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Healthy Eating: Nutritious Jackfruit Dumplings

jackfruit dumplingsKumbilappam is an authentic snack of Kerala. It is made at most homes in Kerala during the Jackfruit season. These Jackfruit Dumplings are prepared using ripe jackfruit puree, jaggery, grated coconut, cumin seed powder, cardamom powder and rice flour. This snack has different names in different parts of Kerala such as Chaka kumbulappam, Chakka Appam, Vazhanayappam and Theraliyappam. The mixture is wrapped and steamed in Indian Bay leaves which imparts a special fragrance.

Ingredients:

  • Ripe jackfruit pods/bulbs – 2cups
  • Jaggery -1 cup (adjust according to your taste)
  • Grated coconut – 1 cup
  • Rice flour(roasted) – 2 cups
  • Powdered cardamom – ½ tsp
  • Crushed/powdered cumin seeds – ½ tsp
  • Bay leaves – 12 
  • A pinch of Salt 

Method:

  1. Remove the seeds from jackfruit pods and pressure cook the jackfruit for 2-3 whistles.
  2. After cooling, blend it into a smooth paste in a mixer and transfer it to a bowl.
  3. Add jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom powder, cumin seed powder and salt and just pulse it (do not make it like a paste).
  4. Add this mixture to the jackfruit puree and mix well.
  5. Add roasted rice flour little by little and make a smooth dough out of it which is not too hard. If the dough is hard, add little water and don’t worry if the dough is slightly liquidy. The rice flour will absorb the moisture.
  6. Cover and keep aside for about 10 minutes.
  7. Make cones from the bay leaves using a toothpick. Leave the upper edge of the leaf to close the cone.
  8. Put the dough into the cone and cover the top with the upper edge of the leaf. Continue the process until the entire dough is used up.
  9. Place these yummy dumplings in a steamer and steam it for 30-45 minutes.
  10. Serve warm! Once cool, you can store these jackfruit dumplings in a fridge and steam them before eating! 

Quick Tips 

  • You can use banana leaves if bay leaves are not available
  • You can also transfer the prepared smooth dough into a plate (brush a little ghee) and steam it in a steamer until done.

Health Benefits of Jackfruit Dumplings

  • The fruit is made of easily digestible bulbs with simple sugars that when eaten, replenish energy. 100g of jackfruit gives 94 calories, 1g protein, 2g dietary fiber.
  • It’s rich in vitamin C. Hence, it improves the immune system and slows aging of the skin. 
  • High in antioxidants – Carotenoids, the pigments that give jackfruit its yellow colour, are high in vitamin A. These protect cells from damage, prevent eye diseases and heart diseases. Vitamin A is capable of keeping mucous membrane and skin healthy. Beta carotene present in the jackfruit lowers the risk of lung disease and oral cancer.
  • It has the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease due to its content of potassium, magnesium and fiber. Being a rich source of potassium, it has the ability to control heart rate and high blood pressure. The magnesium content helps in the absorption of calcium and strengthens the bones.
  • Improves the digestion as it is rich in soluble and insoluble fiber thereby and keeps your bowel movements regular.
  • It is a rich source of iron and helps in keeping anaemia at bay and improves blood circulation too.
  • Being rich in copper, it helps in thyroid metabolism especially in hormone production and absorption.

We hope you enjoy this delicious Jackfruit Dumpling recipe! Do try it out and let us know your experience in the comments below. 

For more healthy recipes check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach directly by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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How Yoga Can Affect Your Endocrine System

endocrine systemYoga not only plays an important role in maintaining our health but also has a very good effect on our endocrine system. Due to a hectic lifestyle and everyday stress, people are experiencing a lot of hormonal problems. Some of the health issues faced by both men and women are hormonal changes, underactive or overactive thyroid and hormonal imbalance. Increase in cortisol levels, insulin deficiency or insulin resistance, early puberty and early menopause are few hormonal disorders that women face. It’s therefore good to know more about the endocrine system. The Endocrine system is a collection of glands that release hormones directly into the bloodstream to the targeted cells.

