healthy living Archives - Page 110 of 175

July 20, 2022 By Komal Mehta 9 Comments

What You Can Eat To Beat High Blood Sugar Levels

Moderation is key – this holds true for everybody and everything, especially if you are suffering from or trying to manage diabetes. There is no specific diet plan or pattern for Diabetes. It’s the small changes that you make with foods which help you manage your blood sugar better.

The Right Eating Habits To Beat High Blood Sugar Levels

Have small but frequent meals: Having small meals will control the sugar spikes. Long gaps between meals can increase as well as drop blood sugar levels. Long gaps also leach out energy and makes you feel tired. Having 4-5 small meals with balanced carbohydrates helps managing blood sugar well.
Choose the right carbs: All the grains have carb, be it potato or oats, it’s the quality which matters. Opting for carbs allowing slow release of sugar are best to choose. Carbs with high fiber content like whole wheat flour, Sorghum (Jowar), Finger Millet (Ragi), and Oats can help control blood sugar as it will release the sugar slowly and help you control those spikes.
Avoid processed foods: We all know refined foods and packaged foods are not that great for our health. With diabetes, it affects blood sugar directly. Refined foods get absorbed very easily as they lack fiber – which can easily increase sugar. Always add lots of vegetables if packaged food is the only option. Rely on portion control for best results!
Add more proteins: Protein-rich foods are not readily available to raise blood sugar. You will see the positive impact on blood sugar once you add protein foods with every meal. Having more sprouts salad, cottage cheese (paneer) bites, or curd raita fills you up as well as stabilizes sugar.
Include Fiber: Fiber plays an important role in the digestion of food. Fiber not only delays sugar absorption but also binds cholesterol and reduces the risk of obesity as well as heart ailments. Don’t think twice before adding some raw salads or veggie soups to major meals.
Cut down fat: There is nothing wrong if the fat is coming from right sources. All vegetable fats from avocado, seeds, nuts like peanuts, almonds, home-made clarified butter (ghee), etc. are good to go. Just make sure it is in moderation. Good fat helps you manage weight, which has a direct relation with sugar control and in a way, also helps release sugar slowly as fat takes time to digest.
Exercise: Even if you control your food habits well, if your muscles aren’t moving, you might not get to see the results you want. Just a 40-minute brisk walk can help increase blood circulation, manage weight and fat metabolism. Every 5% reduction in weight can provide a positive result with diabetes, heart health and overall well being.
Cut out the refined sugar: Aim to have as little sugar as possible. Direct form of sugar results in major spikes. Refined sugar, candies, cakes, and pastries, etc. stay for 3 months as the blood RBC is made every 3 months. High HbA1c is associated with long term complication. It is best to try and keep your HbA1c in control by having a good portion control with right choice of food. Cut out on these sweets and go for healthier alternatives like jaggery.

Don’t fall for “diabetes friendly, sugar free products”. Just choose from the natural food to beat high blood sugar levels. It’s not too difficult! Just follow the tips above and you will feel better!

We hope this article helps you beat high blood sugar levels and manage Diabetes effectively. For more articles on managing diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

For further guidance and motivation by certified experts, join the GOQii Diabetes Care program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), reduce HbA1c levels and let you win gold! You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare.

Let’s #DefeatDiabetes and #BeTheForce

July 18, 2022 By Palak Mittal 1 Comment

5 Reasons Why You Need to Begin Weight Training Now!

We all want that lean body, six-packs and look absolutely stunning all the time. But, the one thing that always gets in the way is excess fat! It never leaves us, clinging on to the body like moss on stone. The funny part is that no matter how much you sweat on cardio, it doesn’t seem to help. Before you begin thinking there is no absolute solution, let me ask you if you’ve heard of weight training?

Before I get to telling you how weight training helps, let’s clear some misconceptions. It is a myth that weight training only bulks you up. People believe that one becomes heavy and bulky, especially women but that’s not true. Don’t worry, it won’t turn you into the Hulk. Secondly, for weight loss people often turn to cardio while neglecting weight training but that’s not the right route to go. Want to know why?

