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Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work

healthy eating at work

Does work keep you so engrossed that you forget to eat your meals on time? Have tight deadlines derailed your eating habits? Health and diet are our last priority while climbing the professional ladder. Is there a way to eat healthy at work? Do smaller meals work? Is it advisable to carry healthy snacks?

While it is a highly debatable topic whether one should eat smaller meals or 3 square meals a day, both have their share of pros and cons. I would advise you to choose the best of both worlds by opting for healthy snacks whenever possible.

Here is a List of a Few Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work:

  1. Nuts and Dry Fruits: You can carry a trail mix of Almonds, Walnuts, Cashew Nuts, Pistachios, Figs, Dried Apricot, Dates, Raisins, etc. Fox Nuts [makhana] is considered as a superfood that is loaded with fiber. You can also add some Roasted Grams and a handful of Peanuts to it. Try these protein packed flavored Makhana from the GOQii Health Store.
  2. Energy Bars: Protein Bars, Granola Bars, and Health Bars all provide a good amount of nutrition. The convenience of carrying and eating one during office hours is unparalleled. These bars are a great way to pump up your protein levels as well. Try these Choco Almond Protein Bars from the GOQii Health Store.
  3. Sprouts: help in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. They prevent anaemia and aid digestion, making it a great choice for healthy snacking! Don’t just stick to Mung Sprouts, you can also add variations like Chickpeas, Black Gram, Red Kidney Beans, Soya Beans, etc. The chances of foodborne illnesses greatly diminish with homemade sprouts.
  4. Fruits: are often ignored and are not included in one’s daily diet. Having them as mid meals can do wonders for your health. Grab locally grown or seasonal fruits and welcome all those healthy vitamins and minerals into your body!
  5. Sweet Potato: Another healthy and delicious snack is eating boiled or roasted Sweet Potatoes. Being high in dietary fiber, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it should be consumed more frequently. A dash of Date and Jaggery Chutney will make it super healthy and yummier!
  6. Sweet Corn: Have them boiled, steamed or roasted. Sweet Corn provides flavonoid and carotene which help fight free radicals. Besides this, it is rich in vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin E.
  7. Smoothies: are an excellent way to incorporate fruits and nuts in one go. Whip up 2-3 fruits along with nuts and seeds. You can add some milk or coconut water to make it in a smooth consistency. Try making an Apple, Banana, Grape and Date Smoothie. It is absolutely delicious!
  8. Diet Snacks: The market is flooded with healthy diet food like Diet Puffed Rice, Diet Khakharas, high protein biscuits, etc. But choose wisely because Diet Puffed Rice with liberal amounts of Sev won’t serve the purpose.

While mid-meal snacks are important, you need to take care of the portions you eat. Although carrying nutritious mid-meal snacks require time and effort, having it ready with you helps avoid the other unhealthy alternatives and the guilt that accompanies them.

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy eating and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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The Magic of Indian Masala Chai

masala chaiThe word Chai actually means tea in English and Russian. In India, it is also known as Masala Chai. More appropriately, it means spice blend. Tea has become a daily part of Indian life. It is now a key element of our culture which has spread throughout the world. Masala Chai is an everyday drink in most parts of India. It is common for Indians to delight themselves with 2 cups of it per day.

In almost every street corner and even office spaces, you will find a Chai Wallah (tea vendors) who prepares this traditional beverage. They prepare this rich Masala Chai over an open fire in small stands and stalls and serve it in clay tea cups called Kullarhs.

Well, you can prepare it yourself! This may be the right tea for you, to give you the strength and energy during the day and to take you on an amazing ride through the world of Indian tea. Let’s prepare it together! Have a look at our Masala Chai benefits, recipe and get your ingredients ready.

