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November 23, 2023 By Farida Gohil 2 Comments

Top four reasons why diets fail?

The battle of the bulge is on –any movement on the scale yet? “Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance,” says Jessica Bartfield, MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at the Loyala Centre for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care.

Despite the fact that two-thirds of Americans say they are on a diet to improve their health, very few are actually decreasing in size. According to Bartfield, “Dieting is a skill, much like riding a bicycle, and requires practice and good Instructions.” But, this is not a case unique to the Americans alone, it is the case with most people on the heavier side and who go on diets to lose weight. Their constant complaint is that they do not lose weight.

Here are top four reasons why dieters don’t lose weight?

Underestimating Calories Consumed

Most people underestimate the number of calories they eat per day. Writing down everything that you eat-including drinks and “bites” or “tastes” of food – can help increase self-awareness. Pay attention to serving sizes and use measuring cups and spoons as serving utensils to keep portions reasonable. Foods eaten outside of the home tends to be in much larger portion sizes and much higher in calories. So try and look up nutrition information of your favourite take-out meal or restaurant and select a healthy meal before picking up the phone or going out to eat.

Overestimating Activity and Calories burned

Typically you need to cut 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb (pound) per week. This is very difficult to achieve through exercise alone, and would require 60 minutes or more of vigorous activity every day. A more attainable goal would be to try and increase activity throughout the day and get a total of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. Buy a tracker to track your steps; try to increase your goal of 10,000 steps per day. But, be careful – exercise is not an excuse to eat more!

Poor Timing of Meals

You need a steady stream of glucose throughout the day to maintain optimal energy and to prevent metabolism from slowing down. Eat breakfast everyday within one hour of waking up, then eat a healthy snack or meal every two to three hours. Try not to go longer than 5 hours without eating a healthy snack or meal to keep your metabolism steady.

Inadequate sleep

Studies have shown that people who get fewer than six hours of sleep have higher levels of ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite, particularly for high-carbohydrate/high-calorie foods. In addition, less sleep raises levels of cortisol, a stress hormone which can lead to weight gain.

Avoid doing the above mentioned, avoid go on diets and have a normal balanced meal daily and you will be able to maintain your weight and health.

Good health practices are more than just learnt, they become a regular habit and a way of life.

If you found these tips valuable and have more questions or thoughts to share, drop a comment below! Explore more insights on maintaining a healthy diet through Healthy Reads. For personalized information and guidance, subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

November 20, 2023 By Ragul Vijaykumar Leave a Comment

Plant-based Nutrition: The Pros, Cons and Nutritional Know-How

You may have noticed that in the recent times, there has been a significant surge in the adoption of vegan and plant-based diets. These dietary preferences are celebrated for their numerous merits, which encompass health benefits, sustainability, and ethical reasoning. However, as with any lifestyle shift, there are certain hurdles to overcome.

In this blog post, we will delve into the advantages and potential obstacles associated with vegan and plant-based diets. Furthermore, we will provide valuable insights on how to ensure an adequate intake of essential nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, and more, enabling you to maintain a well-rounded and satisfying plant-based lifestyle.

Plant-based Diets:

Plant-based diets are gaining favor due to their health perks, ethical alignment, and eco-friendly nature. Rooted in plant-derived foods while minimizing or eliminating animal products, these diets promote health and reduce environmental impact. Embracing this shift means choosing wellness for oneself and a sustainable future for the planet.

Common Vegetarian Diets:

Vegan Diet: Excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, fish, eggs, and usually honey.
Lacto-Vegetarian Diet: Excludes meat, fish, poultry, and eggs but includes dairy foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt, and butter.
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet: Includes eggs and dairy products but excludes meat and fish.
Ovo-Vegetarian Diet: Excludes meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy foods but can take eggs.
Pesco-Vegetarian (Pescatarian) Diet: Includes fish, dairy, and eggs but excludes meat.
Semi-Vegetarian (Flexitarian) Diet: Primarily vegetarian but occasionally including small quantities of meat, dairy, eggs, poultry, or fish.

Pros of a Plant-Based Diet:

High Nutrient Density: Plant-based diets are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which promote overall health and reduce disease risk.
Low in Saturated Fat: They naturally contain minimal saturated fats, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Fiber-Rich: Plant-based diets are high in fiber, aiding digestion, promoting satiety, and regulating blood sugar levels.
Low Cholesterol: Eliminating or reducing animal products lowers dietary cholesterol intake, benefiting heart health.

