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January 22, 2020 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

India’s Ikigai: Centennials know the secret sauce to Longevity

It is not just about staying physically healthy-it is also about mental, emotional and social health

Mishrilal Jain, 92 years lives in Bareli in a Madhya Pradesh and still sits in their family cloth store. He totally defies age by being active, healthy and social. Every day, he makes it a point to chat with his friends. He walks on his own with a stick and has no medical conditions or lifestyle diseases. A freedom fighter who has even been to jail in 1947, Jain has a very positive outlook towards life. His granddaughter reiterates his secret to longevity is that fact he has been active throughout his life, eats only homecooked food and is happy and content.

Dr Narsingh Gulvady, 90, lives in Navi Mumbai and is a retired MBBS doctor. He says, “do not do anything to live long. I did nothing”. Born in 1929, in then Madras, Dr Gulvady is active and spends a lot of time with his books apart from enjoying his beloved wife’s company who is also 86 years of age. Dr Gulvady attributes his longevity also to people’s love all along that has kept him happy and healthy. He also does not forget to credit his gene pool for longevity. Both he and his wife have led a very active and simple life. He maintains a diary on a daily basis and does not have any medical issues.

The above stories are just two of the examples of the many 90 plus people GOQii interviewed for their longevity study. Aging is a natural process and it is inevitable It is precisely the impermanence of life that renders it so precious. But, how about aging gracefully and disease-free? Is this even possible? Are some of the questions we asked and the answers we found were positive. Yes, it is very possible according to the latest India fit Report 2020 titled –– India’s Ikigai: The Old Know Better but the Young Don’t Care’.

As per the report, the above examples highlighted, the 90 plus years and above people attribute their longevity to simple living, being active, eating home-cooked nutritious food and to being socially active with friends and family. For many their years of living have been happy and content.

The India Fit report 2020 is in its 6^th edition and it is a result of a year-long study of 5 million GOQii users. The report presents a holistic overview on the health and lifestyle of Indians across different parameters such as steps taken, lifestyle diseases (Diabetes, Cardiac and Hypertension), BMI (Body Mass Index), nutrition, water, stress, sleep, gut health and immunity, allergies, smoking and alcohol consumption; all of which are classified according to gender and key cities. This year India Fit report went a step further and decoded the secret to ‘India’s Ikigai-longevity of life’ from 90 years old and above across the country

Most of the centennials also lead a disease-free life while the younger age groups demonstrated a higher risk profile for lifestyle diseases, the study indicates. As per the health risk assessment (HRA) (framework of the study, 62% of people are either high risk or borderline on the Health-Risk Assessment spectrum. Only 38% of people are healthy. Young adults in the 19-30 age group have the unhealthiest habits and demonstrate a high propensity to be afflicted by lifestyle diseases.

The study indicates that people who report being happy and satisfied with their lives are more likely to enjoy a longer life span with good health and fewer long-term limiting health concerns. Bonding with family and friends appears to enhance health, and even increase longevity. At GOQii, our endeavour is to create awareness about preventive health while providing people with a platform to improve their health and fitness and move a step ahead to increase India’s average lifespan to 80 years and above.

ALARMING RISE IN LIFESTYLE DISEASES

The report indicates that Diabetes has increased from 7.1% to 12% this year. The incidence of diabetes is highest among older adults at 23.81% and seniors at 36.82%. As per the report, 13.5% of Indians have Cholesterol issues. High Cholesterol can even occur among people who are underweight, or overweight, thin or fat thus regular monitoring is key in keeping cholesterol in check. Currently, 36% of the people who have high cholesterol have heart issues too while 51.7% of the people who have diabetes have abnormal cholesterol too. This past year Thyroid issues have increased from 6.8 to 10.7 %. The report also suggests that 13.4% of the people in India have high blood pressure.

SOME SURPRISES: Healthiest City is Chandigarh and Mumba slips to rank 15 in the list of healthy cities

The survey deep dives into city-wise parameters and has recorded Chandigarh to be the healthiest city in India while Mumbai slips far down in the list of healthiest cities, ranking 15^th overall. Kolkata is at the lowest end of the spectrum. 18% of people in Kolkata are diabetic followed by Surat and Bhopal. In terms of allergies, Pune ranks lowest on the allergy index having the least amount of people suffering from allergies. Chennai has the worst BMI rank across all cities, Kolkata has the largest aging population in the country and the highest incidence of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and thyroid. About 60% of people in Lucknow fall in the unhealthy bracket which is just 2 % below the country’s average. Ahmedabad ranks 10th in the overall ranking, manages stress better than many other cities. Bhopal has overtaken all other major cities, having the highest percentage of people who consume alcohol.

The GOQii India Fit Report has been administered across 16 cities in the country and data has been collected from a cross-section of 5 million GOQii app users. The study evaluates the health of users basis the Health Risk Assessment that take and also the data recorded on a daily basis that is tracked by users on the App. HRA considers factors such as current body statistics, medical parameters, current nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep, alcohol, smoking, current illness, lifestyle diseases, immunity levels, symptoms or health indicators. The data that is tracked by the users on a daily basis is their steps clocked, food logs, sleep, water intake and their vital parameters. This edition of the report has focused on doing in-depth interviews with India’s oldest citizens. Over 100 respondents across the length and breadth of India, between 90 and 100 plus years of age were an integral part of the study.

