GOQii

Blog

Search Results for: sleep

By 1 Comment

All About Your Kidneys – The Natural Cleansers

world kidneys day

Can you imagine your house not being cleaned for a day? Imagine no sweeping or mopping, and no sweeper collecting the garbage. The house would start smelling, it will get intense, and eventually there will be decay. Just like our house, the body needs to be cleaned. This essential and unparalleled job is done by a 10-13cm organ – the kidneys. The kidneys help in:

  • Removing waste and extra fluid from the body (Urine).
  • Maintaining a healthy balance of salts, water and minerals like sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium in the blood. It removes acid too! 
  • They also make hormones that help control blood pressure, make red blood cells and keep bones strong and healthy. 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidney is the powerhouse of the body, supplying reserve energy to any organ running low on Qi. Its partner organ is the bladder.

The Kidney’s Job Profile

Each of the kidney is made up of about a million filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron includes a filter called the glomerulus and a tubule. The nephrons work through a two-step process:

The glomerulus filters the blood and the tubule returns needed substances to the blood and removes wastes. 

A blood vessel runs alongside the tubule. As the filtered fluid moves along the tubule, the blood vessel reabsorbs almost all of the water along with minerals and nutrients your body needs. The tubule helps remove excess acid from the blood. The remaining fluid and wastes in the tubule become urine.

The blood circulates through the kidneys many times a day. In a single day, kidneys filter about 150 quarts of blood. Most of the water and other substances that filter through the glomeruli are returned to the blood by the tubules. Only 1 to 2 quarts become urine.

Each kidney performs the process of reabsorption with great precision. Out of 180 liters of fluid that enters the tubules, 99% of fluid is selectively reabsorbed and only the remaining 1% of fluid is excreted in the form of urine.

By this intelligent and precise process, all essential substances and 178 liters of fluid are reabsorbed in the tubules, whereas 1-2 liters of fluids, waste products, and other harmful substances are excreted.

Urine formed by the kidneys flow to the ureters, and passes through the urinary bladder and is finally excreted out through the urethra.

Did you know that every minute, 1200 ml of blood enters the kidneys for purification, which is 20% of the total blood pumped by the heart? So in one day, 1700 liters of blood is purified!

Here is How You Can Take Care of Your Kidneys

  1. Drink up! Kidneys balance the electrolytes and fluid levels and hence its essential to drink liquids which are non-alcoholic and not caffeinated. Juices, coconut water, water, smoothies, etc. are your friends
  2. Check the colour of your urine. It should be the colour of a straw. Any darker means you need to drink up.
  3. Too much oily and fatty food is a big no! It puts pressure on the kidneys. Greens are your friends! 
  4. Ensure you have a normal blood pressure. It can silently impact your kidneys.
  5. Alcohol and smoking is a BIG no. There are no two ways about it! Just stop it
  6. Got diabetes? If you do, work with your doctor to keep your blood sugar levels in check. If they’re not under control, that can cause problems for your kidneys over time. Along with hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes is one of the biggest concerns for kidney health.
  7. Use your meds correctly. Take them as your doctor recommends, or follow the instructions on the package. Be wary of medicines that can cause kidney damage when you take them for a long time, including over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and prescriptions such as lithium and HIV medications. (Street drugs like cocaine can cause kidney disease too).
  8. Check your weight & exercise regularly. 
  9. Be positive, not just for your kidneys but for your overall health. People who tend to hold negative thoughts especially envious feelings with hatred tend to get kidney disorder as compared to a positive person, as every emotion is linked with an organ. 

Yoga and Pranayama are your friends for life!

Nothing beats regular exercise especially yoga and pranayama. These not only help the kidney, but the complete body. Yoga asanas assist in managing water retention in the body which enables sound sleep schedules and hence better rest. It is also one of the best ways to maintain balance in the body. Few asanas facilitate internal cleansing and flush out the toxins. Pranayam is known to relieve stress. 

To ensure that the kidneys perform their JD up to the mark, make sure you make your body do the following:

  1. Setu Bandhasana stimulates the abdominal organs, helps bring high blood pressure under control and relieves the body of stress.
  2. Bhujangasana stretches and strengthens the abdominal organs. It also raises the immunity level of the body.
  3. Ardha Matsyendrasana stimulates the kidneys and liver; improves the body’s immunity level.
  4. Paschimottanasana stimulates the kidney, improves digestion, and relieves menstrual discomfort.
  5. Naukasana improves digestion and alleviates stress. It strengthens and stimulates the abdominal organs. 

We hope this article helps you. To know more about improving kidney health, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach for some tips by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

By Leave a Comment

Making Fitness & Health His Grammar For Life – Kamal Nath Thakur’s Health Story

Kamal Nath Thakur

Engaging in physical activity is good. Sports do help us maintain our fitness but that’s not all when it comes to living a healthy, holistic lifestyle. You have to watch what you eat, your sleep timings and manage your stress well, to name a few. Our Player Kamal Nath Thakur was of the opinion that he was healthy until he met his GOQii Coach. Here’s how his Health Story unfolded! 

