GOQii

Blog

By Leave a Comment

5 Healthy Valentine’s Day Gifting Ideas

Valentine's Day Gifting

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you still haven’t found the perfect gift for your better half, we suggest opting for these 5 healthy little treats so you and your loved one can spend your life on the right side of forever! After all, the best gift you can give the one you love is good health.

Healthy Valentine’s Day Gifting Ideas For Your Loved One! 

1. Herbal Teas  
If a picture is worth a thousand words then the aromatic blend of flavorful, healthy herbal tea is worth a million! There’s no better way to express the unique love the two of you share than presenting them with an unique blend of tea. Talk about exquisite and classy! Nothing spices up romance like a freshly brewed cup of tea!

2. Natural Honey
Our money is on the honey for your honey! Celebrate your unadulterated love with some natural goodness. If you’re wondering why honey is on this list, then there are a million reasons. To begin with, sugar is addictive and it does terrible things to your body. If you must go for a sweetener, then why not opt for something that is much sweeter and healthier?

3. Muesli
We can all agree that love isn’t a single emotion, it is a mix of all things good just like Muesli! Doing something as surprising as bringing the love of your life some breakfast in bed can go a long way in ensuring a long, loving and healthy relationship.

4. Personal Care Products
Love is a serious business. The best way to show your commitment is by pampering your loved one with a gift that brings out her radiance, much like the inner beauty that you fell for. A little grooming and lots of love goes a long way in showing your partner that you care.

5. Healthy Chocolates
By now, we all know that the universal food for love is chocolate! There is absolutely no better way to say ‘I love you’ than presenting your loved one with a box of delicious chocolates! Be sure to choose healthy versions of chocolates that will make your loved one melt for more!

You can get all the products listed above for a sweet discount from the GOQii Health Store using your GOQii Cash.

Got any more healthy Valentine’s Day Gifting ideas? Share them with us in the comments below.

#BeTheForce for love and good health!

By 2 Comments

Why You Should Eat Slowly For Good Health & Better Digestion

Eat SlowlyMary Roach, in her book, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal describes the digestive system as a highly elaborate inside of the tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus.

Let’s address an important facet of pre-digestion: Chewing – a much neglected lifestyle habit.

What Happens When You Eat Slowly?

The chewing process serves as the first step to proper digestion. Two interesting things happen while chewing: Firstly, Ptyalin, which is required for digestion of carbohydrates is secreted. The other thing is that the brain kicks into action and recognizes whether you are chewing proteins, carbohydrates or fats and accordingly tells the stomach to secrete the right enzymes.

It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness. When you eat slowly, it allows ample of time to trigger the signal from your brain that you are full. Feeling full translates into eating less.

Speed eating, gorging and binge eating majorly contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Studies confirmed that chewing every bite for a longer period of time helps you lose weight and improve digestion. This is because it provides more time for your brain to receive the signal. Therefore, the slower you chew, the lesser you eat and the more satisfied you are. Eating fast promotes weight gain and makes you feel out of control of your eating habits.

Follow These Simple Steps! 

  • The very first step to mindful eating is to choose the smallest plate in your house. Take that plate and serve your portions and sit
  • Sit down to eat in a calm environment with minimal distractions. It is your time with your food. Don’t eat while driving, watching TV, while texting, etc.
  • Add 1 exchange of raw or cooked vegetables right before the main meal and use a fork to eat it. Try setting a minimum number of chews per bite
  • Look at your plate and see how colorful it is and what good it is going to do to your body. Sense the aroma and question yourself about its nutrition
  • Take a fork or chop stick to eat your meal. If you’re eating roti-sabji, take very small bites of the roti and more vegetables. Chew 30 times or more per bite and gulp it down
  • Set your time to eat. At least 20-30 minutes for each meal and preferably even longer at dinner. This will set your relationship with food
  • When you eat slowly, it improves your health in more ways than one. It leads to better digestion, better absorption, reduced bloating, acidity & constipation as well as aids weight management

So eat slowly, chew properly and live healthy! We hope this article helps you chew your food for better digestion and absorption of all those precious nutrients. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

For more health tips like this, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

By 2 Comments

Time Management Can Change Your Life

How Time Management Can Help YouTime is a precious commodity. We all chase it but never have enough, given our busy schedules. Ever stopped to ask yourself why you keep running out of time? Ever wondered if you’re working in a systematic manner?

