boost immunity Archives

March 22, 2021 By Akshay Karlawar Leave a Comment

5 Simple Activities To Maintain Good Health

What really comprises good health? A textbook definition would be that it is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. So by this definition, is there a sound strategy to maintain good health? Well, thankfully, it is not as difficult as it sounds like.

5 Simple Activities To Help You Maintain Good Health

1. 10k Steps A Day
All of us know that being active and exercising regulates our hormones, immune system, mental health and increases our life span. We’re also aware that the 21st century lifestyle is becoming increasingly sedentary. Hitting the gym or getting a good workout every day is close to impossible. Here’s where trying to clock in 10k steps a day can do a lot for your life. There is no magic beyond this number. It is just enough to get a need to be active throughout the day. It will keep a target in front of your eyes and can be performed any time during the day. Basically, it helps you with your progress and consistency. Moreover, most people enjoy walking and also they stick to it long term and they can benefit from this activity every single day. One more special thing it offers is it makes you sort of active throughout the day in addition to whatever workout you do. Plus, it can be done in installments throughout the day, for instance post meal walks (walking at least 10-15mins after each meal), walking while attending calls, using stairs instead of lift and not using vehicles for short distances.

2. Sleep
A good night’s sleep of 7-8 hours is extremely important for the body (especially when you are training). Sleep maintains your mental and physical health and helps your body recover. Hormones like prolactin, luteinizing hormones and growth hormones increase during sleep and secretion of cortisol (stress hormone) is inhibited. Your body uses tryptophan and turns it into a B vitamin called niacin which plays a key role in creating serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is associated with sleep and melatonin levels (a hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle). Foods like sweet potato, turmeric powder, chicken, eggs and milk etc. are high in tryptophan and help you sleep.

3. Nutrition
It’s an important aspect for living organisms. The beauty of mother nature is it can nourish all kinds of living organisms, no matter vegetarians or non-vegetarians and nutritional requirements vary from individual to individual, sports to sports and competition to competition. To have a healthy life, make water as your drink of choice (first priority), and include eating plant-based foods more often and choose highly-processed or ultra-processed foods, less often. Choose recipes with plenty of vegetables and fruit. Your goal is to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits at every meal. Choose bright, coloured fruits and vegetables each day, especially orange and dark green vegetables.

4. NEAT(Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
NEAT is any activity you do, which doesn’t count as exercise because it is not as intense as exercise but counts as moments that burn calories. Walking to the kitchen or the bathroom or moving your hands around, all come under NEAT. So, the more you move throughout the day, the higher your NEAT. NEAT expenditure can vary massively, that’s why some people seem to burn more calories. Just because generally, they move a lot more. Even when they are sitting, they are not just sitting, they continuously move their legs and hands and that burns calories.

5. Monitor Progress
Always monitor your progress, that will help you to know where exactly you are in your journey. How can you monitor your progress? If you’re a person who runs or jogs, time yourself and see if you get quicker each time you do it. And when it comes to food, at the end of the day, just write down everything you have consumed and figure out what and all unnecessary foods you are consuming and start avoiding those. You can do your food and activity logging via the GOQii App as well. Monitoring your progress will help you stay disciplined and consistent.

These 5 simple steps will definitely help you maintain good health. Just ensure that initially your goal is realistic and doable. So, according to your time, schedule, fix a goal and go after it! We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy living, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

June 24, 2020 By Swati Savla 6 Comments

Can Moringa Help You Fight the Coronavirus?

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many suggestions on boosting immunity against the virus. These include lemon, ginger, citrus fruits, vegetables, turmeric, etc. all of which are high on antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory or anti-bacterial properties – aiding the fight against the virus and helping us maintain optimum health. Imagine getting all these properties under one umbrella. Sounds interesting? One superfood can provide you all of these and that superfood is Moringa – vouched for by our ancestors as well.

Why is the Ayurveda Prescribed Moringa Valued Globally?