Cons of a Plant-Based Diet:

Risk of Deficiencies: Careful planning is required to ensure adequate intake of Vitamin B12, Iron, Calcium, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids, as these nutrients are less abundant in plant-based foods.
Potential for Processed Foods: Some plant-based alternatives are heavily processed and may be high in sugar, sodium, or unhealthy fats.
Caloric Density: Plant-based diets can be calorically dense due to nuts, seeds, and oils, potentially leading to weight gain if portion control is not maintained.
Nutrient Variability: The nutrient content of plant foods can vary, so it’s important to diversify food choices to obtain a full range of nutrients.

Macro – Micronutrients:

Plant-based diets, especially vegan ones that exclude all animal products, raise valid concerns about nutritional adequacy. Plant foods often contain less absorbable micronutrients like Iron, Vitamin A, and Zinc compared to animal products. However, a well-rounded vegan diet with diverse plant foods can still provide recommended levels of these essential micronutrients.

Here are some important nutrient food sources in vegan and plant-based diets:

Protein: Plant-based sources such as legumes, tofu, and nuts can provide ample protein, and a well-balanced vegan diet can meet protein requirements.
Iron: Leafy greens like spinach and iron-fortified cereals are essential sources of plant-based iron, which should be consumed with Vitamin C-rich foods for optimal absorption.
Calcium: Fortified plant-based milk and calcium-set tofu are key sources of calcium, crucial for maintaining bone health in vegan and plant-based diets.
Vitamin A (beta-carotene): Beta-carotene-rich vegetables like sweet potatoes contribute to Vitamin A intake, essential for vision and immune function in these diets.
Zinc: Foods like legumes and nuts are vital Zinc sources in plant-based diets, supporting immune function and overall health when included in regular meals.

In conclusion, plant-based diets offer numerous health and environmental benefits. However, it’s crucial to pay attention to your nutrient intake. Diversify your plant-based foods to maintain good health and effectively prevent or manage diseases. If you opt for a vegan lifestyle, thoughtful meal planning becomes essential to ensure you’re meeting your micronutrient needs.

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.

November 17, 2023 By Dhwani Bagadia Leave a Comment

How to Heal a Leaky Gut

In the previous article, we addressed the symptoms and causes of a Leaky Gut. If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms, here’s what you can do to heal your gut!

Ways to Heal a Leaky Gut

One of the best ways to heal a Leaky Gut is to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet with optimum nutrition. The process includes:

Remove: Excluding the toxic and inflammatory foods as it causes the gut to become leaky and adding good and healthy nutrients that will result in healing the gut. Remove products which affect the environment of the gut negatively.
Replace: For appropriate digestion and absorption, including important healthy nutrients for proper break-down and absorption of the nutrients i.e. digestive enzymes, HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) and bile acids.
Reinoculate: It is quite difficult to restore the important bacteria to improve the good gut bacteria.
Repair: It is important to provide essential nutrients for the gut to be restored. To revive the lining of the gut wall it is important to consume L-Glutamine supplement.

Necessary Dietary Modifications

Listed below are a few ways in which you can heal a leaky gut, improve gut health as well as good gut bacteria.

Reduce the Intake of Refined Carbohydrates: Harmful Bacteria grow more when there is an excess intake of sugar and can harm the gut barrier function. Avoid unhealthy, processed, junk and fried foods.
Include Probiotic Supplements: This helps improve the beneficial gut bacteria. Probiotics include curd, buttermilk, and probiotic supplements.
Eat Fermented Foods: Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, saukerkraut, kefir and kombucha, help improve gut bacteria.
Include Plenty of High Fiber Foods: This includes fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains that feed the beneficial bacteria.
Reduce the intake of alcohol and Quit Smoking
Avoid or reduce stress

Common Questions Asked

How long does it take to heal a Leaky Gut?
To get an idea about this question, we need to go down to the cellular level. 300 square meters is the surface area of the gut. The enterocytes are the lining cells of the gut that keep reviving/restoring in a gut which is normal and healthy. A new lining of the gut is seen every two to three weeks. For those individuals who do not have any medical disease or conditions, studies prove that that gut-healing might take around 2-12 weeks (higher range may-be for those who have other medical conditions).

In another study by Harvard published in the Medical Journal Nature, states that those who are keen on healing their gut majorly have an underlying cause as an issue will take a longer time to heal by making it more complex and slow i.e. like a journey.

