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December 31, 2022 By Dr. Viral Thakkar Leave a Comment

Celebrating the New Year? Read This Before You Head Out!

New Year 2023It’s that time of the year again! The Christmas bells ring and the New Year sweeps us yet again! For many, it sweeps with a lot booze & puke! And for many, this happens every week. So here it is guys, the gyaan of what you should and should not do this New Year (or even weekends for that matter).

I am a firm believer of ‘Health First’, be it New Years or Diwali. While the New Year comes once, the ‘dump’ you put inside it wrecks your system in and out. Trust me, if I was the body, I would hate New Years every year of my life!

Let’s Talk About Alcohol

The body can safely process around one unit of pure alcohol per hour. If you drink more than this, your body isn’t able to break it down fast enough and it accumulates in your body. It takes a lot of time to flush it out and the pressure on the liver and the body as a whole is immense.

Binge drinking increases the risk of blackouts, especially on an empty stomach. During this time, a person may do things that they do not remember later. So in case you are planning to drink, know your limits and of course listen to your body. Booze might be free but the body is priceless. Take a call on what you should prioritize. 

Our body is designed to ensure that the nutrients reach the organs. All the food goes through the liver which processes the food and passes it on. Same is the case with alcohol. The liver metabolizes the alcohol, but it can only break down so much at one time. What the liver can’t break down is redirected throughout the rest of the body.

Drugs

Please know that consuming, passing on or giving drugs is illegal. Consuming high quantities of drugs can lead to poisoning and eventual death. Worse, if one is addicted, it is extremely difficult to bounce back to normal. Drugs can leave one in semiconscious/ unconscious conditions leaving the person vulnerable to literally ‘anything’. So if you are partying, or are attending a rave, please be safe! Best, don’t attend!

Too Much of Anything

Be it food, drinks, dancing or loud music – anything in excess is bad for your system just as alcohol, smoking or drugs. Too loud music hits the eardrums. That buzz you get in your head after the loud music is your body telling you that it has had enough! 

Sex is beneficial and super for health, if done safely and with a known partner. So if you know you are going to get high, have a few friends who will protect you from the unwanted attention. Be safe. Else, just plan it with your partner!

Tips for a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year

  1. In case of excess of alcohol consumption, the person might pass out or vomit. If you are in your senses, be with the person. Ensure they don’t choke on their vomit and that their breathing is normal. If not, rush to the hospital.
  2. If you are hell bent on drinking, ensure you do not have more than a peg in an hour. It will give your body enough time to process it.
  3. Listen to your body! If on any drink, you start feeling uncomfortable, or breathless, stop drinking immediately. Drink a lot of water which will help you flush out the drink. If you still feel uncomfortable, rush to the hospital
  4. If you have done all of what should NOT be done, ensure that you give your body some rest in the coming 2 days. Flush it out by drinking lots of fluids and eating salads. Detox it should be!
  5. Imagine a car loader which is overloaded with stuff. If one keeps overloading it, it will break down eventually. Compare this to your body and load it with only as much as it can take. If you do not know how much the body can take, consider the tips above.
  6. Hire a driver or take the car rentals if you’re going to get high.

I know I sound like an oldie here with no life but I am a firm believer of protecting and befriending the body. If a party has to happen, I personally suggest people to chill with friends at home and order from your favourite food joint. Apart from saving money, I end up playing board games, eating my favorite food, catching up with friends & family and ending with a good night meditation. But everyone is not me! If you are not, consider the tips above, and enjoy your party!

Wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

#BeTheForce 

October 24, 2022 By Parwage Alam 3 Comments

10 Ways To Eliminate Bad Habits & Embrace Good Ones This Diwali

eliminate bad habits this DiwaliIt’s that month of the year when festivities start. We have just finished with Dusshera, an important Hindu festival, and now we are gearing ourselves for the Festival of Lights. Deepawali is celebrated on the occasion of gaining success over the bad (Ravana) and the returning of goodness. Bad Qualities could be the 10 heads of Ravana namely:

  1. Kama vasana (Lust)
  2. Krodha (Anger)
  3. Moha (Attachment)
  4. Lobha (Greed)
  5. Mada (Pride)
  6. Matsara (Jealousy)
  7. Swartha (Selfishness)
  8. Anyaaya (Injustice)
  9. Amanavta (Cruelty)
  10. Ahankara (Ego)

If we can eliminate the above bad qualities within ourselves, then we, in all likelihood, would end up being better human beings. Today, we have modern day demons in our life, which are making it unhealthy and lead us towards a bad and shorter life. This Diwali, let’s get rid of the modern day and olden days demons together!

