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6 Natural Painkillers To Relieve Common Ailments

natural painkillersWhen faced with even a minor headache, muscle tension or other pains, popping a pill seems like the easiest way out. It has almost become a habit to such an extent that we don’t even think twice before gulping down a painkiller or an antibiotic. What we fail to realize is how toxic such dependence can become! “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” said Hippocrates. On that note, I will be listing down some foods that act as natural painkillers. The good news is that they do not have any side effects!

6 Natural Painkillers & Their Uses

1. Ginger & Turmeric
Ginger and Turmeric have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They are far more effective than drugs like ibuprofen for pain relief. Ginger helps block the formation of inflammatory compounds and also has antioxidant effects. Both the herbs can be added in tea, milk, hot water and smoothies.

Turmeric also improves blood circulation and prevents blood clotting. Turmeric’s active ingredient curcumin is responsible for lowering inflammation in our body, acts as a pain reliever for headache, menstrual cramps and even normal body aches. Gulp down a glass of turmeric milk or ginger + turmeric water before sleeping and say hello to a super relaxed body the next day!

2. Cloves
Cloves have been long used since ancient times to treat toothaches. Cloves may also help ease nausea and treat cold. They may also help relieve the pain associated with headaches, arthritic inflammation and toothaches. A compound called Eugenol is responsible for the pain relieving properties of cloves. Rub a small amount of clove oil on gums for battling gum issues or dip a small pulse size cotton ball in clove oil and keep on aching tooth to get immediate relief.

3. Plain Yoghurt
Plain yoghurt has been long used to ease the symptoms of bloating and inflammation. The healthy bacteria in yoghurt improves digestion and helps in relieving abdominal pain. Try having a bowl of curd with some black salt, asafoetida and roasted cumin powder for long term good gut health. Buttermilk made from low fat milk is also a good way to treat indigestion.

4. Green tea
Green tea is emerging as the new age miracle food. It is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants and helps reduce inflammation and muscle damage. The miracle compound present is an antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which helps blocks pain signals and provides relief in body ache, menstrual cramps, headache and even arthritis.

5. Peppermint
Most of us have heard of and even used a small green mint pill, popularly sold as a capsule to relieve stomach ache! It actually contains extracts of Peppermint which is known for its therapeutic properties. Mint has a cooling nature and can help in relieving indigestion, nausea and headache. Menthol, peppermint’s main active ingredient, is found in the leaves and flowering tops of the plant. So next time before you pop a pill for stomach ache or indigestion, try a cup of mint tea.

6. Asafoetida
Asafoetida, commonly known as ‘Hing’ in Indian households is a common ingredient used in curries and vegetables. It is known to reduce bloating, stomach ache and gastric issues. To effectively relieve abdominal pain, try applying Hing paste on the naval area. A powder consisting of roasted Asafoetida, cumin seeds and carom seeds works wonders for digestion and reducing bloating. It has antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties which make it a very useful common kitchen ingredient.

Hopefully, this article on natural painkillers will help you rely less on pills and more on natural ingredients which can help you relieve common ailments. Do share your thoughts in the comments below!

For more tips and articles like this one, check out Healthy Reads or ask an expert by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Anupa Samuel Lowers Triglycerides and Cholesterol Levels With Help From Her GOQii Coach!

Anupa SamuelWhile the lockdown was a great move to curb the spread of COVID-19, it affected the health and lifestyle of a lot of people. Those leading active lifestyles had to be homebound and this led to the development of certain ailments that affect them even today. Our player Anupa Samuel faced a similar situation where her triglycerides and cholesterol levels shot up but with the help of her GOQii Coach, she was able to reverse her condition. Here’s how her Health Story unfolded.

The Journey From Active To Inactive

Anupa Samuel is a 46 year old who lives in Mumbai with her husband and 2 children. She claimed to be a sports enthusiast, playing sports since childhood. She enjoyed playing sports such as throwball and badminton. She was quite active even before the COVID pandemic, walking almost 14km a day.

