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12 Steps To Being Your Own Health Detective

12 tips to be your own health detectiveGaining true, lasting health is all about identifying and healing from the root cause. You can do it, I can do it, and anybody can do it. Today’s changing lifestyle, ever-increasing pollution, adulterated foods and rising stress is silently harming our life in various unknown ways.

If you can understand your body and how it works, how disease manifests itself and where it begins, then you can draw a road map towards becoming your own health detective (and your family’s health detective) so that you can empower yourself to live a healthy, thriving life.

How To Be Your Own Health Detective 

Here are some pointers that can help you be your own Health Detective!

1. Keep A Check On Your Sleep

health detective - sleep score

If you feel stressed out, sleepy-groggy headed, and/or lack concentration even in your daily chores and work, then this is a clear indication that you are not getting enough sleep! If even after 6-8 hours of adequate sleep, you get up all weak, lost and tired, then that’s a red signal. Stop and analyze what’s causing that.

2. Full Body Check Up

Get a full body check-up done every 6 months. Stand in front of a mirror and check if you have any lumps, or uneven skin tone. If any mole like thing appears bigger than 5mm, or pinkish-brownish discoloration, it’s an indication to fix up an appointment with a dermatologist. 

3. Excessive Hair-Fall Is Also A Symptom

health detective - hair fall Most of the people see hair-fall as a result of the seasonal change, change of shampoo or oil.  Very few know that it could also be an indication of a disease/or a medical condition. Examine your comb regularly. If there is hair-fall appearing more than normal, it could be due to underlying deficiency of iron or thyroid. Also, follow a good hair-care and wash routine.

4. A Window Of Light Through Your Eyes

Lack of sleep can cause puffiness under the eyes. However, this puffiness goes away with proper sleep and rest. If puffiness appears for a long duration, it could be due to water retention, kidney issues, and indigestion. Do not ignore this and see a doctor.

5. Sudden Increase Or Decrease In Weight

A wave of happiness that comes due to weight loss can become a cause for concern when the reasons for weight loss are not right. It could be due to weight cycling, or a YO-YO effect that usually occurs due to extreme workouts, or diet restrictions or crash diets. If not because of these, a sudden increase or decrease could also be happening because of diabetes, thyroid etc.

6. Tired All The Time?

Tired All The Time It’s normal to feel tired and all sleepy after a long day at work or a long journey. But, if you are feeling lethargic all the time it could be due to an underactive thyroid, which also increases the chances of developing high blood pressure and heart problems. Consult a doctor immediately and get your blood tests done.

7. Frequent Headaches

A headache can happen due to stress, tension, working continuously in front of screens and inadequate sleep. This generally goes away with rest or painkillers. But, if even after this if a headache persists, it could be due to a migraine, cervical issue or spondylitis. Resort to physiotherapy, good posture and regular workout. 

8. Take Care Of Your Feet Too

Most of the people don’t pay much attention to feet, because of which they are unable to notice any visible changes happening there. If nails have white spots or have become yellowish in colour, it might be indicative of calcium or hemoglobin deficiency respectively. Persistently cracked heels may be because of low water intake and swollen feet indicate the onset of diabetes. If you feel that your feet remain excessively cold, a thyroid test must be done with doctor’s advice.

9. Teeth And Gums

Bacteria in the mouth are major causes of pain and infection in gums as well as heart-related and lung-related infections too. Conditions related to teeth and gums can also become a reason for pain in shoulders and back. Take extra care to maintain oral hygiene and dental care. A dental check-up every 6 months is advisable.

10. Don’t Ignore Snoring

Snoring in our society isn’t considered abnormal. One snores when there is blockage or difficulty in breathing. Snoring adds to excessive pressure on lungs, and it could also happen because of high blood pressure, which could, in turn, lead to heart ailments. If anyone is suffering from snoring for a long period of time, take responsibility and get their sleep study test and dynamic MRI done with doctor’s advice.

11. Blood Pressure Monitoring

People who have high/low B.P issue should always keep a digital monitor at home. Get your blood pressure checked at regular intervals or if you notice any change in the body. Remember normal blood pressure should be 120/80mm Hg. 