10 Modern Day Bad Habits We Need To Eliminate This Diwali 

1. Smoking
I do not think I need to explain what smoking is? Smoking is responsible for several diseases, such as cancer, long-term (chronic) respiratory diseases, and heart disease, as well as premature death. You can read how smoking affects your health in the following articles:

  • Smoking is Injurious to health – http://goqii.com/blog/caution-smoking-is-injurious-to-health/
  • Effects of Smoking on your Muscles – http://goqii.com/blog/effects-of-smoking-on-your-muscles/

2. Alcohol and drugs
Today, most of us are used to late night parties-  be it an office party, a birthday party, a marriage anniversary or the likes. One of the most common beverage in parties is ALCOHOL! In any celebration, you’ll find a number of alcoholic beverages that flow like water and we tend to consume them without much thought. This leads to a number of health complications. These complications have been talked about at length in this article on the Effects of Alcohol on your Health.

3. Stress
Stress is one of the most understated evils of our time hiding under the veils of office work, relationships and other everyday affairs. You can name any lifestyle diseases and one of the reasons behind it, in most cases, is stress. Stress can also lead to weight gain! Keeping stress under control will not only help you stay calm and relaxed but also helps you keep your weight under control and lifestyle diseases at bay! So manage your stress well!

4. Unhealthy Eating Habits
We are well aware that we need to form good eating habits to stay healthy but do we really follow them? Its only after we have put on excess weight that we try to manage our diet or follow some sort of diet plan to reduce weight. Instead of doing that, isn’t it better to eat healthy before things go wrong? While you’re forming healthy eating habits, make sure that you are also aware of the habits that are destroying your health and correct them.

5. Laziness
There is no dearth of excuses to avoid exercises and make ourselves lazy. One does not realize that laziness leads us to a sedentary lifestyle and eventually to a shorter life. You don’t even need to do any strenuous exercises or hit the gym daily. Just basic walking, taking the elevator instead of stairs and moving as much as you can will help you stay healthy. The core idea is to keep yourself active and off the couch. If you still think you’re bogged down by chores and do not have time, you can turn your daily chores into workouts!

6. Denial (about our health – physical or mental)
Another dangerous demon is denial. People will go to any extent to not find out about their health. Most are generally ok not getting a health check up done. This can be quite dangerous. Getting regular health check-ups is imperative because many health conditions can be resolved if detected early.

7. Sleep
For a better health, you need sound sleep of about 6 to 8 hours. If you spend the whole night finishing your pending tasks or binge watching a show, then you are certainly walking into a health hazard waiting to happen. There are too many health related irregularities which are caused by lack of sleep. But, if you have a proper sleep, you can get rid of all your issues. If you find it difficult to fall asleep, try these breathing techniques or follow these tips for better sleep.

8. Enviornment
While celebrating Diwali, we all try to burst crackers that pollute the environment. If you breathe in such an environment, it will only affect your health. After Diwali, the pollution still persists and can affect the heart and brain. People with existing heart or lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, or ischemic heart disease are at increased risk of admission to hospitals based on the severity of an already existing problem. Given these issues, it would be nice if we use eco friendly ways of celebrating Diwali.

9. Sweets and Immunity
Most sweets contain refined sugar, which directly impacts our immunity. Sweets are quite pleasurable to eat, but eating too many can negatively impact your health. Sweets often lack beneficial nutrients and are full of detrimental ones, including saturated fat, sugars and artificial sugars. Excessive sweet consumption can increase the risk of Diabetes, Crohn’s Disease and lead to tooth decay. Additionally, it can also reduce HDL cholesterol and bone strength. While you might not be able to avoid sweets, eat them in moderation and be smart about it!

10. Unsafe Sex
And the last demon on our list is unsafe sex! We are a nation that’s very uncomfortable talking about sex and this has led to the state where a lot of people are ignorant about safe sex. Unsafe sex can lead to Sexual Transmitted Diseases like HIV/AIDS or unwanted pregnancies. Always remember that you must use a condom. If you don’t have one at that particular time, use other forms of contraceptives, but remember that other forms of contraceptives do not guard against STDs. Prevention is better than cure!

So we hope you take stock of these modern day demons and eliminate bad habits this Diwali! If you need help conquering these demons, you can always find an ally in our team of experts waiting to guide and motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle. You can start by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Wish you all a happy, healthy and safe Diwali!