After the lockdown, Anupa Samuel was unable to participate in the activities she enjoyed. She stopped walking. “It got difficult to walk even 5k steps,” she said. Her eating habits became problematic as well as her lunch and dinner was too heavy and she began eating at odd hours. Although weight wasn’t an issue for her, her triglycerides and cholesterol levels shot up significantly. 

Choosing Diet Over Medicine 

When she figured her triglyceride and cholesterol levels were high, she made a decision to avoid medicines. “I don’t like taking medicines,” she said. She was willing to do anything apart from taking medication and wanted to solely focus on reversing her condition through diet and nutrition. 

When her husband asked his friends and colleagues if it is possible to reduce triglyceride and cholesterol levels through diet alone, they said it would be a difficult task as you need to switch your food habits and eat lots of salads, to which Anupa said, “I can do it!” 

Joining GOQii & Making A Positive Lifestyle Change 

Anupa joined GOQii on Feb 11, 2022 when her husband gave it to her as a gift. Around April, she was assigned to Coach Nikhil Sapate. “Now, he’s not just a coach but a very good friend of mine, so I’m very comfortable with him,” says Anupa about her GOQii Coach Nikhil. 

He closely monitored her habits and took into account her goal of wanting to reverse her condition through diet and nutrition alone and suggested a few changes.

These suggestions included: 

  • Start the day with apple cider vinegar with turmeric and lukewarm water for detox 
  • Drink bay leaf ginger tea in the evening
  • Eat fruits, roasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, soaked brazilian nuts, walnuts and almonds 
  • Include red rice in meals 
  • Eat heavy meals only till lunch, whereas before her lunch and dinner used to be heavy 
  • Post lunch, stick to green tea
  • For dinner, eat fruits or a bowl of salad
  • Drink more than 2L of water a day 

Apart from the changes above, Coach Nikhil also ensured that she stopped consuming brown bread. She also began indulging in activities she enjoyed doing before. Currently, she spends her time being active throughout the day by walking, playing table tennis, performing aerobics, planks, squats and badminton, etc. She varies her workout to keep it from being boring. Albeit, she tries to cover these activities within a single day. She says, “I enjoy activities so I can give as much time as needed for exercising”.  

When her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April, she had to do hospital visits once a month. While waiting for her father’s treatment, she found ways to keep herself active like meditating while waiting or trying to complete her steps by walking up and down the stairs of the hospital.

Within 6 months of joining GOQii Anupa is already an Elite Player. When asked about her progress, she says, “All the credit goes to my GOQii Coach. He is outstanding. Apart from him, coaches like Anushka Contractor and Mukesh Morwall have helped me a lot!” 

This can also be credited to the fact that Anupa is quite active on the GOQii App. “My kids say that I am married to GOQii only,” she said as she has a hard time when she is not close to her GOQii Tracker. 

She is a regular on GOQii Play and also joins live online classes on GOQii PRO. Her favorite coaches include Anushka Contractor, Mukesh Morwall, Rounak Gajjar, Sheetal Tewari and Alistair Fernandes as well as she enjoys dancing. 

She is also an active reader of the GOQii Blog. Her main goal right now is to improve her sleep and hydration levels. She joins the ASMR sessions on GOQii Play to improve her sleep. 

Results Of Personalized Health Coaching With GOQii 

At the time of joining, Anupa’s triglycerides were at 345 and her total cholesterol level was at 239. Her TSH levels were at 7.33. “She was looking to bring her triglycerides and total cholesterol down with the help of natural food and no medication,” says her Coach Nikhil. “After cutting processed foods and fried items, she managed to bring her triglycerides down to 187, and cholesterol to 174, while her TSH levels dropped massively to 4.64. The levels were achieved in 3 months,” he added.

As of now, she avoids biscuits, crackers and packaged foods as well as any type of bread. She consumes air fried chicken and fish with minimum oil intake. She also completes 17k steps a day. 

