health and wellness Archives - Page 18 of 19

August 12, 2019 By Anu Acharya 1 Comment

Nutrigenomics and You!

There are many people who feel that they are not able to achieve their health goals in spite of a conscientious diet and fitness routine. Even regular health checks do not seem to help. Is there any method to identify and bridge the gap? Nutrigenomics is the science that looks at the interaction between our diet and lifestyle habits and how they affect our DNA in terms of regulating genes responsible for metabolism, development, and overall wellness.

Why is it Important to Understand Nutrigenomics?

Common dietary elements can act on our DNA, either directly or indirectly, to alter gene expression or structure. For example, dietary fat/carbohydrate intake affects genetic activity, metabolism rates, adiposity and thereby, a likelihood of weight gain (obesity).
Sometimes, for some of us, diet can be a serious risk factor for many diseases. For example, carriers of MTHFR gene variants may have lower enzyme activity and hence a higher risk for developing folate deficiency. In such instances, a reduced intake of Vitamin B6-containing foods may trigger clinical manifestation — screening can help implement dietary changes to manage health better.
The impact of diet on the balance between healthy and diseased states depends on our DNA. For example, variation in the SOD2 gene can alter the the antioxidant activity and increase the risk for excessive oxidative damage. Individuals who carry such variants need to ensure richer portions of antioxidants in their diet. Exercise routines can be planned with adequate rest between heavy workouts for repair/recovery.
Some diet-regulated genes (and their common variants) can affect the onset, incidence, progression, and/or severity of chronic diseases.
Chronic diseases can be prevented, mitigated, or addressed through dietary intervention based on the knowledge of nutritional requirement, nutritional status, and genotype. For example, certain gene variants can increase the likelihood of developing gluten intolerance. Genetic screening can help identify such risk factors for dietary intervention if required. This can have a positive impact on health, overall wellness, as well as athletic performance.

What Can You Learn From Nutrigenomics?

Your power to absorb vital nutrients required for a healthy body and mind
The impact of nutrients on various organs and pathways
Nutritional factors that can protect your genome from damage
Impact of genes on your lifestyle, diet, fitness, habits, etc.

When Is The Best Time To Get A Test?

The answer is NOW! Nutrigenomics are once-in-a-lifetime tests that are noninvasive. From newborns to nonagenarians, anyone can take this test. Whether you are starting your wellness journey or a veteran health and fitness expert, these tests can help you get to know yourself better.

How Can You Use It To Improve Quality Of Life?

Nutrigenomics can be the game-changer that empowers you on your wellness journey or enables you to achieve your fitness goals. Here’s how it works:

Genetic tests are available online — you order one and receive the sample collection kit, along with a health history questionnaire.
Once you send the sample, your DNA is extracted and analyzed for several key markers associated with diet, fitness, well-being, disease risk, and more.
The genetic counselor correlates genetic findings with health history to offer personalized nutrition, fitness, and wellness advice.
Your nutritionists and personal trainers can also be part of the genetic counseling session in order to design diet plans and fitness routines that work for you.

Sharing her views on the importance of Nutrigenomics, Pooja Ramachandran, India’s pioneering genetic counselor says, “The need for personalizing nutrition was seen soon after the conclusion of the Human Genome Project and the ensuing impact of personalized medicine. Nutrigenomics is poised to be a powerful tool for nutritionists, dietitians, doctors as well as any healthcare professional in using nutrition therapy for the treatment of disease. More importantly, Nutrigenomics may facilitate the prevention of diet-related diseases, and help design individualized nutritional strategies based on anticipated adverse or beneficial impacts of specific food or nutrients for a particular individual.”

June 28, 2019 By Gitanjali Bahl Leave a Comment

5 Common Mistakes Women Make

We have always heard that women are more prone to most diseases but have you ever wondered why? Before we discuss the common mistakes that women make, take a look at this scenario…

Let’s go over the case of an average 32 year old female who has two kids, one being 5 and the other 1.5 years in age. She starts her day at 6 AM and begins preparing meals for the family. She gets her oldest child ready for school, does other chores and by the time she is free, it is 11 AM and she eats her first meal. Till her oldest child arrives back from school and till she finishes her remaining chores, she has delayed her meals, hasn’t gotten adequate rest and is fatigued.

This results in increased weight, pain in muscles, poor mental health and lack of interest in any task. This busy routine is what plagues most women in India today. It is even tougher for working women as the burden of managing work and household chores can place tremendous stress on them.