Download the full report from www.indiafit.org

For more topics on the health benefits of foods, check out our Healthy Reads section within the GOQii App or simply tune in to GOQii Play for LIVE sessions by experts.

#LevelUp your winter and #BeTheForce

January 13, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

GOQii Trail Challenge Heroes: Give Up on Shankar Sabadi Giving Up!

Through adversity, there is redemption! What would life be without challenges? How would you know your limits? It is because of challenges we learn our limits, how to push past them and reach our goals. Getting demotivated is natural but with a sound mind and a strong spirit, nothing is impossible! For everyone who was a part of the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019, this was one of the most heroic tales which unfolded before us! Shankar Sabadi didn’t just complete the challenge but served as a living, breathing example of what you do when faced with adversity.

How Was the Experience Compared to 2018?

Shankar Sabadi has been an active GOQii Player since 2017. Since undergoing a transformation and making a positive lifestyle change, he has always been looking for challenges to test his limits. This was the second time that Shankar Sabadi had participated in the GOQii Trail Challenge. Although he said it was painful, and you’re about to find out why, he said it was a refreshing experience when compared to last year.

As the trail challenge was a fairly fresh concept introduced in 2018, the participants, Shankar included, didn’t know what to expect other than the fact that they had to walk 50km. He didn’t expect the mix of hiking, trekking, inclines and declines. Despite not knowing what awaited him, he completed the Trail in 2018 within 12 hours.

This year, he trained himself well for the challenge ahead by climbing stairs every day, going for mountain walks and taking normal ones as well.

Shankar Sabadi at GOQii Trail Challenge 2019

The trail began and all our participants went on route. After a group of 8 people, including Shankar Sabadi and a pacer left the 1st checkpoint, they were following the ribbons used to mark the trail. However, they missed one and took a wrong route. The path was rocky, covered with dense bushes, which made Mr. Sabadi realize that they might have taken a different route. He suggested they should return to the last ribbon.

Few of them weren’t in favour of the decision as they had walked for at least half an hour. After much discussion, the pacer confirmed that they were on the wrong route and they all decided to retrace their steps. As Shankar Sabadi turned around, he tripped on some pebbles. He quickly realized that he won’t be able to avoid the fall and instead of taking the fall on his back and hurting it, he decided to fall on his hands.

He immediately realized that he had fractured his hand…

Never Back Down! Give Up On Giving Up!

He did experience pain and his fellow walkers helped him to his feet. They noticed his arm was swollen. He just kept his hand in his pocket and asked everyone to move ahead. He didn’t want anyone to be delayed on his account.

At the next checkpoint, he asked one of the support staff to spray some pain reliever on his arm. They said a doctor will be available only at the village and offered to take him there. Shankar Sabadi was not ready to give up. He was determined to complete the trail. He said that even though his hand is fractured and hurts, his legs are okay.

Seeing his unshakeable determination, the staff made a makeshift splint out of a tree branch. One of the crepe bandages was used to tie the arm and another as a sling to rest the arm. With this arrangement, he continued on the trail. The walk was painful and the injury slowed him down but didn’t by any means stop him. He had to tread very carefully as he couldn’t use his arm to balance. All the pressure was on his left foot.

He is extremely thankful to all the fellow walkers who carried his bag, offered him water, supplements and energizers along the way (you know who you are and you guys are awesome!) Thanks to this, he only had to focus on walking.

After a lot of trials and tribulations, fighting through the pain and overcoming all of it, Shankar Sabadi completed the trail in 14 hours, just 2 hours behind his last year’s finishing time. Once the challenge was over and we reached Mumbai, he left for home and visited his doctor, who diagnosed that his arm is not broken but curved due to the impact of the fall. His arm was plastered for 3 weeks. You’ll be glad to know that he is recuperating at home and taking physiotherapy sessions to increase blood circulation to that arm and strengthen it.

We often hear of heroes and it is true, not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach us to push forward no matter what! Shankar Sabadi exemplifies what it means to #BeTheForce! He says that since he joined GOQii, he has given up on giving up.

Where else could you have heard such a valiant tale? Where else could you feel this energy? If you’re still having doubts, let this story be your motivation to participate in the next GOQii Trail Challenge and complete it.

We’ll be sharing many more heroic stories of participants who made #LifeWorthWalking through Healthy Reads as well as GOQii Play. Do you have an awesome GTC story to share? Write to us here.

January 2, 2020 By Dr. Naina Sudarshan 4 Comments

Why You Should Eat Oranges During Winter!

As winter hits the city, we find a lot of fruit carts loaded with Oranges. The best part about oranges during winter is that they are quite nutritious and healthier for the body. You might think that during winter, the body craves warm, spicy food but there are many reasons to not ignore this tasty citrus fruit.

5 Reasons to Eat Oranges During Winter

1. Boost Immunity

Winter has a notorious reputation of causing common cold, congestion and recurrent ear infections. Oranges are rich in Phytonutrients, Vitamin C and antioxidants which boost our immunity. This way, they help prevent common cold, congestion and related ailments.

