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Tips to eat healthy and stay healthy while vacationing!

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Summer months is at its peak and the end of school sessions and the start of holidays! Many of us opt for a vacation to unwind. Going on vacation is an exciting time! It is a time to relax and enjoy your time off. However, the change in your routine can affect your eating habits so it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some tips to fully enjoy your vacation and stay healthy on it as well:

  1. Carry healthy snacking options with you. Homemade roasted peanuts, chana, figs, dates, fresh fruits, seed trail-mix, baked soya chips, almonds, and walnuts, energy bars made with simple ingredients such as jaggery, peanuts, nuts and dates!
  2. If you can’t avoid outside food then be mindful of portion sizes and have lesser portions of calorie-rich foods like rice and pasta.
  3. Follow the plate rule. Always pick up a quarter plate for your major meals. That will ensure that you don’t overfill your plate. Follow the thumb rule: Always fill half your plate with fruits and veggies.
  4. Many restaurants/hotels have buffet food stations where food can be cooked to your liking. Ask for a stir-fry with lots of vegetables served with a tomato or garlic sauce/olive oil dressing.
  5. If your room has a mini fridge, pick up some fresh fruit and raw veggies at the local grocery store. Pack whole grain, high fibre cereal and a few re-usable/disposable cups, bowls and spoons. Now you have the ingredients for a fast and healthy meal.
  6. Always carry a bottle of cold water in your bag. Vacations can add more hours of sun-time than you are used to which can dehydrate you, having a water bottle handy helps you prevent any heat stroke, dehydration. For extra flavour, add fresh berries, mint leaves or slices of orange, lemon, lime or cucumber. Try having more of local refreshing drinks like coconut water, kokam etc.
  7. Post your meals squeeze half a lemon in plain drinking water and drink on! Will be a good digestive drink and will help you keep light!
  8. Avoid picking up salads with heavy/creamy dressings and go for simple, green salad, fresh sliced raw veggies like cucumber, tomato, beetroot and carrots.
  9. Choose the GPRS rule which opts for more of grilled, poached, roasted and steamed foods rather than picking foods which are deep fried.
  10. While eating at a buffet, browse all the items and pick only 3-4 best items that will make way to your plate and stomach for that meal. Avoid tasting too many things, or overloading your plate with more food.
  11. Enjoy fresh fruits for dessert. Try the local, seasonal fresh fruit such as mangoes, jackfruit, papayas and pineapples. Treat yourself to a sweet dessert only once in a while, or split dessert with a friend.
  12. Always enjoy the local cuisine and fresh foods available rather than choosing your preferred foods. Give a visit to local markets. They are the ideal place to get a real experience of local culture. It is also a great place to find fresh, flavorful, whole foods, traditional food items. They are always fresh and bubbling with healthy nutrients.
  13. Limit your alcohol intake and opt for more of healthier drinks. Alcohol can dehydrate you and make you lethargic the next day. Choose more of water-based drinks rather than opting for soda.
  14. After a tiring sightseeing day and lots of outside eating, de-stress your body with a cup of warm lemon water, or a cup of green tea easily available in hotel rooms. You can also carry some carom seeds with you and drink warm ajwain water (carom seeds) before dozing off!
  15. Look for sports or recreational activities around your destination. Swimming, tennis, hiking, trekking, kayaking, cycling, or a simple walk around can help you have some adventure and stay active through your holiday.

Going on a vacation is a great time to enjoy a relaxing time with friends and family. Staying on track with healthy eating is easy when you plan ahead and choose wisely. Hope these tips help you stay healthy, fit and enjoy your holidays to the max! Do let us know how you manage to stay healthy on a vacation in the comments below! You can find more tips such as this one, here. You can also get these healthy tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Body Massage: A luxurious way to healthy life

body massage

After a strenuous, hectic week at work, do you feel the need to relax your body and mind on weekends? There are various options to relax like you sleep for more hours, you take a hot shower after a hectic day, Meditation, and many more, but nothing is as comfortable as lying on a massage table.

Yes! The conversation between your skin and therapist fingers is the most important discussion you can ever have.

Let me start with explaining what is body massage and why you should take it?

Body massage is a process of massaging the body by using hands, fingers, knees, elbows, forearm, feet or any massage device. It is generally working on the body with pressure by using structured or unstructured motion.

The word comes from the French massage “friction of kneading”, or from the Arabic word – massage meaning “to touch, feel”

In today’s fast-paced life, physical and mental stress leads to a fatigued body. A masseur or a massage therapist has the art of massaging away the pain, stress, fatigue and tension from the body. Massage involves the rubbing and manipulating of muscles, tendons, skin and ligaments. Massaging rubs away fatigue and stress. It improves blood circulation. It creates a pleasant sensation on the skin and works on the soft tissue like muscles, tendons and ligaments hence improves muscle tone. Its benefits reach the deeper layers of muscle and even the internal organs. It relaxes muscle spasm and relieves tension. It helps to eliminate waste and toxins from the body.

