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Tips to eat healthy and stay healthy while vacationing!

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Summer months is at its peak and the end of school sessions and the start of holidays! Many of us opt for a vacation to unwind. Going on vacation is an exciting time! It is a time to relax and enjoy your time off. However, the change in your routine can affect your eating habits so it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some tips to fully enjoy your vacation and stay healthy on it as well:

  1. Carry healthy snacking options with you. Homemade roasted peanuts, chana, figs, dates, fresh fruits, seed trail-mix, baked soya chips, almonds, and walnuts, energy bars made with simple ingredients such as jaggery, peanuts, nuts and dates!
  2. If you can’t avoid outside food then be mindful of portion sizes and have lesser portions of calorie-rich foods like rice and pasta.
  3. Follow the plate rule. Always pick up a quarter plate for your major meals. That will ensure that you don’t overfill your plate. Follow the thumb rule: Always fill half your plate with fruits and veggies.
  4. Many restaurants/hotels have buffet food stations where food can be cooked to your liking. Ask for a stir-fry with lots of vegetables served with a tomato or garlic sauce/olive oil dressing.
  5. If your room has a mini fridge, pick up some fresh fruit and raw veggies at the local grocery store. Pack whole grain, high fibre cereal and a few re-usable/disposable cups, bowls and spoons. Now you have the ingredients for a fast and healthy meal.
  6. Always carry a bottle of cold water in your bag. Vacations can add more hours of sun-time than you are used to which can dehydrate you, having a water bottle handy helps you prevent any heat stroke, dehydration. For extra flavour, add fresh berries, mint leaves or slices of orange, lemon, lime or cucumber. Try having more of local refreshing drinks like coconut water, kokam etc.
  7. Post your meals squeeze half a lemon in plain drinking water and drink on! Will be a good digestive drink and will help you keep light!
  8. Avoid picking up salads with heavy/creamy dressings and go for simple, green salad, fresh sliced raw veggies like cucumber, tomato, beetroot and carrots.
  9. Choose the GPRS rule which opts for more of grilled, poached, roasted and steamed foods rather than picking foods which are deep fried.
  10. While eating at a buffet, browse all the items and pick only 3-4 best items that will make way to your plate and stomach for that meal. Avoid tasting too many things, or overloading your plate with more food.
  11. Enjoy fresh fruits for dessert. Try the local, seasonal fresh fruit such as mangoes, jackfruit, papayas and pineapples. Treat yourself to a sweet dessert only once in a while, or split dessert with a friend.
  12. Always enjoy the local cuisine and fresh foods available rather than choosing your preferred foods. Give a visit to local markets. They are the ideal place to get a real experience of local culture. It is also a great place to find fresh, flavorful, whole foods, traditional food items. They are always fresh and bubbling with healthy nutrients.
  13. Limit your alcohol intake and opt for more of healthier drinks. Alcohol can dehydrate you and make you lethargic the next day. Choose more of water-based drinks rather than opting for soda.
  14. After a tiring sightseeing day and lots of outside eating, de-stress your body with a cup of warm lemon water, or a cup of green tea easily available in hotel rooms. You can also carry some carom seeds with you and drink warm ajwain water (carom seeds) before dozing off!
  15. Look for sports or recreational activities around your destination. Swimming, tennis, hiking, trekking, kayaking, cycling, or a simple walk around can help you have some adventure and stay active through your holiday.

Going on a vacation is a great time to enjoy a relaxing time with friends and family. Staying on track with healthy eating is easy when you plan ahead and choose wisely. Hope these tips help you stay healthy, fit and enjoy your holidays to the max! Do let us know how you manage to stay healthy on a vacation in the comments below! You can find more tips such as this one, here. You can also get these healthy tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Avoid Caffeinated Drinks

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants. Billions of people rely on caffeine to start their day and to get through their night shift or afternoon slump. It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system, helping you stay alert, reducing the onset of tiredness. Nothing is as comforting on a chilly morning as a hot cup of tea with a cozy blanket. For most people, intake of these caffeinated drinks increases during winter as they believe it provides warmth to beat the cold. But is that really so? Is there a reason to avoid caffeinated drinks? Let’s find out! 

How Caffeine Works

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much raises some concerns. When you drink any caffeinated drink, your gut absorbs it very quickly and sends it to your bloodstream. From there, as it reaches your brain, it starts blocking the effects of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine relaxes your brain and makes you feel tired. So by blocking its receptors, caffeine helps you stay awake and alert. But with alertness comes anxiety as well. At the same time, caffeine also stimulates our stress or “fight & flight” hormones.