In some cases, poor health arises out of genetic composition but not always. It is also because of stress and negligence towards health.

Here Are Some of the Most Common Mistakes Women Make

1. Missing Meals, Especially Breakfast

It doesn’t matter if you’re a homemaker or an office goer, you need adequate nutrition. Most of us skip breakfast which is considered to be the most important meal of the day. Either that, or we eat late which is equally harmful. Starving the body may lead to overeating and can cause a number of problems.

2. Inadequate Nutrition

If the quantity of the meal is less, most women starve themselves and offer the meal to others or opt for the most convenient option available, despite the fact that it has no nutritional value. Both of these lead to deficiency. This is also a reason for low haemoglobin, calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B levels in women nowadays. Ensure that you have at least two servings of fruits and green vegetables a day.

3. Budget Management

Sometimes due to financial constraints or just to prove that they are good finance managers at home, some women deprive themselves of good and quality food, which is again wrong. Managing budget is good but depriving yourself of essential nutrients isn’t. Plan in a way that you can accommodate everything. For instance, make sprouts, paneer, curd at home which will be healthy and economical too!

4. Being Over-Organized

Some women are so busy with their schedule and are so organised, they want to finish their work first and focus on themselves later. As a result, by the end of the day, they are so exhausted that they get no time for themselves. Working is good but not at the cost of your meals and/or exercise. Fix a time for your exercise and meals and stick to it!

5. Sleep Deprivation

Due to family responsibilities, women tend to compromise sleep. Whenever there are guests over or there’s additional work, women take on the responsibility and lose out on much-needed rest. Avoid doing so at all cost! Compensate the next day. Remember that even a machine needs a break or else its efficiency gets affected.

Remember that health is wealth. To take care of the household, you first need to be healthy and fit yourself. Learn from these common mistakes women make and take a positive u-turn towards a healthier lifestyle!

#BeTheForce

June 15, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Beyond the Force: A GOQii Newsletter Edition 1

1. India Defies Stanford University Report 2017 and Becomes Active!

On 22nd February 2019, GOQii launched the India Steps Challenge in partnership with Network18. The challenge was conceptualized after we came across a 2017 study by Stanford University which deemed Indians as the laziest in the world, clocking in an average of only 4297 steps per day.

This step count was further challenged in 2018, when our GOQii IndiaFit Report stated that the average step count had increased to 6783 steps per day.

The India Steps Challenge ended on 1st June 2019 with most prizes being claimed fully. After witnessing stunning participation of over 2 million people across 35 states including Union Territories in the country, we are proud to announce that the national average has now increased to 9391 steps per day, beating Stanford’s research by 118%.

The challenge saw people from all walks of life participate and even received support from noted personalities. Read more here!

Winner Gives All!

Rajneesh Sharma from Pathankot in Punjab won the grand prize of Rs. 5 lakh. He managed to clock in an average of 39,657 steps daily! Rajneesh was able to achieve this by being active for 5-6 hours a day. Apart from him, there were 3 other players who clocked a daily average of 36,000 steps a day.

“I am very happy to have won this challenge as I have decided to give this money to an NGO – ‘Shiv Bhole Langar Samiti’ with whom I volunteer. This NGO feeds people in Himachal Pradesh’s Hadsar and Gauri Kund area. I participated and started walking to keep myself fit only to be able to climb up 13 km to feed people as part of the NGO work. Then my friends joined me and that kept me motivated.”

Rajneesh Sharma (left) with his friends

For some, what started as a challenge to earn rewards later become a start towards a healthy life. We had multiple reports of participants who continued walking 6000 steps or more once the challenge was over. There were some who lost weight, were happier and healthier than before as well!

2. Get Upto 90% Discounts on the GOQii Health Store

Have you been keeping a keen eye on the app? There are some amazing discounts on the GOQii Health Store that go up to 90% using GOQii Cash. The timings are:

11 AM to 1 PM
5 PM to 7 PM
7 PM to 9 PM

3. Soulfull Now Available in the GOQii Health Store

Are you game for something tasty and delicious? Soulfull, our newest addition on the GOQii Health Store offers a range of healthy breakfast cereals which include Original Ragi Flakes, Flavoured Flakes, Vanilla and Choco-filled Ragi Bites, Millet Muesli, and Oat Millet Meal. Treat yourself to awesomeness right now!

