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Celebrate Occasions with Health: Tips for Eating Well at Parties, Festivals, and Weddings

always eat healthy

We Asians relate food to almost every occasion. Be it any occasion- happy times or sad, food plays an important role in our lives.

Birthdays remind us of cakes, weddings of a large buffet spread of delicious food and desserts and festivals of all the goodies. India is such a vast country with so many cultures and religions that we celebrate one festival almost every other week. Secondly, we Indians are highly social people and we have loads of relatives who visit us or we visit them, we also have a lot of business meetings taking place over food.

Given this background how does one stay fit? People are constantly making excuses to not exercise or eat healthy. The list is never ending and neither are the excuses to not stay fit.

Why do we make such excuses? The biggest reason being the perception that most have about dieting. Diet to most Indians means eating just salads, fruits and tasteless food and that they are forbidden from eating their favourite foods or desserts. But, little do we realise that dieting is not all about salads or fruits, instead, it is all about achieving the right balance of all the nutrients required in your diet. You can also have that occasional junk but, we need to maintain a right balance between junk and wholesome food.

An average Indian also lacks basic knowledge of foods and is easily fooled by the junk market and not to forget some less aware doctors, dieticians, newspaper articles add more to the confusion. In such a scenario what does one do?

If you ask me I would say anything in excess is bad. You eat too much of salads and raw foods you will end up with a bloated stomach. Therefore the best way to lead a healthy life is to maintain a good balance of the healthy and the not so healthy.

Not all our traditional food is bad. In fact, we have such a unique cooking culture that every region has different cooking styles and this is something that is influenced by the climate, soil fertility and the crops grown and yes, that is what is healthy!

The olive oil that travels from Italy or middle-east is not the trend we should follow, we should stick to our local grown peanut oil (Gujarat/Maharashtra), Sesame (Til) oil (Punjab), Coconut oil (south). So why are we fat and not fit compared to our grandparents and ancestors, despite having so much access to all the information about health and nutrition?

We eat the non-traditional foods such as burgers, pizzas, pasta etc too often and our grandparents traditionally stayed in joint families and worked in farms all day, the food was limited and physical exercise in the form of working on the farm was very high. We have now come down to nuclear families and abundance of food. To cut it short, we need to eat local wherever on the globe we are, because local food is customised to suit local people for better health.

Some tips to eat healthy when eating on many above illustrated occasions:

  • Eat the traditionally fried, baked or sweet foods but in controlled portions
  • Drink more water, at least 3 litres every day, if you stay outside in the sun a lot then you definitely need more water intake.
  • Make the traditional delicacies at home so you know there is no adulteration in the ingredients.
  • On festive occasions like Holi, Eid, Lori relish the milk based sweet drinks (Thandai and Shirkurma, Lassi) all of which contain really healthy spices and nuts.
  • Do not force anybody to eat more, change the trend by avoiding fried food and offering healthy sweets. Also, if someone says they are on a diet, help them follow it and don’t push food down their throat.
  • If possible take tasters of food and appreciate healthy food. However, never mention you are on a diet, trust me you will be the biggest target at the party to eat.
  • If the food is heavy, avoid the dessert. But, if you have a major sweet tooth, eat a smaller main course to accommodate the sweet.
  • Limit alcoholic drinks to 1-2. Banning soda is the best thing you can do for your body.

Embrace the joy of celebrations without compromising on your health. Follow these tips to enjoy traditional foods in moderation and maintain a balanced diet during parties, festivals, and weddings. Share your own healthy eating tips in the comments below! For personalised guidance on nutrition and wellness, connect with our experts through GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. Start making healthier choices today!

#BeTheForce

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Ways To Balance Your Hormones Naturally

balance your hormones naturally

Hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little hormone in the bloodstream and because of their essential role in the body, even small hormonal imbalances can cause side effects throughout the body. While some hormone levels fluctuate throughout your lifetime and may just be a result of natural aging, other changes occur when your endocrine glands get impacted either by external or internal factors.

Importance of Rebalancing Hormones

It is extremely important to balance your hormones as soon as you become aware of the changes that happen to your body. Every other day, I come across a player who has a hormonal issue and it makes me want to pen down the importance of balancing your hormones. Here are some of those points: 

  1. The more balanced your hormone levels, the higher you function – physically, mentally and emotionally
  2. A healthy hormone balance boosts your brain health
  3. Balancing your hormones helps you control your appetite, weight and mood
  4. It helps fight harmful bacteria, viruses and promotes an overall clean function

What Changes Will You Observe? 

