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Your Guide For A Happy Gut: Say bye to bloating, acidity and heartburn

Gut health Your body is constantly communicating with you. Very small episodes of acidity, bloating, indigestion, etc. says a lot about your lifestyle and overall health. Are you paying attention? It is important for us to know that about 70% of the immune system is located in our gut and the gut absorbs nutrients that support body functions from energy production to hormone balance, skin health to mental health and toxin & waste elimination too.

So how can you keep your gut healthy? Well, follow this guide for a happy gut to stay healthy!

Easy Guide For A Happy Gut 

  1. Fennel Seeds or Saunf: These seeds have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory properties and promote the production of gastric enzymes. It works wonderfully against indigestion, bloating, acidity, heartburn post meals and constipation too. Just add 1 tbsp of raw seeds to the water bottle you carry to office or have 1 glass of fennel seed water post meals to take care of such symptoms.
  2. Basil Seeds: They work well in relieving constipation, bloating, naturally detox your body and help regulate smooth bowel movements. It works as a natural coolant. You can have a glass of milk with basil seeds few hours before bed time, or make a drink with water, honey and basil seeds and have it in mid-morning, or just make a habit of soaking it for 2-3 hours and drinking the water in the morning.
  3. Fenugreek Seeds: These are rich in fiber and antioxidants, and help in enhancing bowel movement. Take a tsp of fenugreek seeds and soak it in 1 cup of water at night and have it in the morning with a glass of lukewarm water if you have long term problems of constipation, indigestion or heartburn. *People experiencing severe acidity should avoid this.
  4. Lemon Ginger Water: This will help strengthen the digestive system and prevent indigestion, nausea, heartburn and bloating. Take a glass of lukewarm water, add 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of ginger juice in it. This will work best for bloating post meals or occasional bloating post heavy meals.
  5. Apple Cider Vinegar: The unfiltered, unpasteurized and raw mother Apple Cider Vinegar has live micro-organisms and help to work towards heartburn & GI stress. A dilution of Apple Cider Vinegar before a meal can help you stimulate acid secretion and reduce gut symptoms. Also, having a tbsp of ACV in 300 ml water in the morning can also help in the same.
  6. Water: Is the body’s basic requirement! A constant supply of water is necessary to replenish the fluids lost through activities such as respiration, perspiration, urination, regulating body temperature, digesting food, etc. Try to drink at least 2-2.5L of water throughout the day and it is the answer to all your digestive issues.
  7. Vegetables & Fruits: Having 1 portion of vegetables in every meal is the best way to help your gut digest the food well and have enough nutrients. Plus, the fiber from them helps to ease bowel movement and acts as food for micro-organisms. Fruits are best to go for in mid meals to add more soluble fiber and get rid of acidity and bloating.
  8. Physical Activity: No escape here. Being physically active for 30-45mins is the answer to good health and a happy gut. Exercise gets your heart pumping and increases blood flow and oxygen circulation throughout the body. Blood and oxygen are necessary to aid digestion and keep the intestinal muscles healthy. So for constipation, bloating, acidity, heartburn, etc. including some walking, cycling, yoga, etc. will give you better results.
  9. No Sugar: Processed sugar, refined flour, fried and processed food should be avoided as they are not good for your gut microbes.

Just follow these simple tips for a happy gut! If this article helped you, let us know 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.

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Ashima Dalela Beats Gut Health Issues and Anxiety With GOQii

Ashima Dalela

You might have heard the saying, “Almost all diseases begin in the gut.” If gut health issues are left unchecked, it can get worse and affect your mental health too. Our Player Ashima Dalela suffered from gut health issues which led to severe anxiety and she visited around 15 doctors who were unable to identify the cause. But, she was able to fix the issue with simple lifestyle changes suggested by her GOQii Coach. How did she tackle her gut and anxiety issue? Let’s find out! 

Life Before GOQii 

Ashima Dalela is a young working professional based in Ghaziabad. For the longest time, she suffered from stomach issues and anxiety. Multiple doctors were unable to diagnose what was wrong, with some saying it was GERD and stomach infection. One doctor told her that it was IBS and her gut problem has combined with anxiety. Finally, one of the doctors she visited suggested GOQii. 

Identifying the Issue & Making Lifestyle Changes 

Since she onboarded, Coach Meenakshi was assigned to Ashima Dalela. Coach Meenakshi began by tackling the stomach issues and acidity. She prescribed specific foods to improve her gut health. She coupled nutrition with exercises such as asanas for the stomach, all of which slowly and steadily brought about a change. 

Initially, Ashima faced some difficulty in walking. So she was tasked with completing 2k steps a day. She was also skipping meals due to her situation and her condition was only getting worse. Despite some hurdles, Ashima stuck to the habits given by her GOQii Coach. Thanks to her dedication and her GOQii Coach’s constant motivation, she was able to fix her gut health issue as well as her anxiety. She now enjoys the live sessions on the app and always browses through Healthy Reads. She also enrolls for challenges within the app. 