My father always said that there are two kinds of people:

  • Those who work hard
  • Those who work smart

Those who work hard, do their work without giving it a thought and work monotonously. The smart workers are those who do their work in a systematic and planned manner, adhere to time management and also enjoy what they are doing.

What Constitutes Time Management?

Time management is the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity.

To be successful is to manage your time well. It helps utilize the available time in an optimum manner to achieve one’s personal and professional goals. Without time management, you will not steer your life and you’ll eventually end up doing exactly what other people want you to do. Time management helps you take control of your life in the right manner. You decide what you want to do and where you want to go. Practicing time management has lots of benefits. Once you get a hang of it, you can work more, learn faster and play more.

How Does It Affect Your Health?

Today, work pressure has everyone stressed to the bone. More than often, people stay awake till morning trying to complete their work. During the day, they are seated with eyes glued to a machine. All these negatively impact the body and the mind. No physical activity means lack of movement in your joints, muscles and hence, one is prone to joint pains and other lifestyle diseases.

If you practice time management, you can complete your work and still have time to take care of your health. Believe me, you will start feeling positive. This in turn will help you be more stress-free. For most adults, sleep is the main factor that is compromised due to busy schedules. For students and professionals, moving about without sleep is a regular affair under the garb of wanting to achieve their targets. They may complete all their tasks, but do not realize that their mental and physical health is getting affected. Proper time management may prevent this.

Benefits of Time Management

  1. Increase in Productivity: Practicing time management can increase your productivity by helping you finish your work in the shortest possible time.
  2. Chances of Moving up the Ladder: In corporate sectors, the better you perform, the higher your chances of growth are. By managing your time, you could end up becoming a star performer in your organization
  3. Reduced Stress: If you manage your time well, you do not have to panic or push yourself to finish your work. You will get your work done at the said time, thus relieving you of stress and unnecessary work pressure.
  4. Higher Income: It is a well-known fact that in today’s world, time reciprocates money. Managing your time helps you accommodate more time to take up new assignments, opening up many more doors of opportunities.
  5. Boost in Self-Confidence: If you are completing your work within a given time frame and delivering quality as well, it will certainly boost your self-confidence and be fruitful for your career advancements.
  6. Stronger Family Bonds: Time management will help you spend quality time with your family and friends, which seems next to impossible these days. Time management helps you maintain a fine balance between your professional and personal life. Your family bonding will be much better.
  7. Better for Health: For better health, you need at least 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep. If you spend the whole night finishing your pending tasks, then you are certainly evoking great health hazards. There are many health related irregularities which are caused by lack of sleep.

All of the above explanations prove that the benefits of managing your time are irrefutable. Life is all about accomplishments and enjoyments. Efficient time management is the only instrument which helps you find both. You can’t allow yourself to sink under the files of pending tasks and persistently overlook your family responsibilities or personal necessities. Adopt a proficient time management technique to lead a balanced and prosperous life.

Have you been unable to manage your time or excel in managing it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

For more articles like this, check out Healthy Reads. If you want to set a schedule to help you manage your time and health better, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

By 16 Comments

Pranayama: 6 Variations & Their Benefits

Pranayama and Its BenefitsPranayama is one of the most common Yoga Asanas that people perform because it is easy and provides numerous benefits.

What Is Pranayama?

Pranayama is defined as stretching, lengthening or modifying the breath. Despite being an involuntary process, breathing can be voluntarily controlled and manipulated. Controlled breathing helps you have a better grip on your mind and your body.

To perform Pranayama, ou can chosoe any meditative pose. If a meditative pose is difficult, you can opt for Sukhasana where the head, neck and spine are in a straight line. Focus on your breathing, try to feel each breath that you inhale and exhale from your nostrils. After you have done this, relax and spend some time to observe your entire body. Awareness should be present throughout the session.

