preventive healthcare Archives

January 5, 2023 By Parwage Alam Leave a Comment

6 Ways To Track & Achieve Your New Year Goals

We are in the first week of the first month of 2023 and I am sure many of us out there would have made some New Year Resolutions! The most common resolutions often revolve around “Losing weight and getting fit”, “Quitting smoking”, “Learning something new” or “Traveling to new places”. The question is – are we working on it and what’s our game plan? The desire to change something about yourself happens year after year. While intentions are good, most of us seldom end up fulfilling the resolutions we’ve set. A recent article by Forbes magazine said that only 8% of the people actually achieve their New Year Goals.

Why Is It So Hard To Stick To New Year Goals?

Why do so many people fail at goal setting? What is it about those few who manage to get it right and achieve their goals? There are many answers to the why’s and how’s. New Year goal setting is just seen as an opportunity to dish out our large bucket lists of all that we wanted to achieve through the year and could not. It’s an attempt to tell yourself that this year will definitely be better than the last.

This enthusiasm continues in the first week of the New Year. Then gradually as days and months pass, the interest in achieving these goals fades away. The human mind always finds excuses to stick to set goals set or loses interest mid-way, with little room for introspection. But fear not! We will list 6 ways you can stay on track with your New Year Goals!

6 Ways To Track & Achieve Your New Year Goals

Create a Q&A: If you have decided to resolve a habit, prepare some questions that you can ask yourself at timely intervals. This really helps you boost your enthusiasm and keep a check on your progress. Analyze your life. Is there anything you want to change or improve? All answers start with questions, so be ready to create your list. Ask who, what and how: Who do I want to become? What can I improve? How can I change? Give yourself plenty of time — anywhere from a few hours to several days.
The Devil Is In The Details: Now as you have your list ready, it’s time to check and analyze it, so that you stick to your routine and check the progress. This will help you to carry out your resolution by the end of the year. For instance, if your goal is to lose 10kg by the end of this month, always keep a record and check at the end of every month how much of your goal you have achieved. This detailed data will help you to reach your goal and definitely works as a roadmap to success!
Gaze Into The Future: Now that you have your New Year roadmap in hand, it’s time to create some emotional attachment with your New Year goals. This really makes your journey enjoyable because it links you to your imagination. You have to visualize how you are feeling after achieving your goals. For instance, if a person’s goal is to lose 10kg, that person should start visualizing themselves in their ideal weight. This in turn will motivate them to achieve their goal. The more senses you engage, the better. This is your future self — get excited!
Eating Elephants: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! We always have to break our goals into small portions to achieve them. It helps us accomplish our goals on time. For instance, if you have to run 10km – your mind starts thinking it’s a huge distance which you have to cover, and you lose your motivation. But, if you break this down and say that you have to complete 1km 10 times, it will become very easy to achieve your target.
Reward Yourself: As humans, we either need bribes or rewards to stay motivated. Reward yourself every time you reach a milestone closer to your goal. It motivates you further. For instance, if you are planning to run 10km and you have already broken your target to 1km 10 times, start rewarding yourself after every 1km – by walking 100 meters. This will give you some rest and your body will be energized to run another 1km. You can also set a grand reward like maybe giving yourself a dream, outstation vacation after you have achieved your main goal.
Socializing: When you commit something in front of people, you’re always a little more motivated to achieve that goal. What you can do is publish your goals on your social channels and tell your friends about it. Go an extra mile and update your result in a timely manner as well. It will help you stick to your routine and achieve your goals!

And that’s it! A simple 6 step process to help you achieve your New Year Goals! We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on goal setting and achieving them, check out Healthy Reads.

If you have trouble sticking to your resolutions, take help from a GOQii Coach who will guide, motivate and help you achieve your goals! Subscribe for GOQii’s personalized health coaching to get started now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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December 27, 2022 By Neha Goyal Leave a Comment

7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants. Billions of people rely on caffeine to start their day and to get through their night shift or afternoon slump. It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system, helping you stay alert, reducing the onset of tiredness. Nothing is as comforting on a chilly morning as a hot cup of tea with a cozy blanket. For most people, intake of these caffeinated drinks increases during winter as they believe it provides warmth to beat the cold. But is that really so? Is there a reason to avoid caffeinated drinks? Let’s find out!

