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Wonder Grain: Rice and its benefits

rice

Rice is the most primitive and staple food in many cultures around the world. Many cuisines have the inclusion of rice to make their meals fuller and tastier. Apart from all this it is an important cereal crop that feeds more than half of the world’s population.

Right from its origin it has been an easy to grow, cook and digestive food grain for everyone. Majority of the cuisines include rice as a main course in many different forms.

But, strangely in the current times most avoid rice as it is considered bad when it comes to health. This is only a myth. If we go back in time rice was one of the most used food item in meals and people consuming it were more healthy, fit and thin as compared to today’s condition of where we find more cases of obesity, big waist size, big belly, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

Rice is a complex carbohydrate and contains essential amino acids (methionine) that helps in mobilizing the fat from liver and when combined with legume or pulses it becomes a complete protein to provide good muscle growth. Thus, it’s a blessing for vegetarians. Rice when combined with some protein or fiber rich food becomes slow absorbing and hence there is no issue of sudden rise in the blood glucose with it. Diabetics out there,put it back on your plate and relish your taste buds all over again.

Also would like to take this opportunity to clear the myth that “Rice is fatty”, the fact is that Rice is high on carbohydrates and when taken in wrong quantity, combination and timing then it can lead to fat gain, as a result of excess carbohydrates, which the body could not burn.

Listing out some great advantages of this wonder grain:

  • It is an excellent source of Vitamins and Minerals like Niacin, Vitamin D, Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Thiamine and Riboflavin. Thus, it helps in metabolism, immunity and better functioning of organs.
  • Gives you instant energy
  • Light on your stomach to digest thus best to have when sick
  • Best food for high blood pressure.
  • Aids in Digestion
  • Gluten, Sodium & Cholesterol free.
  • Rice abounds in resistant starch, which reaches the bowels in an undigested form. This type of starch stimulates the growth of useful bacteria that help with normal bowel movements.
  • Insoluble rice is very useful in reducing the effects of conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and diarrhea.
  • The starch water from rice is utilised as medication for various skin infections.
  • Rice being high on various vitamins, phyto nutrients and carbohydrates, it becomes the best source of post workout meal for endurance athletes. To replenish their glycogen, help in relieving cramps and overall calming effect to the body. One reason have it in your dinner menu.

Too much of anything is not good, so do eat your rice but at timings & combinations which will help you burn it all.

Best time: Morning, Lunch, Post workout, Sick, Dinner (Combine it with a protein or fiber rich food to get the best taste and results).

Another question that often comes to me from my clients is which rice to have? Will give you more info on types of rice in the next blog. For now, opt for the white rice, husk removed and hand polished. As all of this retains the necessary nutrients in the white rice. 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.

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5 Breathing exercises for boosting immunity

breathing techniques for better sleep

Breathing exercises or “PRANAYAM’, the word is derived from ‘Prana‘ which stands for ‘life force’ and ‘Ayama‘ which means ‘to lengthen or to work on it’. Prana, in yogic terms, means the force within the body that is vital for the functioning of the body as well as its vitality. Breath is our vital source of energy. Did you know that we can throw out 80 per cent of the toxins from our body by breathing correctly? The key to healthy and happy living lies in right breathing. When we attend to our breath, it can heal us from within.

Our cells regenerate all the time, and cannot regenerate without oxygen. Breathing is the fastest and most efficient way for our bodies to get oxygen. Deep breathing helps our immune system regenerate cells in order to fight infection and any other ailments that affect us. Certain breathing exercises have shown to greatly increase the efficiency of our immune system. The better the air quality and the deeper you breathe the more you can help your immune system work properly. Routinely practicing deep breathing exercises can improve your overall immune system.