Reasons To Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter 

  1. Dehydration: During winter, most people feel less thirsty and their water intake automatically reduces. All caffeinated drinks are diuretic and tend to flush out water from the body through urine, making it deficient in not just water but also vitamins and minerals that are required for the smooth functioning of the body.
  2. Amplified Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Winter is not a good time for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure. They are always advised to stay away from low temperatures as it can constrict their blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure. Caffeine being a stimulant also increases heart rate and blood pressure. So it may increase difficulties for such people.
  3. Empty Calories: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with sugar and give you not just empty calories but a sugar crash later, which might make you feel more lethargic after some time.
  4. Effect on Digestion: Being a stimulant, caffeine increases gut motility or the contraction of muscles that propel the contents in the gastrointestinal tract. This might be a reason why you feel like having tea or coffee with or after a heavy meal. But this actually isn’t good because it reduces the time your food stays in each part of your digestive system, not letting the nutrients fully absorb. In fact, too much can lead to diarrhea which is followed by dehydration.
  5. Pregnancy & Lactation: Caffeine can easily cross the placenta and can reach breast milk. So, women who consume caffeinated drinks may need to limit their intake to avoid risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
  6. Interaction with Medication: Our body flushes out caffeine generally within 6-8 hours but while in the system, it can react with your medication and supplements, causing poor absorption or side effects.
  7. Suppresses Appetite: Now this can be both good and bad for all weight watchers. Research shows that caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant but increases higher plasma levels of PYY & Leptin (anorexic hormones). It might make you eat less calories, but with less food, there is less nutrition as well. So beware of consuming too much caffeine, as our body needs more nutrition to maintain immunity.

Now, the purpose of all this information was not to coax you off caffeine but to ensure you control your intake. Controlled amounts can have some benefits too! Make sure you drink the right quantity and the right version. 1-2 cups of black tea, green tea and black coffee are better options than sugary and cream filled versions. Also ensure that you drink your last cup 6-8 hours before you sleep. 

We hope this article on why you should avoid caffeinated drinks in winter helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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24 things to do in 2024

As the dawn of 2024 approaches, it’s time to embrace a year of transformation with open arms and an open heart. This is not just another lap around the sun but a fresh canvas awaiting our colorful strokes of change. It’s a call to action, a challenge to ourselves to make the most of every moment with 24 enriching activities that promise to enhance our well-being, expand our horizons, and enrich our lives. From the simplicity of saving a few rupees to the grandeur of exploring uncharted territories, each task is a step towards a more fulfilling year. So, let’s embark on this journey of self-improvement and make 2024 a testament to growth, health, and happiness.

  1. Save money – even if it is just Rs. 50 daily but get a piggy bank, start saving from 1st day of 2024.
  2. Try different foods – there are so many varieties – Indian as well as exotic that we haven’t even heard or seen before. Do give them a try!
  3. Leave 1 bad habit – Changing unhygienic habits, Shouting / yelling at anyone or something more challenging.
  4. Plant a seed – Lazy ones should try, as it makes you responsible, you learn something new and are a part of making an ecofriendly surrounding.
  5. Feed any animal – If you can’t pet an animal, try doing this. Get a packet of biscuits every evening to feed the stray dogs outside your colony. Feeding milk to cat or water and grains to the birds also can be done.
  6. Gift your self – treat yourself with something you have been wanting since weeks.
  7. Self-Health Care – we don’t even bother to go for a checkup unless and until we have a problem. This year we are going to make a difference.
  8. 1 hour no phone – this 1 hour is your “me time” in this hour you can revise your whole day / meditate / prepare yourself for the upcoming day / do whatever you like.
  9. Start reading again – And I mean paper back books, not a Kindle.
  10. Some healthy intake – chamomile / green tea / moringa powder / ACV / 1 tsp ghee – trust me you will not regret this decision !
  11. Do what you have not done before – I am going to try aerial yoga this year. You can do anything that you have never done before.
  12. Walk – I don’t have to brief the benefits here, you do it and you will see a change in your overall health !
  13. Weekend activity – I am going to learn driving this year on weekends, why don’t you try swimming, cooking or dancing ??
  14. Go on a vacation – 2024 demands growth, so lets decide to explore a new city or country this year !
  15. Develop 1 spiritual habit – This way you are going to sync your health and energy with the universe.
  16. Family Time – try to have atleast 1 meal with your family daily with talks and no electronics around.
  17. Call that long lost friend or cousin of yours and bond again over a cup of Chai and Charcha!!
  18. Learn a new language/ word daily – send your brain to the gym.
  19. Keep yourself well hydrated – I mean by water, not caffeine or alcohol!
  20. Revise your diet before you enter 2024 – see where you are going wrong and do not repeat that mistake again in 2024. take baby steps to correct your plate and palate
  21. Do nothing for the whole day!
  22. Do not buy this – Check your list of things you’ve bought frequently this year and avoid buying them next year completely.
  23. Get sunlight – Investing 10 mins daily to get a sun bath.
  24. If you are procrastinating something – 2024 is the right time to do it!

