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Celebrate a Skin-Friendly Holi With Natural Colors

Protect your skin on holi

Holi is the festival of colours in India that also marks the arrival of spring – a season of joy and hope. The festival is famous for its colours and how people apply them to each other’s face. I remember one horrendous incident a few years ago that left my face scarred due to an allergic reaction and I was on anti-allergens for over a month. The culprit was a toxic paste colour that my skin came in contact with. I, therefore, thought I should share some good ways to enjoy a safe and non-toxic Holi this year.

In the last couple of years, chemical colours are being used to celebrate Holi as they are cheaper than natural colours. Chemical colours can be very harmful to the health and skin of individuals as well as the environment.

Use of safe, natural and eco-friendly colours, can help to save our environment and conserve our biodiversity. Natural colours are obtained from skin friendly sources such as turmeric, flower extracts, sandalwood powder, mehndi (Henna), etc and are safe to use. 

Here’s How You Can Create Safe, Non-toxic Colours

  1. Brown color: Brown is one color that is never spotted anywhere in the color markets during Holi. So go ahead and surprise your visitors with this different and amazing color! Acacia catechu (Kattha) – which is commonly consumed with betel leaves (pan) gives a brownish color when mixed with water.
    Other methods: Boil tea or coffee leaves in water. Cool it and use it.
  2. Saffron: Soak a few stalks of Saffron in 2 tablespoons of water. Leave for a few hours and grind them to make a fine paste. Dilute that with water as per the desired color strength.
    Other methods: The Flame of the Forest, commonly known as Tesu, Palash or Dhak, is the source of the wonderful, traditional color for Holi. For fragrant yellowish-orange colored water, the flowers are soaked overnight in water and can also be boiled.
  3. Green: Save a trip to the parlor by using green colored henna powder (Mehendi) this Holi. Either use it separately or mix it with an equal quantity of any suitable flour to get a lovely and natural green shade. Make sure to use pure henna that does not have Amla (Indian Gooseberries) mixed in it, as this would be brown in color. Dry henna will not leave color on your face and can be easily brushed off. When mixed with water, it will leave a slight color, thereby making it a fast color.
    Other methods: Dry and finely powder Gulmohur tree leaves or crush the tender leaves of the Wheat plant to obtain a natural green color for Holi. The color can also be obtained by mixing a fine paste of green leafy vegetables like spinach (Palak), Coriander (Dhaniya) or Mint (Pudina) in water.
  4. Blue: Dry Jacaranda flowers (Neeli Gulmohar/Jungle Badam) in the shade and grind them to obtain a beautiful blue powder.
    Other methods: The Blue Hibiscus, which is found in Kerala, can be dried and powdered just like the red hibiscus, or crush berries of Indigo plant and add water to it as per the desired colour strength.
  5. Yellow: Mix two teaspoons of Turmeric powder with twice the quantity of gram flour (besan). Turmeric and gram flour have magical qualities that are very good for the skin. Ordinary wheat flour (Atta), refined wheat flour (Maida), rice flour, ground nut powder, fuller`s earth (Multani Mitti) and even talcum powder can be used as substitutes for gram flour. Other methods: Flowers like Cassia Fistula (Amaltas), Marigold (Gainda), Yellow Chrysanthemums and Black Babul yield different shades of yellow. Dry the petals of these flowers in the shade and crush them to obtain a fine powder. Mix an appropriate quantity of the powder with gram flour or its substitutes and see your festival come alive without any harmful effects of chemically-loaded colors.
  6. Pink: Slice or grate one beetroot and soak it in 1 liter of water for a wonderful magenta. Boil or leave overnight for a deeper shade and dilute it before use.
    Other methods: Boil the peels of 10-15 pink onions in half a liter of water for a pinkish color. Remove the peels before using them to remove any unneeded smell. You can also soak pink Bauhinia variegate (Kachnar) flowers in water overnight or boil them for a bright pink color.
  7. Red: Red Sandal Wood Powder, which has a beautiful red color, is extremely beneficial for the skin and can be used in place of Red Gulal.
    Other methods: Dry red hibiscus flowers in shade, powder and add any flour to increase the bulk. For a bright orange-red, mix a pinch of lime powder with 2 spoons of turmeric powder and a few drops of water. Use the resulting paste only after diluting it with 10 litres of water. Peels of Red Pomegranate boiled in water, juice of tomatoes and carrots diluted with sufficient quantity of water to remove the stickiness also give a natural yet beautiful red color.
  8. Black: Last but not the least, comes black. Often derived from very dangerous sources like used batteries, this color may cause a lot of trouble later. However, for a safe black color, boil dried fruits of Indian Gooseberry (Amla) in an iron vessel and leave it overnight. Dilute with water and use.
    Other methods: Extract juice of black grapes and dilute with sufficient quantity of water to remove stickiness.

