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How Your Microwave Could Be Damaging Your Health

microwaveHow many times have you pulled out food from the fridge and pushed it directly in the microwave? It’s convenient, it’s easy and saves a lot of time. Apart from reheating, microwaves are used for cooking and baking – all without burning or creating any mess. But with great convenience, comes even greater risks. Studies have concluded that microwaves can make our food radioactive! This increases the risk of cancer along with other health hazards.

Repeatedly cooking or reheating food using a microwave with plastic containers can cause some harmful chemicals to leach into the food and destroy its nutrients. More than 70% households have microwaves and most hotels and restaurants also use them to reheat and cook food faster. Want to know what your microwave can do to your health?

How Your Microwave Can Damage Your Health

  1. Increased Risk of Cancer: Foods that are microwaved cause different types of stomach and intestinal cancer. The prolonged use of microwaves in cooking causes the growth of cancerous cells in the human blood. Plastic containers used to heat the food have been found to release carcinogens along with other harmful toxins into food which is then absorbed by the human body.
  2. Loss of Nutrients: Water molecules rotate rapidly in the microwave. High frequencies create molecular friction. This causes the molecular structure in food to change and diminishes the nutrients present in food. When food is cooked or reheated in the microwave there is a loss of minerals, vitamins, micro nutrients, and the human body gets little to no benefit from that food.
  3. Affects the Immune System: Eating microwaved food excessively can impact blood serum levels and lymph glands which affect immune system functions and leads to immune system deficiencies. If you are falling sick frequently and are using the microwave for cooking or reheating the food, you should stop using the microwave and check if there’s any improvement in your health. Don’t compromise your health to save a few minutes.
  4. Causes Loss of Memory: The central nervous system, especially the hippocampus is highly sensitive to microwave radiation. Eating microwave cooked food consistently causes loss of memory, loss of ability to concentrate, emotional stability and brain damage in the long run. This is because it causes electrical impulses in the brain to ‘short out’. So ask yourself if cooking food in the microwave is better than memory loss.
  5. Effects hormonal imbalance: Microwaved food can alter the production of male and female hormones in the human body. Eating microwaved food excessively can contribute to PCOD and infertility. It also affects the maintenance of hormonal balance in males and females.
  6. Irregular Heartbeat: A study shows that radiation emitted by the microwave affects heart rate.  If you are facing regular chest pain and/or irregular heartbeat, you should stop using the microwave in your kitchen. It can also affect your blood pressure, pulse rate, and other cardiovascular functions.

What Can We Do To Reduce The Damage?

  • Avoid using plastic cookware to cook or heat food. Also avoid pouring hot food (especially liquid) into a plastic container. Even if it says “microwave safe” on it, it’s still going to leach chemicals. It simply means the container won’t warp in the heat.
  • If you wish to use the microwave urgently, use glass or ceramic cookware.
  • Don’t use plastic storage bags from the grocery store. Don’t let plastic wrap touch your food during microwaving because it may melt.
  • Old, scratched, cracked or even containers which have been microwaved too many times may leach out more plasticizers.
  • If you experience any health issue like a headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, hair loss, anxiety, stomach pain, etc. you need to stop using your microwave and consult a doctor immediately. 

Using a microwave all the time isn’t a compulsion. Keep its use to a minimum. It’s always better to use a gas stove for reheating food using a stainless steel utensil. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For more facts such as these, check out Healthy Reads or connect with your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Prediabetes, Its Risks & How You Can Manage It

prediabetesGetting tired easily, fatigue, black patches around the neck, elbows, knees, knuckles, arm pits or blurred vision, increased thirst, frequent urination, losing weight in spite of eating more, etc. are all signs associated with Diabetes. While this disease develops gradually, Prediabetes is pre-diagnosed diabetes, wherein, the blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not as high to be classified as Type 2 Diabetes.

Glucose is required to give energy for various activities. Insulin is the key which allows this glucose to go in the cells. When the body does not produce enough insulin or insulin is not able to enter the cells because of excess fat around cells, the glucose in the blood rises.

It puts you at risk when:

  • One is overweight or have high BMI of more than 25
  • Sedentary lifestyle – desk job
  • Age above 45 years
  • Family history of diabetes
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
  • High blood pressure
  • Abnormal lipid profile

Can You Prevent Prediabetes? 

Prediabetes can be prevented and your lifestyle plays an important role. This has been proven time and again by many of our Players. Simple changes can lead to big results. Here are a few simple points which can delay the process of Type 2 Diabetes and have a positive impact on overall health.

  • Weight loss: Reducing 5 to 10% of body weight can cut down the risk of developing diabetes
  • Eat healthy: Include soluble and insoluble fiber rich food with low glycemic index like whole grains, whole pulses, lentils, beans, vegetables, oats, whole fruits, and nuts, etc. Fiber controls blood glucose spikes and also improves insulin resistance. Protein helps control sugars as well.
  • Get active: Exercise can lower blood glucose levels. 150 minutes of moderate activity per week i.e. 30 minutes 5 days a week, is recommended. It could be walking, swimming, cycling or jogging. One can split the exercise through the day. Moreover, exercise will help reach desirable weight, it is healthy for the heart, controls lipids and blood pressure as well.

