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Myths and Health Benefits of Meditation

Benefits-of-Meditation

Stress can be dangerous. Here is a link to a blog on Stress

http://goqii.com/blog/avoid-stress-lead-a-healthy-and-happy-life/

In this blog, I am going to talk about meditation and its health benefits in detail. Most foreigners  are it the Americans or the Europeans aren’t raised to sit and say “Om.” But, today whether it is outside of India or within our country at every nook and corner you can find a yoga and meditation centre. Meditation has gained millions of converts, helping them ease chronic pain, anxiety, stress, improve heart health, boost mood and immunity, and resolve a lot of medical issues even pregnancy problems.

According to doctors, any condition that’s caused or worsened by stress can be alleviated through meditation. Peace is something we all seek for or let’s say satisfaction is something we all long for. Satisfaction could be different for different people. For some satisfaction could mean happiness, for some it could be an achievement. The influence of external factors in our life largely decides our state of mind to be happy, sad or angry.

We often seek for happiness or peace in the outside world. People have their own ways of finding peace or relaxing their mind. Most common practice is going out of town or getting away from our usual routine. It’s very necessary to find peace within us as not everyone can afford to go out of station often. So here is what we can do and also save some money in the process to reach our goal of happiness and peace- MEDITATE.

Meditation you can transform the mind. Meditation doesn’t mean that you have to sit in a particular posture and focus on any single point on the wall or certain point. The definition of meditation is different for different people. If you ask me, meditation is the art of focusing our attention (100%) in one area. We all believe that our mind gets maximum rest while sleeping; however, the fact is that our mind gets to rest and relief while meditating.

Doctors who recommend meditation say that the relaxation response [from meditation] helps decrease metabolism, lowers blood pressure and improves heart rate, breathing, and brain waves. Tension and tightness seep from muscles as the body receives a quiet message to relax.

Articles in medical journals on Meditation indicate there is scientific evidence that shows how meditation works. In people who are meditating, brain scans called MRI have shown an increase in activity in areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Other studies on Buddhist monks have shown that meditation produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involved in attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.

There are some dangerous myths about meditation like:

1.          Meditation is a religion: Meditation is not related to any religion. However, meditation brings all religion together.

2.         Just relaxation: Meditation is not about just relaxation like sitting on your sofa or lying on your resting chair, meditation helps to produce specific chemical changes in the brain. For example, Transcendental meditation is known to cause the brain to release a soothing hormone known as prolactin.

3.         Sit in the lotus posture to meditate: There is a myth that meditating you should always sit in a lotus posture. However, while meditating it is more important to be comfortable and steady. You can sit cross-legged, on a chair, in a sofa – it is fine, but it is mandatory that you have to maintain the same position till you finish meditating.

4.         Meditation is for old people: Most of the people believe that meditation is only for people who have reached a certain age or for old people. That is so untrue. Meditation is universal and anyone can do it. It adds value to lives of people of all age groups. A study in the American Journal of Hypertension showed that teenagers who meditated for 15 minutes twice a day for four months were able to lower their blood pressure a few points.10 minutes of meditation in the morning clean your mind, it gives zeal and enthusiasm.

5.         Meditation is like hypnotizing yourself: Most of the people believe that Meditation is hypnotising you. But, that’s again false. In hypnotism no one is aware what he or she is going through, however, in meditation, you are always aware of each and every moment.

If you are feeling tense, tired, depressed or anxious or stressed, the one simple word I can suggest or recommend is ‘Meditation’. Five to 10 minutes of meditation will help you relax and get over your stress and restore your calm and inner peace.