In the next few months, you will want to pay close attention to GOQii Play as something big is coming your way! Now, you get 50 GOQii Cash for attending a class on GOQii Play. To add to it, all the knowledge you can get through these classes will help you in the next challenge we have planned with even more exciting prizes. You worked your body during the India Steps Challenge, now get ready to work your mind!

Stay Tuned for More Details!

4. Latest Buzz From the World of Health & Fitness

WHO Recognizes Burn-Out as an “Occupational Phenomenon”: Burn-out is now included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon. It is not classified as a medical condition.
International Day of Yoga: This year, International Day of Yoga will be held at Ranchi on the 21st of June. The day will witness over 30,000 people participation led by Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nipah Virus Resurfaces in Kerala: The virus that claimed 17 lives last year has resurfaced in Kerala but the State Health Minister KK Shylaja says do not panic as they are well-equipped to deal with the issue. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that no new case of Nipah Virus infection has been reported in Kerala.

June 1, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

Motivation and Determination go Hand-in-Hand | Kalpana Sharma User Journey

Household chores can be quite healthy for you as they help you stay active! But like any journey towards good health, you have to support your activity with proper nutrition, sleep and manage stress as well. In most cases, individuals find it difficult to do so. This may be due to fatigue, lack of motivation or proper guidance. So what happens when you get the motivation you need with proper guidance? Let’s look at how they helped Kalpana Sharma!

Lifestyle Before GOQii

Kalpana Sharma, a 36-year-old housewife residing in Pune is married with 2 children, aged 9 and 3 years respectively. Prior to joining GOQii, she had no time or inclination to workout or manage her diet. She was too occupied with household chores and taking care of her family.

Apart from being inactive, she suffered from high acidity for almost 4 years due to unhealthy eating habits. She also had breathing problems due to weight issues. The meals prepared in her household were cooked in ghee and oil. The consumption of sweets was high as well.

Determination to Start a Healthier Lifestyle

During her second pregnancy, Kalpana Sharma weighed around 96kg. This was a frightening experience for her as she did not want to cross the 100kg mark. She knew she needed a drastic change. After her delivery in 2018, her husband gave her a GOQii tracker with a 3 month subscription as an anniversary gift.

Her husband motivated her to lose weight and get fit. Her health goal was to lose weight and get rid of acidity. Her GOQii Coach suggested she eats Fenugreek seeds that were soaked overnight, first thing the next morning. She had to include salads before lunch in order to reduce the portion size of her meal.

For dinner, she avoided carbs and switched to paneer and salads. She was asked to avoid sugar in her tea and coffee and eat sweets occasionally. On the exercise front, Kalpana began cardio for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. She also began walking after dinner. Her GOQii Coach shared some workout videos with her which she used to follow.

Embracing the Change

Under her 3 month subscription, Kalpana Sharma lost 3kg. This motivated her to extend her membership to 12 months. She weighed 88kg then and further reduced her weight to 71kg. Seeing the speed of her results, she wishes to lose another 3-4kg.

As per her GOQii Coach, she has been as consistent as possible with her habits. She switched to healthier alternatives while cooking. For instance, she began using jaggery instead of sugar. Any cakes or cookies she baked were made of whole wheat flour and jaggery.

Due to her healthy cooking methods, Kalpana has been able to improve the health of her entire family! She has even begun innovating her own cooking methods by opting for low fat alternatives.

In addition to all of this, she has also started strength training as suggested by her GOQii Coach. She now does cardio, abs and weights on alternate days. Kalpana ensures that she sets aside time for exercise no matter how hectic her routine is. She is dedicated to the extent that sometimes she is called ‘crazy’ by her family members!

3 months back, she was diagnosed with varicose veins and her doctor advised her to not stand for long periods of time and to ensure that she doesn’t gain weight. Instead of being defeated, this has only strengthened her motivation to exercise and lose more weight!

For her daily dose of inspiration, she regularly watches Coach Tufail Qureshi’s LIVE videos on GOQii Play and follows his instructions religiously. She also follows Coach Arooshi Garg’s Cooking Show.

Kalpana is quite active on the GOQii App and has explored a few snacking options from the GOQii Health Store. She finds them very tasty and healthy. When asked what she felt about GOQii, she said that it has transformed her and she is completely satisfied with GOQii and wishes to continue for many more years!

We wish Kalpana Sharma the best in her ongoing journey towards a healthier life. Did you find Kalpana Sharma’s story of determination inspiring? Drop a comment below and let us know what you feel!