Tips For a Skin-Friendly Holi

  • Cover up: Nothing can beat covering the maximum part of your body with full sleeved clothes and trousers. But the old remedy of using Mustard Oil, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil or Vaseline over your entire body on the morning of Holi does wonders in removing the colours easily
  • No warm water: Do not use warm water for bathing/removing colours. This can lead to the fastening of colours. Instead, always opt for cold water to wash the colours off. You should also try to remove the dry colour powder with dry hands rather than using water as it spreads even more after water application.
  • Stay Hydrated: Drink lots and lots of water as skin tends to get dehydrated with the use of chemicals. You can try other refreshing water-based drinks too. For instance, a virgin mint mojito, or fresh lime and buttermilk, to beat the heat out of your body!
  • Hair Care: Before you use a shampoo, rinse your hair with water to allow the additional colours to wash off. It is extremely vital to condition your hair to prevent any hair damage. Make a simple hair pack by soaking a few Fenugreek (Methi) seeds in four tablespoons of curd. Apply this pack or egg yolk on your scalp and wash your hair with a good shampoo after 30 minutes. You can also apply a mixture of honey and olive oil for deep conditioning.
  • Face: Do not scrub the colour off with soap. Opt for a mild cleanser and follow it up with lots of moisturizing cream. If you feel any skin irritation during the process of taking off the colours then take 2 tbsps. of calamine powder and mix it with a few drops of honey and rosewater to make a paste. Apply this on your face and once it has dried up, wash it off with water and apply a moisturizer. You can also take off the colour with a mixture of Gram Flour (besan) and Milk. If you are unable to do anything else, simply apply a generous amount of Multani-Mitti on the entire face and body to revive your skin.
  • Natural body scrub: You can use a homemade scrub by mixing the following ingredients: 2 tbsp. Wheat Bran, 1 tbsp. Sandalwood Powder, 1 tbsp. Rice Flour, along with some Poppy Seeds (khus-khus), few drops of Honey and a mashed tomato. Scrub your body with this to clear off the colours and to bounce back to your fair and glowing skin. You can also rub a piece of papaya on coloured areas of the face and body to get rid of the colours. There is another good body scrub you can use to wash off colours. Mix curd, gram flour, orange peel powder along with little turmeric, a few drops of lemon and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. This will help clean your skin.  

Post Holi Skincare Regime

For the next two weeks, apply a Multani Mitti face pack every alternate day to ensure that your skin remains soft and supple. Do not go for any skin treatments like waxing, threading, facials, or apply any other external medication on the skin for 2-3 days after Holi. Your skin is very sensitive after Holi. These treatments may cause an adverse reaction.

Safe, Natural Holi

We hope these tips help you. For more, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Healthcare for Children During Exams

Exam time is quite a stressful ordeal for students and parents alike. Wouldn’t a successful examination without the stress be great? Healthy habits can build that foundation for you! Just follow these simple yet important parameters and it will help you and your kids during exams!

1. Nutrition During Exams

Though a good practice to maintain at all times, healthy eating assumes greater significance during exams. Food fuels the mind and body. The quality of food you eat largely determines your overall health and mental acuity.

