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November 9, 2024 By Mitali Ambekar 28 Comments

Fox Nuts: The Lotus Seeds & Its Nutritional Benefits!

Fox Nuts - Makhana - Lotus SeedsAs a kid, my mother used to feed me fox nuts – which I hated because they were tasteless. A few years ago, someone reintroduced me to them, and to my surprise, I still wasn’t a fan. I wondered why people liked them.

Thankfully, my mom had a way of getting me to eat them. She roasted the nuts, adding some spices and condiments, creating a healthy version of popcorn. Crunchy, flavorful, and the perfect tea-time snack!

Fox nuts are seeds from the lotus flower. They are cultivated in water, largely found in India, and known as “Makhana.” They are also found in Korea, Japan, and Russia, where they are referred to as “Gorgon Nuts” or Euryale Ferox.

Highly nutritious, fox nuts have been popular as a snack and are commonly used in various recipes, especially in Indian cuisine. They can be enjoyed roasted or fried and stored long-term in airtight containers. The Chinese have used them medicinally to strengthen the spleen and kidneys due to their many health benefits.

The Health Benefits Of Eating Fox Nuts

  • Fox Nuts are considered nutritionally superior to dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts and coconut in terms of sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content
  • They are rich in antioxidants, which help prevent signs of aging like white hair, wrinkles, and premature aging.
  • Their high fiber content helps to avoid constipation. It helps the body flush out waste and prevents the accumulation of toxins in the body 
  • It is also an aphrodisiac, helping in fertility issues like premature ejaculation, increasing the quality of semen and also helps women in overcoming infertility
  • These nuts are low on saturated fats and Sodium and high on Magnesium, Potassium and helps in controlling high blood pressure and diabetes as well
  • Fox Nuts help in controlling palpitation and insomnia as it has calming properties
  • It helps in relieving arthritis – numbness and pain in joints
  • As it is has astringent properties, it also helps cure diarrhea and have a better appetite
  • It strengthens the body and reduces burning sensation and quenches thirst

Here is my mother’s simple recipe to make it more tastier!

Fox nuts can be included in cereals or soups to support good health. High in protein, they make a great vegetarian snack. However, since their taste is neutral, most people don’t eat them raw. Here’s a simple recipe my mother used to make them more flavorful:

  1. Heat 2 teaspoon of homemade ghee in a pan
  2. Add salt and turmeric, stirring for few seconds. You can also add red chili, curry leaves, and mustard seeds for extra flavor.
  3. Add the Fox nuts and roast them for a few minutes

This snack is ideal for between meals or with tea or coffee. Fox nuts are also enjoyed as a fasting food in India, where they are regarded as sacred. Apart from snacking, you can add them to cereals, vegetable dishes, rice, or even desserts. So, what are you waiting for? Add fox nuts to your diet today!

Found this article helpful? Read up more on nutrition here. To get these tips, recipes and learn more about different foods, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

November 7, 2024 By Divya Thampi Leave a Comment

The Unexpected Cause Of Ageing And Stress

ageing and stressHave you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and been surprised at the ever-increasing wrinkles or the swiftness with which the salt in your hair seems to be overtaking the pepper? Have you found yourself feeling tired at the end of a not so busy day? Found yourself hating the thought of Mondays and eagerly waiting for Saturdays every week? If you have, then you are not alone. There’s a huge percentage of population in their late 30s and 40s who feel stuck in their current jobs despite it seeming like they are living a successful life.

So you followed the life script of studying hard to get good scores, scrambling to get placed in the best of companies, chose your life partner carefully (or your family helped you with that), went on to have kids as per every one’s expectation and suddenly you are here with what looks like a happy family, decent lifestyle, a good designation at work,  month on month salary, plus that void that you feel in your chest. That void is the only thing no one warned you about. Hence, not only are you at a stage in life where it feels like you are living someone else’s dreams but you experience pangs of guilt for feeling so deflated and dissatisfied.

Recently, while watching an interview of Dr. John Demartini, a world-renowned business consultant and author, the interviewer asked this wise 66 year old speaker for the secret to his youth and without blinking an eyelid he replied “I live in congruence with my highest values and that maintains my vitality at the peak levels”. It was a bulb on moment for me. This highly successful man who could easily pass off as a 40 year old, didn’t talk about his diet, his workout regimen or his skin care routine when asked about his youth. He spoke about his values and priorities instead! He said that he lives his life in congruence with his most important values and spends his time doing the things that he feels passionate about.And the absence of that is the exact hidden cause of ageing and stress. When we are living life in a way that is in NOT in sync with what we value most, we are easily overcome with distraction, boredom and frustration. When we are doing things that don’t match our values, we are not playing our ‘A’ game and this leads us to second guessing our own motivations and capabilities. While confidence and enthusiasm evades us, we feel like fakes and suffer from the imposter syndrome. And is that surprising? No! If we are not doing the things we value most, we are being fake (though not deliberately) and trying to do things that doesn’t fit with who we truly are!