Initially, her mother was skeptical about the coaching aspect but after seeing positive results, she is convinced that the coaching works. In fact, the entire family has adopted healthy habits. Her goal now is to stay active and gain healthy weight. 

 What Are Coach Meenakshi’s Thoughts About Ashima Dalela’s Journey? 

When Ashima came on board, she was very nervous about her health issues. She wanted to control:

  • GERD with symptoms like acidity in the morning, vomiting sensation, stomach upset, burning sensation, bloating and gas after meals 
  • Anxiety (20%, 1-2 anxiety attacks in a month because of health problems related to the gut) with symptoms like dizziness, increased heartbeat and numbness in hands and legs.

Now, her GERD has reduced by 95% without any symptoms after introducing habits like lemon water, detox water, eating slowly, adding curd, rice, kanji, etc. Anxiety levels reduced by 95% without any symptoms. Now, she can cope easily with any arguments/bad news. 

She has been practicing meditation, deep breathing and is generally more positive. Ashima doesn’t feel stress and anxiety while handling physical, mental and emotionally taxing situations. 

We changed to a new health goal on 15 August 2020 as she wanted to be more active in 3 months as she was unable to do any activity in the morning and evening because of work. She felt lethargic in the evening after office work. She was also facing haemorrhoid issues and irregular cycles. 

She feels 85% improvement in activeness with asanas, exercise and daily walks. Her bowel movement is fine with more water and salad intake. Menstrual cycle also continues now in September with the habit of seed cycle.

We’re now working with a new health goal from 10 March, 2021 – She wants to gain weight up to 53kg (weight was 50kg on March 10). Her current weight is 51kg thanks to the added habits of eating nuts and seeds, post workout meals and employing strengthening exercises.

To take a glimpse into Ashima’s inspiring journey with GOQii, watch her GOQii Health Story session with our Founder and CEO Vishal Gondal along with her GOQii Coach Meenakshi, Doctor Viral Thakkar and Divya Thampi here – 

If you suffer from similar issues or know someone who does, share this article with them and subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. 

Find more inspiring health stories here.

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Prebiotics and Probiotics: What’s the Difference?

Prebiotics and Probiotics - what's the difference

You may have heard of prebiotics and probiotics, but do you know the difference between the two? While they sound similar, prebiotics and probiotics have different roles in promoting gut health. In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between prebiotics and probiotics, and how they work together to support your digestive system.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber that the human body can’t digest. Instead, they serve as food for the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut, helping to promote the growth and activity of these microbes. When prebiotics are fermented by the bacteria in your gut, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are important for maintaining gut health and supporting immune function.

Some examples of common prebiotics include inulin, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). These are found in a variety of foods such as bananas, onions, garlic, asparagus, artichokes, whole grains, and legumes. Prebiotics are often used in conjunction with probiotics to promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to your gut health. These microbes can be found in certain foods or supplements, and are also naturally present in your gut. Probiotics help to promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in your gut, while also inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.

Some examples of common probiotics include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, and Saccharomyces Boulardii. Probiotics are often added to foods such as yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables, or can be taken in supplement form.

How Do Prebiotics and Probiotics Work Together?

Prebiotics and Probiotics work together to promote a healthy gut microbiome. Prebiotics provide the food that Probiotics need to thrive and multiply, while Probiotics help to balance the ratio of beneficial and harmful bacteria in your gut. By consuming both Prebiotics and Probiotics, you can support the growth of beneficial bacteria, improve digestion, and enhance immune function.

It’s worth noting that not all Probiotics and Prebiotics are created equal. Different strains of Probiotics and types of Prebiotics can have different effects on the gut microbiome, so it’s important to choose high-quality supplements such as these to improve your gut constitution.

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! You can find more articles on nutrition and improving gut health here. 

You can also get this information and a lot more directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here. 

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Suneeta Mane Goes From Stagnant To Unstoppable!

Suneeta Mane

Health conditions arising out of lifestyle or hormonal imbalances can seem like a death sentence. These health conditions not only affect your wellbeing but also your mental health and it can seem like a bottomless hole you can’t crawl out of. But that’s not true. If you are determined, you can not only crawl out of your predicament but go way beyond that to serve as an inspiration for others. Our Player Suneeta Mane is a shining example of what you can achieve with consistent efforts, determination and lifestyle changes! 

Life Before GOQii

Suneeta Mane is a working professional based in Mumbai. As she works for a large corporation, her job is quite stressful. Along with the work-related stress, she also struggled with stagnant weight, inch gain, fatty liver, acidity, constipation, skin irritation, acne, bloating and hypothyroidism for which she was under heavy medication. She was also trying to manage her PCOS. 