  • Eat Smaller, Frequent Meals
    If you feed your child a large meal, then he/she will experience a dip in energy and the alertness to study for hours on end. Small meals provide a steady supply of energy to the exam fatigued brain. Keep a steady supply of glucose (energy) throughout the day. This will ensure that your child is focused during study time as well as the exam. Avoid keeping long gaps between meals.
    Opt for healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, popcorn, fruit scones, dried fruit, yogurt or nuts. This will keep your child going throughout the day. They are a better option than cakes, biscuits, chocolates and sweets. The refined sugars in these products will only give your child a ‘sugar rush’ after eating them but will leave them feeling flat and in a bit of a slump shortly afterwards.
  • Food For The Brain
    Vitamin B strengthens brain functioning. Good food sources of Vitamin B are meats (red meat, poultry, fish), eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese), Legumes (beans, lentils), seeds and nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds), whole grains (brown rice, barley, millet), dark leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach), fruits (citrus fruits, avocados, bananas).
  • Omega 3 Fats
    You may have heard the mention of Omega-3 fats as heart-protective. However, they also play an important role in memory, concentration, and relieving depression. Omega 3 has been shown to help brain function and increase concentration. It also helps to improve your immune system when your body and mind are stressed. To get your omega-3 fats, you can eat oily fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, halibut and trout. You can also give flax, chia, melon and sunflower seeds to your kids.
  • Avoid Junk and Oily Foods
    Junk and oily foods slow your body down. Be sure to avoid it. Include good quality proteins such as fish, eggs, milk products, sprouts, etc. Munch fruits and vegetables in between as to keep going for long hours.
  • Never Skip Meals During Exams
    Simply put, your brain needs the energy from food to work efficiently. Your child needs to keep his/her mental focus on the exam and not on hunger. A light meal before the exam will ensure that your child has the energy to pull through the long exam hours. A meal that includes wholegrain carbohydrates will suffice but ensure that it is in small portions. This is to avoid feeling too lethargic or sleepy.

2. Sleep During Exams

To function on an exam day, your child does not only need the energy that comes from nutrition but also the energy that comes from adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation can bring in several health repercussions, especially when coupled with stress. Adequate sleep ensures that your child can recall all the information he/she has worked so hard to learn. Sleep also leaves room to absorb new information that he/she may read. Students preparing for their exams should get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night to maintain good mental and physical health.

Avoid caffeine-containing drinks late at night. A milky or herbal drink such as chamomile tea can ensure a calm and good night’s sleep.

3. Hydration During Exams

It is important to stay hydrated. Not just during exams but all the time. Dehydration can make a person feel lethargic, irritable and tired. Worst of all, it affects concentration. This affects an individual’s ability to focus, study or perform. Do not wait till your child is thirsty. If you wait till he/she is thirsty, it means his/her body is already a little dehydrated. Even mild dehydration can lead to tiredness, headaches, reduced alertness and diminished concentration.

Keep a glass of liquid (fruit juice, coconut water, water) within easy reach while studying and ensure your child has a bottle of water with him/her during the exam. Aim for 1.5 to 2L of fluid per day.

4. Managing Stress During Exams

Unmanaged stress can cause sleep disruption, headaches, poor concentration, and over consumption of junk food. All of these can contribute to impaired test performance. While stress is inevitable, finding appropriate ways to deal with it is the key to staying healthy during exams.

Being active is one of the best things your child can do to stay sane during exam week. Exercising releases endorphins, which make you feel happy and reduce stress. Physical activity is an effective tool to improve academic performance. Exercise also helps in improving memory and thinking ability for students by increasing oxygen flow to the brain. To help relieve stress, clear mind and lift mood, break up study with short bursts of exercise. Your child could go for a jog, a swim, a cycle, or even just walk to your local shop. Listening to music can also create a positive and productive environment by elevating mood and encouraging your child to study more effectively for a longer period of time.

To sum everything up – your child needs to eat well-balanced, healthy meals regularly. He/She needs to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. A well-ventilated room, regular breaks and sound sleep will ensure that your child performs at his/her best during the exams!

Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

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4 Ways to Naturally Heal Common Cold and Flu

4 Ways to Natural Heal Common Colds and FluIt’s that time of the year again when the ‘change in weather’ hits us all! Immunity levels suddenly drop, paving the way for cold, cough, flu, and body aches, which hamper our daily activities, work and physical well-being. What exactly is cold? Can you naturally heal common cold and flu? Let’s find out!