#BeTheForce

October 13, 2022 By Urvi Gohil Leave a Comment

Improve Sleep and Sleep Quality with these Lifestyle Changes

Improve sleep and sleep qualityWhile sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function at best. It has been estimated that more than half of the working population in India have experienced some or the other form of sleep deprivation or alteration during their lifetime.

Globally, the prevalence of insomnia ranges from 10-15%.

Sleep deprivation reduces your cognitive processes like thinking, learning, attention, concentration, etc. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, irregular heartbeat, etc. Over time, lack of sleep can contribute to symptoms of depression and kills your sex drive. And yes, lack of optimum sleep can make you gain weight.

How to Improve Sleep and Sleep Quality

1. Stay away from gadgets
Using electronic devices before bedtime can be physiologically and psychologically stimulating in ways that can adversely affect your sleep. The more electronic devices a person uses in the evening, the harder it is to fall asleep or stay asleep. Using TV, tablets, smartphones, laptops or other electronic devices before bed delays your body’s internal clock, suppresses the release of sleep-inducing hormones & makes it difficult to fall asleep. Along, with increase in alertness at the time you should sleep, it, in turn, delays the onset of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and compromises energy levels the next morning. Over time, these effects can add up to a significant chronic deficiency in sleep.

2. Take a Lukewarm Bath Before Bed
Taking a bath or shower before bedtime is a well-known sleep remedy. This is because a warm bath can help us relax. Our body temperature tends to drop after a warm bath, which can induce better sleep. Research suggests that the best time for taking a shower is 1-2 hours before going to bed. The duration of the bath does not need to be longer than 10 min. This will improve blood circulation and stimulate “temperature circadian rhythm” helping you fall asleep, improving sleep and sleep quality.

3. Perform Deep Breathing Before Sleep
Breathing strongly influences physiology and thought processes including moods. By simply focusing your attention on your breathing and without doing anything to change it, you can move in the direction of relaxation. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise also called “the relaxing breath” promotes better sleep. Here are the steps:

  1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
  3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  4. Exhale completely through your mouth making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
  5. This is one breath. Repeat 20 times.

4. Sleep Inducing Foods
There are certain foods which can help induce better sleep.

  • A glass of warm milk is a perfect beverage to induce sound sleep. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that converts into serotonin. Serotonin is known to have soothing effects in the brain and helps you sleep well. Adding a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom and some crushed almonds will improve taste and sleep.
  • Chamomile tea: Refreshing, revitalizing and fragrant chamomile tea has soothing effects on nerves and helps induce sleep.
  • Almonds could help you support sound sleep. Almonds also contain tryptophan and magnesium which are helpful in keeping your heart rhythm steady.
  • Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and other stimulating foods after dusk.

5. Eat Your Dinner Early
When you eat late, you are unable to sleep because of improper digestion. An early dinner is good for digestion, helps in reaching your satiety value earlier and the body is able to utilize the food better and induce sleep. Eating late at night leaves the body on a high alert state which interferes with the circadian rhythm. Minimum 2-3 hours of gap between Dinner and sleep is good.

We hope these tips help you improve sleep and sleep quality! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on sleep, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce

October 12, 2022 By Nisha Rashmi 2 Comments

Osteoarthritis: Causes, Symptoms & Tips For Prevention

Osteoarthritis Arthritis is common and most people are aware of this medical condition. Among all types of Arthritis, Osteoarthritis is the most common form. It is a non-inflammatory degenerative condition of joints, characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage and formation of new bone that is called osteophytes.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, though it most commonly affects joints in the hands, hips, knees and spine. It typically affects just one joint, though in some cases, such as with finger arthritis, several joints can be affected.  Osteoarthritis gradually worsens with time, and no cure exists. But osteoarthritis treatments can relieve pain and help you to remain active. Taking steps to actively manage this condition may help patients gain control over the pain.

Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis  

Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms include:

  • Pain in a joint during or after use, or after a period of inactivity
  • Tenderness in the joint when you apply light pressure
  • Stiffness in a joint that may be most noticeable when a patient wakes up in the morning or after a period of inactivity
  • Loss of flexibility may make it difficult to use the joint
  • Grating sensation when moving the joint
  • Bone spurs, which appear as hard lumps, may form around the affected joint
  • Swelling in some cases

Unless one has been injured or has placed unusual stress on a joint, it’s uncommon for Osteoarthritis symptoms to affect jaw, shoulder, elbows, wrists or ankles.

What Cause This Condition?