Almost all parts of this tree (roots, leaves, pods, flowers, seeds) are utilized in varied ways.
It has Vitamins like A, B complex (folic acid, pyridoxine, choline), C, D, E & K (4 times Vitamin A of carrots), 7 times Vitamin C that of Oranges, 2 times the protein of Yoghurt, 25 times more iron than spinach.
It is abundant in protein, calcium, potassium, iron, chromium, magnesium, selenium and zinc.
Phytochemicals present in Moringa include tannins, phenolics, saponins, anthraquinones, etc. and flavonoids like Quercetin, Isoquercetin, kaemfericitin, isothiocyanates, all of which have shown to have antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
These nutrients are not destroyed after drying or boiling.
It doesn’t leave behind hygiene as well. Moringa oleifera leaf powder was as effective as soap for washing hands when wetted in advance to enable antiseptic and detergent properties from phytochemicals in the leaves.

With all these benefits and properties, the magical Moringa can help you boost your immune system as well as ward off illnesses. Give it a try now but before you do, do consult your doctor or nutritionist.

We hope this article helps you. For more articles on moringa, nutrition et al, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to experts on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, eat healthy and #BeTheForce

June 6, 2020 By Urvi Gohil 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: Sauerkraut (Fermented Cabbage)

Nothing is more important and essential than maintaining immunity during these pandemic struck days. If it is good immunity that you’re seeking, you should definitely try this Sauerkraut recipe which is basically chopped cabbage that undergoes anaerobic fermentation and gives you major health benefits. It can be a side dish to your main meals or you can add it to your meats and sandwiches. It originated in China over 2000 years back but is very popular in Germany.

What You Will Need:

Raw Cabbage – 1
Mason Jar – 1 (750 ml to 1 L)
Pink Salt or Normal Salt – 1-2 tbsp

How To Prepare:

Take a medium sized cabbage and remove the outer leaves and keep them aside. Cut the cabbage into 4-5 pieces and remove the white core.
Shred the cabbage or chop it in a food processor. We need it really thin and finely chopped.
Take a big mixing bowl, add the cabbage to it.
Add the salt. Salt will stop the breathing of any unhealthy micro-organism and will start the formation of lactobacillus bacteria which will help us in this fermentation.
Mix the cabbage and salt well with your hands for a few minutes and then keep it aside for 7-10 min to allow the brine to ooze out. Let it set in the bowl.
Pound the cabbage for a few minutes to allow any more liquid to ooze out, hit it well.
Take a glass jar which is clean, freshly washed and pack the cabbage very tightly.
Clean your hands and start keeping the cabbage in the jar. After adding some, take a wooden spatula or glass and push it in to avoid any air pockets between the cabbages. Repeat the process till the cabbage is over.
Now, take the outer cabbage leaf and tuck it over the cabbage kept in the jar just like you are covering it hard to not allow any air.
Next, add the brine we collected after mashing the cabbage, leave the top 1 inch of the jar free, do not pack it with brine tightly.
Close the lid of the Mason jar (it is okay to close the jar not very tight so that the cabbage can breathe) and keep it in a bowl, there are chances of liquid oozing out after fermentation starts.
Keep this for 3 days and then you can refrigerate and eat it. It should be a bit yellow and tangy.

Highlights of the Sauerkraut Recipe

Eat this with every meal to improve digestion and add in good microbes.
It has a very long shelf life and a great way to boost immunity and better digestion.
70-80 % of your immunity is located in your gut and hence it is very important to keep an eye on what you are eating. This is the best probiotic just like curd to help you with it.
Sauerkraut is enriched with nutrients, minerals and a lot of fiber. It helps in boosting immunity, digestion, can aid weight loss, helps in stress reduction, improving brain health, may reduce risk of cancer and promote good heart health.

We hope you enjoy this Sauerkraut recipe. Do try it out and leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, eat healthy and #BeTheForce

May 20, 2020 By Dr. Vaidya's Leave a Comment

7 Ayurvedic Remedies to Boost Immunity

The importance of healthy immune function is something we tend to neglect until it’s flu season or we are faced with a pandemic. With the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, you’re probably reaching for vitamin C capsules, but there’s a lot more you can do to strengthen immunity. Vitamin C supplementation is not the most effective immune-boosting strategy, as dietary intake of nutrients is more effective than supplementation. Moreover, there are other nutrients and natural therapeutic ingredients, diet, and lifestyle practices that are important for healthy immune function. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of such practices at all times because of its focus on disease prevention. It makes sense for us to revisit some of the best Ayurvedic remedies for immunity at this time.

