • Grapes (cut in half) – 1 small bowl 
  • Fresh Coconut water – half glass 

How To Prepare 

  1. Soak the sabja seeds in half a glass of coconut water for fifteen minutes. 
  2. Boil a cup of plain water, soak the hibiscus flower petals in this hot water for a minute or two. Then put it into the refrigerator to chill. 
  3. Next, in a big bowl, add the sabja seeds along with the coconut water. Then add all the diced fruits and the chilled hibiscus water. 
  4. In the end, add some crushed ice for the crunch and enjoy this guilt free summer bowl. 

Health Benefits Of the Hydrating Summer Bowl 

  • Sabja seeds are rich in fiber and help combat the heat inside the body
  • Coconut water hydrates you and is full of electrolytes – a must have during summer
  • Hibiscus makes it more antioxidant rich, helps lower blood pressure, improves immunity, releases constipation, reduces inflammation and also helps reduce hair fall.

We hope you try and enjoy this Hydrating Summer Bowl! If you do, share your pics with us on social media, tagging GOQii or let us know your experience in the comments below. For more healthy recipes, click here.

To get more such recipes, nutrition and diet tips from a GOQii Coach, subscribe for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Breaking the Ramadan Fast with Healthy Bites

Ramadan Fast

The holy month of Ramadan is auspicious for the Islamic Community across the world. During this period, one practices restraint by fasting from sunrise till sunset, eating one meal before dawn i.e. the ‘suhoor’ or ‘sehri’ and breaking the fast with a meal after sunset i.e. Iftar.

While this sort of fasting comes with a plethora of health benefits, it is important to do it the right way! Balancing nutrition and exercising portion control is key to staying healthy while observing a fast during Ramadan. Here are some foods that will help you do just that!

Foods You Should Eat

  • Drinks: Ideally, the best way to break a fast is by consuming plenty of fluids to replenish your body. You can opt for smoothies, fruit juices or even water which provides hydration without extra calories or sugars. You can also opt for a soup, which is considered traditional in many Arab countries.
  • Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits provide your body with the much needed natural sugars loaded with vitamins and minerals that will boost your energy levels. In addition, adding a serving of vegetables with high fiber content will help you digest your food better and feel full for a longer period of time.
  • Dates & Dry Fruits: have been traditionally eaten to break a fast. You can follow this up with dry fruits.  You can try Jagger Bombs by WeDesi for a healthy and fun twist to dry fruits! Each Jagger Bomb contains dry fruits such as pistas, almonds, foxnuts, cashews bound with organic jaggery, gondh and pure cow ghee to give you all the essential nutrients you need while breaking a fast. You can get them at a discount from the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App.
  • Rice & Alternatives: Brown rice, black rice, wholegrain noodles, wholegrain pasta or wholemeal bread are complex carbohydrates that provide a slow, stable and sustainable release of energy. Plus, they replenish your body with essential fibers and minerals after fasting.
  • Meat: Choose protein-rich sources such as lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. Proteins are the building blocks for healthy bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. They also aid to build and repair tissues. It’s a must have when you have fasted for around 18 hours.

Foods You Should Avoid

The foods listed above will help you stay healthy during Ramadan but it is imperative to maintain caution with what you eat. Here are a few foods you can exclude from your meals.

  • Processed/Oily Foods: These contain less nutrients and more fat. This can lead to acidity, nausea, heartburn and indigestion. Consume food with lesser oil and avoid packaged or junk food at all costs.
  • Salty Foods: Avoid anything that is too salty especially during Suhoor. Salty foods increase thirst and can leave you dehydrated.
  • High-Sugar Foods: We all know by now that excess sugar in the body is stored as fat. Consuming high-sugar foods and drinks can lead to weight gain, sluggishness and fatigue.

Caution & Safety

Fasting is good but fasting the right way is equally important. Here are some things you need to watch out for while fasting during Ramadan.

  • Don’t Miss Sehri or Suhoor: Think of this as your breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day as it keeps your energy levels high throughout. This meal stores important nutrients in your body and keeps you going through the day. Skipping this meal can cause digestive discomfort, making your body sluggish. Moreso, it may compel you to overeat while breaking your fast which may lead to acidity, heartburn, bloating and weight gain.
  • If you experience dizziness, are unable to stand or feel disoriented, hydrate yourself immediately. Not doing so may lead to fainting, constipation, or splitting headaches. Dehydration can adversely affect your health.
  • Eat in Moderation: It is easy to get carried after while breaking a fast and overindulging with large portions. Avoid this and keep a constant check on your portion size. Remember to eat and not feast.
  • Limit Exercise: If you have been fasting, doing intense exercises may not be the wisest of choices. Perform extremely light workouts and don’t go overboard as your body needs to conserve energy.

What do you break your fast with? What’s your favorite meal during Ramadan? Did we miss out on anything? Do let us know in the comments below!

If you found these tips useful and want to learn more, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalized Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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Keep Summer Cool With The Right Foods

keep your summer cool It’s summer—that amazing time of year where the fresh produce brings in lots of nutrient-rich, healthy choices. But, what about the scorching heat and associated dehydration, perspiration, rashes, itchiness and tiredness we experience? Well, of course – drink more water! Now apart from the lemon juice and watermelons, have you tried any other natural coolant? Let me remind you of these food products our grandma used every summer to keep the heat at bay.