In-case whenever you decide to change your time in terms of diet and lifestyle, that restores the gut functioning, skin gets clearer, energy increases, bloating reduces, loss of weight, betterment in the conditions like eczema, asthma, allergies, migraine, depression, eagerness/anxiety, auto-immune disease and much more. This again varies depending on several factors/causes.

How do I know my Gut is repaired?
There are a few signs which indicate that the gut is fully repaired. Firstly, you’d want to check whether your gut has healed completely or not. This can be analysed via the symptoms that you experience. Below are a few points which should help you analyse:

Digestive Issues, food sensitivity vanish/fade away along with skin issues
Auto-immunity lab markers improve, returning to optimal self (quality of life improves)
Your energy and stamina return
Improved mood
You came back to proper weight.

You can also check it through a spectrum, with one side being no inflammation & healthy balanced gut with no symptoms and other end being leaky gut with several symptoms.

Even if the gut is repaired, it could have its draw-backs where you need to work to get back to normal health. Be calm and firm on following your gut-healthy protocol. It will not only help you get your health back on track but it will improve your quality of life as well!

We hope this article helps you make the necessary changes and heal. Do share it and leave 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

November 6, 2023 By Trupti Hingad Leave a Comment

10 Tips for a Blissful Night Sleep

How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Every health professional must have asked you this question? Amidst our busy schedule, Sleep issues have become alarmingly common.

Here are some of the reasons why you might not be getting proper sleep:-

Distracted by thoughts
Waking up at 3-4am (early hour insomnia)
Constant interruption—night sweats
Sleeping for more than 7hours but not waking up refreshed.

Poor quality of sleep is the most underestimated factor for weight gain, menopause, mood swings, low energy levels, fatigue etc. Sleep is the most important factor of a healthy lifestyle because the body repairs and regenerates during this time. It is also the time when your brain detoxifies and gets rid of waste products. Poor sleep patterns lead to hormonal imbalance and an increase in hunger hormones. Leptin and Ghrelin are the hormones responsible for the regulation of appetite, Leptin tells the brain that you are full and Ghrelin tells the body to eat.

Guess what happens when you don’t sleep well?

Leptin decreases and Ghrelin increases making your body think that you are starving. This either wakes you up to eat in the middle of the night or makes you overeat the next day. When leptin levels are low, the thyroid gland slows down your metabolism making you feel tired and increasing fat storage. Poor sleep increases the stress hormone—cortisol in the body leading to fat storage and can also increase insulin resistance leading to diabetes.

Here are some tips to help you sleep better:-

Keep it dark: The artificial light can reduce the production of hormone—melatonin which makes it hard to fall asleep. Try to keep your bedroom black. Switch off electronic lights (alarms, mobile, TV, ipad)
Nice and early to bed: Practice going to bed at the same time every day. This registers in your subconscious mind and allows you to sleep well. This helps to regulate your body clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
Keep gadgets away: Try to keep your room gadget free. Charge your phone or laptop in a different room if you can or keep them away from your head, shut them down or put them on Airplane mode (this will reduce the EMF’s, Electro Magnetic Frequencies, that can interfere with your sleep).
Relax your mind: Stress is one of the biggest factor of not getting good sleep. Give time to your mind to switch off from daily activities and get into sleep mode. Avoid thrillers or scary news at night. Try listening to soothing music, read books, meditation or deep breathing.
Relax your body: Take a hot shower before bed or try Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are rich in Magnesium Sulphate, a known muscle relaxant and detoxifier.
Avoid alcohol: Alcohol leaves you dehydrated at the middle of the night, with low blood sugar and overtaxed liver. Alcohol also messes with your production of serotonin (the precursor to melatonin).
Limit caffeine intake: Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. So avoid the consumption of caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Pay attention to what you eat and drink: Avoid refined carbs like pasta, white rice, bread, pastry, sugar and processed foods as it will spike blood sugar at night and may wake you up. Eating a healthy dinner allows the body to absorb proper nutrients and provides the brain with the chemical environment required to produce neurotransmitters, required to maintain adequate sleep.
Hydrate well in the day: Your sleep can be interrupted if you’re dehydrated as this stimulates cortisol, which wakes you up.
Supplement: Tryptophan is a protein that helps make melatonin. Food sources include whey protein, meat, fish, dairy, nuts and seeds. L-theanine is a calming nutrient found in tea (black and green), Magnesium helps to relax the body and increase a calming neurotransmitter. You can also use Ashwagandha, chamomile, lavender tea, passion flower and lemon balm to induce sleep. Refer to this blog for more info about this supplement.

Sleep is the golden chain that ties HEALTH and our body together. So Snooze and sleep well.