5 Benefits of Weight Training

It Makes You Burn Fat: When you lift weights, you will be building muscles. Muscles require less space than fat. A person with more muscles may weigh the same as that of a person with more fat but the muscular person will definitely look much skinnier and toned.
Protection From Injuries: Weight lifting makes the skeletal system strong. Not only bones, but muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues as well. Strengthening these helps in preventing injuries and also reduces the risk for osteoporosis as it strengthens the bones too!
Major Boost to Self-Confidence: Lifting weights improves overall physique of both men and women by building more lean muscle. It improves one’s body image. Imagine seeing a leaner and toned you in the mirror. Wouldn’t that boost your self-confidence? This in essence means you will have more energy, less stress, anxiety and depression. Indirectly, it is a good way to boost your mental health as well.
Fights Insomnia: Weight training is exhausting! Once you’re done, you’ll sleep like a baby. If one is suffering from insomnia or finding it difficult to fall asleep, then weight training is the way to go! Cardio or any exercise helps but lifting weights is like a cherry on the cake. Just get up and hit the gym!
Improves Flexibility, Stability and Balance: Lifting weights improves joint mobility through a full range of motion. It makes your joints flexible and strong. This in turn improves posture and provides the necessary stamina to perform basic activities such as walking, running and even performing other exercises and tasks including cardiovascular exercises.

You don’t even need a gym. You can literally lift weights at home too. If you haven’t thought of beginning your weight training journey, start now and get ready to see some positive change. To get a head start, join some online classes on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App and get the right guidance and motivation from certified experts in real time.

We hope this article motivates you to begin your weight training journey today. For more on Fitness, check out Healthy Reads. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

July 16, 2022 By GOQii 2 Comments

Nikita Jain Battles A Rare Condition & Wins With The Right Coaching

The pandemic wasn’t easy on a lot of us. The entire lockdown, coupled with social distancing and movement restriction impacted a lot of people in different ways. A unique problem that one of our players Nikita Jain suffered from was Vocal Cord Dysfunction – a condition which was latent in her till the lockdown. Nikita Jain says that due to her location, her house gets less sunlight and ventilation. The need to stay indoors always along with the paranoia of contracting an infection if she stepped outside, aggravated her stress, causing panic attacks and breathlessness which was eventually diagnosed as Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD).

When she consulted her local doctor, he assumed it was asthma and put her on a nebulizer. She did experience some relief, however, it was only for a short while. Later in August 2020, she consulted an Asthma and Allergy Specialist who diagnosed it as VCD and prescribed medication and some breathing exercises. Around the same time, she happened to see GOQii’s Brand Ambassador Akshay Kumar talk about the GOQii Smart Vital on YouTube. She then decided to buy a tracker and took a 3-month coaching subscription.

Start of the Journey

In their first conversation, her coach Mamta Joshi understood everything about her medical condition and lifestyle in general. Then she calmly explained the need to adopt healthy eating habits and minor modifications in her current diet. She introduced small tweaks in her meal pattern like reducing intake of carbs like roti and rice and switching them with protein sources. She started with fruits and salads which were not a part of her diet until then. She also started including soaked nuts and jeera water upon waking up.

She used to skip breakfast all the time, which her coach said was not advisable. Every habit was inculcated slowly one by one so that she was able to follow them without difficulty. Nikita Jain rarely indulged in any physical activity apart from normal household chores. Her GOQii Coach asked her to start with yoga and meditation for a few mins every day. She regularly watches live GOQii Play sessions and follows Ronak Gajjar for meditation, Sheetal Tiwari for yoga and Mukesh Morwall for nutrition tips.

She was also experiencing a lot of back pain and ankle pain which has magically disappeared after practicing some stretches and yoga every day. The coach also suggested an oil concoction for her ankle pain which helped her a lot.

Transformation and Leveling Up!

Nikita Jain says that the major transformation in her is in terms of her energy levels. There is no lethargy whatsoever and she is able to stay active throughout the day. She doesn’t feel any weakness or pain nowadays which helps her stay happy and peaceful.

She says, “Coach Mamta has brought back the smile on my face which was missing before and which was sorely missed by my family. More than me, it’s my Dad who is eager to see all my meal intake updated on the app for the coach to see and check if they are good enough.”

She enjoys Coach Arooshi Garg’s cooking sessions on GOQii Play and tried the recipes from the sessions at home. Being a housewife, she used to cook before too but now she cooks not just tasty but nutritious food as well. So it isn’t just her who benefited from the GOQii Coaching Subscription but her entire family on all levels.

What Does Coach Mamta Have To Say About Her Player Nikita Jain?