Anyone can start meditating with a small practice. It’s really very simple and does not require you to visit therapists or a practitioner of meditation. It also does not require any equipment. You can practice meditation whenever and wherever you are – in office, home, on the bus or train, or waiting at the doctor’s clinic or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

Meditation works as a medicine of mind and body and produces a deep state of relaxation.  During meditation, we centralize our attention and get rid of the unwanted stress-causing thoughts. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Some great Benefits of Meditation:

Psychological Benefits: Reduces stress and anxiety, increases creativity and intelligence. Reduces depression, increases learning ability, reasoning and memory power, reduces irritability and moodiness, Feelings of vitality and rejuvenation, increase emotional control, self-esteem, alertness, Improves relationships and also concentration

Physiological Benefits: May help lower blood pressure, Prevents or relives any pain, boosts immune system- with meditation higher levels of antibodies are produced against the flu virus, according to the study in Psychosomatic Medicine, lowers blood cholesterol levels, improves airflow through the respiratory system, especially in those with asthma, Youngers your biological age.

Women can also benefit from meditation. Quoting a study from an article in WebMD, the article says that PMS symptoms subsided by 58% when women meditated. certain other issues such as anxiety, depression, and fatigue can also be reduced by a regular meditation program.

 

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The Brain-boosting foods

mixed-nuts-kernels

We are very well aware that what we eat affects our body. Not-so-surprisingly, it also affects our mood, the brain functioning, our memory, and even our ability to think, handle stress or simple daily tasks.

Maintaining weight and staying fit shouldn’t be the only goal, but we also need to make sure we eat the right foods so that our body functions at its best and our organs stay healthy too. I would now like to throw some light on the high-powered organic engine of our body- The Brain!

Our brain regulates innumerable complex functions in our body and is constantly working even when we sleep! It stores an incredible amount of information in the form of images, texts and concepts.

We need to ensure that we constantly supply the fuel that our brain needs for its round the clock functioning. The best fuel for our brain is- Glucose, which is obtained from the carbohydrate-rich foods that we consume- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.

Apart from this main driving fuel, our brain also requires certain specific nutrients just like our heart, lungs or muscles do, to run efficiently.

Nutrients like Vitamin E, iron, folate, essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vitamin C, B12, zinc, etc. play a vital role in our cognitive functioning.

Let’s have a look at the foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy-

1) Nuts-

Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, are extremely good for the brain and nervous system. They are packed with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Our brain is made up of 60% fat and low levels of good fats in food and body can contribute to depression, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Vitamin E has been shown to prevent dementia by protecting the brain from free radicals.

2) Fatty Fish-

The active form of omega-3 fats, i.e. EPA and DHA, occur naturally in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, etc. Make sure you do not fry these fish as Omega 3 gets destroyed at high temperatures. Steaming or grilling is the best method to cook fish.

DHA is an essential during pre and postnatal brain development. In infants, DHA is needed for the growth of brain cells and other brain structures. It has not only shown to improve memory but also prevents the age-related memory loss. Greater incorporation of DHA into cell membranes prevents the brain, especially the neurons from oxidative stress.

3) Dark Green Leafy Vegetables-

Vegetables like collard greens, spinach, broccoli are good sources of B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, iron, folic acid, fibre, etc. These nutrients protect against free radicals and excavate the heavy metals that can damage the brain.

Folic acid is linked to lowering the levels of homocysteine ( a non-protein amino acid) in the blood, which otherwise may trigger the death of nerve cells in the brain.

4) Avocados-

This creamy treat is a rich source of MUFA, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It also comes with many antioxidants of its own, including vitamin E and Vitamin C, which protects the body and the brain from free radical damage.

5) Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds

They are packed with Vitamin E and contain a rich mix of protein, omega fatty acids, and B complex vitamins. These seeds also contain tryptophan, which the brain converts into serotonin to boost mood and combat depression.

We can sprinkle them on top of our salad or consume directly as a snack… well, I would say, a Brain-boosting Snack!

6) Berries:

These are antioxidant powerhouse which protects the brain from oxidative damage due to the free radicals which can prevent premature ageing, Alzheimer’s and dementia. The flavonoids in the berries also improve the nervous impulse transmission, improve memory, learning, and all cognitive functions.