Some amazing Benefits of the Indian Masala Chai

  1. Improves Digestion: The spices used in Masala Chai help in regulating the digestive system. It also helps in keeping your gut healthy. A spice like Ginger aids digestion by improving circulation and delivering oxygen to organs so they can perform optimally.
  2. Supports the Immune System: It is known to strengthen the immune system and keeps common infection at bay. It helps provide relief when infected with common cold and cough.
  3. Improves Heart Health: Cinnamon, one of the main ingredients in Masala Chai, helps lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Drinking Masala Chai can prevent cardiovascular disease when consumed regularly over long periods of time.
  4. Relieves Aches and Pains: The spices found in Masala Chai can alleviate common aches and pains. These health benefits derive from the anti-inflammatory properties of many of the ingredients in it, specifically ginger and clove.
  5. Reduces Nausea: Spices like Ginger and Cardamom are well known for their ability to reduce nausea and seasickness. Masala Chai soothes an upset stomach and alleviates stomach pain associated with nausea.
  6. Boosts Energy: It is a wonderful experience having a hot cup of ‘Masala Chai’ after a hard day’s work. Caffeine is a natural stimulant in Masala Chai which boosts energy and gives you the kick which you need to start your day.
  7. Boosts Metabolism: Tea is known as a heat generating food in Ayurveda. It helps speed up metabolism. Ingredients like ginger, clove, black pepper and cardamom helpincreaset loss and increases the metabolism of the body in a short period.
  8. Contributes to Reduce Sugar Levels: Ingredients used in Masala Chai such as clove, cinnamon, and cardamom helps in preventing diabetes by increasing the insulin sensitivity of the body and lowering one’s blood sugar levels.
  9. Relieves PMS: It can be your best friend to fight the symptoms of PMS the natural way. Ingredients like ginger, clove, and cardamom work as natural painkillers when you are experiencing period pains. It calms your nerves, keeps you in a good mood and relaxes your muscles.

Authentic Masala Chai Recipe (Serves 2 cups)

Masala Chai ingredients

Ingredients

  • Water: 1 cup
  • Milk: 1 cup (organic whole milk, almond milk, oat milk)
  • Black tea/ loose leaf: 1 ½ teaspoon
  • Jaggery Powder: 2-3 teaspoons (more or less) or maple syrup, honey, brown sugar
  • Clove: 2-3
  • Cardamom: 2
  • Cinnamon: ½ stick
  • Peppercorns: 3-4 (optional)
  • Ginger: 2 slices or crushed
  • Star Anise: 1 (optional)

How to prepare

  • Lightly crush cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, star anise, and peppercorn and add in boiling water
  • Add black tea/leaf and boil it for 2-3 minutes
  • Add sugar and milk
  • Bring it to simmer twice or more
  • Turn off the heat and strain it into your favorite mug
  • Your Masala Chai is ready!

A common myth is that green tea has more health benefit than black tea.  This is simply not true. It is because all tea (Black, Green, and White) comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, they offer the same benefits. The spices which we have used in our Masala Chai are well known in Ayurveda for many health benefits.

  • Ginger is anti-inflammatory and improves digestion, prevents and manages stomach ulcers, protects against symptoms of cold and flu, and stimulates blood circulation. It also reduces blood cholesterol by improving liver function
  • Cinnamon has Anti-fungal, Anti-bacterial properties. It helps in lowering LDL cholesterol and has a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes
  • Cardamom is considered as a kidney cleanser. It is known to enhance appetite, improve digestion and provide relief from acidity in the stomach. It is also considered beneficial to the urinary tract system
  • Cloves are well-known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. They’re also known to heal ailments of the digestive system and promote good digestion as well as metabolism
  • Black Pepper is a powerful anti-oxidant. It improves digestion and promotes intestinal health. It is an effective remedy for respiratory conditions including colds, coughs, and flu
  • Star Anise aids digestion, alleviates cramps and reduces nausea. It also helps in preventing constipation, supports good sleep, promotes bone and skin health.

So, add the ingredients mentioned above in your regular tea to make it a complete Indian Masala chai. Do share your experience in the comments below!

For more on tea, check out Healthy Reads. You can get more valuable insights on the food you consume directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Causes of Bad Breath & How You Can Prevent It!

bad breathBad breath always turns people off. No amount of intelligence, beauty, or high fashion sense can make up for bad breath. It negatively affects all aspects of your life and turns you into a person who’s insecure with low self-esteem and no self-confidence at all. Imagine all the business deals and relationship opportunities you’ve missed because of your bad breath. Why suffer from this miserable condition? It’s time to take action and get rid of your bad breath. You can continue covering up those nasty odors or you can take action now to finally address your problem.

What is Morning Breath?

Morning breath is also called dragon breath or Halitosis. When food particles while eating, grind into small particles, it halts on the surface of the tongue, between the teeth or gum tissue. The bacteria in your mouth will break down those food particles which releases bad breath in the morning.

What Causes It?