“All the changes we made gave good results. She feels that her energy levels have improved and she can work the whole day without any sign of fatigue. She has gotten leaner as well. Now, to achieve her goal of improving her sleep, we’ve begun with chamomile tea,” said Coach Nikhil.

Anupa Samuel made significant changes in just a few months. You can do the same with dedication, discipline and a little bit of guidance and motivation from our experts. Sign up for GOQii’s personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce  

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How To Boost Metabolism & It’s Importance

boost metabolismYou’ve heard the word “metabolism” or the phrase “boost metabolism” a lot either in general conversation about health or by a GOQii Coach, but have you thought about why it is so important? Metabolism is the sum of chemical and physical reactions in our body or the amount of energy or calories our body burns to maintain vital functions. Raise your hand if you know it is important for weight loss but did you know that it has other functions as well? 

Why Is It Important to Boost Metabolism? 

  • It works in 2 processes i.e. catabolism and anabolism which are the buildup and breakdown of substances, whether it is digestion of food or the elimination of food, if these two processes are disrupted by any means then you can imagine what health issues we might face.
  • The better your metabolism, the more calories your body will burn and it will be easier to drop pounds.
  • It is important for the biochemical process of combining nutrients with oxygen to release the energy the body needs to function.
  • There are certain metabolic diseases and disorders like diabetes, thyroid (hypo/hyper), phenylketonuria (PKU), etc.  that can be caused when the metabolism fails or decreases/increases than the body’s requirement. Although reason for these metabolic disorders is not just one but it is the reason and these are complex, but who wants to experience the pain of not losing weight, being obese or struggling daily with any other big or small issue caused due to the ups and downs of metabolism.

How Can We Boost It? 

Let’s understand certain ways in which we can boost metabolism  

  1. Protein: Eating more protein can boost metabolism to burn more calories.
  2. Mixing up certain exercises: can help us burn more fat by increasing metabolic rate.
  3. Water: If your body is dehydrated, then your metabolism may slow down as your body needs water to process calories.
  4. Eating small, frequent meals: like a small snack every 3-4 hours keeps your metabolism going.
  5. Adding spices: like green/red chilies, pepper, garam masala, etc. have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear.
  6. Recharge with organic green tea: Research suggests that drinking 2-3 cups of green tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderate intensity workouts.
  7. Eat enough calories: Eating less calories than our body’s requirement may give us quick results but this can cause your metabolism to slow down and that in turn, can make you gain more weight and create imbalance issues.
  8. Get plenty of sleep: Sleep disruptions or not getting adequate sleep has been known to have harmful effects on our metabolism.
  9. Manage stress: It has been seen that when we are continuously under stressful conditions, our body releases cortisol (stress hormone) which in turn affects our metabolism.
  10. Keep a check on B vitamins: as they play an essential role in the metabolic rate. So, make sure to meet your body’s requirement of B vitamins by including foods like eggs, bananas, orange juice, peas, spinach, whole grains, baked potatoes, etc.

All these points might sound difficult, but trust me we can make it happen with just small changes in our diet and lifestyle. It does not require inclusion of any costly, fancy food products. We hope this article helps you boost metabolism and make a positive lifestyle change. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

For more on metabolism, gut health and digestion, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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Natural Antibiotics That Can Help You Fight Infections

natural antibioticsAntibiotics are the medicines prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Invention of antibiotics has been a boon to medical science with which we can treat a number of bacterial infections that can be fatal. But the fact that overusing antibiotics can lead to ill-effects and lower natural immunity cannot be denied. There are certain infections which can be easily taken care of by the “Natural Antibiotics” commonly found in our kitchen cabinets. In this article, I am going to share a few most important natural antibiotics. These “Natural Antibiotics” boost your immune system and we all know, only good nutrition and a well-balanced diet can help our body fight against infective agents.