Joining GOQii & Not Opting For Coaching 

Kamal Nath Thakur is a 52 year old working professional from Ghaziabad. He is a badminton player and considers himself to be a fitness freak. He was introduced to GOQii in 2019 by his 14 year old daughter Kavya, who saw an advertisement in the newspaper. 

Initially when he enrolled, he was of the impression that he knew all about health and fitness, hence, he opted out of personal health coaching and decided he did not need a coach. His decision was also influenced by the fact that he felt it was very difficult for him to follow the habits suggested by a GOQii Coach. 

While he opted out of coaching, he participated in various challenges issued in the GOQii App such as the steps challenge, health quiz and even browsed through Healthy Reads. 

The Health Story Begins For Kamal Nath Thakur 

In April 2021, Kamal Nath Thakur had contracted COVID and was hospitalized for almost a week. He had lost 10kg and began experiencing regular pain in his right leg. During this time, he was contacted by a GOQii Coach for personalized health coaching. Considering his condition, he opted for the service and says that it was one of the best decisions he ever made! 

Initially, he was coached by GOQii Coach Prachi, who guided him regarding his food habits in terms of the timing of his meals, food content and mix and the benefits he would derive from it. He says, “I started feeling a change in my body. It was visible”. 

Since then, he has been extremely particular about his food intake, nutritional value and how and when he should eat, which foods to avoid and so on. Kamal Nath Thakur says, “She was wonderful in explaining everything in detail”. 

After a while, he was assigned Coach Pradnya. He discussed his persistent right leg pain with her. Coach Pradnya suggested some leg stretching and leg strengthening exercises he should follow. Kamal Nath Thakur found these exercises to be extremely helpful. He says, “It was a boon for me in the hour of need. With her guidance in almost all fronts, like healthy food habits, regular suggestive exercises, relating to healthy reads, I had become a completely fit man with working knowledge of how to keep myself healthy”.  

He says that his habits changed tremendously after joining GOQii. Where he would usually complete a target of 3,000-4,000 steps, he now clocks in 15,000 steps daily. Before, he wasn’t particular about his food habits but now he focuses on the time and composition of his meals. He also follows and attends classes on GOQii Play. 

Coach Pradnya has been in touch with him daily and guides him via chat or call. She advises him as per his requirement. He says that it has been a fun change for him. He is a health champion in his organization and has even recommended GOQii to two of his colleagues who are now using the wearable and the app. 

Our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal recently spoke to Kamal Nath Thakur about his experience with GOQii on the latest episode of GOQii Health Stories where we feature players who have benefitted from personalized health coaching. You can view the whole conversation below:

What Does GOQii Coach Pradnya Have To Say About His Change? 

“Kamal was following a healthy lifestyle including healthy, timely meals and daily walking. He was having pain in his right thigh after recovering from COVID. Though it was unusual, we decided to try leg stretching first. I also suggested ginger detox water to reduce the pain naturally. Ginger being anti-inflammatory has pain reducing effects. He felt a lot of relief. 

As he spends a lot of time sitting in the office and the car while traveling, it might have led to stiff muscles. After a few days, we started leg strengthening exercises to strengthen his leg muscles. It helped him cure almost all the leg pain. Now, he is confidently working to improve his immunity further, doing full body exercises and eating healthy meals.’‘

Kamal Nath Thakur and his family are truly a GOQii Family with his wife Sangita, daughter Kavya and son Ketan – all being GOQii Players. From merely being fit to being in the Elite category within a year’s time shows his discipline, consistency and dedication to being fit and healthy! 

Do you relate with this story? Do you want to make a lifestyle change like the way Kamal Nath Thakur did? Then join GOQii’s personalized health coaching and begin writing your Healthy Story today! You can subscribe here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

By 5 Comments

How To Boost Metabolism & It’s Importance

boost metabolismYou’ve heard the word “metabolism” or the phrase “boost metabolism” a lot either in general conversation about health or by a GOQii Coach, but have you thought about why it is so important? Metabolism is the sum of chemical and physical reactions in our body or the amount of energy or calories our body burns to maintain vital functions. Raise your hand if you know it is important for weight loss but did you know that it has other functions as well? 

Why Is It Important to Boost Metabolism? 

  • It works in 2 processes i.e. catabolism and anabolism which are the buildup and breakdown of substances, whether it is digestion of food or the elimination of food, if these two processes are disrupted by any means then you can imagine what health issues we might face.
  • The better your metabolism, the more calories your body will burn and it will be easier to drop pounds.
  • It is important for the biochemical process of combining nutrients with oxygen to release the energy the body needs to function.
  • There are certain metabolic diseases and disorders like diabetes, thyroid (hypo/hyper), phenylketonuria (PKU), etc.  that can be caused when the metabolism fails or decreases/increases than the body’s requirement. Although reason for these metabolic disorders is not just one but it is the reason and these are complex, but who wants to experience the pain of not losing weight, being obese or struggling daily with any other big or small issue caused due to the ups and downs of metabolism.