There are various types of massage available on the market now. I am listing few of them.

1. Reflexology: is a special type of massage which includes the application of pressure to the feet and hands with specific movements and pressure. Oil or creams are not used in this technique. The pressure applied in these areas stimulates the effective functioning of those organs.

2. Active Release Technique: ART is used as a treatment for various conditions like pains caused by overuse of muscles. When muscles are subjected to tear, pull or undergo injury, they produce a tough and dense scar tissue at the site. So, this technique helps.

3. Acupressure: This was originated in China. In this, physical pressure is applied to the acupressure points with hand, elbow, palm, wrist, knees or using machines. Acupressure technique of body massage is believed to restore the balance of energies throughout the body.

4. Swedish Massage: This technique involves five styles of strokes, namely sliding, kneading, rhythmic tapping, friction and vibration or shaking. It helps in alleviating pain and joint stiffness.

5. Aromatherapy Massage: It is one of the most common types of massage. It is a body massage using highly effective essential oils and essential oil blends mixed with a carrier oil to massage the body.

6. Balinese Massage: This type of massage adopts gentle skin folding, kneading, stroking. It improves the flow of blood, oxygen and energy throughout the body.

7. Craniosacral Therapy: The technique involves applying gentle strokes and touches to the skull, face, spine and pelvis. This regulates the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

8. Stone Massage: Using stones that may be cold or hot to apply pressure and heat to the body. The stones may be heated with water, oil and are usually Basalt stones or lava rocks that are smooth and polished.

9. Lymphatic Drainage: This is a type of gentle massage that facilitates the natural production and drainage of the lymph.

10. Thai Massage: It involves deep, full body massage that progresses from feet towards upper body and concentrates on stroking the energy lines of the body. It is effective in managing musculoskeletal pain and fatigue, improves flexibility and movement of joints and improves blood flow in the body.  A very popular form of massage now, mostly in metros.

BENEFITS OF BODY MASSAGE:

Everyday stress is unavoidable in today’s fast-paced world. Tension headaches, tightness in your shoulders, stomachaches and assorted pains are signs of built-up stress. This is a case where you don’t need to do anything other than relaxing and feel your body ease a sigh of relief. The confident hands of an expert massage therapist help melt all that stress and tension like sun bringing energy to each part of your body.

Regular massage improves blood circulation: The manipulation of the soft tissues and the chemicals and hormones relaxed during massage also improve the blood flow to the body.

It keeps skin rejuvenating– A full body massage helps remove dead skin cells over the entire body for improved skin tone. The stimulated blood flow benefits the appearance and health of the skin. Massage can also encourage tissue regeneration, which may help reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks

It loosens your stiff muscles, reduces cramps,  reduces back pain, Gives pain relief post-surgery, releases good hormones into the body and reduce the migrane issues.

For Medical conditions like tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, obesity, sleep disorders, frozen shoulder, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome massage therapy have shown good results.

Some tips to follow while you go for body massage:

Drink enough water for an hour before the massage session to help remove the toxins easily. Drink enough water post massage too

Breathe deeply when the stroke is painful.

Stay calm and do not encourage any thoughts in your mind during a massage session. Just enjoy and feel it.

NOTE: Consult a physician before having a massage if you have medical conditions, such as cancer, fractures, blood clots, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis or if you are pregnant.

So, get to a Spa and relax the Mind, Renew the Body and Revive the Soul.

#BeTheForce

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Kiwi – Berry of a woody vine-It’s health benefits

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I hear of Kiwi and my taste buds get active and when I heard of its nutritional benefits, I started loving it even more!! The colour and the look of the kiwi slice will definitely make you fall in love with it and its taste is an icing on the cake. Kiwi tastes just awesome.

A little history about the fruit tells us that Kiwi fruit, native to Northern China was first cultivated in New Zealand at the turn of the 20th Century and was known as Chinese Gooseberries. Later it was christened as Kiwi fruit in New Zealand because the fruit shares characteristics with New Zealand’s national bird Kiwi which is also small, brown and fuzzy.

Kiwis are rich in nutrients with low calories. It is packed with vital nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Copper, Choline, Magnesium and Phosphorous.

Who does not want to look and feel good? Everyone likes to and Kiwi helps you feel just as good, as it has a good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E which are antioxidants that prevent from skin degeneration and keeps your skin wrinkle free and makes you look younger.

Antioxidants also boost immunity.

Kiwis are rich in fibre that binds to toxins and flushes them out of the body. Fiber also binds to cholesterol and removes them from the body and thus Kiwi also helps to reduce cholesterol.