12. Cardiovascular Check-Up

People who have crossed 40 years of age, people having heart diseases or high blood pressure should get a complete cardiovascular check-up done. This helps in screening and treatment of risks like heart attack, stroke, etc. in the preliminary stage. Get blood cholesterol levels also checked once every year.

Points To Remember

  • Becoming a health detective doesn’t mean that you become an expert or a doctor. Being a health detective only means being alert and responsible for observing and noticing any changes that happen in your body.
  • Never take any medicine or administer drugs to others without a prescription or doctor’s advice.
  • Today, most people treat themselves by looking up their symptoms on the internet. This is called as ‘Cyberchondria’. Please do not do this as you can go wrong with your diagnosis.
  • Do not blindly believe any information given on the web, as not all of this information is trustworthy.

We hope this article helps you become your own health detective. If this information helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

You can browse more articles like this here. To get more tips and guidance, speak to a GOQii Coach for lifestyle modifications suited to your health goals. You can subscribe for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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How Ruta Pandya Managed Ulcerous Colitis & Arthritis With Lifestyle Changes

Ruta Pandya

We’ve always spoken about how you can manage lifestyle diseases with minor tweaks to your habits. But sometimes, it isn’t enough. Especially when one condition leads to another. Our player Ruta Pandya suffered from a condition called Ulcerous Colitis and a series of other medical issues which she battled for years. After fighting an uphill battle for what seemed like eons, she was finally able to manage them well with help from her GOQii Coach Hina Marwaha. Here’s how her Health Story unfolded. 

Battling Ulcerous Colitis & Other Medical Issues 

Ruta Pandya is a 44 year old teacher. For the past 17 years, she suffered from Ulcerous Colitis – which is a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Its symptoms include rectal bleeding, bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain. Along with this, she also suffered from Arthritis. 

Her medical issues began after she had contracted Typhoid. Due to the Ulcerous Colitis, she had issues with food absorption which eventually led to weight loss. She weighed 30kg and her BMI was 12.6 – which meant she was severely underweight. This was primarily due to skipping meals. If she ate proper meals, she would face digestive issues which were difficult to manage.

During her struggles and multiple doctor visits, she was recommended to try GOQii through her doctor in Ahmedabad. After much thought, she joined as a part of the Abbott Gut Health program. 

Managing Medical Conditions With GOQii 

When Ruta Pandya spoke to her GOQii Coach Hina Marwaha, she was quite hesitant towards the coach’s suggestions regarding food habits. She refused to eat as she feared digestive issues but Coach Hina was persistent. After a couple of tries, Ruta finally gave in and began making changes to her eating habits. 

She was asked to start with small quantities and gradually increase intake. Earlier, if Ruta ate one meal, she would skip the next. Coach Hina’s task was to ensure that Ruta ate all her meals without facing any issues. She gradually increased Ruta’s breakfast intake which included nuts such as walnuts, almonds, figs, etc. Later, milkshakes were also added to her diet.

Ruta was asked to divide her meals into 5-6 parts i.e. to eat every 2-3 hours. She had to avoid hot and spicy foods as they would trigger the acidity and make her stomach ulcers worse. Slowly, fruits were added to her diet – which were light, high in antioxidants and helped her heal her gut as well as get more energy. Slowly, Ruta Pandya began eating more without facing digestive issues. 

She was also asked to walk and perform exercises. Yoga, along with small walks helped Ruta Pandya build her strength and alleviate back pain and find some relief from arthritis. Before, Ruta would struggle to complete even 2k steps but by slowly increasing step counts, she can now walk 7km. 

Coach Hina Marwaha also introduced Ruta Pandya to deep breathing exercises which were effective in helping her reduce stress and improve sleep. Better sleep meant better internal healing! 

Making Remarkable Improvements 

Currently, Ruta’s food habits have improved tremendously. Before, she used to skip breakfast and mid meals and now, they are a part of her daily routine. She eats every 2-3 hours. She is happy that she is able to eat, absorb nutrients and put on weight. Her BMI is now at a normal range of 17 and her weight is around 35kg. 