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in the joints deteriorates over time. The smooth surface of the cartilage becomes rough, causing irritation. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, patient may be left with bone rubbing on bone — causing the ends of the bones to become damaged and the joints to become painful. It isn’t clear what causes osteoarthritis in most cases. Researchers suspect that it’s a combination of factors, including being overweight, the aging process, joint injury or stress, heredity, and muscle weakness.

Risk Factors that increase risk of osteoarthritis include:

  • Old age: This condition typically occurs in older adults. People under 40 rarely experience it
  • Sex: Women are more likely to develop this condition, though it isn’t clear why
  • Bone deformities: Some people are born with malformed joints or defective cartilage, which can increase the risk of this condition
  • Joint injuries: Injuries, such as those that occur when playing sports or from an accident, may increase the risk
  • Obesity: Carrying more body weight places more stress on weight-bearing joints, such as knees. But obesity has also been linked to an increased risk of osteoarthritis in the hands, as well.

How Can You Prevent It? 

Osteo Arthritis 21. Diet

Avoid processed and sugary foods and drinks, eat more fruits and vegetables. Foods rich in antioxidants help in decreasing pain and inflammation. Also include food rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Olive Oil helps in preventing inflammation. Eating fruits rich in vitamin C helps in building collagen and connective tissue. Examples are citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers and cabbage. Try some of these foods:

  1. Bananas and Plantains are high in magnesium and potassium which increases your bone density. Magnesium is also known to alleviate symptoms of arthritis. So peel a banana or fry up some plantains!
  2. Blueberries also pack a walloping antioxidant punch! Antioxidants protect your body against inflammation and free radicals – molecules that can damage cells and organs. Pay special attention to blueberries. USDA researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D., showed that a one-cup serving of Wild Blueberries had more antioxidant capacity than a serving of cranberries, strawberries, plums and raspberries.
  3. Salmon: Not only can omega-3s found in fish significantly reduce joint pain and shorten the duration of morning stiffness, but studies, such as those reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show that increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids also have enabled people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce their dosage or discontinue use.
  4. Green Tea: Many studies have shown that green tea possesses anti-inflammatory properties. One study showed that mice predisposed to a condition similar to human osteoarthritis had mild arthritis and little evidence of cartilage damage and bone erosion when green tea polyphenols were added to their drinking water. Another study showed that when added to human cartilage cell cultures, the active ingredients in green tea inhibited chemicals and enzymes that lead to cartilage damage and breakdown.
  5. Vitamin C is important in the development of normal cartilage. A deficiency of Vitamin C might lead to the development of weak cartilage. In 2010, The Arthritis Research Institute of America, Inc. published an important article in the Journal Public Health Nutrition which suggested that Vitamin C supplementation may indeed be beneficial in preventing new cases of knee osteoarthritis.
  6. Soy protein, found in tofu, has been shown to reduce pain and swelling in chronic knee joint pain, not attributed to injury or rheumatoid arthritis. Results were found to be more beneficial for men than women. Tofu can be cubed and fried with noodles, or bought prepackaged as tofu pups or tofu burgers. There are even recipes that call for it in fruit smoothies!
  7. Peanut Butter: Vitamin B3, found in peanut butter, is a supplement that may help people with Osteoarthritis. One 1996 study (National Institutes of Health) showed that taking vitamin B3 was more effective than a placebo in improving flexibility and reducing inflammation.
  8. Whole Grain Breads and Cereals: In one placebo controlled trial, those with rheumatoid arthritis (and by extension osteoarthritis) had less disability, morning stiffness, and pain when they took high doses of pantothenic acid (Brewer’s Yeast) daily.
  9. Lobster is an excellent source of vitamin E. Vitamin E may be the key to fighting arthritis-like damage. According to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Vitamin E (also known as alpha tocopherol) and other naturally occurring antioxidants in the diet appear to protect against knee Osteoarthritis.
  10. Pineapple: For years, professional coaches have recommended pineapple to athletes to help heal sports injuries. That’s because a key enzyme in pineapple called bromelain, which helps reduce inflammation.

Apart from the food recommendations above, ensure that you maintain an active lifestyle. To understand what workouts or exercises you can implement in your daily routine, speak to a certified expert from GOQii by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Though Osteoarthritis is a chronic disorder, you can prevent it or if you have it already, you can live in a better way by managing it with proper lifestyle habits. Prevention is always better than cure. So let’s concentrate on exercises as well as healthier food options. Ultimately, eating right, exercise and living a healthy life style can prevent most ailments.

You can explore some healthy habits by checking out Healthy Reads for more articles such as these. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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