Why Is The Endocrine System Important For Us?

Endocrine system  helps maintain the body’s homeostasis (balance). Metabolism, growth, sexual development, mental growth, mineral balance, heart rate regulation, setting our sleep cycle, muscular and skeletal growth are the functions of endocrine gland.

Role of the Hypothalamus: Hypothalamus is a part of the brain that is responsible for the direct control of the endocrine system through the pituitary gland. Hypothalamus is also the center of emotions and is affected by strong emotions, odor, powerful thoughts, taste, stress, laughter, etc.

Pituitary gland is the master gland controlling the whole endocrine system including the pineal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, thymus gland,  adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries and testes. The hypothalamus sends signals to pituitary gland, which then releases chemicals to stimulate the hormones from other endocrine glands. So this will work like Hypothalamus–pituitary-organ pathway.

The Role of Yoga in Controlling the Hormonal System

  • Pranayama: has a good effect on the endocrine system. Pranayama means stretching , modifying and lengthening the breath. Pranayama has dual benefits. In Pranayama, when you control your breath, it controls both your mind and your body. We supply more oxygen to the lungs which is transported to each and every cell of the body. The blood supply and the oxygen supply to the brain and hypothalamus increases, thereby, improving their functioning. One can control stress and emotions in a better way because stress can disturb the functioning of the hypothalamus. Pranayama improves the relationship between hypothalamus –pituitary and the other glands and thus, the entire endocrine system is balanced.
  • Yog Nidra or Yogic Sleep: is a great way to control stress and emotion. It is not about going to Shavasana and just sleeping but staying awake and controlling your thoughts and senses, replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, relaxing and energizing your mind and body. Yog Nidra will improve the functioning of the brain, hypothalamus and the relationship between hypothalamus and pituitary and the other endocrine glands.
  • Yogic Poses: like Sirsasana, standing forward bend increases blood flow to brain and improves the functioning of the brain and hypothalamus along with improving the  functioning of pituitary and pineal gland. Halasana and shoulder stand improve the functioning of thyroid and parathyroid gland. Ardh Matsyendrasana and Balasana will stimulate pancreas for the release of insulin and glucagon from pancreas. Setubandhasana and Bhujangasana will stimulate testes and ovaries.

We hope this article helps you improve the functioning of your endocrine system and bring balance to your mind and body! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on how yoga can help you, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

You can also practice yoga online with guidance from a certified expert by subscribing for GOQii Pro Classes within the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce

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Health Benefits of Weight Lifting You Might Not Know

weight lifting

Whenever I advise my players to include weight lifting in their workout regimes, their reactions range from, “It’s too complicated or difficult for me,” to “No! I don’t want to bulk up”. These are the misconceptions engraved in our minds from the glossy images of sculpted and chiseled bodies of men and women appearing in fitness websites and magazines!

Apart from the fact that many of these photographs are Photoshopped or Edited, they unanimously promote the sole purpose of weight lifting as ‘body building’, which defers many people who want to actually stay fit and active, from it. Weight lifting, in essence, is not just about getting toned and sculpted! The benefits of weight lifting are numerous, ranging from improving your body composition, burning fat, strengthening your bones and joints and increasing your happiness quotient as well!