These 3 simple changes can go long way. As Prediabetes is more of a lifestyle related condition, consistent lifestyle modification can help delay and prevent Type 2 diabetes.

We hope this article helps you. For more on Diabetes, check out Healthy Reads. You can also get the right guidance for managing diabetes by opting for the GOQii Diabetes Care Program 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.

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7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Avoid Caffeinated Drinks

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants. Billions of people rely on caffeine to start their day and to get through their night shift or afternoon slump. It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system, helping you stay alert, reducing the onset of tiredness. Nothing is as comforting on a chilly morning as a hot cup of tea with a cozy blanket. For most people, intake of these caffeinated drinks increases during winter as they believe it provides warmth to beat the cold. But is that really so? Is there a reason to avoid caffeinated drinks? Let’s find out! 

How Caffeine Works

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much raises some concerns. When you drink any caffeinated drink, your gut absorbs it very quickly and sends it to your bloodstream. From there, as it reaches your brain, it starts blocking the effects of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine relaxes your brain and makes you feel tired. So by blocking its receptors, caffeine helps you stay awake and alert. But with alertness comes anxiety as well. At the same time, caffeine also stimulates our stress or “fight & flight” hormones.

Reasons To Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter 

  1. Dehydration: During winter, most people feel less thirsty and their water intake automatically reduces. All caffeinated drinks are diuretic and tend to flush out water from the body through urine, making it deficient in not just water but also vitamins and minerals that are required for the smooth functioning of the body.
  2. Amplified Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Winter is not a good time for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure. They are always advised to stay away from low temperatures as it can constrict their blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure. Caffeine being a stimulant also increases heart rate and blood pressure. So it may increase difficulties for such people.
  3. Empty Calories: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with sugar and give you not just empty calories but a sugar crash later, which might make you feel more lethargic after some time.
  4. Effect on Digestion: Being a stimulant, caffeine increases gut motility or the contraction of muscles that propel the contents in the gastrointestinal tract. This might be a reason why you feel like having tea or coffee with or after a heavy meal. But this actually isn’t good because it reduces the time your food stays in each part of your digestive system, not letting the nutrients fully absorb. In fact, too much can lead to diarrhea which is followed by dehydration.
  5. Pregnancy & Lactation: Caffeine can easily cross the placenta and can reach breast milk. So, women who consume caffeinated drinks may need to limit their intake to avoid risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
  6. Interaction with Medication: Our body flushes out caffeine generally within 6-8 hours but while in the system, it can react with your medication and supplements, causing poor absorption or side effects.
  7. Suppresses Appetite: Now this can be both good and bad for all weight watchers. Research shows that caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant but increases higher plasma levels of PYY & Leptin (anorexic hormones). It might make you eat less calories, but with less food, there is less nutrition as well. So beware of consuming too much caffeine, as our body needs more nutrition to maintain immunity.

Now, the purpose of all this information was not to coax you off caffeine but to ensure you control your intake. Controlled amounts can have some benefits too! Make sure you drink the right quantity and the right version. 1-2 cups of black tea, green tea and black coffee are better options than sugary and cream filled versions. Also ensure that you drink your last cup 6-8 hours before you sleep. 

We hope this article on why you should avoid caffeinated drinks in winter helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Avoid Stress: Lead a healthy and happy life!

Stress

Do you forever feel your shoulders are burdened with too many responsibilities? Do you feel endless demands towing at you from all directions? Do you feel your life is spinning out of control? It’s easy to feel stressed. But, regardless of your circumstances, only you can bring about a balance from within you and not form your surroundings?     

Given the fast-paced lifestyle that all of us lead, we get hassled and irritated by the most inconsequential incidents that automatically lead the stress levels to go up. Come to think of it, there is no dearth for reasons for our stress levels to go up. But, does anyone really know how harmful stress is to our health?

Before understanding how harmful it is let’s first understand what is stress?

Stress is a normal part of life. It’s related to many events that happen to you and around you — and many things that you do yourself — put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. It is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and overwhelmed. And, stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

High levels of stress can cause biological imbalances in our body. Cortisol Hormone is the hormone that puts the body under stress. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands when an individual is under stress and affects one’s health in a negative manner. The most crucial effect is of one’s immune system and weight.

Stress also leads to excessive mood swings which can be categorized as Worry, Tension, Tiredness, Fright, Happiness, Depression, Anxiety and Anger all of which takes a toll on one’s health.

When stress overpowers, the body is flooded with chemicals that prepare to “fight or flight.” The Stress responses could be lifesaving at the time of emergency situation where our body needs to act quickly; it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stress of everyday life. Relaxation or meditation puts a break on this heightened state of readiness and brings your body and mind back into a calmer state.

Stress management can be a powerful tool for wellness and healthy living. Here are a few tips to de-stress yourself

1. Meditation

2. Deep Breathing

3. Be Alert

4. Relaxation

5. Laugh Out Loud

6. Listening to soft music

7. Strolling in the park

8. Chasing your hobbies

Apart from above options, try keeping a diary over a few weeks and list the time, places, and people that aggravate your stress levels. Once you are aware of your typical or regular stressors, you can always work on avoiding those.

Follow these options and life will automatically turn beautiful!

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