  • More energy, productivity and a positive outlook towards life
  • Less cravings for sweets, junk and fatty foods
  • Clear Skin (no acne and scars)
  • No hair fall
  • Increased libido
  • No muscle cramps or loss of energy
  • Regular periods
  • Well balanced metabolism
  • More easy weight loss
  • Improved sleep
  • Lower mood cravings

Ways to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

  • A portion of protein and Fiber in every meal: Consuming adequate amounts of protein is extremely important for hormones that control appetite and food intake. Protein and fibers will also boost your metabolism, which is important for weight loss – weight being a common issue of hormonal imbalance.
  • Regular Exercise: Simple walking or indulging in any sort of physical activity can turn out to be magical for you. You can choose any workout regimen like strength training, cardio, zumba, dance or body weight exercises –  whichever suits your health goal and schedule.
  • Healthy Fats: By including healthy fats in your daily diet you can rebalance your hormones naturally. Choose unsaturated fats over saturated and avoid consuming trans-fat. Some healthy fats include vegetable oil, oil from nuts and seeds, avocados and unrefined cold/wood pressed extra virgin olive oil. 
  • Eating foods rich in Omega 3: Fatty acids may help increase insulin sensitivity which can be helpful in weight loss as well as in rebalancing your hormones. Sources of Omega-3 fatty acid foods include fish and other seafood (especially salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines), walnuts, flax and chia seeds, seaweed, kidney beans, cod liver oil, and brussels sprouts. 
  • Manage Stress: It has been found that nearly 55% of the population in India is either dealing with chronic stress or depression which causes serious health issues including hormonal imbalance. So it is important to manage your stress. This can be done by talking to a person you are comfortable with, reading a book, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, walking, practicing gratitude, etc. 
  • Sleep Tight: The regulation and metabolism of several hormones are influenced by interactions between the effects of sleep and the hormones like the growth hormone, cortisol, melatonin, leptin and ghrelin which plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy levels of hormones that control appetite and blood glucose levels. So in order to get the results by implementing the above suggestion, it is important to get adequate sleep as poor sleep has been associated with imbalance of many hormones. Aim at getting 7-8 hours of good quality sleep to balance your hormones naturally.

Your hormones can be your best friend and worst enemy if not taken care of. So for that, eat healthy, stay active, sleep well and engage in healthy behaviors. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on hormone health, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Why Electrolytes are so important for our body?

067-healthy-food-4-health-benefits-of-milk-and-dairy-products

Ever wondered what to drink during and after an exercise session, more importantly if you are an athlete training intensely for your next run or next match or a practice session; well the options are galore like plain water, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice?

Which among these is the best and why? Are sports drinks better than plain water? Do they have some super energy ingredient or a magic formula that boosts performance?

Well the answer is yes, they do contain, not a magic formula but, a balanced proportion of ELECTROLYTES! So what are these electrolytes…let us understand their role and function in the human body.

Electrolytes are minerals which when dissolved in water; break into small electrically-charged particles called ions. These can either be positively-charged (anode) or negatively-charged (cathode) ions. Our body needs a balanced number of cathodes and anodes to stay healthy.

The most important electrolytes required by the human body are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride and phosphate. These are present in all body cells and fluids and play a vital role in maintaining proper hydration and balance of water within and between body cells. Each electrolyte has certain specific functions-

  • Calcium is responsible for building and maintaining strong bones, also plays a vital role in muscle and nerve functions, especially muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission i.e. transport of signals up and down the nerves which in turn directs the muscles to act
  • Sodium is the dominant positive ion which regulates body’s water content and also aids nerve communication.
  • Chloride is found in blood and fluid outer layer of cells; along with sodium it helps control body’s water content.
  • Potassium is needed to maintain normal functions of cells and muscles.
  • Magnesium helps convert blood sugar into energy, also supports over 300 enzyme reactions.
  • Phosphate facilitates absorption of calcium in bones as well as regulates the blood pH level.

As athletes train and perform. They sweat and lose fluids as well as electrolytes in the process. Drinking water replenishes hydration but, not electrolytes. In fact, drinking only water can sometimes dangerously dilute electrolytes in the body and worsen existing imbalance. This imbalance can manifest in form of symptoms like fatigue, muscle cramps, nausea, stomach cramps, stiff and achy joints, and even confusion and impaired judgement. In severe cases, seizures and even heart failure can occur. In other words, electrolyte depletion and imbalance can severely affect an athlete’s performance.

What can be done to prevent an electrolyte imbalance?

Sports drinks definitely play a role in reinstating electrolyte balance but, these are laden with sugar adding extra calories. A better way can be to indulge in foods rich in particular electrolytes like-

  • A salty meal like soup before a strenuous exercise session can help retain fluid and maintain hydration during exercise
  • Tomatoes, Olives, Lettuce help to replenish chloride
  • A large Banana contains 450-600 mg of Potassium
  • Melons, oranges, raisins or prunes, sweet potatoes, peas and beans are rich in sodium
  • Research shows that milk contains a mix of carbohydrates, calcium, sodium, potassium and good protein which aids muscle recovery.