  • Dryness in the mouth due to reduced saliva production at night or not drinking enough water through the day.
  • An unhealthy diet filled with salt, sugar, strong tasting foods like onion, garlic and fish, if the particles of food remain within the mouth in between your teeth.
  • Sugary diuretic drinks like tea or coffee or packed juice/soda or alcoholic beverages are additionally a standard reason for bad breath.
  • Nicotine products like cigarettes and tobacco also cause bad breath.
  • Medication like antacids, antibiotics leading to dryness in the mouth.

Serious health conditions which cause it include: 

  • Diabetes Mellitus (DM) also can contribute to bad morning breath.
  • Gut issues like IBS, Pylori infection, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to regurgitation of undigested food which can cause bad breath.
  • Liver & Kidney Disorders provides you foul ammoniac breath.
  • Respiratory disorders –like Pneumonia & Bronchitis like the formation of pus.

How Can You Prevent Bad Breath?

  1. Hydration: Drink more water to moisten your mouth saliva before going to sleep at night. Keep a bottle on your nightstand just in case you wake up thirsty.
  2. Good oral hygiene: Brushing 30 min after a meal & before bedtime for a minimum of two minutes. It’s imperative to get rid of the food particles. 
  3. Tidy your tongue: Give your tongue a fast cleaning with a tongue scraper within the morning or evening after an extended day. Preferably used copper/tin scraper which has bacteria resistance properties.
  4. Oil Pulling: Every morning on an empty stomach put 1 tablespoon of cold-pressed oil within the mouth. You can use cold-pressed coconut oil/sesame oil for this purpose. Avoid using refined oil. Swish this oil within the mouth for 10 minutes then spit the oil out. This may assist you to scale back toxin not only from the mouth but also detoxify the body. Microorganism in our body is roofed with lipids (fat) so when spit the oil out the bacteria waste alongside the oil is pulled out from the digestion tract. It gives whiter teeth, fresh breath & overall healthiness. Check out other benefits of Oil Pulling here.
  5. Keep track of late evening/night meals: Avoid late-night snacks or sugar-rich desserts which promote bacterial growth and make your mouth acidic. Try to not eat at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. Minimize foods with strong-smell and high sulphur content like garlic, onions and boiled eggs that cause bad breath.
  6. Reduced smoking & tobacco use can improve your overall health. Chewing on fennel seeds cloves, chewing twigs like using the bark of Neem Datun are traditional practices. It helps your saliva pH+ by making more alkaline due to antibacterial properties, reducing dental cavities and bad breath.

If you suffer from bad breath, do try these suggestions. If the issue still persists, check with your dentist right away! For more useful information like this, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Choose The Right Cup! Different Teas And Their Benefits

Teas and their benefitsTea is considered to be the 2nd most popular drink after water. An article in National Geography dated April 2014, reiterates this statement. According to the article, the world’s top beverage is not Coffee or Beer, its Tea. And a perfect start to the day is with a good cup of Tea.

But What Does Research Say? 

Various studies have been done emphasizing the health benefits associated with consumption of tea. A paper titled –Tea and Health: Studies in Humans authored by Naghma Khan and Hasan Mukhtar with affiliation to Helfaer Professor of Cancer Research, Director and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, says that drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times and modern medical research is providing a scientific basis for this belief. The evidence supporting the health benefits of tea drinking grows stronger with each new study that is published in the scientific literature.

In their paper, the authors say, “Tea plant Camellia sinensis has been cultivated for thousands of years and its leaves have been used for medicinal purposes. Tea is used as a popular beverage worldwide and its ingredients are now finding medicinal benefits”.

“Encouraging data showing cancer-preventive effects of green tea from cell culture, animal, and human studies have emerged. Evidence is accumulating that black tea may have similar beneficial effects. Tea consumption has also been shown to be useful for the prevention of many debilitating human diseases that include maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health,” they add.

With tea becoming the latest super-drink among health enthusiasts all over the world, trying various options and experiencing its health benefits, it’s time for us to magnify our knowledge for the same! It’s no wonder that Green tea, Black tea, and Chamomile tea, to name a few, have gained acceptance among many as a health drink. And, why not? They are helping us in numerous ways!

If you are not aware, some of the new entrants into the tea world are Dandelion tea, Ginseng, Peppermint, Cranberry, Liquorice, Thyme, and Raspberry Leaf tea, among many others.