In the 3-4 years that she has been with GOQii, her Irritable Bowel Syndrome is under control, constipation is non-existent and her digestion issue has also been resolved. Apart from that, due to back pain, she couldn’t walk long distances but now she can cover them with ease and she works out as well. Some of the changes also include: 

  • Her hemoglobin levels improved from  9gm/dL to 10.9 mg/dL
  • Her piles issue has improved 100% 
  • Inflammation in the stomach has improved 
  • Sleep which was initially poor, has now improved as she sleeps a minimum of 6 hours a day and wakes up fresh. 
  • Her starting weight was 30.7kg which has now improved to 35kg

Recently, our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal spoke to Ruta Pandya about how her Health Story with GOQii unfolded. You can view the complete conversation here – 

What Does Coach Hina Marwaha Have To Say About Ruta Pandya? 

Ruta started her journey with GOQii in September 2018. The day she joined as a player, she was having a lot of health issues. At that time, it was her inner fire and faith in herself which was pushing her to the levels where she was putting all her efforts to follow the routine. 

Due to her medical condition, it was not possible to give her all the tasks at one time, but we followed the concept “Slow and Steady always wins the race”. At a time, only 1 or 2 tasks were given to follow and focus on. Like a mother, I have seen her changing and improving. I have seen her screaming and crying in pain and now she has empowered herself so much that she goes for long walks and does yoga every day. 

In this beautiful world, our body is capable of responding and evolving at every second minute, positively or negatively. Ruta is a live example of this. With her dedication to get fit, potential to follow the routine, consistency with the routine and managing her time, she has proven that “proper diet and lifestyle” can help you evolve and grow, mentally and physically. Undoubtedly, she is an inspiration to me and to others as well.

Does Ruta’s Health Story inspire you to start yours? Subscribe for GOQii’s personalized health coaching today to begin your Health Story now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring User Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

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COVID Care: Managing Stress

managing stressAs COVID is raging all around us, I see a surge in stress levels on HRA scores, indicating that people are not managing stress effectively. I also receive messages like “This is too hard for me to cope with”, “What will happen in the future?” showing higher than usual levels of general anxiety and stress amongst us all. During a crisis like this, it is common for everyone to experience increased levels of anxiety and distress particularly due to social isolation, fear of the unknown and concern regarding the health of oneself and a loved one.

The tell tale sign of a spiraling high stress/anxiety levels are:

  • Feelings of fear, frustration, sadness, worry or anger that doesn’t go away with tried methods of managing stress
  • Changes in appetite levels, energy levels, desires and interests
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Overthinking, difficulty in sleeping or nightmares
  • Physical response, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Worsening of mental health conditions
  • Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances

Tips For Managing Stress Levels 

Learning to cope with high stress levels in a healthy way is the need of the hour. I am listing some suggestions below that might help you or your dear ones in managing the current crisis on an emotional level.

  1. Feel free to feel your feelings: Do not bottle up, share your thoughts with people you trust. If you are in isolation, find ways to talk to your loved ones using internet/telephonic services. Share your thoughts/feelings with your GOQii coach if need be.
  2. Manage your expectations: Go easy on yourself. It’s okay if chores are pending, office work or a report is pending. Be realistic in what you can do in a day. Do not overwhelm yourself by your own thoughts of comparison with past productivity and your worries of the future.  
  3. Set a routine: Eat well, exercise well, sleep well, meditate once a day or unwind by doing something you enjoy like card games, painting, playing an instrument, reading a book or watching a comic series, you get the idea right? Just stay away from social media and constant news related to the virus, and follow a routine. A healthy routine is a human’s best friend.
  4. Stay in the present: Manage uncertainty by staying in the present. Think about the next one hour at max. Over dwelling on thoughts of the future, even thoughts  of tomorrow, can cause you more fear related to uncertainty. So stay in the present – use mindfulness meditation techniques which are proven to be very effective.  
  5. If health is your major reason for stress, please know that the human body is wonderfully capable of healing itself. Time is the best healer. So hang in there and give your body time to recover. Having said that, do not undermine the need for medical assistance when an emergency arises. If your symptoms warrant you to seek medical attention, please meet your treating doctor at the earliest. Remember, you have sailed through many health crises in the past (a bruised knee, a broken leg, a tooth extraction, a stye in the eye and so on), reassure yourself that you’ll sail through this as well. 
  6. Stay in the company of positive people OR be the positive influencer for people around you. Believe in the power of positive emotions such as kindness, honesty, contentment. These emotions improve our immunity, which as you know, is our main warrior when dealing with a virus. Give hope to anyone who you know is recovering from the viral infection. Just a few words of hope can do more good than you can imagine.     
  7. Accept and let go: When it becomes really tough, breathe deeply, use the mantra “this too shall pass” and learn to let go.

