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Hypertension: Cause for all heart issues

heart-failure2

Heart is one of the most important organs of our body, and keeping it healthy is important. Heart connects the entire body through its vital functions.

What does the heart exactly do? Why is it related to blood pressure?

This small fist like structure works hard to maintain blood flow to our body day and night. Fundamentally, it takes all the impure blood from the body, makes it pure with lots of Oxygen (fresh air), and sends it back. While doing this, it also contracts and relaxes (medically termed it as systolic and diastolic, respectively) in between a single beat. In normal course, if the person is healthy this happens smoothly without much pressure on it. Normal blood pressure levels should be 120/80 mm/hg.

Blood pressure is the culprit to heart issues. It’s natural to increase our blood pressure due to certain unpleasant situations, but if the blood pressure stays elevated for longer periods, then it turns into hypertension.

Causes for increased blood pressure:

  • Stress
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
  • Obesity
  • Less water intake
  • High salt intake
  • Intake of more processed or bakery food.
  • Junk food or less fibrous food Intake
  • Less activity
  • Less sleep
  • Kidney disorders
  • Heredity
  • High fat food intake

All of these lead to plaque formation in the tiny blood vessels, due to which heart has to put more pressure than usual for a smooth blood flow. When it goes beyond the heart’s limit (it has muscles, after all) it stops pumping blood (which carries water, nutrients, and oxygen) thus it results in heart attack.

The good news is that one can avoid high blood pressure and avert heart attacks by just taking care of our daily meals, activities, water, sleep, stress etc. in short keeping a check on our lifestyle.

We need to improve all micro habits which set into our routine. Once you set yourself a routine, it’s difficult to break it.

Salt is the crucial factor that can lead to high blood pressure. Salt is a combination of sodium and chloride. Daily requirement of sodium is 1500mg to 2300mg, which means we can include approximately 1 teaspoon of salt. Sodium is also found in baking soda, monosodium glutamate (MSG), various seasonings, additives, condiments, meat, fish, poultry, dairy foods, eggs, smoked meats, olives, and pickled foods. High sodium directly contributes to high blood pressure.

Here are some heart friendly food options I have listed down for you

Antioxidants (green tea, red wine)

Fiber and Vitamin K (green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, whole pulses)

Whole Fruits

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats (Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, tuna, avocado)

Ample amount of water intake.

Doing regular breathing exercises help us increase our Oxygen uptake.

Yoga, meditation or giving time to your hobbies keeps stress at bay.

Staying active through the entire day or indulging in any type of activity or game you enjoy can keep stress levels under check.

Maintaining heart health starts with managing your blood pressure. By making mindful choices in your diet, staying active, managing stress, and staying hydrated, you can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension and heart disease. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. For more health tips and personalised guidance,speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. Take control of your heart health today!

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Kiwi – Berry of a woody vine-It’s health benefits

kiwi
I hear of Kiwi and my taste buds get active and when I heard of its nutritional benefits, I started loving it even more!! The colour and the look of the kiwi slice will definitely make you fall in love with it and its taste is an icing on the cake. Kiwi tastes just awesome.

A little history about the fruit tells us that Kiwi fruit, native to Northern China was first cultivated in New Zealand at the turn of the 20th Century and was known as Chinese Gooseberries. Later it was christened as Kiwi fruit in New Zealand because the fruit shares characteristics with New Zealand’s national bird Kiwi which is also small, brown and fuzzy.

Kiwis are rich in nutrients with low calories. It is packed with vital nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Copper, Choline, Magnesium and Phosphorous.

Who does not want to look and feel good? Everyone likes to and Kiwi helps you feel just as good, as it has a good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E which are antioxidants that prevent from skin degeneration and keeps your skin wrinkle free and makes you look younger.

Antioxidants also boost immunity.

Kiwis are rich in fibre that binds to toxins and flushes them out of the body. Fiber also binds to cholesterol and removes them from the body and thus Kiwi also helps to reduce cholesterol.

Studies show that Kiwis have a mild laxative effect and hence good for constipation.

Fiber and Potassium in kiwis are good for heart health. Kiwi’s high level of potassium helps to keep the electrolytes in the body balanced thereby countering the effects of Sodium. Low sodium helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.

High potassium intake also helps to reduce the risk of stroke, loss of muscle mass. It also preserves the bone mineral density and there is a reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

Kiwi has a very low glycemic index i.e. it does not increase the blood sugar quickly which makes it a good fruit for diabetics as well.

Kiwi falls in the category of most alkaline fruits and thus helps in balancing acidic and alkaline food consumption. Few advantages of a properly acid/alkaline balanced body are youthful skin, deeper sleep, abundant physical energy, fewer colds, less arthritis and reduced osteoporosis.