What is Common Cold?

You get a cold when a tiny living thing called a virus gets into your body. There are a hundred different types of viruses that can get you sick. Once a cold virus gets inside you, your immune system – the body’s defense against germs, launches a counter-attack. Your body’s response to the virus is what brings on the classic symptoms such as cough or a stuffed nose. The common cold is a viral, infectious disease that infects the upper respiratory system. It is also known as Acute Viral Rhinopharyngitis and Acute Coryza.

The viruses that cause common cold are contagious. You can contract them when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, or shakes your hand. It can be spread by air droplets from coughs and sneezes and by touching infected surfaces. There are over 200 sub-types of viruses that can cause a cold with the Rhinovirus being the most common. Although colds occur more commonly during monsoon and winter, they can develop any time of the year. After a couple of weeks, at the most, your immune system fights off the illness and you should stop having symptoms.

Because there are more than 200 viruses that cause common cold, the human body can never build resistance to all of them. This is why colds are so common and often return. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), adults get 2–3 colds per year, and children may have up to 12 per year.

How Can You Naturally Heal Common Cold and Flu? 

The symptoms of common cold are the body’s reaction to the cold virus. It triggers the release of chemicals, making the blood vessels leak, causing the mucous glands to work harder. So what’s the solution? With no long-term solution to this issue, the only way is to either avoid it or treat it! Here are 4 ways to naturally heal common cold and flu.

1. Steam Therapy

Steam therapy is absolutely natural.  Our bodies are made up of 50-60% water and steam is just droplets of water.  Quite simply put, you are renewing one of your body’s natural biochemical elements.

Steam therapy or steam inhalation, is the method of introducing warm, moist air into the lungs via the nose and throat. The prime benefit of breathing in moist, warm steam is that it may help ease the feeling of irritation and swollen blood vessels in the nasal passages. The moisture may also help thin the mucus in your sinuses, which allows them to empty more easily. This can return your breathing to normal.

Ways to Use Steam Therapy

  • Traditional: Boil a few cups of water, then pour the steaming water into a large bowl.  Place gently on a firm flat surface such as a kitchen table. Put a towel over your head to form a ‘tent’. Lean over with your face 15-20cm from the steam and inhale. Eucalyptus Oil, Lavender Oil and Holy Basil Leaves can be added for extra benefit.
  • Shower: Run a hot shower and inhale the steam – you can even use few drops of essential oils to help refresh and revitalize.
  • Personal Inhalers: An easy and portable way to enjoy steam therapy on the go. A great idea for the office or holidays, inhalers are also popular with public speakers, actors and singers to help open up the airways before a performance.

2. Gargle

Gargling several times a day with warm salt water can reduce swelling in the throat and loosen mucus. This helps in flushing out irritants or bacteria. Salt water creates a high-salt barrier and pulls out a lot of fluids from the tissues in the throat area. This helps in washing the virus out. The salt functions as a magnet for water. It’s good for symptomatic relief.

It’s best to use pure water because tap water often includes chlorine. One can also add Turmeric juice or powder to have an antiseptic effect. One can gargle every 4 hours if the cough/cold is troublesome.

3. Maintain Hydration Levels

Drinking plenty of fluids is one of the most important things you can do when you have a cold or flu. Because cold and flu symptoms like runny noses and sweating, which often accompanies fever, increase the amount of water your body loses. Dehydration might occur if your fluid intake is not increased to compensate.

Keeping your body hydrated also helps loosen mucus in your nose and relieve congestion. Staying hydrated ensures that the body can function properly and can defend itself more effectively against the cold or flu.

When you have a cold or flu, drink a minimum of 2 liters of fluid each day. Drink water or other healthy fluids whenever you are thirsty. Use your thirst as a guide to when and how much you should drink. If you are caring for a child who is over one year, ensure they drink a minimum of 90–120ml of fluid per hour. Babies under one year require at least 30–60ml fluid per hour. Pregnant women should increase their fluid intake to up to 2.50L per day.

