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6 Lifestyle Changes For Acne-Free Skin

acne-free skinWe all yearn for clear, glowing, blemish-free skin! There’s no denying that smooth skin has mass appeal. If smooth skin were the protagonist of your story, acne would certainly be the formidable foe!

Acne is basically a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples. It can lead to redness and dull skin. Risk factors include genetics, menstrual cycle, stress, anxiety, humid climate, using oil-based makeup, out of home foods, etc.

Once developed, acne requires a lot of patience to fade away. Hence, you need to be religious towards the efforts.

Make smooth skin a reality with these 5 lifestyle changes which can help you reduce or prevent acne!

No Refined Carbs & Sugar

Bid alcohol, soft drinks, desserts, bread, ice-cream, sugar, maida, etc. a good farewell! As they have a high glycemic index, it can lead to high blood sugar and high insulin levels. This might result in inflammation, which is one of the prime causes of acne. High sugar intake along with acne can lead to dark circles, loose skin, and wrinkles, etc. So go low on sugar.

Drink More Water

Skin cells require water to function properly. According to research, acne is more likely to develop when your system has more toxins. Water helps flush these toxins out. Though water is not a miracle cure but it definitely helps in fighting acne.

Physical Activity

Exercise boosts blood circulation and promotes sweating, which helps the body push impurities out of the pores, reducing acne. Physical activity helps us reduce stress levels, which inturn aids acne prevention. Just make sure you clean up before and after a workout.

Get Quality Sleep

Do you wake up fresh and energetic in the morning? If you don’t get good, restorative sleep, your body might not feel rested. This could start the cortisol surge, which can put you at risk for more acne. Make sleep your priority and give your body the rest it needs and your acne a chance to heal.

Eat Your Colors

Yes! Eat all the colourful fruits and vegetables. They help us improve vitamin levels and antioxidant intake which keeps the skin clear. Eat dark leafy greens, pumpkin, carrots, beetroot, berries, papaya, etc. on a daily basis.

Eat Healthy Fats

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are required to keep your skin healthy. They help prevent skin dryness and help you maintain healthy and hydrated skin. Healthy fats are the building blocks of cell membranes. Hence, add walnuts, fish oil, flax seeds, avocado, sunflower seeds, etc. to your diet.

Some handy tips for good skin:

  • Wash your hands once you wake up before touching the face
  • Use fresh towels and handkerchiefs daily
  • Always remove your makeup completely
  • Clean your phone on a regular basis
  • Do not sleep without washing your face

If you’re looking for more skincare tips, explore Healthy Reads or you can also get expert advice from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to our Personalised Health Coaching services here. Your journey to acne-free, radiant skin begins with the right knowledge and support!

#BeTheForce

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Why is it difficult to make a lifestyle change? – 6 tips to follow

Fit-is-not-a-destination

In a user story I recently wrote, the player said, “Making a lifestyle change is easy what is difficult is the commitment to follow through with determination”.

Rightly so, it’s indeed considered a tall order and hence many give it up mid-way. Most consider it forced, rather than a positive change to bring about within themselves.

This very attitude and constant cribbing of people around me prompted me to write this piece on why is it so difficult to make a lifestyle change?

Many of us have tried it sometime or the other in our life. Some of us have succeeded while many have found it extremely taxing. Making a lifestyle change is challenging, especially when you want to transform many things at once. Lifestyle changes are a process that take time and require support and lots of patience.

lifestyle1

Here are a few tips that you could follow from my personal experience

1. Start small. After you’ve identified a realistic short-term and long-term goals, break them down further into small steps that are well defined and can be managed and measured. If your long term goal (6-8 months) is to lose 20 kilos then a good monthly goal would be to reduce about 2 kilos a month in a healthy way. Physiologically too smaller goals gives you sense that it’s achievable and keep you motivated for the long term goal. Look at healthy eating options, eat smaller meals at regular intervals and balanced meals, and replace a dessert with a healthier option, like yogurt. At the end of the month, you’ll feel successful knowing you met your goal.

2. Change one behavior at a time. It is said that old habits die hard. That is because behaviors develop over the course of time and replacing then will take a while. Focus on one goal at a time. If need be, get professional help to understand what changes you need to bring about within yourself to become healthy and fit. The problem arises when you try to change things really fast.

3. Have a buddy or a personal coach or trainer: It can be anyone from a friend, to a  family member, a co-worker or your personal trainer who you want to walk with you in your path to a healthy lifestyle. It works well for both the buddies. Your buddy and you can go for a walk, cycle or run together and keep each other motivated and charged. You can challenge each other to create some excitement in your training and make sure that it is not boring. Having someone with whom you can share your struggles and successes makes the work easier and the mission less intimidating.

4. Make a plan that you will stick to. You have to plan in such a way that it will be your guide on this journey of change. Think out of the box and have things in your plan which you have never done before like an adventure or going for sport climbing (artificial wall climbing). But, don’t go haywire and be specific. Time manage well. Detail the time of day when you want to exercise, how long you want to exercise or when you can take walks and how long you’ll walk. Maintain a dairy in which all of these task are jotted down and ask yourself if these activities and goals are realistic for you. If not then start with baby steps.