Kiwi Fruit also protects from eye problems. Kiwi’s high level of lutein and zeaxanthin-both of which are natural chemicals found in a human eye prevents from eye problems Who ever knew this small fruit can be so beneficial. Truly said,” Big surprises come in small packages.”

I have made it a point to have at least one kiwi a day. What about you????

We hope this article helps you. For more informative articles such as this, check out Healthy Reads or you can get this information directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here.

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Health Benefits of Garlic‎

health benefits of garlic
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of garlic? It’s a herb having a strong odour and pungent flavour that leaves behind a bad odour after having it. It is used by many cuisines around the world to add flavour to food. But, it enhances the flavour of the food, making it more scrumptious!

There are many who do not eat tubers and root for varied reasons including religious. But, I really feel they are losing out on such an important food ingredient!

Garlic has many medicinal, therapeutic and culinary uses. Most of the health benefits of garlic are attributed to the compound allicin. So, cooking garlic destroys allicin which in return destroys the health benefits. One should try and use garlic in a raw form wherever possible. This can be done by finely chopped in salads/buttermilk to avoid the pungent flavour.

There are ample of health benefits and other advantages…here are a few advantages

Boosts immunity:  This herb could help keep those colds and flu at bay. Try steeping garlic into a tea by steeping chopped garlic in hot water. Add a bit of natural honey to soothe your throat and cut some of the intense garlic taste.

Full of antioxidants: You can add few garlic cloves (finely chopped) to your salads as it is very rich in anti-oxidants. These antioxidants can kill the bacteria that cause acne. Next time you have a pimple, try rubbing a sliced clove of raw garlic.

Heart friendly: It helps in reducing hypertension, coronary heart diseases.

Anti-inflammatory: Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties. If you have psoriasis, a skin condition related to inflammation try rubbing garlic oil directly on the affected area for relief.

Embrace the multifaceted advantages of garlic for your health and wellness journey. Share your experiences and tips for incorporating garlic into your diet in the comments below. For more insights on nutrition and holistic health practices, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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All that a women needs to know about – MENOPAUSE!

Menopause simply means marking the end of a female’s reproductive period. This is something women experience as they age. It does not occur overnight! It is a gradual process.

This gradual process is usually known as Perimenopausal phase which is a completely different transition for every woman. It is a very challenging phase for every woman, a woman might get irritated, and mood swings are the most common thing! Emotional breakdowns also occur. Earlier, the ideal age for menopause was around 45-50 years but, if a woman has attained early puberty, menopause occurs early too!

  • Menopause comes with many complications and the most common complication is osteoporosis and heart disease.
  • The bone mineral density gradually goes down during menopausal transition which may result in osteoporosis however, these symptoms vary in different women.
  • Hot flashes occur very frequently.
  • The entire menopause is divided into 3 phases which are Perimenopause, Menopause and Post Menopause.
  • Out of these 3 phases, Perimenopause phase which can also be called as “time around menopause” lasts for the maximum time which involves all symptoms.
  • Menopause and post menopause phase lasts for a shorter period.
  • Apart from hot flashes and mood swings, women in menopausal stage also face excess stress, tiredness, fatigue and sometimes vaginal itchiness and drying.
  • The main sign of menopause is irregular vaginal bleeding.
  • Menopause is a part of every woman’s life and it is not a disease which can be treated. However, menopause can be managed and tackled if handled properly.
  • Nutrition and physical exercise plays a key role in managing the menopausal symptoms

FOODS which help managing Menopausal Symptoms:-

(1) Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet

(2) Eat more beans

(3) Eat more of good fats and Omega 3 rich foods such as avocado, fish-Salmon, walnuts flaxseeds etc rather than saturated fatty acids.

(4) Consume good beverages; avoid consuming carbonated beverages and caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic which puts load on kidneys to remove more amount of water than required which results in dehydration. Focus more on herbal teas which helps in relieving hot flashes.

(5) Balance your meals: – heavy breakfast, moderate lunch and light dinner should always

(6) Consume more of calcium containing foods as this mineral is very important for women after the age of 30. Adequate amount of calcium in diet decreases the risk of osteoporosis. Some of the natural foods high in Calcium are dairy products, ragi, sesame seeds etc

(7) Say no to high fat and high sugar foods!

(8) Add functional foods to your diet such as flaxseeds which is a super food! Raw Flaxseed should be ground and 1 tsp should be had and drink a glass of water over it.

(9) Exercise! It is a key to life a healthy life! 30 minutes of walk also acts as a stress buster!

Ladies out there at this stage of your life take care of yourself.

As you navigate through the various phases of menopause, may this article serve as a valuable guide to support your well-being. For more insightful articles on Women’s Health, explore here. If you seek further information or personalised guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our certified experts. Subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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