This article will assist you in choosing the right type of tea for the health benefits that you are looking for.

How Tea Can You Help You

1. For your digestive system: Jasmine, Peppermint, Chamomile, Dandelion and Cranberry tea are the most effective teas that can provide relief to your stomach and liver. A number of restaurants serve Jasmine tea as an appetizer before meals. That’s because of Jasmine tea aids in digestion and helps produce saliva which contains digestive enzymes.

Chamomile tea eases and relaxes the digestive system and peristaltic muscles. It also helps to reduce menstrual cramps. A paper titled Chamomile: An herbal medicine of the past with bright future reiterates the above statements. It says, “Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids”. The study also says that Chamomile tea is one of the world’s most popular herbal teas and about a million cups are consumed every day.

Peppermint and dandelion tea can help reduce bloating after a heavy meal and also increase the secretion of digestive enzymes. Another study titled: A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea, suggests that Peppermint tea, brewed from the plant leaves, and the essential oil of peppermint are used in traditional medicines.

2. For cold, cough and flu: Ginger, Thyme, and white blossom tea have essential oils which help the body fight against viruses and infections. A concoction of ginger tea with honey is an age-old Indian alternate medicine for treating common cold and cough. The anti-inflammatory compounds gingerols and shogaol in ginger root help relieve a sore throat quickly, and they also kill cold-causing viruses.

3. To relieve aches and pains: Green tea, Chamomile, Red bush and Rooibos Tea. Nothing can be better than Green tea to cure body aches, pain, and swelling! These teas have huge amounts of antioxidants and minerals that give them the magical pain relieving properties.

Green tea also helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes when a soaked and cooled tea bag is used as an eye pad to soothe the eyes and area around it. Many of the beneficial effects of green tea are related to its catechin, particularly (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, content. “There are human studies on using green tea catechins to treat metabolic syndromes, such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors,” the study adds.

4. For healthy and radiant skin: Calendula, White tea, Green tea and Liquorice tea help clean the skin at the cellular level by removing toxins. These teas play a major role in activating the lymphatic system and detoxifying the liver. Their extracts can prevent pigmentation, eczema, and pimples.

A study –Green Tea and Skin concludes that the outcome of the several experimental studies suggests that green tea possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic potential, which can be exploited against a variety of skin disorders. Although more clinical studies are needed, supplementation of skin care products with green tea may have a profound impact on various skin disorders in the years to come

5. For reducing stress and lack of sleep/insomnia: Chamomile, Passion-fruit, Lemongrass and Mint tea promote placidity and coolness into the body, reducing stress and promoting calmness.

Chamomile tea is made with dried flowers of the chamomile plant and it can help fight insomnia. Fruit teas are packed with vitamin-C and antioxidants, making them a fresh and fruity option for the tea lovers.

Lemongrass tea is stimulating and helps the body recover from tiredness and discomfort. Lemon balm and mint teas are ideal for winters as these protect from cold and also help in improving concentration. Mint when added to any ice tea can be another refreshing option.

6. To refresh and energize you: Green, White, Oolong, Calendula, Roasted Dandelion, Natal, Lemon balm and Liquorice root teas are best for maintaining health and fitness due to the brimming amounts of antioxidants present in them. These herbal mixes are effective in the detoxifying body as they act as natural diuretics which help in removing toxins from kidneys.

Lemon balm and Liquorice tea is ideal for nervous system and maintains a regular flow of energy through the body. Green tea promotes weight loss – which can be attributed to the thermogenic effect of the antioxidants and caffeine present in it.

7. To prevent and treat nausea and vomiting: Apart from being refreshing, Peppermint, Ginger, and Raspberry teas provide other benefits too.

To begin with, peppermint is Anti-emetic (prevents vomiting) and also promotes the formation of bile in the gall bladder for better digestion of fat. Many people find the taste of this tea to be very strong, but one can adjust the strength by dilution according to the taste.

Ginger tea is a venerable solution for cold, cough and sickness in India. Hot ginger tea can be made either pure or with a ginger and herb mix. Raspberry leaf tea is a boon for pregnant women to overcome morning sickness as it is said to be a tonic for the uterus.

Based on your needs, you can pick and choose which teas and their benefits you’d want to explore! Hope this article helps you. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more articles like this, check out Healthy Reads. To know more about teas and other concoctions that can help you, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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