GOQii

Blog

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

September 10, 2023 By Rashmi Deshpande Leave a Comment

Foods To Manage Blood Sugar Naturally

manage blood sugar

By now, we’re all aware that Diabetes is a condition in which the body is unable to control the glucose entering the bloodstream. Along with medicines, food is key to controlling it. As it is a slow progressive disorder, it makes our organs weak and affects their functioning like a slow poison. Hence, it is really important to keep our blood sugar levels under control. Let’s see how we can manage blood sugar naturally with food. 

Foods That Manage Blood Sugar Naturally 

High blood sugar occurs when your body can’t effectively transport sugar from blood into cells. If sugar levels go high, you need to add the following food to your diet. 

1. Eat More Green Leafy Veggies
Leafy green vegetables are extremely nutritious and low in calories. They’re also very low in digestible carbs, so they won’t significantly affect blood sugar levels. Spinach, kale, methi, bathua and other leafy greens are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. People with diabetes have a greater requirement of vit C as it acts as a potent antioxidant and also has anti-inflammatory qualities. Increasing dietary intake of vitamin C-rich foods can help people with diabetes increase their serum vitamin C levels while reducing inflammation and cellular damage. In addition, leafy greens are good sources of the antioxidants – lutein, zeaxanthin. These antioxidants protect your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts, which are common diabetes complications. Leafy green vegetables are rich in nutrients like Vitamin C, as well as antioxidants that protect your heart and eye health. You can add these veggies in all meals in different forms like sabji, soup, salads, in roti , paratha, chutneys etc.

2. Addition of Micronutrients
Chromium is involved in carb and fat metabolism. It also helps control blood sugar levels. Lack of chromium may predispose you to carb intolerance. Chromium rich foods include egg yolks, whole-grain products like millets, coffee, nuts, green beans, broccoli and meat (in moderation).

Magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, whole grains, fish, dark chocolate, bananas, avocados and beans (not matured).

3. Reduce Carb Intake
Reduction in carb intake not more than 100grams per day, avoiding simple carbs like maida products and packet atta as well. Try to get coarse atta which has wheat husk, add isabgol in roti to reduce the spike in sugar levels after meals. Add whole grains like millets, jawar, chana, chia seeds and quinoa to your daily meals.

4. Add a Good Amount of Nuts
All types of nuts contain fiber and are low in net carbs, high in essential oils and protein to regulate sugar levels and provide nutrients.

  • Almonds: 2.6 grams
  • Brazil nuts: 1.4 grams
  • Cashews: 7.7 grams
  • Hazelnuts: 2 grams
  • Macadamia: 1.5 grams
  • Pecans: 1.2 grams
  • Pistachios: 5 grams
  • Walnuts: 2 grams

5. Add Seeds To Your Diet
These are rich in good fats, protein, dietary fibers and have the ability to reduce hunger pangs and craving for sugar. They also provide constant energy supply to diabetics.

  • Flax seeds – 1 to 2tbps per day 
  • Sunflower seeds – 2tbs per day
  • Pumpkin seeds – 2tbps per day
  • Sesame seeds – 1tbps per day
  • Methi seeds – 1 to 2tsp soaked.

Nuts and seeds can be easily added as evening snacks, in salads and to your morning breakfast too.

People with diabetes often experience low blood sugar levels. Certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, some critical illnesses and hormone deficiencies can also cause hypoglycemia without diabetes. To fix this, you can have:

  • A small apple, banana, or orange
  • 15 grapes
  • A few prunes
  • 2 tablespoons of raisins or dates
  • 1/2 cup of juice or regular (not diet) soda
  • 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
  • Hard candy, jellybeans, or gummy candy check on ingredients before consuming.
  • Glucose tablets or Lemon sharbat with sugar but without salt. 

These are a few foods we need to add to our diet to manage blood sugar naturally – this along with exercise for approx 30 mins a day. For more on managing blood sugar, check out Healthy Reads or consult a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

August 18, 2023 By GOQii 3 Comments

5 Reasons To Start Eating High Fiber Meals

high fiber mealsFiber has a diverse role to play starting from improved laxation and lowering cardiovascular disease risk to weight management. Unhealthy eating patterns and consuming too much of processed foods, have minimized the fiber level in our meals to a bare minimum.

Why Should You Have High Fiber Meals? 

  1. Improves Bowel Health: More fiber in our diet makes the stool bulky. This leads to easy defecation and hence, acts as a natural laxative. Adding fiber to our diet can even help ease conditions such as constipation.
  2. Controls Sugar Levels: High fiber food causes a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream. Hence, it ensures that the glucose level in the blood doesn’t shoot up instantly. Fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels. Hence, diabetics are often asked to opt for high fiber food rather than refined food.
  3. Maintains Healthy Body Weight: The satiety center in our brain gets activated after 20 minutes. So when you are eating fast, you tend to eat more without any extra requirement. High fiber meals consume more time as they have to be chewed thoroughly. Hence, the brain has enough time to activate the satiety center. At the same time, high fiber meals are energy dense but low in fat, which also contributes to maintaining healthy body weight.
  4. Improves Cardiovascular Health: Soluble fiber absorbs the cholesterol in the intestine which is eliminated in the stools and thereby, makes it unavailable for the body. Apart from the cholesterol-lowering effect, it is also found to prevent hypertension and therefore, is also associated with lowering the risk of atherosclerosis, strokes, etc.
  5. Boosts Immunity: Fiber acts as a prebiotic, which helps in developing a healthy gut microflora in the intestine that contributes to the immune function. Some studies also say that there is more resistance to infection in an individual who consumes high fiber meals.

Given the above benefits, high fiber meals can help you alleviate, control and prevent major lifestyle related diseases. Make sure you include high fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, etc. to your diet regularly.

To know which foods you should add to you diet, reach out to a certified expert who will guide you on what to eat as per your health goals, by subscribing for personalized health coaching here.

For more on Nutrition, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

May 20, 2023 By GOQii Leave a Comment

How Ahmad Najib Controlled His Diabetes & Lost Weight With GOQii

Ahmad Najib

It’s a well-established fact that unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and an overall unhealthy lifestyle can lead to many health issues. To begin with, it is the biggest cause of being overweight, which comes with other issues such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even diabetes. While well known, people tend to overlook these aspects. Our Player Ahmad Najib had also found himself in this predicament and when things started to slip, he decided he needed to change his lifestyle. How did he bring about this change? Read on to find out. 

Before Joining GOQii

“My lifestyle was all over the place. There was no routine, I ate an unhealthy diet and ate whenever I wanted and ate whatever I wanted. I never even exercised,” says Ahmad Najib. Owing to his poor eating habits and lack of physical activity, his weight shot up to 108kg. 

His HbA1c levels were as high as 6.7. After his regular yearly checkup, he found that his triglyceride and cholesterol levels were high as well. The problem with sugar and being overweight is hereditary in his family. Keeping this in mind, Ahmad Najib wanted to change his lifestyle for the better.

One day while checking the internet for a solution along with a friend, he came across GOQii. After going through the features, he was attracted by the 3 month coaching subscription and decided this was the way to go! 

Interacting With The Coach & Adopting Healthy Habits 

When he began his coaching subscription, he said that he really liked the way the instructions were simplified for him and the communication was easy. “The interaction was so smooth and easy that I could follow everything my coach shared with me,” he said. The flow of information was continuous between him and his coach. 

6 months before beginning his journey with GOQii, Ahmad Najib said that he had completely cut off from sweets and oily food due to his Diabetes issue. But the daily workout he was doing wasn’t helping him at all. His weight would not budge.

After speaking with his GOQii Coach Farhat Khan, he got a better understanding of his diet and what he should be eating as well as avoiding. His coach suggested some fruits he could eat – which he says benefited him immensely. She also helped him clear any doubts he had regarding his meals and helped him balance them.

He was asked to stay off maida and wheat chapatis. These were replaced with jowar or bajra rotis. He was also instructed to stay off junk food and eating out.  Apart from this, Coach Farhat Khan also introduced him to portion control. She also asked him to take frequent walks – which included walking for 5-7 minutes post a meal. His workout routines were also shuffled frequently. 

Even during the holy month of Ramzan, Ahmad Najib did his best to follow the morning routine, exercises and diet suggested by his coach and avoided eating oily food or ordering in. He says that he has completely stopped eating out. 

How Did These Changes Impact Ahmad Najib? 

The biggest change he witnessed was that his weight was reduced from 108kg to 91kg. Furthermore, his HbA1c levels have reduced from 6.7 to 5.5. “I don’t need tablets for high sugar anymore,” he says. Even his triglycerides and cholesterol levels are now under control.

His Coach Farhat Khan says, “His fat loss is amazing, sugar readings are now under control and his fitness and stamina have also improved.” She further added that, “Ahmad is really dedicated. He never said ‘ye nahin kar paunga’, and was always ready for the tasks given to him – whether it was physical or diet related.” Before, he couldn’t walk even half a km in one go but now, he can cover 3km without feeling tired. 

Looking at his transformation, the people he meets wonder how he pulled it off. With the changes he saw within himself, he recommended GOQii to 2-3 of his acquaintances. He also gifted a GOQii Smartwatch to his sister who has benefited greatly from it. She too lost weight by following instructions from her GOQii Coach.

Overall, he says it’s been a life-changing experience! Currently, along with his coach, he plans on reducing another 8-9kg.

Was this story inspiring? Do you or someone you know wants to make a lifestyle change? Share this article with them and subscribe for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. 

You can find more inspiring health stories here.

#BeTheForce 

January 13, 2023 By Rajashree Menon Leave a Comment

Taking Ownership Of Diabetes Through Education and Awareness

Diabetes ManagementDiya was a young girl who seemed as active as can be. She trekked, hit the gym, albeit sporadically, had a healthy appetite and as she called it, ‘lived to eat’. At 30, there was a blood donation drive and check-up in the organisation she worked at and here, she was diagnosed with diabetes. There were no other alarm bells ringing; she thought she was healthy! The doctor prescribed medications. She carried on with her life till a shooting pain in the chest made her rethink her lifestyle.

Prakash was detected with Diabetes in his late 30’s. A history of smoking, stress infused work situation, being overweight and a family history of Diabetes made a potent combination which led him to the road to Diabetes. He continued his unchecked lifestyle along with sporadic visits to the general practitioner till he found his vision blurring and a burning pain in his limbs, which made it difficult for him to sleep. Faced with diabetes complications, he knew he had to seek help from the right doctors, eat the right diet and correct his lifestyle before it was too late.

That is the scenario for most people and that is the stealthy attitude of diabetes; it creeps in and hits you. Once diagnosed, either medication is taken or not. Rarely is there a consistent follow-up. Medications tend to plateau after a while and if there is no consultation with doctors regularly, no scheduled blood tests, no nutrition assessments, no exercise patterns, it augurs for something deep and dark. This is seen as the initial concerns with diabetes control. Not everyone takes it critically. But not everyone has access to proper doctors and nutritionists.

Diabetes Is Not Taken As A Serious Disease

Consistency is key for maintaining and even reversal. Yes, in the early stages, a reversal is possible. A diabetes patient needs support, needs family and friends to assist in their journey, as it is a challenge. More than mere support, it is about adherence.

It is about breaking the habit. It is about changing habits. The first feeling when one is diagnosed is shock, helplessness, feeling of depression. As an illness, diabetes is debilitating in the long run as it has an overall effect on almost every part of the body, externally and internally. And yet, it can be controlled, and in some cases, reversed.

But now comes the challenging phase of education i.e. control and solution, and it is not easy. Besides medical advice, traditional indigenous methods are offered, and they have been helpful. Hence, understanding what goes into the treatment of diabetes is crucial.

So let’s look at the aspects of diabetes management.

1. Education

At first, you’ve got to understand the diagnosis – is it Type 1 or Type 2. Understand the various repercussions of the type of diabetes you have. Consult your doctor, read reputed websites for knowledge of diabetes and diabetes management. Listen to conventional wisdom and follow the advice of the doctors. Get on a plan.

2. Nutrition

Nutrition involves two aspects – Medication – those suggested by the doctors and home grown indigenous supplementary methods have also been beneficial. The other aspect is Food – what can be eaten, what can be paired together, and what must be avoided.

Meal composition – high protein, low carbs. Understanding foods with a high glycaemic index (foods that spike up sugar levels in the blood are to be avoided). Another important aspect is the timing of when you eat. Fad diets are not helpful and can be harmful. Sustainable, sensible eating and not temporary ‘diet eating’, one in which you can measure what you eat for a long period of time, is important.

Hydration – drinking water is extremely essential. Essentially, what you ingest can help in lowering possible future microvascular damage and other complications.

3. Control

Diabetes care needs discipline. Controlling diabetes involves complying with a proper course of medication and a healthy living construct. It is imperative that you maintain regular follow-ups with the doctor. Blood work, especially HbA1C levels must be checked every quarter to enable proper diabetes care.

Most doctors complain that follow-ups are low, if any. What has shown progress is that along with medications, the main aspect is weaving exercise into your lifestyle. Walking and light exercise has shown to have tremendous benefits in controlling and lowering HbA1C levels. Recent studies have shown that a 10-minute walk after every meal has proved as beneficial as a 30-minute walk every day.

4. Solution

So how do we control and/or reverse diabetes? Diabetes may be a global pandemic and India has the second highest number of cases, but the solution is simple! It is proper management through medication adherence, education, lifestyle changes, self-monitoring, keeping up with doctor appointments and awareness of the issues that could be faced in the future.

The first step is to take ownership of the disease. This can be achieved through awareness, which happens through education. The medical community and the Diabetes Patient Community on Social Media and other close knit communities or groups ensure that you understand what people are going through, and the solutions that are available. Holistic management of diabetes ensures that the patient with diabetes wins in the game of life. Do not panic. It is easy and definitely do-able. It is not rocket science!