How Caffeine Works

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much raises some concerns. When you drink any caffeinated drink, your gut absorbs it very quickly and sends it to your bloodstream. From there, as it reaches your brain, it starts blocking the effects of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine relaxes your brain and makes you feel tired. So by blocking its receptors, caffeine helps you stay awake and alert. But with alertness comes anxiety as well. At the same time, caffeine also stimulates our stress or “fight & flight” hormones.

Reasons To Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Dehydration: During winter, most people feel less thirsty and their water intake automatically reduces. All caffeinated drinks are diuretic and tend to flush out water from the body through urine, making it deficient in not just water but also vitamins and minerals that are required for the smooth functioning of the body.
Amplified Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Winter is not a good time for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure. They are always advised to stay away from low temperatures as it can constrict their blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure. Caffeine being a stimulant also increases heart rate and blood pressure. So it may increase difficulties for such people.
Empty Calories: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with sugar and give you not just empty calories but a sugar crash later, which might make you feel more lethargic after some time.
Effect on Digestion: Being a stimulant, caffeine increases gut motility or the contraction of muscles that propel the contents in the gastrointestinal tract. This might be a reason why you feel like having tea or coffee with or after a heavy meal. But this actually isn’t good because it reduces the time your food stays in each part of your digestive system, not letting the nutrients fully absorb. In fact, too much can lead to diarrhea which is followed by dehydration.
Pregnancy & Lactation: Caffeine can easily cross the placenta and can reach breast milk. So, women who consume caffeinated drinks may need to limit their intake to avoid risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
Interaction with Medication: Our body flushes out caffeine generally within 6-8 hours but while in the system, it can react with your medication and supplements, causing poor absorption or side effects.
Suppresses Appetite: Now this can be both good and bad for all weight watchers. Research shows that caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant but increases higher plasma levels of PYY & Leptin (anorexic hormones). It might make you eat less calories, but with less food, there is less nutrition as well. So beware of consuming too much caffeine, as our body needs more nutrition to maintain immunity.

Now, the purpose of all this information was not to coax you off caffeine but to ensure you control your intake. Controlled amounts can have some benefits too! Make sure you drink the right quantity and the right version. 1-2 cups of black tea, green tea and black coffee are better options than sugary and cream filled versions. Also ensure that you drink your last cup 6-8 hours before you sleep.

We hope this article on why you should avoid caffeinated drinks in winter helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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October 22, 2022 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

The Art Of Reducing Medication & Getting Healthy With GOQii

If you speak to anyone who has lost weight the right way and maintains their health, you’ll begin to understand that it is an art that requires patience, dedication and consistency. Without these, your health will spiral downwards. Our Player Hema Sangani realised this as she took the decision to get healthy with GOQii. Here’s how Hema Sangani painted her Health Story.

Lifestyle and Women’s Health Issues

A dentist by profession and an artist by passion, Hema Sangani is 52 years old and resides in Bhavnagar. As a dentist, her routine can be quite hectic and over the course of time, long working hours left her with no time for physical activity.

She also drank copious amounts of tea on a daily basis and that, coupled with some other habits led to her developing medical issues which included acidity, hypothyroid and women’s health issues. At the age of 44, due to an Ovary Cyst, she had to undergo hysterectomy to avoid malignancy.

She also gained a lot of weight and weighed around 75kg with lots of fat around her tummy and thighs. With all these issues, her only option was medication. She was on medication for Thyroid and Acidity – taking as many as two antacids a day.

Her husband was aware of the issues faced by Hema and figured that there might be a better way to maintain good health and manage the condition without popping pills. After a fair amount of research, he came across GOQii and gifted it to her.

Making Lifestyle Changes & Reducing Medication

Upon joining GOQii, Hema Sangani’s 3 primary goals were to:

Reduce weight
Reduce acidity levels and the antacid medication
Control thyroid medication

She was assigned to Coach Parul Massey who understood Hema’s needs and worked out a plan to achieve her goals slowly. “We started this journey by setting the goal of reducing acidity by including buttermilk in meals and reducing the quantity of tea consumed during the day,” says Coach Parul. Slowly, Hema reduced her dependence on tea.

Along with some changes in nutrition and diet, Hema also got motivated to join GOQii PRO classes within the GOQii App. She began joining these live sessions by experts for basic workouts in the morning. The one-on-one guidance during these sessions helped her get more active than before. She also began meditation to reduce stress levels. Now, she regularly attends GOQii PRO classes in the morning.