Foods To Help You Keep Your Summer Cool! 

  1. Kokam: Kokam juice is a very refreshing drink with a cooling effect on the body. It not only quenches thirst, but also prevents dehydration and sunstroke due to summer heat. Kokam has other health benefits too like the garcinol present in kokam has excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent the growth of cancer cells. The hydroxyl acetic acid helps reducing the conversion of carbohydrates to fats, preventing fat deposition.
  2. Dried Black Currants: Dried Black Currants are an excellent source of nutrients that are essential for health, including dietary fiber, copper, manganese and potassium. Potassium allows electrochemical balance which allows muscle contraction and nerve cell impulse transmission to occur properly. Because of water loss, potassium becomes quite important.
  3. Fennel Seeds: Fennel is an aromatic and flavorful herb that has several culinary as well as medicinal uses. In addition to its popular use as a breath freshener, it helps relieve a number of ailments and facilitates better health due to its anti inflammatory, antimicrobial, expectorant, diuretic, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant properties. It contains vitamin C, potassium, manganese, iron, folate, and fiber as well. It is also rich in phytonutrients and has a high concentration of volatile oils. It cools the body off by increasing perspiration and maintaining body temperature.
  4. Rock sugar candy or Mishri or khadishaker (in Hindi): Mishri or Rock Sugar is a crystallized sugar, sweet candy that is packed with numerous health benefits. Mishri is widely used as a refreshing drink during summers, Fennel seed powder with ground Mishri makes a refreshing drink to fight the harsh summer heat. It exerts a soothing effect on the mind and body and relaxes you from stress.
  5. Sattu: Sattu is extremely beneficial for your health. It is extracted from barely, wheat or gram. Mix sattu, little lemon juice drops, salt and roasted cumin powder to get a very healthy drink!

With these food one can also use:

  • Curd or buttermilk.
  • Raw mango
  • Watermelon
  • Coconut water
  • Bottle gourd
  • Salad leaves (especially mint leaves)

During summer, it’s always best to go for a light meal which can be easily digested. Oily and junk food should be avoided. Avoid too much of tea and coffee as it contains caffeine which results in dehydration. Limit your tea and coffee intake to two cups a day. You can switch to green tea as it contains antioxidants which can help you during summer.

Do not eat spicy, hot and extremely salty food as they are hard to digest and will have ill effects on the skin and digestion. Also avoid consuming foods that are not in season as they may come with the risk of chemicals and preservatives that are applied to fruits and veggies to keep them fresh.

We hope these tips help you keep your summer cool! For more tips on managing your diet and nutrition during summer, click here or get expert advice from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Can You Workout On An Empty Stomach?

empty stomachUp until a few years back, it was considered a very risky practice to eat before swimming. Fortunately, this theory has been proven wrong. For any activity, be it swimming, cycling, running/jogging or strength training, on an empty stomach the fat does burn at a faster rate but the energy reserves will only last for a short span of time. Lesser energy = less intense training. Hence, the workout will also last for a short period and there might also be a greater risk of strains and other injuries due to exercise related fatigue. Working out on an empty stomach also increases the chances of overeating post workout, thus, all the benefits of the workout will be lost.

Why You Shouldn’t Workout On An Empty Stomach 

The main reason for having something before a workout is to make sure there is constant energy from the start to the end of the workout. The body does not need a large meal, it can even be a small carb rich snack to kick start the metabolism.

Carbs are easily digestible and quickly provide energy. Proteins and Fats also provide energy, but not as quickly and as much as carbs. Hence, the best thing to have is a carb source. If it’s a large meal, it has to be taken 2-4 hours prior to the workout. If it’s a small snack, it can be taken 15-30 mins before the activity.

Some examples of a small pre-workout snacks are:

  • Banana or any other fruit
  • 2 dates along with some nuts
  • Fresh fruit juice
  • Vegetable salad (small bowl of non-gaseous veggies)
  • 2 Slices of bread with peanut butter

Post workout, muscles are tired and fatigued and need some proteins as well as some carbs. Here, proteins will help in repairing the worn and torn tissues and strengthening muscles, whereas carbs will help replenish the energy reserves. One can choose to have a meal if it’s meal time or opt for some snacks post workout. But, we should always make sure there is at least one source of protein in the meal. 

Some examples of post workout snack include:

  • A glass of skimmed milk
  • Boiled egg whites
  • Boiled grams/Chana chaat/ Chole/Rajma
  • Sprouts
  • Oatmeal
  • Sattu drink
  • Besan cheela
  • Boiled/Grilled chicken or Fish
  • Yogurt (sugar and fat free) with choice of fruits and nuts

In conclusion, intake of food before and after workout is favourable to maintain better health and fitness. However, there are no specific rules for sports nutrition. If your goal is extensive weight loss and working out on an empty stomach works for you, then do what’s best and listen to your body. Also, make sure that you’re hydrated.

For proper guidance on nutrition and fitness, subscribe for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. To read more on workouts and fitness, click here. 

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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