7) Dark Chocolate:

Here’s a good news for the chocolate lovers! The flavonols in chocolate improve blood vessel functioning, which in turn ensures smooth flow of blood to the brain thereby improving our cognitive functions and memory. Chocolate also stabilizes our mood and eases our pain (goes without saying). Hey, but not to forget, moderation is the key! 2 pieces of 70-80% dark chocolate are more than enough to keep our mood and the brain cells happy.

It’s a list of simple foods that are easily available and we do consume these on and off. We can now pay a special attention to them and consume them more often to keep our Brain super-healthy!

 

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“There is lot of positivity among us and that is being witnessed by people all around us”

Rajnish, Reena and Rimuksh at the practice session for Oxfam trailwalker

Rajnish Kansal and Reena Kansal, both in their mid-forties is a happy couple with two happy kids. They are a fit family that firmly believes in healthy eating and being active daily to be able to lead a great life. And all this change happened within a year of following the GOQii Lifestyle.

Let’s hear Rajnish and his family’s story in their own words.

Just to give you’ll a background, I am 47 years of age and work for a food company that manufactures and sells processed food products. I was always an active person for many years at a stretch until one day I took up this vice called ‘smoking’. For 19 long years, I was a heavy smoker. In 2006 one fine day I decided I have had enough and wanted to quit smoking – and in a spur of the moment, I just quit.

Once I had quit smoking I wanted to get back to rebuilding the damage to my body. However, I didn’t know where to start from. I started following many things together without any tangible visible results. Then one of my ex-bosses motivated me towards the path of health and about 6 years ago I started my journey with first eating right. I started the process with whatever little knowledge I had and could glean from whatever sources and got into an active lifestyle. But, there was no proper regime and no discipline attached to it. It was just all over the place.

It was in end-December 2014 that I got to know of GOQii and the coach service that it provides. I decided to give it a shot, and my journey with GOQii started exactly a year ago on 2nd of January 2015, today, I can confidently say that it has been one of the best decisions of my life.

Through constant guidance from my coach and internal motivation from within the GOQii ecosystem, I have physically become stronger with an increase in my muscle mass so much so that I “dared” to participate in the 100 km Trailwalk along with my wife in November 2015 – together both of us completed it in approx. 38.5 hours! This year I am hoping that my son will also join us. I also run the half marathons regularly.

I do indulge myself in cheat eating. But, it is guilt-free eating and only once in a while. I am not counting calories but I am conscious guilt-free eating and how much? Working for a processed food company… GOQii is a redemption for me!

Within a month’s time of me getting my GOQii band, my wife started noticing the positive changes in me and got interested. And, I gifted her a GOQii band last year on the Valentine’s Day.

Reena Kansal says: “It is one of the best gifts that I have ever got in all these years.”  My food habits had already gone through a change after Rajnish got the band. So even without a band, I was following everything that Rajnish was being guided on. Post getting my own band, GOQii has brought in a lot of positives to me.

My food patterns have changed. While I was always a small eater at regular intervals, what I was eating was not always healthy. Now, I eat everything but, I am conscious of eating healthy. So much so that our household cooking has become healthier and kids have also readily accepted that. It’s been a major shift for us towards eating healthy and keeping fit.  Earlier I used to go to the gym but not very regularly. Forget counting steps there was no proper regime to do anything. Now I have set a goal for myself to clock at least 13k steps daily.

I work for a fashion apparel company and am always on the move. Prior to GOQii, I did not have any routine but, ever since I have been on GOQii platform there is discipline in life. Now, I am supercharged and raring to go – No more being lethargic and tired. These days when I exercise, I do not give up easily. My energy levels have certainly gone up a lot.

“After my wife, I got my son who is 14 years old introduced to GOQii and subsequently my daughter who is 12 years old. My family has also got moving with me now”.