She first encountered GOQii when a friend requested she gift him a tracker. “I was also keen on getting one tracker for myself but, I guess, I was not ready then,” she said. “In 2017, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid and was put on 50mg Thyronome tabs. But this thyroid created havoc in my life – it came with additional problems like acne, fatigue, constant irritation and I found my overall health deteriorating. Medicines gave me temporary relief, but after that, the symptoms would erupt again. I had never eaten a tab for any minor ailment either. I hate consuming tabs but here I was – I had to eat tablets if I wanted relief. To add to all this, my work is also stressful. I had to do something to normalise my life. So after a year, I joined GOQii in 2018.” 

Making Lifestyle Changes and Going Beyond! 

When Suneeta Mane subscribed for personalized health coaching, her immediate goals were to lead a healthy lifestyle to improve her condition, get rid of medication and get back to normalcy. Her GOQii Coach Yogita Sharma prescribed alternative methods, a diet plan and some “me time” which would help her relieve stress. 

“Slowly within a month’s time, I began finding relief. The Acne had reduced as well. The best part about GOQii is that the problems in my health were being addressed from their roots,” she said. 

Her GOQii Coach Yogita Sharma suggested very basic lifestyle and dietary changes which included: 

  • Timely meals and portion control 
  • 3 hour gaps between dinner and sleep 
  • Fermented Rice and/or vegetable juice in the morning
  • Combination of Cardio and Strength workout 
  • Being active throughout the day 
  • Consuming at least 4L of water a day 
  • Including more fibre in meals along with a high protein diet 
  • Meditation, gratitude and affirmations along with yoga 

With a few more lifestyle changes, Suneeta Mane began seeing positive results. She also claims to be a die hard fan of GOQii’s Emotional Wellness Expert Divya Thampi. She watches one of her videos everyday on GOQii Play. She says, “Divya Thampi’s sessions on Mental Health have really helped me in bettering my mental health as well as my personal development. Her sessions on stress management, setting realistic goals, etc. have been very useful!” 

Apart from lifestyle changes and her interactions with her GOQii Coach, she also took Doctor Consultations and says that they were fantastic. She had once developed an allergy and the GOQii Doctor prescribed simple suggestions that helped her instantly. 

The Results Of Her Dedication & Determination 

Over the period of 4 years, Suneeta Mane managed to lose 6 inches around her waist and now weighs 56kg. As per her latest reports, her Thyroid levels are well within range and she doesn’t suffer from Fatty Liver any more. 

Constipation, Bloating and Acidity issues are no longer there and she has no issues related to PCOS. Her skin is also clearer. Her overall energy levels have improved and she feels fresh throughout the day. Apart from major achievements in physical health, she also said that her mental health has improved significantly and she has a new positive outlook on life. 

  • Her achievements during this time are uncountable. Some of them include: 
  • 8 days trek in Kedarnath (whereas before, she had only started with 2km walks) 
  • Trekking the Sahyadri Hills in Maharashtra 
  • Indulged in 300ft rappelling near Malshej Ghat 
  • Won 2 beauty pageants while competing against women as young as 18 years while she was 33. She says that no one could guess her age. The most recent one being around December 2021 – Fashion Icon – it was held in Thane. 
  • Prior to that, she won the title of Maharashtra’s Goodwill Ambassador in October 2021. As a goodwill ambassador, she had to raise 1 Lakh – but she managed to raise INR 1.10k for Delhi based Ladli foundation and this fund was used towards building more awareness about Menstrual Hygiene. 

Giving Back To Society 

That is not all to her, as she and her brother also run a social organisation named after her mother. It’s called Pad-Mini Foundation and it’s based out of Airoli in Navi Mumbai. They have been investing in this organisation with their own money. 

The foundation works towards Sanitary Napkin awareness and distribution, skilled based classes for underprivileged girls and women in and around the Airoli Slums. According to Suneeta Mane, “Skilled courses makes one financially independent, even though they do not get education, also menstrual hygiene is a must for women.”  

From our interactions, we have learned that Suneeta is not just a name, she is “Unstoppable Suneeta” as time and time again, she has proved herself. With every event she has bounced back stronger, with an even stronger zeal to learn and try new things.

She says that the GOQii ecosystem is a perfect gift to give! All the coaches have been great, and her current Coach Yogita Sharma has been super helpful. Recently, she spoke about her Healthy Story at length with our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal as a part of GOQii Health Stories. You can watch the entire conversation here: 

Well, we hope Suneeta’s Healthy Story inspires you to beat the odds, get motivated and make a positive lifestyle change! For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

To subscribe for personalized health coaching and get the right guidance and motivation from an expert, click here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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