How Can We Boost It? 

Let’s understand certain ways in which we can boost metabolism  

  1. Protein: Eating more protein can boost metabolism to burn more calories.
  2. Mixing up certain exercises: can help us burn more fat by increasing metabolic rate.
  3. Water: If your body is dehydrated, then your metabolism may slow down as your body needs water to process calories.
  4. Eating small, frequent meals: like a small snack every 3-4 hours keeps your metabolism going.
  5. Adding spices: like green/red chilies, pepper, garam masala, etc. have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear.
  6. Recharge with organic green tea: Research suggests that drinking 2-3 cups of green tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderate intensity workouts.
  7. Eat enough calories: Eating less calories than our body’s requirement may give us quick results but this can cause your metabolism to slow down and that in turn, can make you gain more weight and create imbalance issues.
  8. Get plenty of sleep: Sleep disruptions or not getting adequate sleep has been known to have harmful effects on our metabolism.
  9. Manage stress: It has been seen that when we are continuously under stressful conditions, our body releases cortisol (stress hormone) which in turn affects our metabolism.
  10. Keep a check on B vitamins: as they play an essential role in the metabolic rate. So, make sure to meet your body’s requirement of B vitamins by including foods like eggs, bananas, orange juice, peas, spinach, whole grains, baked potatoes, etc.

All these points might sound difficult, but trust me we can make it happen with just small changes in our diet and lifestyle. It does not require inclusion of any costly, fancy food products. We hope this article helps you boost metabolism and make a positive lifestyle change. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

For more on metabolism, gut health and digestion, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

By 12 Comments

Exercise Is Good For You, But Exercise SMART!

exercise smartIn our zeal to get fit, sculpt an attractive body or lose weight, we may tend to overdo it when it comes to the exercise we choose. When you find yourself struggling to get the body results you want, one enrolls themselves for more complex and intensive training, longer hours in the gym, fad diets and crazy supplements.

What we need to remember, like everything else, is that our body parts and organs have a life. There will be natural wear and tear as we age and that principle remains the same for all of us. It’s true that the right amount of exercise can delay this and keep degeneration at bay and that’s what ensures us a better quality life as we age. A life free of knee, back and/or joint pain.

The media including Hollywood and Bollywood have blown the whole concept of exercise way out of proportion. Everyone wants to read about diets or exercise regimes of these super stars. Spending 2 hours in a gym or working out thrice a day is apparently what you need to get a model like a body or that of your favorite actor.

Extensive spinning, extremely heavy weights, running more than a marathon in a year, MMA mixed with weight training, kickboxing integrated with weights, etc. all require special nutrition plans if you are really into all of this.

These are great forms of exercise and we would all like to think of ourselves as long distance runners but, is your body prepared for it? Are your knees ready to take the massive stress? Is your back strong enough to brace impact and support you for the rest of your years without giving way?

Getting involved in intensive exercise is not your solution or compensation for binge eating over the weekend.

Your knee has a fluid (synovial) that runs around it and as this dries up due to stress (exercise) improper sleep (recovery) and poor nutrition, you will be left with excruciating pain that will severely alter your lifestyle.

Exercise Smart Is The Way Forward!

Short but productive workouts. 1 hour is a number. Break away from it. The best workouts get over in 25-30 minutes, saving you valuable 30 minutes of your day to use it for things that are meaningful to you. Tough to break from it if you have always been a “1-hour” gym person but, try.

After 45 minutes of exercise, your body generates ‘cortisol’, a stress hormone, that tells your body to ‘STORE FAT’. This becomes counterproductive to your whole goal or working out. Body builders and athletes have longer training schedules because they have supporting sports nutrition plans and they sleep over 8 hours for recovery.

Exercising smart is:- 

  • Keeping a day of recovery between intensive workouts or allowing for enough muscle recovery time
  • Doing max sets with minimum rest between sets (depend on your fitness goal)
  • You should be maxed out post 30 minutes and you should feel energetic
  • Warm up and cool down will allow you to be more productive

Break away from traditional exercise methods. Mix it up, challenge and push your body. Consistent walking, is one of the best exercises ever, something that works beautifully with a balanced nutrition plan and great sleep. You can lose fat and tone up if you exercise smart!

Remember that consistency is key! 

Meeting and exceeding the 10,000 steps daily is one of the best benchmarks when it comes to your walks. Re-evaluate your exercise schedule and how you feel after each workout. Don’t just think ‘ NOW’, consider the future years as well.

We hope this article helps you exercise smart for great results! For more on fitness and home workouts, check out Healthy Reads or ask an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#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 […]