Pranayam and its benefits to stay fit
Terminologies You Should Know:

  • Purak –Breathing in
  • Rechak –Breathing Out
  • Kumbhak – Holding the breath.

There are various kinds of Pranayama. Here are a few of them.

1. Bhastrika Pranayama

‘Bhastra’ is the Bellows Pump used to pump fire. ‘Bhastrika’ originates from this term. People with high blood pressure must not perform Bhastrika. They can, however, perform a modified version. In Bhastrika Paranayama, one must breath in and breath out rapidly and forcefully. At the same time, they must flap the stomach in and out. When you breathe in, your stomach will expand and when you breathe out, your stomach will contract.

Benefits : Gases exchange at a very fast pace. Oxygen intake increases as the body throws out more Carbon Dioxide. There’s an increase in the Metabolic Rate as well.

2. Anulom – Vilom

Also known as Alternate Nostril Breathing, follows a slow and deep rhythmic breathing pattern. To perform this variation, close the left nostril and breathe in through the right nostril. Hold your breath for 3-5 seconds. Close the right nostril and breathe in through the left nostril. Hold it for 3-5 seconds to increase the absorption of oxygen.

Benefits: Useful for people suffering from Sinusitis. This Pranayama relaxes the mind and the entire nervous system. It improves lung capacity, strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation.

3. Sheetali Pranayama

This Pranayama is also called Cooling Breathing. Before performing Sheetali Pranayama,  one must ensure that the atmosphere is clean. Roll the tongue and take a slow and deep breathe through the mouth. You will experience a cooling sensation on the surface of your tongue. Close the mouth and breathe out through the nostrils.

Benefits: It is very beneficial for people suffering from digestive disorders and acidity. This Pranayama also relaxes the mind.

4. Bhramari

It can be done towards the end of the session. Bhramari relaxes the mind and helps in blood circulation and circulation of Cerebrospinal fluid. Bhramari is also called Humming Bee Breath. Sitting in a meditation pose, breathe in through the nostrils (deep breath) and breathe out slowly, thereby, producing the humming sound like a Humming Bee. Inhalation and exhalation time will be the same.

5. Suryabhedan

Surya is referred to the right nostril and Bhedan is piercing. Breathing in through the right nostril and breathing out through the left nostril is called Suryabhedan. This energizing Pranayama stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, cleanses the skull and in the Hathapradipika, it is mentioned that the heat generated by this Pranayama will destroy the worms in the stomach.

6. Shitkari Pranayama

Also called the Hissing Breath, this Pranayama is performed by touching the teeth of the upper and lower jaw together and breathing in. You will experience a cooling sensation on the sides of the mouth and tongue. This is also a tranquilizing Pranayama. Regular practice of this will improve digestion and reduce acidity. It is a good practice for people suffering from insomnia. It is especially useful during Summer as it reduces the body’s temperature. While practicing this Pranayama, one must make sure that the atmosphere is clean.

Disclaimer: Please consult your GOQii Doctor before you start Pranayama. For further guidance, you can reach out to an expert by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more on Yoga and meditation, check out Healthy Reads.

We hope this article helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

We’ve always advocated that lifestyle diseases can be managed with a balanced, healthy and holistic lifestyle but can they also help you manage a terminal condition? Our Player Ananda Mukherjee, with help from his GOQii Coach, was able to battle such a condition. Here’s how his inspirational Health Story unfolded. Going From Slender To Overweight  […]

The Right Guidance With Gradual Change – Rishikesh Ayre User Journey

Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change but don’t know how? Does it take every ounce of motivation for you to move? Do you need a nudge in the right direction? These are all valid questions and you’re not alone. Sometimes, we want to begin something new but don’t know where to start. […]

Venkatrao Alaparthi Loses 20kg With Guidance From His GOQii Coach

While earning a good livelihood is important, is it taking more life out of living? Long working hours, being seated most of the time with no physical activity and bad eating habits can take a toll on your health over a period of time. If this sounds relatable, you might have a lot in common […]