5. Have support around you: Having people around you to support you while you are on your journey towards health will help you to not slack. Don’t feel shy to ask for support wherever and whenever needed if you feel you are unable to meet your goals on your own.

Making the changes that you want takes time and commitment, but you can do it. Just remember that no one is perfect. You will have occasional lapses. Be kind to yourself. When you eat a brownie or skip the gym, don’t give up. Minor bumps on the road to your goals are normal and okay. Resolve to recover and get back on track.

6. Self -Motivation: All the above points will help you in your journey to change your lifestyle but, the biggest factor of all and one of the most important factor is being self-motivated. No matter how many buddies you have, no matter what support your dear and near ones will give, no matter how good a plan you make yourself …but none of this will be effective till the time you are self-motivated and want to make the change.

Do it for yourself, do it on your own and feel good at the end of it all. Remember it is not about proving to anyone but yourself.

Remember, your journey to a healthier lifestyle is ongoing. With the right support, guidance, and self-motivation, you can overcome the challenges and make those positive changes. Seek a personal coach or trainer if needed – having someone to walk this path with you can be a game-changer. Your goals are achievable, and your well-being is worth the effort. Keep moving forward and consider subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here for expert assistance on your path to a healthier you!

#BeTheForce

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How to Heal a Leaky Gut

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 

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The Miraculous Health Benefits Of Horse Gram

horse gram

Horse gram, also known as Kulthi Dal, is neither unique nor ordinary. It is lesser-known and most still don’t recognize this precious ingredient. Its medicinal effects are enormous. It doesn’t play an important role in any cuisine but it can make any cuisine healthier and might enhance the nutritional value once it is fully adopted by any regional cuisine.

Medicinal Uses of Horse Gram

  1. Anti Hyperglycemic: Horse gram seed possesses antihyperglycemic properties which control the glucose level in the blood. It lessens the absorption of carbohydrates and has copious amounts of soluble fiber.
  2. Hemolytic Activity: The seeds make anti-inflammatory drugs that efficiently neutralize indirect hemolytic activity.
  3. Diuretic activity: Kulthi Dal increases the flow of urine. It creates pressure on the deposited stone and thanks to this pressure, the stone comes down and gets removed through urination. One of the studies published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India in 2010 compared the effect of Kultha and potassium citrate on 47 patients with renal stones. It has been concluded that Kultha is often used to reduce the recurrence of calcium oxalate stone and had better results than the utilization of conventional potassium citrate.
  4. Treats Jaundice: Horse gram water is being used in Andhra Pradesh for the treatment of Jaundice.
  5. Relieves Cough and Cold: When consumed as soup, it helps relieve congestion by liquifying mucus and opens up the nasal tracts, allowing the mucus membranes to melt-up. Thus, horse gram water has been found effective in relieving cough and cold. This helps with easy breathing since the specified nutrients are boosting the metabolism of the body and immunity as well.
  6. Helps Weight Loss: Consuming this miraculous gram helps reduce body weight. Also, if we add powdered horse gram with sour buttermilk and apply it to the fat deposited area, it helps to cut back the fat.
  7. Treats Leucorrhea: Kulth is also used as a treatment for leucorrhoea (discharge from the vagina) and menstrual disorders in the hilly regions. According to Ayurveda, if we soak a handful of these overnight in a bowl of water, and boil it the subsequent day and use this water for consumption thrice daily, it will help treat the symptoms of leucorrhea. Being rich in iron, proteins, and calcium, is really good for kids too.
  8. Treats Piles: Piles happen when the veins in the rectum swell up and get inflamed, causing a lot of pain. Despite rushing to the pharmacy for medication and treatment, experts recommend the utilization of horse gram. Soak a cup of these overnight and consume the water the next day. Eat the gram steamed as a salad as well. The roughage in it, together with the fibre, helps treat piles effectively.
  9. Rich source of various natural bioactive substances: such as phytic acid, fibre and phenolic acid, etc. These bioactive substances have immense potential for curing different types of diseases such as cold, streptococcal sore throat, fever, urinary stones, asthma, bronchitis and leucoderma, etc.
  10. Skin Rashes and Boils: Horse gram can also be used as a topical pack to treat rashes, boils, and disorders of the skin to some extent. This is because it is antimicrobial and antibacterial, and has plenty of antioxidants in it in conjunction with minerals to nourish, replicate the healthy lipid layers of the skin and more.

Best Recipes

  • Kulthi Water: It is a lengthy process but truly natural without any side effects. Soak 25 grams in 250 ml of water overnight and in the morning, strain the water and drink this water on an empty stomach. Later, add the same amount of water in the same soaked horse gram and drink it for lunch. Continuing this process for 6 months will help break kidney stones. Later on, you’ll make thin dal of this soaked horse gram and can be consumed along with rice or roti.
  • Kulthi soup: Take 200 grams of kulthi dal with 2 liters of water and boil it on a slow flame for around 4-5 hours. When it’s reduced to half, consume it for lunchtime. Try having this soup alone at that time. Within a week or two, it will start working.

That’s a lot of nutritional and health benefits, don’t you think? Go get your horse grams now! We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more on nutrition and food, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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 […]