Not everything from the above might be applicable to you, so go as per your ability. I hope and sincerely do, you will not let yourself be vulnerable in these current times – physically nor emotionally! Wishing our world a quick recovery!

For more on managing stress or any COVID-related article, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Stay safe, manage your stress and #BeTheForce 

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10 Ways to Turn Quarantine Time into Quality Time

quarantine

It has been over a week of working from home, social distancing and self-isolation from the outer world! Is it getting boring for you? With another 21 days of lockdown in full effect, life might only get monotonous. Let’s break that routine. Let’s utilize this time to do something more fun, productive and refreshing!

Focusing on the positive, this lockdown might actually be a blessing in disguise for those who have been too busy with work to do anything else. With all the time you save by not traveling or not being able to invest in social gatherings, you can pursue a hobby you’ve always wanted to or do something fun!

10 Fun Things to do During Lockdown

  1. Read a Book: Are you an avid reader who would finish a novel over weekends? If busy work hours and long travel hours stopped you from doing that, now is your time to shine! Get cozy in a corner, sip some nice green tea and immerse yourself in a book you’ve wanted to read. If you want to begin reading, try Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain or Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.  
  2. Rearrange the Wardrobe: This is every mom’s dream come true! Clean the shelves, rearrange clothes and once this lockdown is over, you can even donate the ones you don’t need. Organize your cupboard now that you have the time.
  3. Workout at Home: With the work from home mandate, closed gyms and lockdown, we’re spending more time sitting than being active. Now is the best time for home workouts. If you’re not motivated to workout, then you can join the 30 Day Quarantine Burn Challenge on GOQii and earn some exciting rewards while getting fit! All you need to do is tune in to workout videos on GOQii Play for 30 days. There’s more info in the GOQii App.  
  4. Learn a New Hobby: Each one of us has always wanted to learn something or the other which could be painting, dancing, boxing, playing an instrument, cooking or may be as small as a headstand. You have all the time to explore these wonderful creative activities now! Utilise this bonus time to enhance your creativity skills.
  5. Grow Some Greens: Gardening is not only environment friendly but also a great stress buster. Go on and grow some organic vegetables to relish the nutrition at its best. If you want to begin growing your own microgreens, join Coach Arooshi Garg on GOQii Play as she has classes which are specific to growing microgreens!
  6. Sanitize Your Home: It is not only the hands that need sanitizing but everything that you touch as well. Wear your gloves and reach on to every corner of the house that you usually miss on due to lack of time. You can use a dettol spray to kill the germs around.
  7. Watch your Favourite Series: It’s time to catch up on the list of shows/movies you always wanted to watch. We do not suggest binge watching and eating as that can harm your health but planning your tasks everyday and having the entertainment slot for 30 minutes can be manageable.
  8. Plan Virtual Meets: Family and friends are always important. Social distancing needs to be followed strictly but we still can connect with our people over the phone, video calls, skype, etc. Make the most of the technology we have.
  9. Quality Time with Your Family: The busy routine of office and work at times keeps us away from family chit chats. Now you can sit together, talk to each other and recollect old memories. You have more time to spend with your spouse, eat food with your kids and play in the house with your siblings. If you have a pet, you can feed, groom and bathe him/her! This would boost your inner happiness for sure.
  10. Mediate: Stress levels are definitely high with the fear of increasing cases in our country. Be patient and calm. Indulge in some nice deep breathing sessions before sleep or practice Pranayama. It will help you stay positive and take decisions responsibly during emergencies. Join meditation and yoga sessions on GOQii Play for a better experience!

These are just a few ways in which you can utilize and make the most of this 21 day lockdown! Do you have some other activities planned? How are you spending your days? Let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

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 […]