Studies show that Kiwis have a mild laxative effect and hence good for constipation.

Fiber and Potassium in kiwis are good for heart health. Kiwi’s high level of potassium helps to keep the electrolytes in the body balanced thereby countering the effects of Sodium. Low sodium helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.

High potassium intake also helps to reduce the risk of stroke, loss of muscle mass. It also preserves the bone mineral density and there is a reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

Kiwi has a very low glycemic index i.e. it does not increase the blood sugar quickly which makes it a good fruit for diabetics as well.

Kiwi falls in the category of most alkaline fruits and thus helps in balancing acidic and alkaline food consumption. Few advantages of a properly acid/alkaline balanced body are youthful skin, deeper sleep, abundant physical energy, fewer colds, less arthritis and reduced osteoporosis.

Kiwi Fruit also protects from eye problems. Kiwi’s high level of lutein and zeaxanthin-both of which are natural chemicals found in a human eye prevents from eye problems Who ever knew this small fruit can be so beneficial. Truly said,” Big surprises come in small packages.”

I have made it a point to have at least one kiwi a day. What about you????

We hope this article helps you. For more informative articles such as this, check out Healthy Reads or you can get this information directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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Sleep Apnea, its symptoms and how you can prevent it?

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Has anyone ever told you that you have a tendency to snore? Or maybe you don’t…but you have a partner or family member who does? Do you find that you tend to wake up throughout the night? Or maybe you think you get good sleep, but you consistently find yourself with a dry mouth in the morning?

These are all signs that could suggest that you (or…your beloved snoring family member) may have something called “Sleep Apnea.” Well, there are people who cannot sleep without a machine and that is because they suffer from a medical condition called ‘Sleep Apnea’.

Let’s actually break this down. What is Sleep Apnea?

The most common type of Sleep Apnea is ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea’ (OSA). OSA is a potentially life-altering and life-threatening breathing disorder that occurs during sleep.

The upper airway repeatedly collapses, causing cessation of breathing (apnea) or inadequate breathing (hypopnea) and sleep fragmentation. The breathing stops during sleep for 10 seconds to a minute or longer. Oxygen levels in the blood decrease.

One challenge with something like this is that you may not necessarily wake up entirely. So it’s not always easy to self-diagnose. BUT – Sleep fragmentation results in chronic daytime sleepiness (which you would expect if you’re constantly getting interrupted throughout the night). This disrupts healthy sleep and causes a number of short-term and long-lasting effects that threaten the health and well-being of those who suffer from the condition.

How many people have OSA? The prevalence of OSA in the general population is still unclear. Several epidemiological studies have attempted to examine this issue. Epidemiological data from Young, Palta, Dempsey, et. Al (1993) in a study paper titled:- Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: natural history, diagnosis, and emerging treatment options, estimated that in a group of 602 middle-aged individuals 2% of women and 4% of men meet the minimal diagnostic criteria for sleep apnea with excessive daytime sleepiness.

People most likely to have or develop OSA may have any of the following:

  • Obesity, especially in the upper body
  • Small upper airway due to excess throat tissue or abdominal jaw structure
  • Nasal Obstruction
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Family History of OSA
  • Overweight Obese individuals

Obesity, particularly abdominal and upper body obesity is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Excess body fat on the neck and chest constricts the air passageways and sometimes the lungs – thus setting the stage for interrupted breathing during the night. And according to the research…The more obese a person, the greater the risk of apnea.

The good news is that there are some general things that can make a big difference.

This includes:

Losing some weight, if you are overweight or obese (even as little as 5% of your body weight can make a change)

Avoid alcohol, sedatives, and hypnotics (as they can sedate the very muscles we need to breathe)

Sleeping on your side or in a semi propped position

If you have sleep apnea, do not take sleep medicines or sedatives. These chemicals will increase the relaxation in the tissues of the upper airway and make the obstruction worse. The specific treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is usually a mask worn at night to keep the airway open or using a sleep machine that can help you breathe and sleep properly.

If OSA is left untreated, it can increase the risk of developing:

  • Hypertension
  • Cardiac Arrhythmias
  • Myocardial Ischemia
  • Stroke Pre-diabetes
  • Decreased quality of life (because who wants to feel sleep deprived?)

Weight loss is frequently recommended to improve OSA among obese patients. Not only does sustained weight loss improve OSA, it also improves many other independently linked comorbidities such as Hypertension, High Cholesterol, and Diabetes. The greater the change in body weight or waist circumference, the greater is the improvement in OSA

Prioritize your sleep health by recognizing the symptoms of sleep apnea and implementing preventative measures. Share your experiences and insights on managing sleep apnea in the comments below. For personalised advice and support, consult a healthcare professional specializing in sleep disorders or reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#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 […]