As we bid adieu to a year spent well, committing to 24 life-affirming activities, we reflect on the progress we’ve made. Each small change, from the coins clinking in our piggy banks to the new languages that now dance on our tongues, has contributed to a larger metamorphosis. Our endeavors in 2024 have not just been tasks ticked off a list but milestones on a journey of personal evolution.

We stand at the threshold of the future, not as the people we were, but as the sum of our experiences, our learned habits, and our savored moments. Let’s carry forward this spirit of proactive living and make every year better than the last. Here’s to a 2024 well-lived, and to the many more years that will echo the positive changes we’ve embraced!

#BeTheForce

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8 Simple and Effective Winter Skincare Tips

winter skincare tipsWith winter around the corner, we all look forward to the beautiful, exciting days ahead! Despite the cold weather, winters bring a warm feeling that compels us to spend time with friends, family, outdoor picnics, get-togethers coupled with good food and warm drinks! Ah! You get the picture. As with all good things, there’s a flip side to this weather as well. It can be really harsh on your skin, hair and overall health. Ideally, you need to change the way you take care of yourself during this season and that’s why we’re here! We’ll be focusing on a few simple winter skincare tips to help you take care of your skin and keep it moist and supple all season long.

1. Moisturize Your Skin Well

The atmospheric humidity drops drastically during winter and so does the water content in our skin. We need to protect it well with a heavy moisturizer and use it more frequently. Be cautious while picking a moisturizer as you may need to seek advice from a dermatologist to ensure it suits your skin type. For instance, if you have dry or combination skin, you might want to use an oil-based moisturizer instead of a water-based one. 

Moisturizers with ingredients such as safflower oil, soybean oil, sweet almond oil, carrot oil, Shea butter will provide sufficient moisture and nourishment to the skin. Moisturize often, at least twice a day. You can even apply oils such as coconut oil, olive oil and mustard oil 10 or 15 minutes before bathing. This will give your skin a protective layer and not let the hot water remove moisture from the skin.

In case you have oily skin, you may not feel the need to moisturize your skin but when the tightness, dryness and itchiness are apparent, start moisturizing! Your hands will need extra care, especially after each wash. Use a hand cream and massage your hands well. Wearing waterproof gloves when washing dishes or cleaning around the house will also keep them in good health.

2. Apply Sunscreen

winter skincare tipsUsing Sunscreen during winter! What? Well, even in winters, the UV Rays are powerful enough to damage and age your skin. Before you step outside, apply a moisturizing, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to all exposed areas of your body. To know which sunscreen you should pick, click here. 

3. Keep Yourself Well Hydrated

Water is essential to keep your cells full and hydrated, reducing the risk of skin conditions like chapping, peeling, irritation, itchiness etc. Water also helps remove toxins or impurities from our body giving a smooth and flawless texture to the skin. Dull skin is another common winter issue, due to dry air, in-room heating and lack of hydration. Keep your skin glowing by drinking at least 8-10 glasses spaced out through the day at regular intervals even if you don’t feel thirsty.

4. Eat Good Food

Skincare means nourishing the body from the inside too. Foods rich in Vitamin A, C and E, plus Omega-3 Fatty Acids are especially beneficial to keep the skin healthy, acquire and retain moisture. Foods you should include in your daily diet are Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, Indian gooseberry (Amla), broccoli, carrots, avocados, spinach, blueberries, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants which eliminate free radicals and reduces flaky skin. Dark chocolate is also one of the best foods to keep your skin glowing during harsh winters.

5. Get Active!

Shrug off the winter chills by keeping your energy levels up by staying active! Exercising regularly improves blood circulation and removes toxins from our system. This helps keep the skin healthy, beside other numerous health benefits. Don’t wait till New Years to join a gym. Start now!

6. Use Warm and not Hot Water to Bathe

Avoid bathing with steaming hot water. Instead, use lukewarm water and reduce the time spent to bathe. Hot water dehydrates your skin and strips it off the natural protective oils. Whereas lukewarm water seals the moisture inside the skin. You can even add a few drops of oil, honey or milk to the water.

7. Cover Yourself Well

winter skincare tipsRemember to cover yourself up well before moving out to avoid overexposure to the cold air. Use scarves, hats, gloves, etc. to cover your head, neck and hands. If your skin is already irritated, avoid synthetic woolens and use soft, comfortable and loose-fitting clothes instead.

8. Comfort is Everything

Many winter fabrics cause skin irritation, making it dry and itchy. Try and avoid direct contact with the skin. Wear comfortable, breathable fabrics underneath and then layer it with heavy, warm clothes to avoid irritation to the skin.

Even after following the above tips, if you still experience irritation, redness and dryness on your skin, seek medical advice immediately. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the winters!

We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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