Benefits of  Pranayama to Boost Immunity

  • Pranayama enhances and stimulates the immune system
  • Improves function and strengthens cells, tissue, glands and organs
  • Pranayama releases stress, anxiety and depression
  • Removes heart blockages
  • Cures heart problems
  • Boosts overall health and cures many health issues
  • Pranayama increases blood circulation
  • Cures Aasthma, Headache, Migraine, Neurological problems, Depression, Gastric problems
  1. Cat and Cow breathing exercise:

Cat-Cow-Pose-in-Vinyasa

This is a great yoga sequence that helps to improve circulation and clear congestion in the bronchial region and sinuses.

Benefits of Cat and Cow breathing exercise:

  • It stimulates digestion and, through muscular contraction and extension, pumps blood and lymphatic fluid through the thoracic muscle groups.
  • It increases cardiovascular fitness and helps stimulate the kidneys while relieving stress from the neck and shoulder area, and extending the lumbar spine region.

How to do it:

  • Rest your arms and knees on the floor. On the inhale breath, lift and expand the front chest up and forward, elongate your throat, draw your shoulders back, and curve your middle spine downwards as you tuck in your tailbone.
  • On a strong exhale, tuck your chin to your throat, pull in your belly, and arch your spine upwards (like an angry cat), rolling your shoulders forward and down to compress the front chest.
  • Inhale to Cow Pose and exhale to Cat Pose with a fluid up-and-down, wave-like motion of the spine and torso. Repeat the cycle 5 times.
  1. Kapal Bhati Pranayam:

kapal bhati

Kapal meaning skull, Bhati meaning shining and pranayama meaning breathing technique. It is a great breathing exercise and can improve bodily functions. This breathing exercise can remove 80% of the toxins in our body through the outgoing breath. Regular practice of Kapal Bhati Pranayama can help detoxify all the systems in our body.

Benefits of Kapal Bhati:

  • Helps in increasing the metabolic rate
  • Improves digestive functioning, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients
  • Improves blood circulation and nervous system functioning

How to do it:

  • Sit at a comfortable place with your spine straight. Place your hands on the knees with palms open to the sky.
  • Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, pull your stomach in. Pull your navel in back towards the spine. Do as much as you comfortably can. You may keep your right hand on the stomach to feel the abdominal muscles contract.
  • As you relax the navel and abdomen, the breath flows into your lungs automatically.
  • Take 15-20 such breaths to complete one round of Kapal Bhati Pranayama.
  • After completing the round, relax with your eyes closed
  • Do two more rounds of Kapal Bhati Pranayam.

3.       Bee Breath (Bhramari Pranayam)

bee breathe

Bhramari Pranayama or the humming Bee Breath produces a sound similar to the humming of a bee. Bhramari comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Bramar’ which means a kind of black Indian bee. Bhramari pranayama has a soothing effect on the brain and calms the mind. Gives relief if you have a slight headache

 Benefits of Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath)

  • Helps mitigate migraines
  • Helps clear the nasal and ear canals
  • Clears the sinuses
  • Helps in improving concentration and memory
  • Effective in reducing blood pressure

How to do it:

  • Sit in a peaceful place with your spine erect
  • Place your index fingers on the cartilage between your cheek and ear
  • Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, gently press the cartilage. You can keep the cartilage pressed or press it in and out with your fingers while making a loud humming sound like a bee
  • Breathe in again and continue the same pattern 4-5 times.

Precautions for doing Bhramari Pranayama

  • Ensure that you are not putting your finger inside the ear but on the cartilage
  • Don’t press the cartilage too hard. Gently press and release with the finger
  • While making the humming sound, keep your mouth closed
  1. Dog Breathing Exercise

Dog Breathing cleanses and detoxifies the body while expelling the toxins out from deep inside your tissues. The sharp contracting movements while practicing Dog Breathing strengthens the abdominal muscles.

Benefits of Dog breathing:

  • It beneficial in preventing fat deposition in the abdominal area,
  • Helps in improving the respiratory capacity and prevents the person from catching any respiratory disorder if practiced regularly.