2. Good for Skin and Hair

Oranges provide about 120 per cent of daily Vitamin C value that is required by the body. Vitamin C in Oranges helps the body to produce collagen that is required to maintain healthy skin and hair. Apart from this, Vitamin A in oranges keeps the hair moisturized by increasing sebum secretion. If you want radiant skin, smooth hair, and delayed ageing, eat an orange every day. Antioxidants in oranges prevent skin damage caused by free radicals. Orange peel can be used as a face mask which is excellent for preventing and fighting acne on the face.

3. Protects Heart Health

Oranges are high in fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium and Vitamin C, which are known to improve heart health. Oranges improve iron absorption in the body and Vitamin B6 supports the production of haemoglobin. Hence, if you have iron deficiency, it’s good to intake oranges along with Iron supplements. Magnesium present in Oranges keeps the cholesterol in check.

4. Enhances Digestion

Oranges are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers which support gut health. Soluble fibers help feed the healthy bacteria in our gut. But make sure you eat the white fibers in Oranges along with the pulp to get this benefit. Insoluble fibers draw the water into the gut to make the stool soft and easier to pass. So, oranges can prevent constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to some extent.

5. Easy Go-To-Snack

There can’t be a better fruit snack than an orange! We don’t need to cut them and they are easy to peel. Oranges are nearly fat-free and sodium-free with as low as 60 calories and can make a good mid-morning or afternoon snack at work or at home. As they are rich in fibers, they can keep you full for a longer time. So Oranges can make a great weight-loss snack as well.

Interesting Fact:

Did you know Orange peel taken internally has double the health benefits than the actual fruit part? Orange peels contain flavonoids which can protect the heart, are good for digestion, and help to prevent allergies. They are good for boosting immunity, reduce bad breath and good for skin. Save the Orange peels, boil them in water and it can be made into a chutney grinding the peels with coconut, tamarind, jaggery, red chili and salt. It tastes the best and is healthy too!

Don’t forget to snack on Oranges in winter to stay healthy! We hope this blog helps you. Want to know about more fruits? Tune in to our expert nutritionists on GOQii Play. Subscribe now and #BeTheForce.

December 31, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Level Up Your 2020 With GOQii!

The year has come to an end and around this time, we all begin formulating resolutions for the coming year. While most of us haven’t stuck to our resolutions or surprisingly achieved them, we need to understand that being healthy and active is an ongoing process. It never ends and the only thing to do is Level Up!

What happens once you achieve a health goal? Do you stop? Do you go back to being unhealthy? What happens if you don’t achieve your health goals? Do you give up? The answer is no! You move forward. You rise up to the challenge. You learn all there is to know to push ahead and #BeTheForce. That’s what we mean when we say Level Up.

So how do you Level Up? How do you take things up a notch? Let us help!

How You Can Level Up Your 2020

Below are a few things that GOQii helps you with so you can better equip yourself with the right guidance, right knowledge and the right products – all available within the GOQii App.

GOQii Play: Tired of routine? Have doubts about nutrition? Want to try yoga and meditation? We’ve got all of these covered and much more on GOQii Play. You have access to tons of information from experts in their respective fields. Be it sexual wellness, mental health or medicine, we bring you the latest topics, exciting workouts, healthy recipes among others, all of which will help you better equip yourself to take it to the next level in 2020!
Health Store: Want a trusted source for nutraceuticals? Want to eat healthy snacks? Do you need clothing for your gym? The GOQii Health Store has everything you need to get you started on the right path to good health. The brands and their products are curated by a team of experts to bring you nothing but the best. Let shopping healthy be one of your resolutions this year.
Active Sunday: If motivation doesn’t find you, you need to go out there and find it yourself! Nothing works as better motivation than a group of like-minded individuals who meet up every Sunday for an hour and exercise. GOQii Active Sundays happen every week and are a great way to kickstart your week on a healthy note. Currently, we have around 50 GOQii Champions who conduct Active Sundays across different locations in India and at the pace at which we’re going, this number is likely to increase in the coming year. Want to be a part of this? Click here to register: https://goo.gl/KN82CU
Challenges: In 2019, we initiated 3 challenges that were massive and had a huge impact on healthcare in India. Through the India Steps Challenge, we were able to increase the national step count to an average of 9391. The India Health Quiz helped users increase their knowledge about all things healthy and bust common health myths which were floating around the internet. The GOQii Trail Challenge this year saw an amazing turnout, inspiring stories which included a 60 year old participant completing the trail with a broken arm as well as a blind and sighted duo who completed the 50km arduous trail in 16 hours. In 2020, we’re going to issue more challenges and more opportunities for all of us to shine!

In one app, you have all the tools you need to make 2020 as healthy as possible but don’t forget one of the key ingredients which is YOU! It is your willpower, determination and motivation which will make all the difference. 2020 is about you and what you do to Level Up your lifestyle and make a difference.

So walk more, eat healthy, sleep right and have more fun! The world is your playground. Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year!

#BeTheForce