Try these herbal concoctions:

  • Herbal Tea: In a glass of boiling water, add a pinch of cinnamon, a few holy basil leaves, crushed ginger and a few crushed black peppercorns. Add honey and drink while hot.
  • Carom  Seeds Infused Water: Boil Carom Seeds in water. Strain and add Jaggery powder. This helps in relieving cough and congestion.
  • Garlic Concoction: Combine 2-4 cloves, chopped garlic and 3-4 slices of fresh ginger with 1 cup of water. Cover and let it steep for at least 20 minutes. Add honey and lemon to taste. Drink it while it is lukewarm.
  • Licorice Tea: Boil a 1/2inch piece of licorice + 1/2 tsp grated ginger and 1/2 spoon of cinnamon in 1 cup water for 10 mins. Strain and drink.
  • Raw Turmeric Drink: Boil a 1 inch piece of raw Turmeric or a 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder for 5 minutes. Add ginger juice/honey and consume.
  • Green Tea and Chamomile Tea
  • Soups: Vegetable soup/chicken soup/clear soup/chicken broth, lemon coriander soup, garlic spinach soup, tomato fennel soup or veg broth – all work well. A hot bowl of soup helps break up the congestion associated with both common cold and flu. The salt in the soup and its warmth can soothe a sore throat.

4. Rest

Rest is the best treatment! When you have a cold or flu, doctors recommend plenty of bed rest. When you limit mobility/take rest, your body has more resources to fight off your illness. Your body temperature goes up if you remain very active. Flu and cold organisms replicate at a faster rate when the body gets hotter. Also, if you head to the office when you are sick, the stress of work can make it hard for your body to attack the illness.

Do not over-exert yourself. You can do light intensity workout if you have the energy, your symptoms are mild such as just a runny nose, or if you have been fever free for more than 48 hours.

  • Avoid Exercise: When you have fever, body aches, cough, vomiting, diarrhea or chronic health concerns such as asthma /heart diseases.
  • Best Exercises: Walking, yoga or a light jog. All these stimulate you to take deep breaths and can help open up clogged passages.
  • Worst Exercises: Endurance runs, machines at gym and weight lifting.

We hope this information helps you naturally heal common cold and flu symptoms! Find more home remedies and articles on staying healthy during monsoon here. You can also get these tips, and more, directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalized Health Coaching here.

Have a personal remedy of your own? Share it with us in the comments below!

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GOQii at the Forefront of AI Innovation in Sports, as Featured in “Transforming the Game: Impact of AI in Sports” Report

GOQii has emerged as a leading pioneer in AI-driven solutions for the sports industry, and we are proud to announce our inclusion in the report, “AI in Sports: Transforming the Game.” This comprehensive industry analysis recognizes GOQii’s groundbreaking contributions to the AI in Sports Innovation Landscape.

The report, published by a recognized AI consultancy firm DataRoot Labs, delves into the transformative power of artificial intelligence in the sports domain. It provides a comprehensive overview of AI use cases, trends, investments, M&A activity, and remaining tech challenges.

By harnessing the power of hardware and software technology, GOQii has unlocked unprecedented opportunities for people worldwide. Our smart tech-enabled ecosystem is empowering consumers globally to lead healthier and better lives to bring together the entire preventive healthcare ecosystem.

“We are honored to be recognized as a key player in the AI in Sports Innovation Landscape by ‘Transforming the Game: Impact of AI in Sports’ report,” said GOQii’s Founder and CEO, Vishal Gondal. “This acknowledgment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI technology and its application in the sports industry.”

As we continue to spearhead tech innovation in sports, GOQii remains dedicated to collaborating with industry stakeholders to drive the adoption of AI-driven solutions across various sports disciplines. Through our research and development efforts, we aim to reward people’s healthy behaviour with cash discounts and insurance discounts based on health management data and live coaching by experts on GOQii Play to promote a better quality of living.

We are dedicated to enabling a permanent shift to a healthier lifestyle with the combination of advanced wearable technology, the world’s leading experts, coaches, and karma. GOQii focuses on sustained engagement & goal reinforcement and offers a complete ecosystem as a single integrated solution, which is a powerful combination of technology and human connection.

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 […]