How to do it:

  • Sit in Easy Pose with your chin in and your chest out. Stick your tongue all the way out and keep it out as you rapidly breathe in and out through your mouth. This is called Dog Breath. Continue this breath for 3-5 minutes.
  • To finish, inhale, and hold your breath for 15 seconds and press the tongue against the upper palate. Exhale. Repeat this sequence two more times.
  • Beginners can start with 15- 20 seconds and gradually reach up to 1 and then up to 5 minutes.
  1. Bhastrika Pranayama

bhastarika

It strengthens the immune power. Practice Bhastrika Pranayama for 10 minutes in the morning and evening on an empty stomach daily for one month.

Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayam

  • Helps reduce episodes of cold, cough and flu
  • Improves thyroid function and tonsils

How to do it:

  • Sit comfortably on the flat ground.
  • Take a deep breath through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale with a hissing sound.
  • Inhale deeply and exhale completely.
  • Do this for 2 min to 5 minutes max

Precautions for Bhastrika Pranayama

Those suffering from lungs, heart problems and high blood pressure should practice slowly. High blood pressure patients should exhale through the mouth instead of the nose.

Incorporating these simple yet powerful breathing exercises into your daily routine can significantly boost your immunity and improve your overall health. Practice regularly and feel the transformative effects on your body and mind. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Vitamin B12: The Energy Nutrient many of you should be thinking about!

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As a medical practitioner, I am appalled by the number of patients suffering from B12 deficiency. Patients complain about fatigue, vague pains, tingling, numbness, loss of concentration. Many tests are conducted with no results and the one missed is the test for vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace element – cobalt – which gives this vitamin its chemical name – cobalamin – which is at the centre of its molecular structure.

B12 is required

  • For the manufacture of red blood cells; deficiency leads to a characteristic kind of anemia
  • To support the normal function of nerve cells, and to manufacture myelin, the insulating material that surrounds some of our nerve cells and speeds neural transmission. B12 deficiency impairs brain function. Advanced B12 deficiency causes dementia resembling Alzheimer’s.
  • The deficiency leads to difficulty in regeneration of new healthy cells- mimics all of the effects of aging.
  • B12 is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.

Vitamin B12 is produced by some species of bacteria in colon. The colon is followed by the small intestine & is a part of large intestine and hence the B12 produced there is not absorbed which results in the need of supplementation.

Who should be concerned about B12 deficiency?

  1. If you are or were a vegetarians / a vegan – get yourself tested
  2. Babies born to mothers who are vegetarians
  3. Risk of B12 deficiency increases with age. So test yourself and fortify your meals
  4. Pernicious anaemia – is an autoimmune condition that affects your stomach. In your stomach, Vitamin B12 is combined with a protein called intrinsic factor. This mix of Vitamin B12 and intrinsic factor is then absorbed into the body in part of the gut called the distal ileum. Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb Vitamin B12.
  5. Conditions affecting your intestines – E.g. Crohn’s disease (a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system)
  6. Some types of medicine – E.g. proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) –a medication sometimes used to treat indigestion – can make a Vitamin B12 deficiency worse.
  7. People suffering from Atrophic Gastritis (the stomach line becomes thin)
  8. Surgery where a part of the stomach is removed, including weight loss surgery like bariatric surgery.
  9. Smoking, drinking & stress increases the requirement of B12
  10. Few autoimmune disorders
  11. Chronic illnesses leads to a deficiency of this diseases

Move towards a B12 rich diet if you have the following symptoms

  • Weakness, tiredness, dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Smooth tongue
  • Palpitations and dyspnea
  • Pale skin
  • Constipation, diarrhea, a loss of appetite, or dyspepsia
  • Nerve problems – numbness or tingling, muscle weakness,
  • Loss of weight
  • Mental problems – memory loss, or behavioral changes, confusions
  • Glove & stocking neuropathy (tingling of palms & forearms, feet till knees) – in this scenario B12 deficiency is the majorly deficient apart from other nutrients

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Sources of B12

Sources of B12 are animal products (meat, fish, and dairy products), fortified foods. Ensure sufficient quantities of these foods to maintain your B12 levels. If your count is low, consider oral or injectable forms of the vitamin. But why reach that stage?