7 Ayurvedic Remedies to Boost Immunity

Haridra: The best remedies are always the simplest ones and it doesn’t get simpler than this. Haridra, haldi, or turmeric is the most easily available ingredient that we use in every household. Just start adding it to more of your foods and make it a point to drink warm Haldi doodh or golden milk each morning and before bedtime. Studies show that curcumin, the primary organic compound in haridra, has a strong immunomodulatory effect. It enhances antibody responses, which are critical for fighting off pathogens to either prevent or overcome infections.

Tulsi: Tulsi is ascribed with divine or spiritual significance in Indian culture and is also revered for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda. You will often find it as an ingredient in herbal Ayurvedic cough syrups and tonics, but it’s not just helpful for relieving colds and coughs. Some research shows that tulsi extracts exhibit immunomodulatory effects, raising lymphocyte levels and enhancing the immune response. This can significantly improve disease-fighting ability and reduce recovery times. Tulsi can be consumed in any form – steeped in water for herbal tea, or by combining the crushed leaves, flowers, and stem with honey and ghee. You can also use tulsi powder or supplements if you can’t get your hands on fresh tulsi.

Sunth: Sunth, which is the dried form of ginger, is another effective Ayurvedic remedy for immune function. You can also use fresh ginger if you like as the immune-boosting effects are not very different. Ginger’s potent medicinal properties are attributed to gingerols, which have been found to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It is protective of lung function, reducing irritation and spasms, making you less vulnerable to respiratory infections. Ginger is also known to possess antimicrobial properties that can help your immune system fight infections. To get these benefits, you can chew on raw ginger slices, drink fresh ginger juice, and add ginger to your tea or meals.

Jyeshtimadhu: Known in much of the western world as licorice, Jyesthimadhu is often used in Ayurvedic medicine and remedies to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments. Because of its powerful therapeutic properties, the herb is classified as a rasayana in Ayurveda – the category of rejuvenative herbs. These therapeutic actions are linked to the specific polysaccharides in Jyesthimadhu. Studies suggest that the herb can significantly enhance immune function and antioxidant enzyme activity, providing stronger immune protection against viral and bacterial infections. To consume the herb, you can chew on the twigs known as mulethi sticks or add the herbal powder to ginger tea or juice.

Eucalyptus Oil: Known as Nilgiri Taila in Ayurveda, eucalyptus oil is notable for its therapeutic properties, which have been well studied for decades. These benefits are linked to the high content of flavonoids and tannins in eucalyptus. The herbal oil has proven antimicrobial effects that can help fight a variety of infections. A study that appeared in BMC Immunology also indicated that eucalyptus oil could have an immune stimulatory effect, enhancing phagocytic response to better protect against pathogens like viruses and bacteria. You can use eucalyptus oil in your mouth wash or throat gargle or add a few drops to a bowl of steaming water for inhalation.

Follow the Dinacharya: Dinacharya or daily routine is one of the fundamental concepts in Ayurveda. It outlines the ideal daily routine, with time scheduled for waking up, exercise, meditation, meals, sleep, and so on. This routine was formulated over thousands of years, based on, and meant to be in harmony with the natural ebb and flow of nature. Although this practice has largely been forgotten and ignored in recent decades, we are now learning about its importance through new scientific investigations of the circadian rhythm. It is clear now that such a routine is vital for the health of the circadian system, which in turn has a huge impact on immune function.

Practice Pranayamas: While exercise in itself is important for healthy immunity and cardiorespiratory function, Pranaymas can be particularly helpful. An integral feature of yoga, these breathing exercises may seem pointless as they do not require any physical activity unlike asanas. However, they are known to strengthen lung function and can significantly lower the risk of respiratory disease, including airborne infections. Some pranayama exercises like kapalabhati, omkara, and brahmari are in fact so effective, that their practice is even recommended for patients who suffer from chronic respiratory conditions like asthma.

The above Ayurvedic remedies can give you added immune support during such times of crisis. However, they are not meant as a substitute for healthy living. Try to adopt diet and lifestyle practices on a long term basis for sustainable health and wellbeing so that you are better prepared for the next pandemic, as coronavirus is not the last, but just the latest pandemic to hit us.

We hope this article helps. You can view more Ayurvedic remedies by Dr. Vaidya’s in the GOQii Health Store. For more tips to boost immunity, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce