GOQii

Blog

By 1 Comment

Your Guide For A Happy Gut: Say bye to bloating, acidity and heartburn

Gut health Your body is constantly communicating with you. Very small episodes of acidity, bloating, indigestion, etc. says a lot about your lifestyle and overall health. Are you paying attention? It is important for us to know that about 70% of the immune system is located in our gut and the gut absorbs nutrients that support body functions from energy production to hormone balance, skin health to mental health and toxin & waste elimination too.

So how can you keep your gut healthy? Well, follow this guide for a happy gut to stay healthy!

Easy Guide For A Happy Gut 

  1. Fennel Seeds or Saunf: These seeds have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory properties and promote the production of gastric enzymes. It works wonderfully against indigestion, bloating, acidity, heartburn post meals and constipation too. Just add 1 tbsp of raw seeds to the water bottle you carry to office or have 1 glass of fennel seed water post meals to take care of such symptoms.
  2. Basil Seeds: They work well in relieving constipation, bloating, naturally detox your body and help regulate smooth bowel movements. It works as a natural coolant. You can have a glass of milk with basil seeds few hours before bed time, or make a drink with water, honey and basil seeds and have it in mid-morning, or just make a habit of soaking it for 2-3 hours and drinking the water in the morning.
  3. Fenugreek Seeds: These are rich in fiber and antioxidants, and help in enhancing bowel movement. Take a tsp of fenugreek seeds and soak it in 1 cup of water at night and have it in the morning with a glass of lukewarm water if you have long term problems of constipation, indigestion or heartburn. *People experiencing severe acidity should avoid this.
  4. Lemon Ginger Water: This will help strengthen the digestive system and prevent indigestion, nausea, heartburn and bloating. Take a glass of lukewarm water, add 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of ginger juice in it. This will work best for bloating post meals or occasional bloating post heavy meals.
  5. Apple Cider Vinegar: The unfiltered, unpasteurized and raw mother Apple Cider Vinegar has live micro-organisms and help to work towards heartburn & GI stress. A dilution of Apple Cider Vinegar before a meal can help you stimulate acid secretion and reduce gut symptoms. Also, having a tbsp of ACV in 300 ml water in the morning can also help in the same.
  6. Water: Is the body’s basic requirement! A constant supply of water is necessary to replenish the fluids lost through activities such as respiration, perspiration, urination, regulating body temperature, digesting food, etc. Try to drink at least 2-2.5L of water throughout the day and it is the answer to all your digestive issues.
  7. Vegetables & Fruits: Having 1 portion of vegetables in every meal is the best way to help your gut digest the food well and have enough nutrients. Plus, the fiber from them helps to ease bowel movement and acts as food for micro-organisms. Fruits are best to go for in mid meals to add more soluble fiber and get rid of acidity and bloating.
  8. Physical Activity: No escape here. Being physically active for 30-45mins is the answer to good health and a happy gut. Exercise gets your heart pumping and increases blood flow and oxygen circulation throughout the body. Blood and oxygen are necessary to aid digestion and keep the intestinal muscles healthy. So for constipation, bloating, acidity, heartburn, etc. including some walking, cycling, yoga, etc. will give you better results.
  9. No Sugar: Processed sugar, refined flour, fried and processed food should be avoided as they are not good for your gut microbes.

Just follow these simple tips for a happy gut! If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more articles like this on Gut Health here. If you want expert advice or further guidance on improving digestive or gut health, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

By 2 Comments

Learn about your Poop and Gut Health

bowel-health

Most of us wake up and proceed to the loo. Over a period of time, this becomes a habit and we just do it blindly!

Have you ever noticed or given a thought about how is your bowel movement?

What does your poop say about your health? This may sound like a joke, but you can actually learn a lot about your health from your daily poop.

Hippocrates says…ALL DISEASE BEGINS IN THE GUT. So, we want to be sure that what’s coming out of the gut looks good.

Let’s understand more about it.

Three things to look for:

  1. FREQUENCY
  2. FORM
  3. COLOR

Frequency: Best bowel movement: It’s best to have at least one complete bowel movement a day. This should leave you feeling like you’ve fully emptied your bowels.

If you are having 2-3 bowel movements in the day then you may have a faster metabolism or good robust bacteria or it depends on the quantity of food you eat.

Going to the bathroom more than three times a day may suggest you’re approaching the diarrhoea zone.

So, having a clear bowel movement once a day daily is must as it’s one of our body’s greatest ways to eliminate toxins, acids and other stuff.

FORM: When our poops are properly formed, it ensures that we have digested and assimilated the nutrients from our food and are eliminating acids and toxins properly.

The BRISTOL CHART helps to categorize and gauge our bowel movements well:
Bristol-Stool-Chart-What-Your-Poop-Says-About-Your-Health-Mama-Natural-1024x576

Image Credit: mamanatural-mamanatural.netdna-ssl.com

Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like little balls (hard to pass)

Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy (lack of fibre and hydration)

Type 3: Like a sausage but with cracks on its surface

Type 4: Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft

Type 5: Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily)

Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool

Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces. Entirely liquid

Where do you fall on this chart?

If you are between 1-3 then it shows that your diet lacks the right amount of fibre, bacteria are missing and there is nothing to retain water. This is a sign of constipation. The lumps are hard and abrasive and may sometimes lead to anorectal bleeding.

If you are at Type 4, then you are right, It’s nice tubular shape. Think long bananas that don’t break apart when you flush. The Perfect poop comes out with ease, smells more like super-ripe fruit than something terrible and you barely need to wipe.

If you are between 5-7—then you have diarrhoea. This may also give rise to malabsorption as there is no proper assimilation of nutrients.

If your stool is too LOOSE, SOFT, watery, MUSHY then – it indicates a lack of fibre and thus you can go for BRAT Diet.(Banana, rice, apple and toast). These foods have qualities like tannins that can actually help firm up a stool for better bowel movements.

If you find your stool is TOO HARD or infrequent, add more of soluble fibre and add magnesium-rich foods to your diet. Magnesium draws water into the bowel, making the stool softer and easier to eliminate. It also relaxes the muscles in the intestinal wall, which helps with constipation.

Apples and Pears are also wonderful – two a day will keep things moving. Yoga and abdominal massage are great tools. Another trick you can try is to drop 1 drop of Peppermint essential oil into your toilet and sit down. It will stimulate your bowels and often result in a movement.

If your poop…Floats instead of sinks- You have excess gas in your digestive tract. “If you’ve been eating lots of beans, sprouts, cabbage, or very large meals, it’s perfectly normal for stool to float because of gas, and it’s not a cause for concern. However, if floaters become more common for you or you spot an oil-slick appearance, it could mean something is preventing your body’s ability to absorb fats from food. For instance, inflammation or an infection in your pancreas could prevent you from producing enough digestive enzymes. A food allergy or infection could be damaging the lining of your intestines that’s affecting absorption, too.

What does Colour indicate?

Believe it or not, colour matters!  We want our stool to be a nice medium – to dark-brown colour (Think milk chocolate). Poop is normally brown. The colour is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool. Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green colour. But as the pigments that give bile its colour travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Black Poop: If your stool is black, it could be a sign of blood in your upper GI tract.

Yellow poop: This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Green poop: If you have green poop for many days, the colour of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown. It could be from fat malabsorption or liver or gallbladder stress.

PS NOTE: Keep in mind if you eat certain foods or food dyes your stool colour may change. For example, if you eat lots of beets, your stools could take on a reddish hue. And eating tonnes of leafy greens may explain why your poop is green but this colour change is temporary.

White Poop: Medicines for diarrhoea like bismuth sub-salicylate can sometimes cause pale or clay coloured poop. A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. As bile gives its brown colour

Bright red: If it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. It could be due to inflammation in the colon, haemorrhoids, diverticular disease or tumour.

So, where do your poops fall on the Bristol Stool Chart? Do you have an to oy tips or practices to optimise your daily poop? Share them in the comments below. For more health-related content, explore Healthy Reads or for further guidance speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

By Leave a Comment

Your Gut Health: Why It Matters More Than You Think

You would have heard of the saying, ‘Almost all diseases begin in the gut’. Well, it’s true. Maintaining the right ‘microflora’ (balance of good bacteria) in the gut is crucial for great health, immunity and even preventing, healing and recovering from serious diseases like cancer.

Your intestines (gut) contain pounds of good bacteria that help with the absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. These ‘good bacteria’ determine the strength of your immunity, regulate weight loss, aid recovery, support colon health, manage body toxicity, and handle several other functions.

The gut also contains yeast (fungals), which, if exceeds in number compared to the good bacteria, cause serious digestive issues, affect nutrient assimilation, and can cause leaky gut, vaginal rashes, IBS and other bowel and GI tract disorders. It is crucial to maintain the proportion of good bacteria, especially in children.

A shortage of good bacteria can lead to allergies, skin problems, headaches, migraines, inability to lose weight, and even contribute to fat accumulation. Energy levels can fall when there is an imbalance.

Everything we eat and drink passes through the gut along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This tube-like GI tract, lined with a thin, sticky mucous, is embedded with millions of bacteria that live, grow, and metabolize (digesting and absorbing) in a complex ecosystem comprised of both beneficial and harmful bacteria.

Maintaining gut health is one of the most important and least addressed aspects of overall health. Many lifestyles choices deplete the gut of the ‘good’ bacteria’, leading to health problems ranging from acne to deadly diseases like cancer.

If you have more bad bacteria (fungus) than good bacteria in your gut, even the healthy food you eat will not be assimilated the right way. Even if you eat clean, organic, or expensive foods, it does not matter if your gut microflora is out of balance. This is where probiotics come in.

Probiotic bacteria do several things that contribute to good health and immunity.

Their most basic function is to fight harmful foreign substances that enter the body by detoxifying them and easing their elimination. Probiotics can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, which thrive and grow within a neutral pH environment, by producing organic acids such as acetic and lactic acids that, in turn, lower the pH of the large intestine.

This lower pH also prevents the metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids in the colon. Since cholesterol and bile metabolites act as cancer-causing agents, they can play an important role in the prevention of cancers of the GI tract and other organs as well. These helpful bacteria can even lower serum cholesterol levels along with cardiovascular disease risk by preventing the activity of an enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol.

Inside the gut are about 100 trillion live microorganisms that promote normal GI (gastro intestinal tracts) function, protect the body from infection, and regulate metabolism and the mucosal immune system. They comprise more than 75% of the immune system.

Also important is their role in maintaining and protecting the GI barrier. An intact GI barrier maintains gut health, while a problem with its microbiota composition will affect the body’s defense systems and can create a condition known as leaky gut syndrome, which can compromise gut health and lead to diseases such as inflammatory breast cancer, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.

Your diet is the most important element for building gut health. Include curds or probiotic supplement if you are vegan or cannot have yogurt. Some top natural probiotic-rich foods include:

  • Yogurt (plain kind)
  • Miso
  • Sauekraut
  • Kimchi
  • Kefir
  • Kombucha tea
  • Pickled gherkins
  • Spirulina
  • Chlorella

Ensure your diet is rich in complex carbs, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and omega – 3, with a healthy water intake and low intake of sugar, processed foods and red meat.

Avoid sodas, processed foods, and sugar as they quickly depletes the gut of good bacteria, dropping immunity almost instantly, making it the worst thing your child or you can consume. I constantly tell parents that giving your child aerated drinks is worse than drugs.

Your gut health plays a pivotal role in your overall well-being. By maintaining a balanced gut microflora through a healthy diet and probiotics, you can prevent diseases, boost immunity, and ensure optimal nutrient absorption. Prioritize your gut health to experience better health and vitality.

We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

By 2 Comments

Acidity: Its Symptoms, Causes and Cure

how_cure_acidity_problemAcidity is a very common problem among people. Most usually complaint of acidity due to various reasons. And, many take temporary treatment but, few know what has caused it or what it is exactly?

This aspect of not knowing what the problem is worries me. If the issue of acidity relapses, then one has to develop certain habits which will help permanently. Just because it is a disorder most tend to ignore it. But, acidity over a period of time can get worse.

The acid in our body is needed to digest the food. If there is less secretion, then it can cause indigestion, and if it is in excess, then it causes ‘Acidity’. Today, I would like to tell you more about Acidity and what are its symptoms, causes and cure.

Symptoms of Acidity:

Restless, heartburn, nausea and vomiting, sour belching of food you have consumed, aversion to certain food items, indigestion, severe constipation in some cases.

Possible causes of Acidity

  1. Oily food, food with more salt, sweet and spices (overeating)
  2. Food or drinks containing a lot of acids or food that taste sour which increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach
  3. Tension, worries, and pressure on the mind create more acid in the stomach
  4. Frequent drinking of coffee, alcohol, smoking and drugs etc
  5. Lack of physical activities, going to sleep immediately after food will produce excess acid
  6. Taking frequent allopathic medicines like aspirin or pain killers will increase acidity
  7. Any illness related to the alimentary canal or the organs connected with the digestive system may lead to acidity
  8. Keeping long gaps between two meals
  9. Having acidic food (which are mentioned below)
  10. Highly emotionally and nervous individuals
  11. Overeating

Acidic Foods:

Butter, Lentils, White Refined Flour, Whole-Wheat Cooked Spaghetti, Peanuts (dry-roasted), Walnuts, Chicken, Whole Egg, Oats, Brown Rice, Salmon, Tuna, Cheese, Tomato

Alkaline Food:

Honey, Asparagus, Margarine, White and Red Wine, Broccoli, Watermelon, Apples, Zucchini, Hazelnuts, Green Beans, Cherries, Radishes, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Apricots, Carrots, Celery, Bananas, Leafy Vegetables, Raisins.

Home remedies for Acidity:

  1. Cold milk with 1 tsp of ghee
  2. Banana
  3. Eating 4-5 basil leaves (tulsi) after every meal
  4. Boil fennel seeds (sound) in water, leave it overnight and drink it the next day when you get a bout of acidity
  5. Chew cumin seeds (jeera) has calming effect
  6. Bite cloves so the juice is released and keep it in the mouth for a while
  7. Boil cardamom, cool it, and drink that cool water
  8. Boil mint leaves, cool it, and drink that cool water
  9. Crush ginger and eat with a piece of Jaggery
  10. Have Amla powder twice a day to refrain from acidity

Understanding acidity, its causes, and how to cure it is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By adopting healthier eating habits, managing stress, and incorporating natural remedies, you can effectively combat acidity and prevent its recurrence. Remember, long-term changes in diet and lifestyle are key to permanent relief. Stay informed, stay healthy, and take control of your digestive health. For further information or guidance, 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 […]