Natural Antibiotics That Fight Infections 

1. Onion, Garlic and Ginger
Let’s begin with the frequently used food items used in preparation of gravy i.e. Onions, Garlic and Ginger. Onions and garlic do more than just add flavor to food. They are packed with immune-boosting nutrients which inhibit the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. Ginger extract reduces inflammation in those with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory gut disease, gastric ulcers, asthma, and certain cancers. One point to be remembered here is, we can get most of the benefits of garlic only when it is crushed or chewed. Very few of us know when sulphur compounds (from onion and garlic) are combined with Zinc, the outcome is strong immunity. Sulphur compounds help to boost absorption of the zinc that’s found in whole-grain foods. Good Sources of Zinc include: All whole grains, including brown rice and whole-grain breads; legumes. An excellent combo idea you can use: Brown (or wild) rice with caramelized onions. 

2. Add Some Spice
Now, coming to the spices which we add to get flavour. But honestly, more than flavor, they all serve a very useful purpose. First, comes Turmeric! Many of us are already drinking turmeric milk daily knowing its magical powers. Turmeric contains curcumin which is highly anti-inflammatory in nature. It not only boosts immunity but is an effective pain-killer too. Another useful medicine in our kitchen pharmacy is Cinnamon, which is loaded with powerful antioxidants! In addition to improving immunity, it also helps in improving heart health, blood sugar levels and brain health. Only a pinch of cinnamon should be used at a time and not more than half a teaspoon a day. You can add cinnamon to your milk, tea or sprinkle over the salad. Next, comes Black pepper, which may help increase the good bacteria in your gut – which eventually helps improve your immunity.  Try this combo for a sore throat: Mash 1 inch piece of ginger, 2 peppercorns, cinnamon and 1 star anise. Boil and sip hot with 1/4 tsp organic honey. Works like magic! 

3. The Kitchen Garden
Now let’s move to our kitchen garden’s grace, Tulsi/Holy Basil. It protects against nearly all infections from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. Another way to help a sore throat heal: boil tulsi seeds and ginger in water and drink this after straining.

4. Don’t Forget Vitamin C
Believe me, if you include vitamin rich foods daily in your diet, you will not require Vitamin C in the concentrated form. Sources include amla, green, yellow and red peppers (red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus. They’re also a rich source of beta carotene which helps keep your eyes and skin healthy), sweet potatoes, mangoes, melons, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, papaya, broccoli and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Vitamin C helps combat anemia too. Combining vegetarian sources of iron like chickpeas, sprouts, etc. with vitamin C–rich foods like lemon helps to enhance the uptake of iron. So, next time, you have chickpeas/sprouts, don’t forget to squeeze some lemon juice on them.   

5. Fermented Foods
Foods like Yogurt, Curd, Buttermilk (plain kind), Fermented rice, Apple cider vinegar, Miso, Sauerkraut (chopped pickled cabbage), Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), Kefir and Kombucha tea have live microorganisms and when taken in sufficient amounts, they can help restore the natural balance of gut bacteria by improving gut flora and prevent, as well as treat multiple gastrointestinal infections. 

Other antibacterial foods we can store in our kitchen are green tea, whole oats (rolled or steel cut), cold pressed coconut oil, cardamom, cloves, honey, thyme (ajwain) and rye. Honestly, the list is very long. Just remember, “Let food be your medicine and the kitchen, your pharmacy!” They are not the substitutes of any medicine but deserve a fair trial and if taken when the very first sign of an inflammation appears or along with prescribed medicines, all these could be really effective in either stopping the progress of a disease or cutting short the duration of illness. Moreover, if you are consuming them on a regular basis, your immunity is good enough to fight any infection. 

NOTE: People on blood-thinning drugs should seek advice from their physician before having garlic and cucurmin because they have some blood thinning properties. 

We hope this article on Natural Antibiotics helps you include them in your daily routine. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more on nutrition and immunity, check out Healthy Reads.

To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, and to learn more about nutrition and building immunity, sign up for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Eat Healthy and #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 […]