My kids changed their school last academic year and the kids have felt the positivity having the profound impact in their new environment as well so much so that they are now supercharged and participate in various physical activities like races etc.

 Rimuksh Kansal says: I like the GOQii way of life. I used to eat lots of sugar and sweets. Now I can control myself to eat sweets and junk food. It’s been six months since I have eaten chips.  Also, I wake up at 6 am on my own. After I am back from school at 3 pm I step out at 6 pm to play. I wanted to do the Trailwalk with my parents but, I could not as I am underage. However, I did go for the 3 practice sessions and completed them as well. This ability in me is something that my coach Neha Morche has brought out. I would say, GOQii has made me a lot more active than I was earlier.

Rijul Kansal is a chirpy and lively child. She is supercharged and she says: I got my band last year and I feel really good about being on GOQii. It has done a lot of good for me. I have changed my eating habits. Earlier I used to eat a lot of junk food but now I do not. I probably have once in a while where there is a picnic or something. However, I am able to control the urge for junk food. I follow everything my coach says. She has thrown a challenge of eating one fruit daily this month which I am trying to keep up. Until last year, I did not go participate much in the weekly GOQII event Active Sunday. But this year I have promised myself I will attend all Active Sundays and be very active. Because of GOQii, I am fit now. Before I had my GOQii band, I used to always fall ill during winters but last year I only fell once and that too because I had a cold drink. I do not get stressed because I am active. So I am able to participate in all school activities. Since I love running, during PT sessions I can easily run two rounds of the ground continuously without stopping.

Unfortunately, both the kids are unable to wear the band during the school hours – their school has a strict “no gadgets” rule – however, what is noteworthy is that they manage to clock their steps over the weekend and above all they understand what mindful eating and being active is and how it’s keeping them healthy.

Taking over from his kids, Rajnish continues, earlier we had a hard time living mindfully, but with GOQii, we are all aware when we are not moving. There are days when I look down to check my steps and if I find that I have not clocked enough steps then I go for long walks with my family – this gives me an opportunity to not only complete my step count target but also to spend quality time with the family.

We are now truly a GOQii family. The GOQii Active Sundays have become an inseparable part of our lives – as a family, we are some of the most active players of GOQii in Delhi – and all four of us are each other’s support system. The kids love it, and Reena and I love the fact that we were giving them tools to stay healthy as they get older. And to top it all, we have an awesome set of friends now, all with a similar motto in life – be physically and mentally healthy!

For us, wellness has now acquired meaning in its entirety – physical and mental, both and for the whole family.  We are physically active and mentally we are far calmer now – we have started spending a lot of time with each other and pursuing new stress-busting hobbies like painting, calligraphy etc. And we are very happy, from within. In the last one year, I have realized that our demeanour has become extremely positive that people have started noticing it in all of us.

Thank you, GOQii! We sure appreciate being a part of the Ecosystem that supports us every step of the way in being healthy!

Coach Anushree Ashtekar on Rajnish

“Rajnish is one of the best GOQii players I have worked with. I remember; when he had come on board, we had set his health goals as reducing fat percentage, increasing stamina, bring high uric acid level under control and bringing about work-life balance.

He was an athlete during his college days but, fast-paced work life caught up with him. He had specifically mentioned that he wanted me to be a pushy coach; so, I became one! We brought about a major difference in his daily food intake by improving meal quality and that helped him in fat loss. Simultaneously, we also worked on the exercise part. With time, uric acid level improved and body fat percentage improved too.

Rajnish is a person who believes in not only taking care of his own health but, has strong views on today’s generation getting fitness conscious. His wife, son, and daughter are also GOQii players. This is one power-packed family who is regular at the GOQii Active Sunday sessions!

Rajnish’s love and determination for good health and fitness and his faith in me as his coach have given us awesome results. We are now working on progression in exercise and bringing about work-life balance. Am sure, like our other goals, Rajnish will achieve these too!”

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Know your blood/ serum Creatinine

creatinine-private-blood-tests-in-london

When it comes to blood tests, most are aware of blood sugar, cholesterol or haemoglobin levels. In the current times, we also know about Vitamin B12, D, and Calcium etc. But, have you ever come across “blood/serum creatinine levels”?

Recently, I came across somebody I know well with high levels of high blood/ serum creatinine levels. And, observed there is a lot of confusion between “Blood/serum creatinine levels” & “creatinine” that one takes as a supplement while working out in the gym. These are two different things. In this blog, I am talking about –Blood Creatinine.

What does it means when you have high blood creatinine levels?

Creatinine is produced in the body constantly. It is a by-product of creatinine phosphate in the muscle. Its value depends on the muscle mass that one has. Creatinine is carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys. It is filtered out by the kidneys and thrown out of the body through urine. The kidneys maintain the creatinine levels in the blood to a normal range. A creatinine level is an indicator of kidney function. High creatinine levels is a warning for impaired kidney function.

High level of creatinine is found during:

  1. Impaired kidney function
  2. kidney disease like glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis
  3. Prostate disease
  4. Kidney Stones (urinary tract blockage)
  5. Heart disease
  6. Diabetes
  7. Medicines like ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist (or angiotensin receptor blocker, ARB) taken.

creatinine-blood-test-s1-illustration

Creatinine Blood Test should be done if following symptoms are seen:

  1. fatigue and trouble sleeping
  2. loss of appetite
  3. swelling in the face, wrists, ankles, or abdomen
  4. lower back pain near the kidneys
  5. changes in urine output and frequency
  6. high blood pressure
  7. nausea
  8. vomiting

Normal Values of the Creatinine in Blood:

In male – 0.6 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

In female – 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

Infant – 0.2 milligram per dl of blood or above (due to less muscle mass).

A person with one kidney – 1.8 to 1.9 milligram per dl of the blood.

Lifestyle & Dietary modifications for high creatinine:

  1. Reduce water/fluid intake: Fluid intake needs to be monitored. Do not restrict fluids unless there is a fluid overload problem. If fluid retention is a problem, limit salt intake.
  1. Limit salt intake (Sodium): You should control the amount of salt going through the food. Add minimum salt as required. High sodium will cause water retention. Cut down on salt, cheese, pickles, instant soups, roasted and salted seeds and nuts & all types of fast foods. Specifically, avoid canned foods.
  1. Limit Potassium: Low-salt substitutes are not good either, as they contain high levels of potassium. Restricted eating high potassium containing such as tomato, potato, nuts and chocolates etc.
  1. Limit Phosphorus: Excess phosphorus can cause total kidney failure as well as bone disease and heart ailments. Reduce dairy products including milk, curd, and cheese. Cut down intake of foods like Shellfish, nuts, soya bean foods etc.
  1. Control Calcium: It is another concern for kidney patients, causing serious bone disease in later years if not controlled.
  1. Low protein diet: Low protein diet is recommended to reduce creatinine level. This avoids build-up of excess urea.
  1. Cigarettes and Alcohol: kill you anyway and, also does not help in the case of high Creatinine either.
  1. With diet control, the portion size also matters. If you eat in excess, the nutritional value changes considerably.
  1. Be active & Exercise regularly: High-intensity exercise could lead to impressive results. It may also help lower your risk for high blood pressure and diabetes which are the two main causes that lead to developing CKD (Chronic Kidney Diseases).

 Fruits and vegetables that are advised/not advised in kidney diseases:

  • It is advisable to take peaches, broccoli, onion, grapes, cabbage, pepper, cherries, cauliflower, apples, celery, berries, cucumber, pineapple, eggs, plums, green beans, tangerine, lettuce, watermelon and pears.
  • Restrict the intake of oranges and orange juice, asparagus, avocado, kiwi fruit, raisins or other dried fruits, bananas, cooked spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, prunes, etc.

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