Inclusion of these calcium rich foods like milk and cereal, yoghurt or latte in your diet helps a lot in creating Electrolyte balance.

We hope these insights into the importance of electrolytes in our body shed light on their crucial role. If you found this information helpful, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For a deeper understanding of nutrition and health, explore Healthy Reads. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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Breathing – A Forgotten Art

breathing

We eat 3-4 times a day, about 1.5kg of food, but we breathe 20,000 to 25,000 times a day – we intake about 20-25kg of air – We are not fully knowledgeable on breathing. Since it is an autonomous process, we do not – My research with Sleep naturally took me to research about “Breathing” and what I found out, woke me up (pun intended) and I decided to continue my blogs on Breathing.

3 external physical objects are consumed by us regularly. Life critically depends on them. Food, Water and Air. Food and Water can be paused through fasting for some time. But breathing cannot be paused beyond 10 minutes. Life will cease.

Only Free Divers can hold their breath for a maximum time of 10 minutes. We cannot and should not. Unlike eating food or drinking water, which are conscious activities, breathing is an  autonomous process. It is controlled by the medulla oblongata, a part of the brain stem. 

However, Both Indian and Chinese ancient wisdom has clearly found out that “Conscious Breathing” is the only process which can be used by human action to influence the brain functions and hence, the mind.

As evolving human beings, we have forgotten what is the natural and correct way of breathing. 

Our modern lifestyle has robbed us of natural breathing. We have got to relearn 

  • Correct Breathing 
  • Conscious Breathing

Unfortunately, there is little or no focus on breathing from modern medical science. 

Other than just asking you to breathe deep while checking heart/lung function using the stethoscope, I am not aware of any doctor visually observing or inquiring about how the patient is breathing!

My research into sleep took me naturally to breathing. So, I read James Nestor, the author of a recent bestseller on “Breath, the New Science of a Last Art”, Anders Olsson on “Conscious Breathing” and Wim Hof about the Wim Hof Method of breathing. 

I acknowledge the above authors in taking up the cause of breathing and explaining lucidly about the science behind breathing, the anatomy concerning breathing and some breathing techniques which have given me massive improvement in my health and attitude to life over the past few months.

Correct Breathing 

First let us learn about Correct Breathing and then I will talk about Conscious Breathing. So, what exactly is incorrect about breathing? All 3 aspects: 

  1. Breathing through the Nose
  2. Using Abdomen and Diaphragm for breathing
  3. Breathing Rhythmically and Slowly

Breathing through the Nose:
I wonder why I even should talk about this. Is this such a big thing? Then I really started observing the world around me – Shocking when I observed that my wife was breathing through her mouth during sleep (how I worked on it and corrected is a separate story).

We believe that it is ok to breathe through the mouth – this is as correct as eating through your nose! Nose is created to be the sole instrument of breathing! Period. Google it or look around when people are sleeping. Surveys and research says that at least 50% of people are breathing through their mouth during sleep! Add to this the percentage of people who have choked noses, COPD and other breathing issues! 

We are talking about a VERY LARGE proportion of the human population incorrectly breathing.

How do you breathe? Do you know? Ask your partner to observe while you breathe.

If you have a dry mouth when you wake up, if you  have a V-shaped upper palate (as against a U-shaped palate), If your tonsils are removed when you were a child, if you are snoring then IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT YOU ARE BREATHING THROUGH YOUR MOUTH.

See what you are missing out if you breathe through your mouth?

  • Your nose captures impurities, particles, bacteria and viruses using the hair mucous surface in the nose when the inhaled air is going through.
  • Your nose heats up the air and moistens it using the moist mucous surface. Why is this important? The incredible process of Gas exchange in the lungs happens optimally only when the air is hot and humid (more about Gas exchange and the process/chemistry of breathing later).
  • It also adds the magical element of Nitric Oxide which is secreted in the sinuses. Nitric Oxide dilates the blood vessels as well as the air tubes of lungs, reducing blood pressure.

Tip: When you do Bhramari Pranayam (humming), you are releasing 15 times more Nitric Oxide into the breathed air and hence, practicing Bhramari Pranayama a few times a day during these days of the pandemic, can help you avoid getting infected. 

So, why not simply hum and breathe through your nose?

PS: All of what is stated above is a summary of reading so many research articles and you can google about any of them.

I will be sharing more on breathing in the articles to come! Stay tuned. For more breathing exercises, check out Healthy Reads. To learn breathing techniques with the right guidance from a certified expert, subscribe to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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