Nikita joined GOQii with a goal to get relief from a rare kind of health issue that developed during lockdown. She experienced some rare and abnormal complications such as paralysis of the left side of her body, stretched arms and limbs, intolerable body pain, breathlessness and excessive sensitivity to smell.

In our first discussion, I read her plight in her withered voice .She was intensely insecure about her future too. After some evaluation, I figured it was her disconnection with nature and to get her back to it might be the only possible solution. So we planned habits like getting some indoor plants, keeping doors/windows open during the day, soaking in sunlight on the building terrace, plus an oil massage for pain relief, breathing exercise/meditation for stress management and gradually the results started appearing. She started eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and her energy levels/stamina improved. From an almost bedridden state, she now exercises 1.5 hours a day.

I am glad she mustered the courage and will to not only tackle the problems head on but overcome them as well. Though it was an uphill battle, she won! Her stress levels have gone down, she clocks in 10,000 steps daily, has lost some weight , got in shape and the journey is still going on! The best thing about Nikita is that she never took any of my suggestions lightly and always adhered to them religiously. She honestly updated and acknowledged me about her condition and progress logs from time to time. And the result is a big victory in a short span of time.

Does Nikita Jain’s Health Story inspire you to begin yours? Then subscribe for GOQii’s Personalized coaching now and get the right guidance and motivation to achieve your health goals! Subscribe here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

July 13, 2022 By GOQii 4 Comments

9 Diabetes Friendly Grains Beyond Brown Rice

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions throughout the world. Be it Type 1, Type 2 or Gestational. As soon as we realize that we have Diabetes, we immediately start controlling our sweet tooth in order to keep our sugar consumption under control. But apart from cutting down on sweets and adding less sugar to your tea/coffee, it is also extremely important to understand that we have to limit our calorie intake and add foods which have a low glycemic index to our diet.

Low Glycemic Index foods are those which take a longer time to get digested and therefore, release the sugars in our blood at a slow pace. This, in turn, prevents sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. So if you’ve been replacing your white rice, which has a high glycemic index, with brown rice, there are some other diabetes friendly grains you can explore.

9 Diabetes Friendly Grains You Can Consume

Amarnath: Gluten free, high protein (15-18%), a great source of calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, and many other vitamins and minerals.
How to cook: Add 2 cups water to 1 cup amaranth grain, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Foxtail millet: Gluten-free, high in dietary fiber, Low Glycemic index, reduces the levels of triglycerides, LDL and VLDL, magnesium present in millets is a co-factor in various enzymes involved in the secretion of insulin and metabolism of glucose in the body
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of foxtail millet with 2.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt for three whistles. Turn off the flame.
Quinoa: Highest protein content, gluten-free, rich in fiber, iron, and magnesium. It is easy to cook as well.
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of quinoa with 2.5 cups water for three whistles. Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the flame.
Kodo Millet: High fiber and energy content and tastes like rice. Kodo Millet contains Copper, deficiency of which impairs sugar tolerance. Research has identified anti-diabetic compounds i.e. Quercetin and Phenolic acids which are present in Kodo Millet.
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of Kodo Millet with 2.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt for two whistles. Turn off the flame.
Buckwheat: High in magnesium, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber and is gluten-free as well.
How to cook: Add 2 cups water to 1 cup buckwheat grain, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Little Millet: Low cholesterol, gluten-free, high in protein and dietary fiber.
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of little millet with 2.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt for two whistles. Turn off the flame.
Barnyard Millet: Gluten-free, has the highest fiber and iron content of all the millets.
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of Barnyard Millet with 2.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt for two whistles. Turn off the flame.
Barley: High in soluble fiber which prevents the carbohydrates from getting absorbed too quickly and raising blood sugar levels. Low glycemic index and high in magnesium as well.
How to cook: Pressure cook 1 cup of Barley with 3 cups water for about 25 minutes after the first whistle.
Rye: A very good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B1. It’s a rich source of magnesium too.
How to cook: Soak 1 cup of rye grain for about 2 hours. Combine the grains with 4 cups of water in a pan, bring to a boil, simmer, close with a lid and cook for about 45 minutes.

There you have it! 9 diabetes friendly grains that are great alternatives to white rice or in case you want to switch from brown rice. Before making any dietary changes, consult a doctor or your nutritionist for further guidance and in case you have any allergies.

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on managing diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.