If you need help or support managing Diabetes, join GOQii’s Diabetes Care Program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), and reduce HbA1c levels. You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare

For more tips on how to manage diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 6
  • Next Page »

Search

Recent Posts

  • Sleep Your Way to More Muscles
  • Prioritizing Health: Kuntal Goswami’s Post-Pandemic Pursuit of Wellness
  • How To Prevent Heart Disease At Any Age
  • Best Foods To Alleviate Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Add Magic To Your Life With This Simple Technique

Stay Updated

Archives

  • October 2023 (1)
  • September 2023 (30)
  • August 2023 (31)
  • July 2023 (31)
  • June 2023 (30)
  • May 2023 (31)
  • April 2023 (30)
  • March 2023 (31)
  • February 2023 (29)
  • January 2023 (31)
  • December 2022 (30)
  • November 2022 (29)
  • October 2022 (31)
  • September 2022 (26)
  • August 2022 (20)
  • July 2022 (23)
  • June 2022 (20)
  • May 2022 (17)
  • April 2022 (16)
  • March 2022 (12)
  • February 2022 (18)
  • January 2022 (18)
  • December 2021 (14)
  • November 2021 (6)
  • October 2021 (10)
  • September 2021 (7)
  • August 2021 (13)
  • July 2021 (13)
  • June 2021 (16)
  • May 2021 (16)
  • April 2021 (14)
  • March 2021 (13)
  • February 2021 (8)
  • January 2021 (7)
  • December 2020 (8)
  • November 2020 (4)
  • October 2020 (12)
  • September 2020 (8)
  • August 2020 (5)
  • July 2020 (2)
  • June 2020 (5)
  • May 2020 (12)
  • April 2020 (13)
  • March 2020 (12)
  • February 2020 (5)
  • January 2020 (5)
  • December 2019 (7)
  • November 2019 (9)
  • October 2019 (8)
  • September 2019 (6)
  • August 2019 (9)
  • July 2019 (10)
  • June 2019 (13)
  • May 2019 (7)
  • April 2019 (11)
  • March 2019 (11)
  • February 2019 (12)
  • January 2019 (15)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (7)
  • October 2018 (10)
  • September 2018 (11)
  • August 2018 (21)
  • July 2018 (13)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (14)
  • April 2018 (22)
  • March 2018 (17)
  • February 2018 (13)
  • January 2018 (18)
  • December 2017 (13)
  • November 2017 (24)
  • October 2017 (21)
  • September 2017 (20)
  • August 2017 (7)
  • July 2017 (11)
  • June 2017 (12)
  • May 2017 (14)
  • April 2017 (9)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (11)
  • December 2016 (10)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • September 2016 (7)
  • August 2016 (12)
  • July 2016 (10)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • May 2016 (12)
  • April 2016 (17)
  • March 2016 (18)
  • February 2016 (8)
  • January 2016 (6)
  • December 2015 (4)
  • November 2015 (9)
  • October 2015 (8)
  • September 2015 (10)
  • August 2015 (13)
  • July 2015 (10)
  • June 2015 (12)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (13)
  • March 2015 (9)
  • February 2015 (6)
  • January 2015 (12)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (11)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (13)
  • August 2014 (14)
  • July 2014 (7)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (8)
  • April 2014 (5)
Kuntal Goswami - GOQii Health Stories

Prioritizing Health: Kuntal Goswami’s Post-Pandemic Pursuit of Wellness

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a wake-up call for individuals to recognize the significance of their health and well-being. It prompted people to adopt healthier lifestyles, prioritize self-care, and be proactive in taking preventive measures to protect … [Read More...]

Ram Sharma - GOQii Diabetes Care

Reducing HbA1c from 7.2 to 6.1 | Ram Sharma Health Story

There’s nothing sweet about diabetes and we’re all well aware about that. Factors such as a poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise, improper sleeping patterns, stress and advancing age can cause diabetes. While it might seem overwhelming, diabetes is not an insurmountable affair. With proper self-care, guidance and a few lifestyle modifications, you can manage […]

Ashima Dalela

Ashima Dalela Beats Gut Health Issues and Anxiety With GOQii

You might have heard the saying, “Almost all diseases begin in the gut.” If gut health issues are left unchecked, it can get worse and affect your mental health too. Our Player Ashima Dalela suffered from gut health issues which led to severe anxiety and she visited around 15 doctors who were unable to identify […]

Nitya Kishore Upadhyay

How Nitya Kishore Upadhyay Lost 12kg In 6 Months With GOQii

Are morning walks by themselves a miracle cure for health issues? Can they help manage and lower cholesterol levels or help you lose weight? Managing lifestyle diseases requires a combination of lifestyle changes, and there’s no room for guesswork. This is what our player, Nitya Kishore Upadhyay, figured out when he joined GOQii. Let’s take […]

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Copyright ©2016 GOQii