Health Benefits of Weight Lifting

  1. Get Stronger and More Active: Weight lifting stimulates the growth and development of the slow twitching muscle fibers (type2 muscle fibers) which improves agility, endurance, and builds up your stamina and strength, thus, boosting your performance in doing activities of daily livings (ADLs).
  2. Boosts Resting Metabolism: When the muscles are stimulated after strength training, they need to work harder to rebuild. Hence, they utilize more calories for redevelopment and growth! Muscles are metabolically active tissues which keep burning calories even during the resting phase known as the Afterburn Effect!
  3. Strengthens Your Bones and Joints: Weight training not only strengthens your muscles and ligaments but also improves bone density. The way muscles start developing under stress, the bones also adapt by increasing deposition after consistent weight lifting. This becomes more important as one reaches the age of early 40s when we are prone to natural decline. Also, stronger ligaments and bones prevent the occurrence of injuries while performing cardio and other activities!
  4. Lower Risk of Diabetes & Blood Sugar Levels: A study funded by the National Institute of Health has found that men who added weight lifting to their cardiovascular exercise routine had a 34% lower risk of diabetes. It’s advisable for individuals with type 2 diabetes to include weight training in their workout regime as toned muscles improve insulin sensitivity and better utilization of glucose!
  5. Improves Heart Health: As weight lifting improves the lean muscle mass in the body, it improves blood flow to different body areas which put less pressure on arteries, thus improving cardiac muscles pumping capacity!
  6. Improves Posture & Balance: Weight lifting strengthens your core, tones up your muscles and improves your posture. It reduces undue stress on different bones and joints, especially the shoulders, spine and hips which are more prone to injuries because of bad posture! Weight training also promotes the development of smaller muscle sets known as stabilizers. These take care of keeping you upright and helping you balance on a slippery surface or on one foot when you are reaching out to a higher shelf!
  7. Makes You Happier: Weight training stimulates the release of endorphins in the body which are also known as the ‘feel good hormones’. They trigger the happy centers in the brain. A well-toned, lean and fit body elevates your mood and self-esteem. Weight training brings you out of your comfort zone. High intensity weight training proves the worth in persisting through uncomfortable situations – a lesson which can be applied to be successful in other aspects of life too.

How to Start Your Weight Training Journey?

The simple mantra is just ‘go ahead’. Simply enter a gym or put on a video to see how you can take your journey forward. Start with minimum weights and gradually increase. Make sure to start under the guidance of an expert to avoid injuries or wrong postures or techniques. Keep setting challenges and targets which will keep you motivated to push harder.

You can even subscribe to GOQii’s Personalized Health Coaching to seek guidance from your GOQii Coach, tackle myths and get the right information about weight training.

Push past your limits to the extent that your toughest workout now, becomes your warm up later! If you hit a wall, simply climb over it. What stops you from hitting the gym? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

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Thank You For Being Healthy: Stories That Inspired Us!

Thank you for being healthyBeing healthy is not a race, it’s a marathon. It requires constant effort, patience, dedication and determination. Paired with the right guidance, you can become an unstoppable force of good health. Now, if you’re thinking you’re too busy, too old or if “this isn’t for you” then you need to read about our Elite GOQii Players who have turned their life around with simple lifestyle changes. 

Col. Ravi Minocha 

For instance, if you’re worried about being too old to begin your health story, our GOQii Player Col. Ravi Minocha will tell you otherwise. His Health Story began at the age of 80. He made everyone believe in the power of discipline, dedication and consistency. Due to the Osteoarthritis which had affected his knees, his mobility was restricted and this led to weight gain. 

But with support from his family and his GOQii Coach, he started working on his lifestyle, making small changes at a time. He was regular in updating his logs, which only helped his GOQii Coach improve his food and water consumption in a detailed manner. From taking small frequent walks , having anti-inflammatory food to having only millet based meals and detox water, he had made multiple changes in his lifestyle. Who could believe that a man who could hardly walk for 10 minutes at a time is now clocking more than 10,000 steps every day? With his efforts he was bound to get results as he lost 22kg in the span of 3 years. Isn’t it amazing?  

Kamal Nath Thakur 

Many times, we come across people who feel that the routine which they are following is a perfect one until they speak to one of our coaches. Kamal Nath Thakur who is a badminton player, did not take much interest in personalized health coaching initially, till he was infected with COVID. 