Have the above mentioned foods in your routine.  The best part of this Energy Nutrient is that the excess is excreted by the body or stored in the liver for use when supplies are scarce. Stores of B12 can last for up to a year. Unfortunately sometimes catching the B12 deficiency late can result in permanent damage. Any neurological damage due to B12 deficiency cannot be reversed. Ensure that your B12 levels are maintained at levels 200 to 900 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

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Fluid Replacement and Athletic Performance

water_intake

I am not sure how many of you know that hydration and athletic performance is connected? In this blog, I am precisely going to tell you this aspect. Adequate fluid replacement helps maintain hydration and, therefore, promotes the health, safety, and optimal physical performance of individuals participating in the regular physical activity.

Dehydration can compromise athletic performance and increase the risk of exertion heat injury. Athletes do not voluntarily drink sufficient water to prevent dehydration during physical activity.

The two main factors influencing early fatigue and impaired performance (both physical and mental) in all types of sports and exercise are depletion of body levels of Carbohydrate and/or fluid. Fluid replacement is probably the most important nutritional concern for athletes. As an athlete exercise, fluid is lost through the skin as sweat and through lungs when an athlete breathes. If this fluid is not replaced at regular intervals during exercise, the athlete can become dehydrated bringing about metabolic changes.

Hypohydration (total body water below normal) impairs the body’s ability to regulate heat resulting in increased body temperature and an elevated heart rate. Perceived exertion is increased causing the athlete to feel more fatigued than usual at a given work rate. Mental function is reduced which can have negative implications for motor control, decision making and concentration.

Gastric emptying is slowed, resulting in stomach discomfort. All these effects lead to impairment in exercise performance. Most types of exercise are adversely affected by hypohydration, especially when they are undertaken in hot conditions, and negative effects have been detected when fluid deficits are as low as 2 %

Recommended water intake before, during and after sport/workout

Before Sports

Drinking fluids prior to exercise appear to reduce or delay the detrimental effects of dehydration.

  • 1 to 2 hours before sports: 4 to 8 ounces of cold water
  • 10 to 15 minutes before sports: 4 to 8 ounces of cold water
  • A good meal with containing water (e.g. fruits).

During Sports

  • Every 20 minutes: 5 to 9 ounces of a sports drink, depending on weight (5 for a child weighing 88 pounds, 9 ounces for a child weighing 132 pounds)
  • Any time a child feels thirsty
  • Encourage drinking fluids during timeouts and breaks
  • Encourage drinking from their own fluid container and avoid sharing with others
  • Encourage the ability to drink whenever they want and not to wait until they are told to take a break
  • Adjust fluid needs during practice according to the weather, the amount of equipment worn, and practice duration and intensity.

After Sports

Post-exercise hydration should aim to correct any fluid lost during the practice and help the body to recover from the sports activity:

  • Within the first 30 minutes after exercise, drink chocolate milk or a specially formulated sports drink containing protein and carbohydrates such as Gatorade G3 Recover.  Not only do they hydrate but, the protein helps the body recover from exercise by enhancing muscle repair, and the carbohydrate replenishes glycogen stores in muscles, which are a source of fuel during prolonged exercise of an hour or more.
  • Within two hours: 20-24 ounces of a sports drink for every pound (16 ounces) of weight loss
  • Replace all fluids lost during exercise plus any lost after exercise through urination
  • Eat a good meal with foods containing water

Given the above before, during and after sports water intake recommendations, one should follow these properly for healthy and active life

Proper hydration is the cornerstone of athletic excellence. Understanding the connection between fluid balance and performance can significantly enhance your physical and mental well-being during sports activities. Follow these recommended water intake strategies to fuel your body for peak performance and sustained health. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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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 […]