So, are you living a life of congruence? The gauge for whether you are or not is your level of satisfaction and enthusiasm in your day to day life. But, in case you are not living such a life of authenticity, don’t despair! Here are 5 questions you can ask yourself which will help you to get some clarity about what are those things that you value most and what your true priorities are.Make sure that you give yourself an undistracted 30 minutes to read through and reflect on these questions because this could change the way you see yourself and your life ahead. Adapted from Dr. Demartini’s methodology, following are the five questions:

  1. Look at your physical surroundings at home and observe the three things that you tend to surround yourself with. You have to choose three. Are they your work material? Or books on poetry? Or paintings that depict nature? Or is it clothes and accessories? Or maybe somethings to do with a particular sport? Or photographs of your loved ones?
  2. What 3 things do you spend most of your time and energy on? Is it your workout regimen? Or music? Or reading about astrology? Or watching programs/videos on a certain topic? Or maybe it is socializing with friends? Or may be checking out recipes or cooking something new? Or is it solving people’s problems? Or on having the right look? Or it is financial planning?
  3. What are the 3 things that you spend most amount of money on? Leaving aside the basic necessities of life that are needed for survival, what things do you end up spending your money on and feel excited every time you are about to buy it? There may be things that you may be spending money on reluctantly, those don’t count.
  4. What are the top three things that you think most about? Whenever you are not focusing on an assigned task, where does your mind drift to? What does it spend a lot of time automatically focusing on and feeling energized about?
  5. What are the areas in your life where you are most disciplined and organized? You may think of yourself as a disorganized and undisciplined, but there are areas where you are neither. It could be the way you organize your work files or the way you maintain your shoes and clothes or the way you plan your holidays or the way you organize meetings. You will have to think a little to identify these areas because they exist.

When you answer these questions, you will see certain areas/ aspects that show up repeatedly. While it is important that you answer these questions in one sitting, keep reading them and going through the questions and answers over a few days or weeks because the real responses will emerge over a period of time. The list you thus form, are your true priorities and the things that you value most. Consider deliberately thinking more about those areas and how you can live by those values and watch your life change for the better. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

We hope this article helps you. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles like this, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

October 22, 2024 By Mrinali Dwivedi 1 Comment

Want Younger Looking Skin? Try These Foods Now!

younger looking skinThey say real beauty comes from within. Well, people may have different perspectives over this quote but in the opinion of a Nutritionist, what food you put inside your body, is what reflects on your skin! Ageing is a normal physiological phenomenon which starts from the inside out. This makes it imperative to take care of your diet to prevent the effects of ageing. With advancing age, the proteins and pigments of our skin start to deteriorate. However, with a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, in the absence of disease, one can still manage to have a plump skin. Just like our emotional troubles can be seen on the face by the way of our expressions, the internal troubles of our body show up on the skin. If you feed your body with the right kind of food, it radiates right on the skin. Let’s look at some foods to get that younger looking skin you’ve always wanted!  

Foods For Younger Looking Skin

  1. Water: As simple and feeble as it may sound, water is the most important component of a skincare regime. In all forms, whether luke warm, chilled or infused, water is the most effective tool for younger looking skin and to fight any skin abnormalities. It cleanses the excess metabolites and harmful substances that may accumulate beneath the layers of skin. Water helps keep the skin moisturised and flush out infectious agents.
  2. Berries, Melons and Citrus Fruits: Berries are natural chemical exfoliators. They contain salicylic acid which is a popular ingredient in beauty products known for anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Berries are also rich in Vitamin C and ellagic acid that can help reduce acne. Rich in Vitamin A, C and B, melons can prove to be effective in maintaining good skin health. They can also improve your digestive system and prevent constipation. This, in turn, aids in clearing up the skin. Melons are also effective in treating psoriasis, a dry skin condition that causes itchy, flaky and red patches of skin. The rich Vitamin C content of citrus fruits can effectively fight free radical action, which prevents skin ageing. Citric acid helps curb the bacterial action and pathogens present under the skin. As we age, our body’s ability to produce collagen decreases and the elasticity of the skin too. Vitamin C helps repair and rejuvenate the skin, helping in wound healing and building connective tissue, leading to younger looking skin.
  3. Turmeric (Curcuma Longa): Being the most potent spice, Turmeric helps fight cell damage, chronic disease and aging, helping maintain younger looking skin. All this due to the powerful pigment, curcumin.
  4. Nuts and Seeds: Nuts are densely packed with a variety of skin healthy nutrients such as proteins, vitamin E, essential oils, minerals, and antioxidants. Soaked almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds and sesame seeds are the richest sources of vitamin E – which are very helpful to protect the skin from the UV rays of the sun. Vitamin E also helps strengthen your skin, avoid skin infections and give it a radiant glow.
  5. Dark Chocolate: contains cocoa flavanols. These are very potent antioxidants that protect the skin from the oxidative damage caused by pollution or sunlight. It also protects the skin by enhancing blood flow, which helps by nourishing and moisturizing it. Make sure to choose only dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa in it.
  6. Tomatoes: Tomato and tomato juice are high in lycopene, a natural carotenoid that fights pigmentation and darkening due to ageing or stress.
  7. Virgin Coconut Oil: Used in cooking, it slows down the aging process by lowering oxidative stress and relieving pressure on the liver, it nourishes the skin and hair to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and clears dark patches and cellulite.
  8. Avocados: are high in monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats that are essential to nourish the skin and prevent dryness. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory to keep the immune system effectively functioning. The lutein and zeaxanthin in this fruit may help to protect the skin from UV damage. It is also full of Vitamins A, B, C, E, and K which helps you get the glow of younger looking skin.
  9. Leafy Greens: Spinach, Collard greens, Radish greens and Kale are excellent for replenishing tired skin and dark under-eye shadows due to their high iron and magnesium content. These leafy greens are rich in Vitamin K that improve skin cell regrowth for a better complexion.
  10. Cucumbers: are more water than anything else. Oh so hydrating! Thus, they possess an extraordinary cooling effect. The peel of a cucumber contains antioxidants, Vitamin C and K, which can aid in skin whitening and can also reduce the appearance of fine lines. They also help in reducing puffy eyes and dark circles.