To know how Hema Sangani painted her Health Story, get the complete picture by watching this episode of GOQii Health Stories where she speaks to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal:

What Changes Did Hema Sangani Experience?

After making several lifestyle changes by eating right, on time, exercising regularly and meditating, Hema Sangani was able to reduce her medications. After 3 months of joining GOQii, her acidity medication reduced to one tablet and she reduced the medication for her thyroid issue as well. She also witnessed an inch loss.

“I love GOQii and I keep telling my husband that It’s one of the best gifts that he has given me till date,” says Hema. She has been a GOQii Elite Player for about 204 days till 17th October, 2022.

Hema continues to paint her Health Story but what about you? Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change and manage health conditions the right way? Speak to an expert by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

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October 11, 2022 By Arooshi Garg Leave a Comment

Cardiac Diet: Foods To Eat, Avoid & Other Tips

Whether you want to lose weight, manage cardiovascular issues or simply avoid any health complications, a healthy, clean eating pattern can help you move towards it. Understanding what foods are good or bad and taking small steps to include or avoid different foods can be game changer. While eating habits are formed slowly and changing them can be overwhelming, here’s your guide to a Cardiac Diet which includes foods and eating habits that can help you maintain a healthy heart.

The Cardiac Diet – Foods & Habits For A Healthy Heart

Control portions: Eyeballing your food to check the estimated calories is the easiest way to avoid overeating and over consumption. Even healthy foods like nuts, when taken in excess, are harmful! Always choose low calorie and high fiber foods to fill yourself like raw fruits and vegetables. Take smaller portions of calorie dense and high salt foods for a healthy heart. Another tip is to choose a smaller plate when eating.
Choose raw vegetables: Having at least 3-4 servings of fresh and local vegetables is very essential to get a good supply of heart healthy antioxidants. Choose bright coloured vegetables to get maximum benefit. Fiber, which is present in vegetables, helps in controlling high BP, fat deposition in arteries and also eases digestion.
Include whole grains, millets: Grains are naturally high in fiber and nutrients. Avoid refined and processed cereals like all-purpose flour, breads and bakery products. Instead, choose locally available native millets like barley, ragi, bajra, quinoa, and farro.
Consume salt mindfully: Having too much salt can worsen cardiac health and cause hypertension. Adding no table salt and reducing salt while you cook is the first step. Reducing hidden salt from foods like cornflakes, muesli, breads, biscuits, sauces, and pickles is the next step. Choose less refined salts like Rock salt or Himalayan salt. Be wary if you have thyroid, as you might need regular iodized salt. Flavor your dishes using dill, coriander, mint, lemon, and oregano instead!
Choose low-fat high protein sources: Avoid animal products that are high in fat such as full fat milk, cheese, etc. Go for low fat/toned milk, choose leaner cuts, fish, and eggs to meet your protein requirement. Certain types of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood fats called triglycerides. Products like soya granules, sprouts, powdered pulses are good, low-fat sources of protein and contain no cholesterol. They can be easily added to the diet to increase protein intake.
Control the intake of nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds when consumed in moderation are extremely beneficial. Nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, sabja seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds are rich in heart healthy fats known as omega 3 fatty acids. These help in increasing the good cholesterol component essential for limiting inflammation in heart patients. However, excess of these nuts and seeds can also lead to increased fat intake which is not ideal.
Engage in cardio activities: As the name suggests, any type of physical activity which affects the heart activity is considered good for cardiovascular health. If you cannot go to the gym, ensure that you at least go for a walk. A quick 30-minute fast walk can help you get good cardio activity to reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure and improve energy levels. It can also help you fight weight gain to improve overall cardiac health. If you are still unable to find time for dedicated exercise, make it a habit to walk for 10 minutes post every meal. Finding small pockets of time for cardiovascular fitness in the form of walking can be really helpful. Choose any activity like jogging, running, cycling, swimming, Zumba, or aerobics, etc.
Say no to smoking and alcohol: Limit your alcohol intake. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. The chemicals you inhale when you smoke, damage your heart and blood vessels.

A mild indulgence should not hamper your heart healthy journey, so an occasional favorite meal or a piece of cookie won’t harm you. However, balancing your choices and changing your eating habits in the long run is the key to better heart health.

We hope this Cardiac Diet and the subsequent tips help you make a positive lifestyle change. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on Heart Health, check out Healthy Reads or ask an expert by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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