He thought of discussing his lifestyle with his GOQii Coach to see if there are any loopholes in his lifestyle. He was astonished by the detailed food log analysis and guidelines given by his coach. She helped him with respect to portion size, food timing, combination of meals and inclusion of different food groups. Not only this, but the strengthening and stretching exercises suggested by the coach helped him find relief from an untreated leg pain. From clocking only 3-4k steps to crossing over 15k steps every day, including strengthening exercises in addition to cardio practices, and being mindful of food consumption, he has come a long way!  

Ashima Dalela 

Our physical, mental and emotional health are closely connected to one another. If any one component gets affected, it causes disharmony. Player Ashima Dalela, who was suffering from gastric issues, visited more than 15 doctors but it did not help her. It affected her emotional health as well in the form of Anxiety attacks. 

After a doctor’s suggestion, she started using a GOQii tracker and personalized health coaching services. After listening to her ailments and lifestyle carefully, her coach suggested food like lemon water, detox water, curd, rice, kanji, etc. which improved her gut health. Her coach complemented it with a workout regimen .It was not easy for her to adopt so many changes but she could crack all the habits set with the help of her GOQii Coach . 

Her consistent efforts paid off! She not only found relief from the gastric ailments, but also her anxiety attacks. With incorporating habits like having fiber, a designed workout schedule she could also tackle health issues like hemorrhoids, irregular cycle and gain healthy weight to achieve her ideal body weight. Now she is focusing on improving her skin tone and texture. It’s so motivating to see how she is ticking off various medical ailments and setting new health goals one after the other. We can learn from her that lifestyle improvement is a continuous journey, there cannot be a full stop to it.

These Players Made Significant Changes But What About You? 

These players made remarkable changes in their health with minor lifestyle tweaks. You can do the same by following some of these basic habits: 

  1. Nutrition: Be mindful about what you eat. Replace refined, sugary, processed and packed food with natural, wholesome food. Include whole grains, proteins, fibers and healthy fats in the right proportion to your meals. This will nourish your body with the right nutrients and protect it from the effect of empty calories. 
  2. Hydration: Keeping yourself well hydrated helps circulate nutrients to each and every cell of your body. It’s advisable to consume moderate amounts of water at regular intervals rather than consuming large quantities at big intervals. We should avoid replacing water with fruit juices and aerated drinks to avoid unhealthy calories. 
  3. Exercise: Our body is like a machine. If you won’t move, it will catch rust. We should aim for at least 30-40 minutes of workout 5-6 days a week. It can be cardio activities like walking, jogging, swimming and dancing or strengthening exercises. It’s equally important to keep yourself active throughout the day. Reduce bouts of sedentary periods, take small walks, stretch your arms & legs frequently to keep a check on proper circulation and fat burn.
  4. Stress: In today’s world, stress is a constant trigger. You need to remember that you cannot change your circumstances, but you can change yourself! You can make yourself capable of handling stress in a better way so that it doesn’t bother you. To manage stress effectively, you can practice deep breathing exercises and mediation. Not only this, but positive affirmations and positive visualizations help a lot in reducing the cortisol surge which you get with high stress. It also helps you feel relaxed and at peace.
  5. Sleep: Light emitting from devices acts as the biggest enemy to the quality and quantity of sleep we get. It directly affects the melatonin hormone. Keeping gadgets away for 30 minutes before bedtime, indulging in relaxing techniques like listening to soothing music, reading book or spending time with family, helps in getting a good night’s sleep 

As a GOQii Expert, I request you to emphasize on healthy living by paying gratitude to your body. Yes, work and responsibilities are an important part of our life, but you can do justice to them only when you are Physically, Mentally and Emotionally fit! So if you want to begin your Health Story, sign up for personalized health coaching with GOQii and take the first step: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

If you’ve been living a healthy life, taking charge of your health goals, trying to make changes to your lifestyle or are just taking the first step in your Health Story, we want to say, Thank You For Being Healthy!

Keep Going and #BeTheForce 

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