We hope this article helps you achieve that younger looking skin you’ve always desired. Before you switch to any of these foods, please ensure that you reach out to your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian in case you have allergies or any underlying medical conditions. For more on skin care, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

October 18, 2024 By Navnee Garg 3 Comments

When Not Eating Becomes a Disease: What Anorexia Really Does to You or Someone You Love

Anorexia Nervosa

Following healthy habits is good. It’s always nice to have a plan for healthy eating and follow it steadily with discipline. But what happens when you overindulge in a dieting plan? As we all know, anything in excess is bad and the same goes for dieting or having an unhealthy obsession with losing weight which may make one do things that can cause more damage than good. Having said that, I’d like to highlight an eating disorder that I recently came across called Anorexia Nervosa.

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder which is characterized by low body weight, fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of weight. This means that despite having normal body weight, these people feel that they are overweight, or even if they will eat a bite extra, they feel that they will suddenly gain weight. So they prefer being on a very low calorie diet, prefer restricted foods, focusing excessively on the portion they eat. They also try to control their weight by vomiting after eating, or misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or even enemas. At times, they also try to lose weight by excessive exercising just post consuming meals.

Nervosa is not about calorie counting, it is more about one’s psychological aspect which can be extremely dangerous or even life threatening to try to cope up with emotional distress. Anorexic people often tend to equate thinness with self worth.

What Are The Symptoms?

The most evident physical symptom of Nervosa is Starvation, and let us not confuse it with conscious eating. Apart from it, it also includes some emotional and behavioural issues which include unrealistic perception of one’s own body in terms of being fat or fear of gaining weight.

It is difficult to notice the signs and symptoms among the people, but there are few alarming signs which can be noticed by near and dear ones like low body weight, or thin appearance, abnormal blood counts, fatigue, dizziness, and insomnia, thinning of hair, blue discoloration of fingers, irregular bowel movements, irregular heart rhythms, and dehydration.

Also some emotional and behavioural symptoms would include:

  • Skipping meals or refusing to eat
  • Making excuses like denial for hunger, or unwell
  • Avoiding to eat in public
  • Social withdrawal
  • Irritability and Insomnia

Diagnosis 

Though it is difficult to diagnose Anorexia Nervosa at an early stage, the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA’s) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has set diagnosis criteria for people prone to being Anorexic.

  1. Restricted calorie intake as per the requirement of the body in terms of age, height, gender and physical health.
  2. Misconception of being overweight, despite being actually underweight.
  3. A full medical history can also help to reach the outcome

Treatment and Recovery

Treatment includes some medications, nutritional counseling, psychotherapy and family counseling as well which would depend on one’s level of being anorexic. Generally people refuse to accept that they fall in the category but a proper counseling session can help one recover soon.

There is no harm in Being Picky about putting food in your mouth, but this should be done in certain limits by working on calorie counting, or choosing the healthiest option and not in excessive fear to gain weight. The body needs fuel as well to work its system out. The correct way to lose weight is by eating healthy and exercising regularly, and not “DIETING”. Long term anorexia nervosa can lead to serious medical issues like low bone density, anemia, or some gastrointestinal issues as well.

So, if you feel any such symptoms, or you know someone prone to it, do share the article with them, and we at GOQii are always there to help you recover in whatever best way possible.

Did you find this article helpful? Do leave your thoughts and queries in the comments below and do share it on the GOQii Arena in the GOQii app with your friends! 

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

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